| The sounds on this disc
have been chosen from the many created for radio and television
programmes at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Abstract sounds such
as these can be far more atmospheric and less distracting than
conventional music and effects in many situations and yet they are
quite difficult to create without a certain amount of technical
equipment and know-how. So I hope that amateur dramatic groups and
film-makers will find this selection a useful addition to their
sound stage.
All the sounds are concerned with
the unreal, the supernatural, with things that, if they do exist,
are still only in the realms of the imagination for most of us.
Some of them - the LASER guns, the space ship - can be used in the
same way as conventional sound effects, but many are
"atmospheres" and should be used as a musical background
to any action.
I have divided the disc into four
sections and chosen the titles of the bands for easy reference,
but the impressions created by sounds like these are very
subjective and so if you fail to find the particular sound you
want in the most obvious section, look elsewhere; it is quite
likely there will be something you consider suitable in an
unexpected place. It helps to experiment by playing things at
different levels, as some sounds seem to change completely when
played loudly or softly.
Sounds are more easily controlled
if they are first dubbed onto tap in the order required. If the
band you have chosen is not long enough, you can either dub it off
several times and cut out the gaps in between, or make a tape
loop. Do this by recording a suitable short section , cutting it
out of the tape , joining the two ends and holding it gently under
tension so that it passes smoothly against the replay head, The
resulting continuous sound may then be recorded on another
machine.
However, unusual sounds like these
are often more effective when sparingly used. Continuous
background music can be very distracting if the action it
accompanies is busy. If the tape is slowly faded out when the
atmosphere has been well established and back in again at the end
of a long scene the audience will hardly notice
its disappearance and will be more able to concentrate on what is
going on. Of course the background sound may be featured more in
long film sequences where there is no dialogue or other sound, but
generally speaking the sounds on this record are not
designed to be the centre of attention but rather to complement
the action and complete the picture
- Glynis Jones,
BBC Radiophonic Workshop |
