Soundscapes 101

The awesome guide to

experimenting and creating sounds

NAME:
CLASS:
CCSS Music Department 2024
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Part 1: Introduction

1.1 What is the meaning of ‘soundscape’?

There are basically 2 meanings of the word

‘soundscape’. Firstly, a soundscape can refer to a
_______________ or ___________________ of
______________ that is part of an ________________.
The soundscape helps to create a __________ of
___________.

Secondly, soundscapes can also refer to the sounds

and music created to ____________ the _____________
of a story or movie. These sounds can be ___________
_________, _________ __________, or musical
instruments that sound like what is happening (e.g.,
using a maraca to sound like rain).

*Sense of place: __________ or ___________ people

associate with a particular place or area.

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1.2 Watch These Videos

Clip 1:

This is taken from

Jurassic Park (1993): Tyrannosaurus Rex Scene.
Can you list the sounds you heard in this scene?

Now imagine watching this scene without sound.

What are your thoughts?

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Take a look at this video from Star Wars: The Rise
of Skywalker (2019). This is the fight scene where
Kylo Ren and Rey face off with Palpatine:

Can you identify 3 types of sounds in

this video?

1)

2)

3)

Why are these sounds crucial in a movie?

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Part 2: The Magic of
Making Sound
Some people who create sound effects are called
___________ __________. A Foley artist is a person who
creates sounds for film, video, and other media such as
radio dramas during or after production to _________
__________ __________.

When you watch a movie, and you are completely

immersed in what is happening, you are hearing the
work of Foley artists behind the scenes. They replace
or create sounds that cannot properly be recorded on
set. These sounds can include anything from
footsteps, squeaking doors, swirling water, swishing of
clothes etc.

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Take a look at these videos:

1. The Magic Of Making Sound

2. Special Effects And Sound

3. Foley Artist Shows How Sound

Effects Are Made

4. How The Sounds From The World's

Favourite Movies Are Made

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Part 3: Why Learn This..
Courses Related To Audio Technology

JAE
JAE 2024 JAE
Course Title Course Poly
Course Cluster ELR2B2-C
Code
Aggregate

Engineering Infocomm and Media

C42 NYP 6-24
Engineering

Media and Design Sound and Music S29 SP 3-13

Digital Film and

Media and Design T23 TP 3-11
Television

Film, Sound and

Media & Design N82 NP 3-11
Video

Media & Design Sonic Arts R24 RP 11-18

Note: ELR2B2 refers to the aggregate score of English Language, two Relevant subjects and two
other best subjects.

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 8 Part 4: Adding Sound
Effects On GarageBand
As you may already know, GarageBand is a digital audio
workstation (DAW) for IOS devices which allows users
to create music or podcasts. GarageBand offers a wide
variety of sounds, be it instruments or sound effects
and it allows you to easily sequence a series of sounds.
You can also even import sounds into GarageBand.

4.1 How To Download The Toy Box

Sound Collection

The Toy Box sound collection offers animal,

transportation and voice sound effects. To download,
make sure your iPad with GarageBand is connected to
the internet.

1. Open GarageBand, then choose Sound Library >

Toy Box > Click on Get.

>

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 9 2. When the new sounds are downloaded, you
can access them in the Loop Browser.
Go to Track View > Click the loop in the
control bar.

3. Select 'Apple Loops' at the top and type

'Toy Box' under Search. You will then see a list
of all the sounds effects available.

4. You can sequence your sounds in Track View and

experiment with 'FX' in the control bar.

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Part 5: Assignment 1
(30%)
Task: Create a series of sounds to reflect a given
picture

Now that you have gained some idea why sounds are
important in movies and how these are created, you are
going to attempt to create sounds to reflect ONE of the
pictures below.

1. 4.

2. 5.

3. 6.

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 11 Instructions:

1. Choose ONE picture. Think of possible sounds associated with

this picture and imagine what may be happening there:

• What is taking place? What can you hear?

• Can you pick out some objects/items?

