Low Tech: The Official Thread!

[JoeActor]

Hey gang,

I saw a recent query on another post about how to get a particular sound (like a bathroom or maybe robotic). My first instinct was "which plug-in will do that? hmmm..."

After reading a couple replies about low-pass, high-end, inverted-wave, cromulaters, it struck me: Why not just record in your bathroom? (or use a large ceramic bowl by the mike?)

So, how about a lively thread about some "Old Skool" solutions to audio effects.

I know there's a lot of good experience out there - Let's hear it!

Cheers,
Joe J Thomas
www.JoeActor.com
www.SoundsGoodToYou.com

[Jacoby]

I will go first then

A few weeks ago, I did my first (or rather, my company's first) full production, a commercial for a kitchen installer. I needed a short intro with a married couple, wife complaining about the old kitchen saying she wanted a new kitchen asap! The dialogue was done by two friends, guy happens to do occasional voiceovers so he has a small home studio. And as for the sound effect of a drawer collapsing with kitchen supplies falling all over the floor... I went to my own kitchen, did a series of recordings of a drawer going out rapidly and threw my own kitchen supplies around the kitchen. In post, I added reverb to the dialogue to match the acoustic from my kitchen.

Low tech indeed... with a great result, client was very happy!

[Mike Sommer]

Organic sound effect are the best.

[Kenneth_Bruce]

Here's something.

At my radio station, we needed the sound of someone slapping a face.

My face was very sore at the end. And it didn't sound that good either. So I grabbed an old clipboard, and snapped the clip a couple of times. It worked, but my face was still sore.

[Mike Sommer]

Slap = nice boneless roast.
Hit = Wet shammy wrapped around celery stalks

[JoeActor]

Go Jacob! Nice spot (wish I spoke Danish!)

How about breaking a bone?
I've heard fresh celery around uncooked pasta does a good bone-breaking sound...

Meat Mallets!
Joe