Sound is a way to add emotions to artwork - CreativeMindClass Blog
Phil Brookes is a music composer and sound designer of Wales. He has worked alongside TedEd, Greenpeace, Tate, Medium, Passion, Strangebeast as well as other. The music and sound design have also played at festivals such as Cannes, BFI London, GLAS, and Giffoni with multi-award-winning films.
In the video below it will be clear what Phil was inspired to become an artist and read the valuable tips on how to get started in the realm of sound. Also, dive into the musical details of a fun Socks project he worked on together with Eva Munnich.
Phil Brookes' background
I'm a music composer and sound designer originally from Wales located in UK.
From the time I can remember, I have always been attracted to the sounds of music, sound, as well as voices. I remember falling asleep before the washer as a kid, hypnotized by its drones (appropriate, considering the project I'll be talking about!) is my first sound memory.
I started mimicking funny accents and voice.
My dad was an obsessive audiophile and used devices to record sounds vocally, applying effects like delay and reverb to his voice to make it more enjoyable. I would mimic him and others like Jim Carrey and Robin Williams using a dictaphone to duplicate all of the humorous voice and accents they could come up with.
Prince
My older brother played guitar, and it was his love for music and specifically the multi-instrumentalist Prince that really rubbed off on me. My brother was moving out and left his guitar in the car, and, as an adolescent, I used it to teach myself how to begin writing as well as recording my music. I was attempting to make the sounds that I seen on music albums or television, and then adding my own sounds to existing music.
The desire to use the resources available to make or create sound continues to inspire me to push myself today. I am awestruck by the challenges of learning as I create and my favorite method of writing is to write on the spot. Improvising, experimenting, jamming.
I learned to play piano as well as synth to create the music for the song 'But Milk is Important'.
My passion for animation led my into The University of South Wales in Cardiff and I got to meet the amazing animator Eirik Gronmo Bjornsen. He came back to Norway and produced a movie with Anna Mantzaris called 'But Milk Is Important'.
I taught myself piano as well as synthesizer to compose the music that was used in the film while working on that film, I've been able to take on roles in sound design as well, and I continue to create.
The X-Files Project, aka the "Socks Project"
Recently, I collaborated with the amazing visual artist, Eva Munnich for the very initial of three Lemonade Insurance projects I've created the music and sound tracks for.
Play with sound Your browser does not support the video tag.
The Lemonade videos are hilarious 15-30 second animations which can be looped. Eva's project had a strong sci-fi/extraterrestrial theme to it, and so she had some great ideas about music and sound.
Nine times out of ten, I'll create the sound first as my atmosphere can be a source of inspiration to create music.
We've also spoken to Eva about her process for making animations and visuals for The X-Files project. Read the full interview with Eva Munnich.
The voice, Eva liked the voices I had performed in the previous TedEd animation that I created along with Lisa Vertudaches.
In that video, I had pitched up my vocals dramatically. It was thought by the animator that this might fit for the particular sock and wanted me to say "yay" with this tone. Whilst recording this "yay" I kept it rolling and added the "seeya" shortly before the sock had entered the UFO.
Eva loved it and it was kept in. The other voices were improvised and created as I saw them.
Sound playback Your browser does not support the video tag.
If the washer were to have a voice and a voice, the machine would sound low.
To contrast the high sound of the sock I lowered my voice for washing machines; since it's a huge object and I thought that if it were to have an ear, it should be able to convey some depth. I blended these in with the foley , and then mixed with the sound ready for music to be put on.
Your browser does not support the audio element. Your browser does not support the audio element. Your browser does not support the audio element.
I enjoyed the X-Files songs as a child.
Musically, Eva thought it would be fun to make something inspired by the theme of The X-Files, which I loved since I loved the music when I was a child!
Much like the vast majority of work I've done I'm working with an animatic (almost like a moving storyboard) which the animator provides me to get a general idea of timings, etc.
Your browser does not support the audio element.
I listen to sci-fi movies and soundtracks for games.
I enjoy a variety diverse kinds of music. this includes sci-fi films and game soundtracks, so in addition to reference to this particular X Files theme, I had an idea of what instruments might work well within this genre.
I used mostly synth-based instruments drones, basses, and drones for the base of the sound. Layering drones was about capturing the appropriate atmosphere and capturing the light that emanates from the UFO to abduct our tiny sock.
I made an impressive drum by using two kick drums along with delay and reverb. Then I added a delay synth that pans from left to right to make the music seem more immersive. The last synth I used with was the pattern of six notes that repeats itself through.
Whistling is a great human aspect to include in a piece of music.
It was time to take inspiration from the X-Files and include a delayed piano pattern as well as a whistle. I love to whistle and think that it's a wonderful factor to include in a piece of music. I originally recorded some bass guitar parts too, but I felt it took away from the synthetic sound I was going for.
Piano pattern
Your browser does not support the audio element.
An alarm
Your browser does not support the audio element.
Creating an atmosphere in 15 seconds can be challenging.
It was a pleasure working with Eva, and this method is very exciting and fun to create within. While it's fast however, it's an enormous amount of work and has its own difficulties.
Establishing and maintaining an atmosphere within 15 seconds using the sound can be difficult, as well as composing the right melody without sounding rush-like within that time frame is a challenge as well.
These are challenges I relish however, and, since Eva's animated, I've been working on two additional exciting Lemonade projects! The process videos of them on my website and my Instagram.
Tips on how to start adding sound to visuals
If you're interested in making sound the visual world, there's currently more creative methods to achieve this than ever before, and there is really an ideal time to begin it now than today.
- If you're a person with some creative spark, you should take it wherever it leads you. One of the best ways to begin creating is to make stuff that you enjoy and then display the people what you have created.
- Message budding filmmakers who have the same interests as you,they have always been looking for assistance with sound and you might forge a working relationship.
- You need to start at some point. I was making ambient music prior to the time I thought it was a possibility working in film and thankfully there was an animation program at my university, but before that, I had made and created enough sound and music that it made sense for me to pursue that path when it presented it.
- Meet others in the field; that's how collaborating is all about. If you are lucky enough to be in an area that has films nights, festivals or other events, go to them and meet people.
Did you like the interview? Share it! Join CreativeMindClass on Instagram where we celebrate creativity and feature artists.
This post was posted on here