What Did I Learn?
This week taught me how the audio aspect of storytelling can make a listener feel something real, even if there’s nothing to see. I used to think sound was just background. Like filler to make videos or games less empty. But listening to the Ira Glass’s advice and War of the Worlds broadcast and The Moth, I started to realize that sound itself is the story sometimes. It carries emotion and builds suspense. For example, in War of the Worlds, they didn’t need alien visuals to scare people. The newscast format and the compelling voices and background noises made people believe it was really happening right outside their homes. Ira Glass said that everything you record is “trying to be crap” unless you’re intentional with it, and I think War of the Worlds showed that by how intentional they were with each sound and pacing choice. I’ve learned that simplicity is not a weakness in auditory storytelling. When I listened to Mahmoud Banki’s story on The Moth, there were no fancy background tracks or heavy edits, none of that. Just his voice and pauses carried the story. The silent moments spoke louder than any dramatic music could have. I’ve seen all these bright and loud edits on YouTube, but this is different from that. It makes me think of how I’d want to approach sound in my own work. Sometimes it’s not about layering as many effects as possible. It’s about choosing the right sound techniques that can hold meaning and “breathe”.
About my rainy walk to class? That morning felt different. I woke up to the quiet tapping of rain on my window and didn’t really want to get up, but I had class at eight. As I walked outside, I noticed how empty and calm the campus felt. The rain made everything smell fresh and the only sounds were my footsteps, the slight rain, and the water fountain I walked past. Recreating that with layered rain, fountain noises, footsteps, and the faint car felt satisfying because it captured that calm and tired but peaceful feeling. The Totoro Nature Whistle was another piece that surprised me. I thought stacking four natural sounds together would sound messy, but it turned out peaceful. I layered the acorn drops first, then rain pattering leaves, a gentle forest stream, and finally wind brushing through cedar branches. When I listened back, I imagined Totoro standing under the trees. This audio didn’t need editing because they already carry the quiet beauty by themselves.
What was harder than I thought?
Finding the right sounds was harder than I imagined. I thought it would be easy. Like search “rain” on freesound.org, download it, done. But not every rain sound feels the same. Some were too harsh and others too muffled. When working on Totoro’s Nature Whistle, I spent almost an hour sampling different rain and forest water streams and wind sounds until I found ones that felt calm and natural enough to fit Totoro’s world. Also, getting the timing and volumes to blend in Audacity took a lot of trial and error. Especially for the sleeping panic story, The Rough Morning. If the footsteps or blanket rustling came in even half a second too late, the whole illusion broke.
What was Easier?
I think the easiest part was listening to the audio stories and analyzing them. Whether it was Ira Glass’s talks,War of the Worlds, or the story from The Moth, I didn’t struggle to pick out what techniques were used or why they were effective. I guess it’s because I naturally pay attention to details in how people tell stories, their pacing, and certain sounds used to shape the atmosphere. It felt straightforward to write down my thoughts on them. Also, writing the reflections for each audio creation came easier than I thought it would. I assumed I’d have nothing to say about simple sounds like rain or rustling fabric, but words just came to me. Listening carefully made it easier to find meaning or memories behind the sounds. All I had to do was describe how I felt.
What Drove Me Crazy?
Honestly, Audacity itself drove me a bit crazy. Every time I imported a clip, the tracks would rearrange and I’d lose track of where my selections were. Adjusting volume levels felt endless. I’d fix the rain only to find out the acorn drop was suddenly too loud, then lower that and realize the wind was gone. It felt like trying to juggle four balls. Also, Freesound’s catalog didn’t have too many options for Creative Common 0 pieces which made finding the right clip take longer than expected. I think I spent more time searching for sounds than actually editing them.
What Did I Enjoy?
I think the part I enjoyed the most was just listening. Like, really listening. Not just hearing something in the background while I do homework. I sat down with my headphones on and paid attention to every small detail in the sounds I was working with. For example, when I was making Totoro’s Nature Whistle, I spent a while listening to each layer by itself. The rain falling on leaves, the water stream running through rocks, the faint rustling of trees, and the sound of acorns hitting the ground. I initially imported them on top of each other at the same time, and you could maybe hear all four of them, but that might’ve been too difficult. The nature one reminded me of early mornings as a kid when I’d sit outside after it rained and just take in what it was like outside. Back then, I didn’t think much about it, but now I see how those moments like these can be really great to have. I also liked that I didn’t need visuals to tell these stories. It felt like some work was lifted in a way. Like with photos or videos, you’d usually worry about lighting or if something looks “good enough.” But with audio, listeners just hear what you choose to share and their imagination builds the rest. I think that’s why audiobooks are pretty popular on their own, and this same principle applies with Book vs. Film. Here, people aren’t being shown a place. They’re invited to imagine it themselves. And it’s interesting because when you think about it, everyone’s version of the sounds you create is going to be slightly different in their heads. I think that’s kind of beautiful. Another thing I enjoyed was writing the reflections after making each audio. I thought I’d struggle to describe simple sounds, but each time, it felt like writing about small memories. Like with my rainy walk to class, as I wrote about it, I started remembering the way the fountain sounded mixed with the rain, or how quiet campus felt at 7:40 in the morning. I often ignore the world around me when I’m rushing to class or going about my day. I think society in general is like that too. We’re so busy looking at screens and notifications that we don’t really listen anymore. Doing these assignments reminded me that there’s actually a lot to hear if I just pay attention. Overall, I enjoyed this introduction to sound as seeing how sounds alone can make you feel something.
Links
Part I
My Thoughts on Audio Storytelling
Part III
What Mahmoud’s Story Taught Me About Audio
Part IV
A Rainy Walk to My Morning Class
A Rough Morning
Calling Totoro
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