What sounds do these make?

• Is there a specific sound that can give the listener a hint

as to where this place is?

2. Create AT LEAST 4 different sounds to depict the picture

selected. You MUST use GarageBand PLUS voice AND/OR a
variety of everyday objects. Musical instruments and sounds
obtained from the internet are not allowed.

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3. Try layering your sounds so as to create some form of texture.
Do also explore dynamics (loud/soft), tempo (fast/slow), pitch
(high/low) and texture.

4. Submit an audio recording on Google Classroom. Your piece

must be between 30 seconds and 1 minute long.

5. In the table below, indicate clearly the sounds you were trying
to depict as well as the objects used and how you created the
sound.

How the sound was created /

No. Sound of...
Objects used

E.g Waves crashing Splashing water in a basin

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 13 Listening Activity

Listen carefully to the recording.

Can you match the sounds with the text?
Ah Hock ran to the nearest phone booth and frantically tried to call Muthu. He had
unknowingly ventured into an old warehouse and witnessed a most horrendous
act. He wanted desperately to share what he had seen with Muthu but it seemed
like Muthu was busy on another call. He called again but there was no response.
Without hesitation, he ran to his car, started the engine and drove off in haste.

Even though it was late in the evening, traffic was somehow busy. Drivers were
honking impatiently at each other and Ah Hock cursed himself for being stuck at
the busy intersection. Driving in a daze, he had unknowingly veered off to the
countryside and found himself at an old house which looked run-down and eerie
in the dark light. The street lights did not seem to be working well and were
flickering. Ah Hock shuddered. He swallowed his saliva as he came to the terrifying
conclusion that he was lost. Left with little choice, he decided to get out of the car
to ask for directions. "Hopefully there is someone in that old house," he muttered
a silent prayer.

Ah Hock quickly pulled up in front of the dilapidated house and walked towards
the main door. He hurriedly knocked on the door and rang the doorbell. He heard
what seemed like the sound of the door unlocking, but no one opened the door.
Hesitantly, he pushed open the creaking door and crept in. The door closed
promptly. Ah Hock turned around to see that there was no one else in the room
except him. A cold chill ran down his spine and his heart was pounding. He wanted
to scream, but no sound came out of his mouth. Out of nowhere, a grandfather's
clock chimed ominously and a sick deafening sound filled the air. Before Ah Hock
could react, he felt a sharp pain sear through his body. When he turned around
and looked down at the floor, he saw that a pool of blood had formed.

Before he lost consciousness, the last thing he remembered was the wail of sirens.
There was a flurry of activity as policemen cordoned off the area and
communicated with each other, trying to make sense of what had happened. What
sounded like a helicopter hovered over the old house. Ah Hock was placed in an
ambulance, which sped to the nearest hospital. He saw his life flash before his
eyes. Ah Hock thought about his happy childhood. He closed his eyes and smiled...

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 14 List the sounds which you heard in the recording
and try matching it with the text.

No. Sounds heard Quote from the text

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Part 6: Writing A Story
6.1 The 5 Essential Elements Of A Story
You must have read and written many stories or compositions
before. Do you plan your work before writing? If you do, then you
must know that every story has some basic but essential
elements.

There are 5 basic elements in a story, and these are important

as it keeps the story fluent. It also allows the action or plot to
develop in a logical way that the reader can follow. Take a look at
this video.

https://www.flocabulary.com/unit/fivethings/
What are the 5 essential elements of a story?
1. ___________________: refers to a series of events in a story or
what’s going to take place.

2. ___________________: refers to the people in the story who

carry out the action.

3. ___________________: this tells you where and when the story takes
place.

4. ___________________: refers to the struggle in the plot.

5. ___________________: this is the main idea or the central topic in the

story e.g., war, love, friendship etc.
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 16 6.2 Story Elements - Plot and Theme

Watch this heartwarming video entitled The Present and answer

the following questions.

What is happening in the story?

What do you think is/are the theme(s) of the story?

