The Boom Box Post blog provides insights into the creative sound design process of Boom Box Post's owners and employees.
Viewing entries in
Top 10
Build your library! We say it all the time in blog posts, and it's advice we always give to our interns, but this tip often raises the question: What do I buy? There are a ton of amazing commercial libraries out there to purchase. If you’re overwhelmed and unsure of what to buy, this blog post is for you!
I was recently asked about some of the information in my Top 10 Internet Resources for Sound Designers post, and looking back, I realized that this was a really great post that deserved updating! The original was written in 2015, and although some of the suggestions are still valid, many of them have disappeared (silent tear shed here for Designing Sound) or been surpassed by new online resources. Who knew so much could change in five and half years on the internet??? (That’s a joke. Five and a half years is like 100 years in terms of the internet.)
For aspiring editors and audio students, I always come across one tip in—to start building up a personal SFX library. So I complied a list of 10 spring inspired sounds, that if you have access to, you should go out and record this refreshing time of year!
My husband and I are proud to announce that we have just had a lovely baby boy! I can't tell you his name, or really anything about him, since I'm writing this ahead of time in an attempt to spend as much of my maternity leave at home with my family as possible. But I think it's safe to say that I'm surely enjoying my time off!
While I'm reveling in the present, I thought this would be a wonderful time to take a look back at all of the great times we've had on this blog over the last few years. Jeff and I started this company almost four years ago, and beginning to blog was one of the very first things that we committed ourselves to. You'd think that beginning a successful post-production audio studio would be enough of a challenge, but creating a space on the internet where we could share our knowledge, trials, and discoveries was such a huge part of the ethos we wanted to create for our new company, that we didn't hesitate for one single week.
The first piece of advice I give any new sound editor is to get Pro Tools and learn the keyboard shortcuts. Forget proficiency in typing, that's child's play. In order to compete in the real world of post production sound, you need to be FAST. Knowing your way around the keyboard doesn't just shorten your workday, it tells the clients - who expect requests to be carried out quickly - that you are on top of your game.
Basic keyboard shortcuts - switching the tools, changing the view - need to be second nature. But with literally hundreds to learn, there's bound to be a few that have slipped through the cracks. Here are some of the best 'lesser-known' Pro Tools keyboard shortcuts to help speed up your workflow.
In today's digital age, what better place to look for professional resources than the internet? Not only is the internet probably the most abundant collection of useful information, it is also the most accessible given the fact that we already spend nearly all day tethered to a computer, smartphone, or tablet. Why not take a quick break from your work and learn something of use rather than perusing the latest cat vids (although I am by no means against wonderfully indulgent cat videos)? Below are my absolute favorite online resources for sound designers. They span the breadth of online content from sound effects library downloads, technical support forums, mixing videos, and even mini documentaries to keep you current on the latest movie sound design trends. Enjoy, and internet away!
