The Brainstorm/Green Needle Auditory Illusion In the digital age, the internet continues to be a breeding ground for intriguing and often mind-boggling phenomena. A classic example that captivated online communities in 2019 is the "Brainstorm/Green Needle" auditory illusion. This peculiar occurrence involves a short video clip featuring a plastic toy emitting a sound. However, what makes this phenomenon truly baffling is that individuals claim to hear distinct phrases depending on which word they consciously focus on: "brainstorm" or "green needle”. The illusion offers a glimpse into the intr ..read more

In recent years, renowned filmmakers like Christopher Nolan have come under fire from audiences and fellow directors alike. Sparking controversy through the auditory experience of their films in cinemas. Debates like this have seemingly prompted the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to throw their hat in the ring, introducing new cinematic content loudness recommendations that aim to strike a balance between artistic expression and audience comfort, without completely removing creative and subjective decision making. How Did We Get Here? Chris Nolan, the director behind blockbusters like ‘Ince ..read more

No matter the medium, if it involves spoken word we all abide by one rule, dialogue is king. With people around the world still working remotely, often completing tasks such as podcasting, or ADR recording, the importance of an audible and consistent dialogue track seems to only be rising. Paired with a recent boom in AI development, so is the amount of commercially available audio restoration tools. Today on the 344 Audio blog, we’ll take an in-depth look at Accentize’ speech restoration plug-in, dxRevive Pro. ,Company:, Accentize Product: dxRevive Pro Price: £259 Our Rating: 4.9/5 Overview ..read more

Company: Pro Sound Effects Product: CORE 5 Standard Bundle Price: $1,999 (Currently on sale $1,499) for Freelancers. Our Rating: 4.9/5 Pro Sound Effects latest release brings together some of their most iconic libraries. Including recordings from the personal collections of a number of award winning recordists, CORE 5 Standard is one of 5 options that offers general library bundles for a variety of budgets and experience ranges. OVERVIEW: CORE 5 Standard bundle is a compilation of 41 libraries from Pro Sound Effects, 6 of these released in the last year. Inside, you’ll find over 180,000 sound ..read more

Sound plays a vital role in our lives, painting vivid melodies that resonate with emotions and shape our experiences. From the gentle rustle of leaves to the thunderous crescendo of a symphony orchestra, audio quality serves as the brushstroke that gives life to these auditory masterpieces. This article explores the profound significance of audio quality enhancement, highlighting its role in elevating the listening experience, improving communication, and keeping pace with the relentless march of technological advancements. Importance of Audio Quality Understanding the importance of audio qual ..read more

Recent technological advancements have revolutionised the tools available for a sound designer to add to their arsenal. Digital audio editors are incredibly important tools. Offering audio editing, restoration and manipulation in one piece of software. However, they can often be accompanied by huge price tags. Enter, Acoustica by Acon Digital. Acon offer both a Standard and Premium edition of Acoustica. Today on the 344 Audio blog, we’ll be looking at the Premium edition. ,Company:, Acon Digital Product: Acoustica Premium Price: £160 Our Rating: 4.8/5 Overview: Acoustica is Acon Digital's all ..read more

Over 170,000 combined members of Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) & Writers Guild of America (WGA) are currently on strike for the first time in 60 years. Next to no progress has been made since talks about pay, working conditions, and safeguarding jobs from ever-advancing A.I began in May, leaving negotiations at a stalemate. What effect are the strikes having? On August 11th, after 102 days on strike, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) who represent Hollywood’s leading studios released a summary of their ..read more

Since visual media and content creation became more accessible, audio restoration has become a crucial part of the post-production craft. Reverb is commonly used to cement characters within soundscapes. However, It can also have a troublesome side. There are many factors which can result in audio being captured with too much reverb. Without the myriad of tools available today, this could lead to time consuming and sometimes expensive issues further down the line. Today on the 344 Audio blog, we’ll be diving into Acon Digital’s solution to this, DeVerberate. ,Company:, Acon Digital Product: De ..read more

One of the most common questions we get asked in 2023 is, ‘What course should I study to become a professional sound designer?’. Unfortunately, over the last few decades, as demand and interest in audio post production has increased, so has the amount of online misinformation making its way onto curriculums. Today we’ll look at some of the most viable options in 2023. NFTS - Sound Design For Film & TV (Masters) The National Film & Television School is a UK institution based in Beaconsfield (Buckinghamshire), with campuses also in Cardiff, Glasgow and Leeds. NFTS offer a wide range of c ..read more

Conforming and re-conforming are essential (and somewhat dreaded) parts of the audio post-production process in which a revised cut of a project containing scene or edit changes, and a guide/reference track are passed from a video editor and integrated into your session. For some sound editors, just hearing the term 're-conform' is enough to send a shiver down their spine. However, thanks to the development of new tools in recent years, this process is nowhere near as tedious and time-consuming as in past times. Today we'll be taking a look at one such tool: Cut-it by HAL. ,Company:, HAL Prod ..read more