Introduction to the Soundtrack

Soundtrack - (aka Composite Soundtrack)

The sound accompanying a visual medium such as motion picture, television program,

commercial or videogame.

Divided into three main areas

- Dialogue (DIA)

- Music (MX)

- Sound Effects (SFX)

Soundtrack

Dialog

4 Categories of Dialog

Sync Line: A line of dialog that is seen spoken by an actor or actress

Wild Line: A line of dialog that is spoken but that actor/actress’s lip movements can’t be seen

Walla: Crowd/Group vocalizations

Voice Over: A narrator or announcer speak lines directly to the viewer (ex. James Earl Jones)

Dialog

Sources of Dialog

Production Dialog: The actors’ spoken lines recorded during filming. This is also called SOT (sound on tape)

ADR (Automated Dialog Replacement): The actor watches himself/herself on a screen and re-reads the lines to a recorder. This is also called “looping”.

Sound Effects

3 Categories of Sound Effects

Ambiences (aka backgrounds or room tones): Tracks recorded at the location of filming of the general sounds within the particular acoustic space.

Examples: Office interiors, street noise, oceans, birds, car interiors, etc.

Hard Effects: Sounds that appear synced with an event on screen.

Examples: door slams, weapons firing, cars driving by

Soft Effects: Sounds that are not synced with an on screen event (similar to wild lines)

Sound Effects

Sources of Sound Effects

Location Sound: Recordings made during production

Sound Effect Libraries: Collections of commercially recorded sounds that are edited and categorized.

Examples: Sound Ideas, Sound Bakery

Foley: The process of recording sound effects live in sync to the action on screen. Examples: footsteps, clothing movement, prop handling.

Field Recording: The process of recording sounds effects in the world outside the studio.

Sound Design: The process of custom creating sounds for a project. Often sounds that do not occur in nature, or may be impossible to record.

Music

Categories of Music

Underscore: Music that provides the emotional enhancement. Actors/Actresses do not hear it (aka non-diegetic).

Source Music: Any music which seems to have its origin within a scene (aka diegetic).

Song Score: Music that is sung by actors where the lyrics are an essential part of

the plot (ie - a musical).

Music

Sources of Music

Original Score: Music composed and recorded specifically for the production.

Licensed Tracks: Existing music that is negotiated to be used in the production.