How do you make audio clicks and blips

AbjectEvolution · Joined: Jan 29, 2008 Posts: 137 Location: US

I was wanting to start a post about different methods of creating electronic clicks and blips for lo-fi sounding beats. Think some of Radiohead's stuff. I can imagine a few ways that it could be done, but I was hoping to get some insight from some people on here. I'm not wanting to use already created sounds from a program like Reason... I'm wanting to create the sounds myself. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks.

Inventor · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 1:53 am Post subject:

If you like to program, try ChucK. See our ChucK forum for details.

Les

Uncle Krunkus · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 1:56 am Post subject:

I found a good one is to get the electronic starter from a gas stove and record it. The kind which sparks over and over when you hold down a small microswitch.
Either remove it from an old stove on junk day, or just record it straight from the stovetop.
Record about 5 seconds or so, then pitch shift it down 1 or 2 octaves in Soundforge. Then cut it up and effect it as you wish. Each click sounds slightly different to the other ones which is really great.
You can also change the timbre by making it spark through a piece of paper, cellophane, shirt box plastic, petrol soaked pyjamas etc! Laughing

Inventor · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 2:51 am Post subject:

Nice one Krunky!

RF · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 5:22 am Post subject:

Some audio programs will open various non-audio files ie. txt or doc files as audio.
Lots of good bleeps and blips...

Here's my Outlook Express address book as opened by Audacity.

Of course, you must also check the Lunetta Forum.... There are bizarre noises in those simple circuits that have not been heard yet...

bruce

Address Book1.wav

Description:

My Address Book opened as a wav file

Filesize:

78.04 KB

Viewed:

1809 Time(s)

ocp

AbjectEvolution · Joined: Jan 29, 2008 Posts: 137 Location: US

I have Pro Tools 8, Reason, Fruity Loops, and a Nord Wave. I understand some simple concepts of Reason, but nothing advanced.

And actually... I was messing around on my Wave and discovered that I can tweak the attack, sustain, release, and decay to turn pretty much any program into a click/glitch/bleep variation. I think I have discovered that the possibilities are endless if I simply use the Nord. So at least I have discovered one method.

I really wish I could have someone perform the electronic beats in real time while I play the keys. I'm planning on buying some Mandalas in January so maybe I can incorporate those into someone's acoustic set and map electronic click samples to the pads for the drummer to play.

Wout Blommers · Posted: Wed Oct 21, 2009 3:32 pm Post subject:

AbjectEvolution · Joined: Jan 29, 2008 Posts: 137 Location: US

Yeah that's just it. I searched Google and YouTube and all I could find was this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=up7dwufWtz8&feature=related

Which is pretty cool...

Anyway... it's just that. clicks and blips. Extremely short digital audio sounds. Glitches, blips, snappy clicks...

Sam_Zen · Joined: Mar 08, 2008 Posts: 251 Location: NL

Take an old vinyl LP and sample the start and end parts without the music.
First de-rumble the recording, then enhance and multiply to a useful loop.

Wout Blommers · Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 2:20 am Post subject:

MrJiveBoJingles · Joined: Oct 25, 2009 Posts: 9 Location: U.S.

You can try out Coagula:

http://sonicspot.com/coagula/coagula.html

"A given line within the image controls the amplitude of one oscillator at a specific pitch. Vertical position is translated as frequency while horizontal position is interpreted along the time line. Red/left and green/right correspond to control stereo placement. Brighter colors produce louder sounds. Areas of black produce silence. It is possible to set the length and frequency range prior to the conversion (ie: a 20 min. audio file limited to 500.00 to 120.00 Hz)."

For "blips" you can try alternating black lines or patches with colored spaces and setting it to move through the picture in a short time so it goes quickly.

Wout Blommers · Posted: Sun Oct 25, 2009 12:29 pm Post subject:

Sam_Zen · Joined: Mar 08, 2008 Posts: 251 Location: NL

Yep, that's the right address of Coagula. There's a Lite version for free with enough possibilities.

Another image to sound converter is Audiopaint

But, as MrJiveBoJingles states, one has to create a dedicated bitmap for this purpose.

So I think there are several workarounds with several tools, so it's more a matter of imagination.
Or, as I call it, 'electronic solfège'.
I've got a CD with a recording of fireworks. Maybe if I speed this up in time, I would have nice ticks and crackles..

edit :
I mentioned vinyl noise. It can be sampled from the track here