Sound is a way to add emotions to artwork - CreativeMindClass Blog
Phil Brookes is a music composer and sound designer from Wales. He worked alongside TedEd, Greenpeace, Tate, Medium, Passion, Strangebeast and many more. His music and sound design were also featured at major festivals like Cannes, BFI London, GLAS as well as Giffoni with multi-award-winning films.
In this interview, you can find what Phil began his journey to becoming a musician and check out some of the most useful tips to begin your journey into the world of sound. In addition, take a look at the details of an acoustic version of an enjoyable Socks project he worked on together with Eva Munnich.
Phil Brookes' background
I'm a musician and sound designer from Wales in the UK.
As far back as I can remember, I have always been awed by songs, sounds as well as voices. Sleeping in front of the washing machine as a kid, hypnotized by the droning sounds (appropriate for the kind of project I'm about to discuss!) is the first time I've heard a sound.
I started mimicking funny accents and voices.
My father was an obsessed hi-fi enthusiast and would use recording equipment to make noises that he would sing, adding effects such as reverb and delay to his voice for the sake of having fun. I would imitate him as well as people like Jim Carrey and Robin Williams using a dictaphone to copy all of the funny accents and voices they would make up.
Prince
My older brother played guitar, and it was his love for music and specifically the multi-instrumentalist Prince that really rubbed off on me. When my brother moved out and left his guitar in the car, and, as an adult, I took it as a tool to educate myself enough to start writing or recording songs. Challenging myself to create sounds I had seen on music albums or television and making my own sound to existing music.
This passion to utilize the resources available to make or create sound remains what drives me to push myself today. I enjoy the process to learn as I make and my favourite method of writing is in the moment. Improvising, experimenting, jamming.
I learned to play piano as well as synthesizer to compose the tune for 'But Milk is important'.
My obsession took my to The University of South Wales in Cardiff and I got to meet the amazing animator Eirik Gronmo Bjornsen. He returned to Norway and created a short film featuring Anna Mantzaris called 'But Milk Is Important'.
I learned piano for myself and synth to create the music that was used in the film, and since working on that film, I've taken on sound design roles as well, and I haven't stopped creating.
The X-Files Project, aka the "Socks Project"
Recently I worked with the stunning visual artist, Eva Munnich in the creation of the first of three Lemonade Insurance projects I've created the music and sound for.
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The Lemonade videos are humorous fifteen to thirty seconds of short animated videos that can be looped. Eva's project had a strong sci-fi/extraterrestrial theme to it, and so she had some great ideas about music and sound.
Nine times out of ten, I'll create the sound first as the ambience I create will most likely inspire me musically.
We've also talked to Eva about her process for making animations and visuals to be used in this X-Files project. Read the full interview with Eva Munnich.
The voice, Eva liked the voices I had performed in the previous TedEd animation I made together with Lisa Vertudaches.
In that animation, I had pitched up my vocals significantly. The animator thought that this could work for the sock specifically and wanted me to say "yay" with this tone. Whilst recording this "yay" I kept the recording in motion and then added "seeya" just before the sock entered the UFO.
Eva enjoyed it, and it stayed in. The other voice-overs were made up as I saw them.
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If the washing machine were to have a voice and a voice, the machine would sound low.
To contrast the high voice of the sock, I lowered my voice for the washing machine; as it's a huge object which is quite large, I thought as if if it had some voice, it'd have some depth to it. I mingled these sounds with the foley , and then mixed to create the perfect sound for music to be put on.
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I was a fan of the X-Files songs as a child.
Musically, Eva thought it would be interesting to create music that was inspired by The X-Files theme from The X-Files, which I enjoyed immensely as I loved that music as a kid!
As with the majority of projects I've worked on, I work with an animatic (almost as a moving storyboard) which the animator provides me so that I can have a rough idea of the timing, etc.
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I like sci-fi film soundtracks and game soundtracks.
I am a fan of genres of music, and it includes sci-fi and game soundtracks, so along with referencing in the X Files theme, I was thinking about which instruments would work best in this particular genre.
I used mostly synth-based instruments drones, bass, and drones to build the basis of the sound. Layering drones was about capturing the right atmosphere and representing the beam that emits out of the ufo, which is then absorbed by our tiny sock.
Then I created an incredibly powerful drum by using two kick drums along with delay and reverb. Then I added a delay synth which pans from left to right, making the music seem more immersive. The last synth I used in was the six-note pattern that is repeated throughout.
Whistling is a great personal element that can be added to a piece of music.
I decided to draw an inspiration from X-Files and add a delayed piano pattern and a whistle. I am a fan of whistling, and it's generally a great personal element that can be added to a piece of music. I originally recorded some part of the bass guitar, but I felt it took away from the synthetic sound I was going for.
Piano pattern
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The whistle
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In just 15 seconds can be challenging.
I truly enjoyed working with Eva, and this method is very enjoyable and exciting to work within. Even though it's short, it is still quite a bit of work, and presents its own challenges.
Making and creating an ambience in 15 seconds with the sound can be difficult, as well as composing an arrangement that isn't rush-like within that time frame is a challenge as well.
This is a challenge I enjoy however, and, since Eva's video, I've been working on two additional enjoyable Lemonade projects! You can find the process videos for them on my site and on Instagram.
Ideas on how to begin adding sound to visuals
If you're interested in using sound in the visual world, there's now more innovative methods to achieve this than before. And there's the best time to start doing it now than today.
- If you have a creative drive, follow it to whatever direction it takes to. The most effective way to get started making something is to create things you love and show it to people.
- Message budding filmmakers who are in the same boat with you.they have always been looking for help with sound, and it is possible to build a relationship.
- It is necessary to begin at some point. I was making ambient music prior to the time I thought about the possibilities to work in film, and thankfully there was an animation department at my university, but before that, I had made and created enough sound and music to make it logical for me to pursue that path when it presented itself.
- Make friends with other creatives; that's what collaborating is all about. If you are fortunate enough to be located living in a place that is home to films nights, festivals or other events, attend them and get to know other people.
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