Sonic alchemy : the art of crafting game audio without recording

Abstract

Sound design is a growing industry with increasing levels of competition. The process of recording has always been seen as an integral part of sound design. However, less attention is drawn into other parts of the process, as sound design is broader than the act of recording and editing. The previous limitations of audio work are constantly being lifted by technological advancements, and sound design is no exception.

The purpose of this thesis was to ask the question “how to create compelling sound design without using a microphone?” and to provide an answer by exploring the aspects of creating high-quality video game sounds with a modern and versatile toolkit. “Sonic Alchemy” investigated whether it was possible to craft unique sound design for a video game through audio signal processing, layering and synthesis techniques, all the while challenging previously established conventions and pushing the boundaries of creative innovation and expression within the industry.

This thesis drew information from academic literature, books and articles written by industry professionals and an interview conducted with a sound design professional. The final parts of the thesis focused on a sound design project and the involvement of artificial intelligence. From this body of work, a conclusion can be drawn; With enough creative thought and skill put into the craft, quality sound design is mostly possible without recording, with voice work being the major outlier. This might change in the future, as the implementation of artificial intelligence becomes more prominent.