Volume Envelopes

Let’s make it sound like the baby is leaving at the same time, being carried off by a parent.

• 1. Highlight the last five cries
  2. Used the Fade Envelope tool under the Effects menu … Effects > Amplitude and Compression > Fade Envelope (process) …
     Any effect labeled process simply means that it is an intensive process and cannot be applied “real-time” or “live”.
     It must be applied to a pre-recorded sound effect.
     
     
  3. Under Presets, select “Smooth Fade Out” and press OK
     
     
  4. Play the file
  5. It now sounds like the baby is leaving, but it’s too gradual, let’s make this happen a little quicker 
  6. Undo [Cmd + Z] 
  7. This time let’s try using the Volume Envelope Handle. There are two of these, one at the beginning and one at the end. Naturally, we want to use the one at the end for our fade out.
     
  8. Grab the handle and drag the envelope until the fade of the wave form looks to be better suited for our needs.
     Holding down the Cmd button on your keyboard will shift the fade type from linear to sinusoidal. Maybe that helps too?
     Undo and repeat this process until you’re happy with the results.
     

You may never be happy with this fade. What this effect really needs is something to give this effect purpose, like footsteps, or someone on stage walking away with the baby.
Again, this effect would be better served in QLab in order to allow for a cued fade.

Maybe that’s enough of a baby crying, let’s play with another sound, open the “Crowd Laugh.wav” file. 

This new sound has a very abrupt top and bottom.
You should be able to see this looking at the wave. Let’s make it a little cleaner.

• 1. Start by trimming the top and bottom silence, using the crop tool discussed earlier.
  2. Apply a “Smooth Fade In” envelope to the first 1.5 seconds using the Envelope Handle.
  3. Apply a “Smooth Fade Out” envelope to the last 3 seconds using the Fade Envelope effect.

     

Play the sound and note how it’s not as abrasive.
This sort of subtle cleanup work is imperative in your sound design work.
It will immediately escalate the quality of your designs.