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 17 6.3 Story Elements - Settings and Sounds

Watch this excerpt taken from Mulan.

What is the setting in this part of the story?

Can you identify at least 5 sounds that make this battle scene
realistic?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

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 18 Part 7: Final Assignment
(70%)
Task: Create and perform a soundscape to tell a
sound story about a particular event or environment

SUBMISSION DATE: ______________________

Now that you have an understanding of the 5 essential elements

of a story, explore and discuss possible soundscape story ideas
with your group members. Think about the plot, characters,
setting, conflict and themes.

INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Your story should be AT LEAST 180 words in length.

2. You will have to create and perform AT LEAST 10 different

sounds to accompany your story. Make use of the sound
library in GarageBand combined with voice AND/OR a variety
of everyday objects. Musical instruments and sounds obtained
from the internet are not allowed.

3. You must narrate the story with the sound effects.

GOLDEN TIP: Sequence your sounds using GarageBand.

4. Submit your audio recording through Google Classroom. Your

recording should be AT LEAST 2 minutes long.
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 19 7.1 Draft Of Soundscape Story

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 20 7.2 Experiment With Sound Sources

Read your soundscape story and list the sounds you want to
create for each idea.
Explore and experiment with
the use of different sound
sources e.g., crumpling paper,
wood block etc. to create each
individual sound needed. Be
Think about what sound source creative and look around you
can be used for each idea. Each for ideas.
idea should have a sound that
reflects the word description.

MAIN
IDEAS

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 21 Use the table below to write a description about how
each sound is to be created and performed.
Continually reflect to refine your ideas and soundscapes as you work.

No. Idea Description

Sound of footsteps accompanied

I fought my way through the with voices (at different dynamics
E.g
heavy crowds... and volume) to depict the
crowds.

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No. Idea Description

10

11

12

13

14

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 23 Some Tips:

1. Consider layering your sound sources.

2. Think about how you can make use of dynamics, tempo,

pitch and texture to enhance the effects of your sounds.

3. Continually reflect on and refine your ideas as you work.

7.3 Recording Your Sounds

Practice your part individually and then together as a

group.

Listen to the other members of your group when you

are playing/creating the sounds and have good eye
contact.

Can your part be heard? Can the other sounds be

heard?

Strive for a fluent performance and have loads of fun!!

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 24 7.3 Final Soundscape Story

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 25 Final Assignment Checklist
This assessment checklist is to help you ensure that you have perfected
every aspect of the assignment covered.

Give yourself 1-5 marks for each criteria.

1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Agree and,
5 = Strongly Agree

Note: This is a self-check and the marks you award yourself may not be
the marks awarded by your teacher.

Mark
Success Criteria (I can...)
(1-5)

1 Describe and explain what a soundscape is

2 Identify the 5 essential elements in a story

Make use of the 5 essential elements when crafting a

3
story

Accurately represent description of places, people,

4 actions etc. using sounds from everyday objects,
voice and/or GarageBand

Choose appropriate sounds to create and/or evoke a

5
certain mood or theme

Make use of different sound sources to create

6
unusual sounds

7 Use GarageBand effectively to sequence sounds

Use a variety of sounds and effects in GarageBand to

8
enhance a soundscape

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 26 Final Assignment Checklist
(Con't)
Give yourself 1-5 marks for each criteria.
1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Neutral,
4 = Agree and 5 = Strongly Agree

Mark
Success Criteria (I can...)
(1-5)

Use at least 2 or more musical elements effectively

9 (e.g., dynamics, tempo, pitch, texture etc.) when
creating a soundscape

Make use of layering so that each individual sound

10 can be clearly heard and its effect is real, interesting
and exciting

Coordinate both narration and sounds such that it is

11
fluent

Demonstrate exemplary behaviour and am respectful

12
of my group members' ideas and opinions

Contribute ideas and suggestions and participate

13
actively during discussions

Work well with my group members to overcome

14
challenges and find solutions

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