Topic: BRAWL Help--Background ambient noise?

I need some quick help for my BRAWL film.  This is the first time I'm doing proper audio editing.  I've already recorded my lines and have started syncing them to the dialogue I've been animating.  However, I have a problem:  at this point I only have audio files of my voice.  When I play back short segments, it sounds very unnatural and artificial as they're the only sounds I have.  Is there something I can add, like ambient background noise, that could make the audio sound more natural?  All scenes take place in places where there naturally wouldn't be much noise, like an office type room, a warehouse, or an empty street at night.  I'm not sure how to go about making my audio sound more natural--any suggestions?

Retribution (3rd place in BRAWL 2015)

&Smeagol      make the most of being surrounded by single, educated women your own age on a regular basis in college
AquaMorph    I dunno women are expensive

Re: BRAWL Help--Background ambient noise?

Warehouse could use a tiny bit of background creaking/banging perhaps. Also, slight echo on the voices?
Office depends, maybe some computer humming or a distant phone ringing?
Empty street could have people talking, cars driving, basic city type sounds.

I find after doing all the sounds, sometimes it's just music that has to fill the gap.
Getting some good music, even if it's really quiet, could help.

Re: BRAWL Help--Background ambient noise?

I've used freesound.org in the past for some good ambient background audio - I recommend giving that a try.

Re: BRAWL Help--Background ambient noise?

I just go into a library and record the "nothing in particular".

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"None practice tolerance less frequently than those who most loudly preach it."

Re: BRAWL Help--Background ambient noise?

I KNOW I KNOW! (oh oh oh)

Some certain lights make this special buzzing sound, and I think that might be really good.

Another suggestion I'd throw out there is the muffled sound of cars driving somewhere outside.  Or perhaps a muffled plane flying overhead.  I can hear that right now which is a annoying because I'm trying to record.

In an office, a computer might make a humming and sort of scratching noise.  In TF2 there's a sort of noises like this in several of the intel rooms.

Re: BRAWL Help--Background ambient noise?

I've taken a look at freesounds and found some potential noises.

My film takes place in a loosely 1920s setting, so modern stuff like buzzing lights or computers wouldn't really be accurate.  I like the idea of background creaking/banging and muffled cars, though.  I'll see if I can find any of those sort.

Retribution (3rd place in BRAWL 2015)

&Smeagol      make the most of being surrounded by single, educated women your own age on a regular basis in college
AquaMorph    I dunno women are expensive

Re: BRAWL Help--Background ambient noise?

Perhaps you could try to find the sound of old cars driving with old horns going off.
Apply a lowpass filter in Audacity and it should muffle it to sound kinda like it's coming from outside.

I was thinking of a modern light buzz, but I feel like old bulbs might have made a buzz as well, though a special buzz and less loud.

You could do like in Call of Farquanglu and have their chairs creek every time they move.  I really liked the editing of sound in that film.

Also, you might add some music.

Re: BRAWL Help--Background ambient noise?

Good tip with the lowpass filter, I'll definitely try that.  I'll also see if I can find some suitably creaky furniture (my computer desk is actualyl rather creaky, so that shouldn't be a problem).

Retribution (3rd place in BRAWL 2015)

&Smeagol      make the most of being surrounded by single, educated women your own age on a regular basis in college
AquaMorph    I dunno women are expensive

Re: BRAWL Help--Background ambient noise?

I know Mac has some background noise Sound effects, so if you have a mac you could use some of those. Otherwise you could record your air conditioner or turn on a fan and record that.