David Dumais, Author at David Dumais Audio | Game Sound Design

Author: David Dumais

Audio

How to Turn Thunder into Massive Explosion Sound Effects

A thunderclap already has a lot of what an explosion needs: a sharp impact, a big low end, and a natural tail that carries into the distance. The trick is not to process one recording until it does everything. It is to pull apart the useful moments, give each layer a clear job, and shape

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Audio

How to Turn Fireworks Into Explosion SFX

A basic firework recording can become a surprisingly convincing explosion sound effect. The key is not making it overly hyped or piling on processing for the sake of it. It is about choosing the right parts of the recording, arranging them with intention, and using processing to bring out the impact, weight, texture, and sense

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Audio

Turn Simple Foley into Pro Explosion SFX

A massive, modern explosion sound effect does not have to begin with an actual explosion recording. It can start with something as ordinary as a winter jacket dropped on the floor. The key is not the source itself. The key is how you layer it, shape it, add weight, create movement, and bring back the

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Audio

Indiana Jones Foley Sound Redesign Breakdown

A short four second game clip can still be a great sound design test. This Indiana Jones and the Great Circle redesign was built in Reaper using custom field recordings, leather foley, brick footsteps, and a few focused processing choices. The main goal was not to copy the original game audio perfectly. It was to

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Audio

5 Crucial Lessons From Recording Loud Racecars

Intro Recording loud racecars at a dirt oval track was one of those field recording sessions where everything happens at once. Engines are screaming, crowds are moving, music is playing, wind is hitting the microphones, and there is no convenient way to redo a pass once a car has gone by. I spent the full

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Audio

From Car Engine to Spaceship | 5 SFX From Racecar Sources

Racecar recordings are packed with energy, movement, grit, weight, and real-world texture. That makes them much more useful than simple vehicle sounds. With a little processing, a rev, pass-by, or close-up engine recording can become a spell, a creature layer, a spaceship, a landing sound, or a huge bass drop. I used recordings from my

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Audio

REAPER Routing: How to Build a Flexible MS Decoder

If you want a simple way to decode mid-side recordings in Reaper without messing up your original files, this setup works really well. The goal is straightforward. You want to drop in your mid and side recordings, hear them properly decoded in stereo, and still keep everything flexible for editing, processing, and exporting later. Instead

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Audio

I Put the World’s Smallest 32-Bit Float Recorder to the Test

If you create sound effects and you are always looking for ways to capture interesting perspectives, tiny recorders are hard to ignore. The Instamic Plus Pro C Stereo is one of those devices that immediately gets your attention because it is ridiculously small, records directly onboard, offers 32-bit float, and is even rated waterproof and

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Audio

Working on a AAA Game: My Experience as a Sound Designer

Recently, I wrapped up a contract as a sound designer on a AAA game project. I cannot get into the project details yet because it is still in development, but I can talk about what the experience was actually like, what surprised me, and what I learned from being dropped into a much bigger production

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Phuze by SoundMorph plugin window in Reaper showing three-band sample banks
Audio

Sound Designer’s First Look at Phuze by SoundMorph

*Please note that this blog post may contain affiliate links* If you want to create sound effects faster and come up with textures you would not normally build by hand, Phuze by SoundMorph is an interesting tool to look at. What makes it stand out is simple: it is a layering engine built around frequency

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Sound Design

11 Pro Sound Design Tips I Wish I Knew Earlier 🎧 (After Making 16, 201 SFX)

11 Pro Sound Design Tips I Wish I Knew Earlier 🎧 (After Making 16, 201 SFX) *Please note that this blog post may contain affiliate links* *This article was generated and written by AI.* Sound Designer’s Starter Pack (free): https://daviddumaisaudio.com/starterpack If you’re looking to elevate your sound design skills, you’ve landed in the right place!

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Sound Design

Elden Ring Nightreign SFX Redesign: My Layer-by-Layer Breakdown

Elden Ring Nightreign SFX Redesign: My Layer-by-Layer Breakdown *Please note that this blog post may contain affiliate links* *This article was generated and written by AI.* Sound Designer’s Starter Pack (free): https://daviddumaisaudio.com/starterpack Welcome to a deep dive into the sound redesign process for the game Elden Ring Nightreign. In this article, we will explore how

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Sound Design

Does Making Sound Design Videos Get You Paid Work?

Does Making Sound Design Videos Get You Paid Work? *Please note that this blog post may contain affiliate links* *This article was generated and written by AI.* Sound Designer’s Starter Pack (free): https://daviddumaisaudio.com/starterpack Welcome to the world of sound design! If you’ve ever wondered whether creating sound design videos can lead to paid work, you’re

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Sound Design

How I Designed These Heavy Footstep SFX From Scratch

How I Designed These Heavy Footstep SFX From Scratch *Please note that this blog post may contain affiliate links* *This article was generated and written by AI.* Sound Designer’s Starter Pack (free): https://daviddumaisaudio.com/starterpack Welcome to the world of sound design! If you’re interested in creating sound effects that give life to characters and scenes, you’ve

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