Initial Tests

Animating sound waves.

Inspiring Videos

AEG Nexus Commercial by G’Raffe

Change by Brian Dougherty-Johnson

I like this video for its simplicity and the way everything is connected in a linear fashion.

The Decibel Chart

0 dB
Nothing

10 dB
Normal breathing

20 dB
Rustling Leaves
Buzzing insect

30 dB
Soft whisper

40 dB
Very soft music

50 dB
Quiet Radio

60 dB
Electric toothbrush
Normal speech
Dog barking

70 dB
Average (busy) street noise
Orchestra
Vacuum cleaner
Typewriter

80 dB
Alarm clock
Telephone ring

90 dB
Lawn mower
Train whistle
Subway train
Police whistle

100 dB
Loud crowd noise
Heavy city traffic
Chainsaw
Pneumatic drill
Car horn
Farm tractor

110 dB
Accelerating motorcycle
Train

120 dB
Thunder
Megaphone

150 dB
Fireworks
Firecracker
Balloon pop

Creative Brief

Overview
After looking at designers who’ve explored the idea of visualizing sound and music in the format of motion graphic design, I’ve come up with the idea of exploring the concept of 10 through sounds and how sound is measured in decibels (dB).

Sounds will be translated into visuals using simple line elements and change in colours.

Goals
To further explore the relationship between what we hear and what we see.

Audience
Anyone from the age of 10 and up. As the video explores how sound is measured, it can in turn be an educational video for younger audiences.

Content Planning
Make sound waves in After Effects and use masks to combine illustrations. Find and record all sounds.

Sound and Typography

When I saw this work, it reminded me of the video we saw in class that animated jazz music using shapes and colours. The designer, Peter Tressler created this piece with the intent on finding the connection between the linear formats we find in typography and music.

Peter Tressler, Sound and Typography.

“On a broader scope, this project is intended to challenge contemporary aesthetics within the motion graphics design
community, specifically broadcast graphic design. In order to further the discourse of the discipline, I have tried to
find a balance between aesthetic beauty and human emotion in an attempt to shift away from what I perceive as the
cold, flat nature found within the vernacular of contemporary motion graphics.

The song, comprised of six individual drum samples, a melody and a bass-line are used as signifying devices for sound
(breath and pitch), melody (notation), as well as the linear nature of both music and language, spoken and written.
Images referencing contemporary audio imagery are presented to draw important connections between the world of
sampled, or digital music and the world of typography. Included are references to grids, baselines, and x-heights.
I have also added a film loop of a book being turned in the background which, much like the bass-line in a musical
composition, holds the drum (bottom) and melody (top) areas of the screen together. The footage used for the back-
ground works in time with the baseline to strengthen the ties between linear aspects of both music and typography.”