Video: Designing Monster Sounds For 'Crowfall' - With Bobby Moen

Posted November 11, 2018 by Asbjoern Andersen in Game audio

Want to know what goes into creating monster sounds for an indie game like ‘Crowfall’? Check out this video featuring sound designer Bobby Moen to find out:

Video introduction:
“Ever wonder how a toy drum dragged across window blinds could become the sound of a chittering spider? Curious what a bugling elk sounds like? Crowfall®’s Sound Designer Bobby Moen is back with a follow-up to his previous video, Angry Bees and Leather Sleeves. In this new edition, he takes a look at the spider and the elk, and what it takes to create their typical daytime sounds, and how that contrasts to the terrifying cries of the Hunger-infected creatures at night.

“When day turns to night in Crowfall, the animals of the world turn into these monstrous nightmare creatures, and they each need their own twisted sound”

If you want to know more about Bobby Moen’s sound design for the game, check out this video with additional sound design thoughts and techniques from him:

Meet Bobby Moen here, and learn more about ‘Crowfall’ here.

BONUS: More on creature and monster sound design:

Curious to learn more about what goes into creating creature and monster sounds? Check out the highlights below, featuring some of the very finest talents in the sound community:

Paul Fairfield, on the creature sound design for Game of Thrones:

An excellent video featuring Paula Fairfield, with the story behind her creature sound design work for ‘Game of Thrones’ & much more:

AWN @ FMX 2018: Paula Fairfield Talks ‘Game of Thrones’ Creature Sound Design

Bonus: Check out our in-depth interview with Paula Fairfield here.

Randy Thom, on creating the dragon roars for How To Train Your Dragon 2:

Listen in below as sound designer Randy Thom tells NPR’s Scott Simon how the dragon roars in ‘How To Train Your Dragon 2’ were created:

Bonus: The How To Train Your Dragon 2 trailer – with just sound design and VO

Lord of the Rings sound designer David Farmer:

If you want to know how Lord of the Rings sound designer David Farmer approaches creature sound design, check out our interview with him here. You can also watch a great feature with him on his thoughts and sound design insights below:

Bonus: Watch an extended version of Benedict Cumberbatch’s motion capture performance for The Hobbit’s Smaug here:

Benedict Cumberbatch - The hobbit - The best scene - Smaug-

Create your own dragon and creature sounds:

Feel like creating your own dragon sound effects? Here are some tips on how to create dragon roars, creature sounds, and wings flapping. You can also explore the many animal and creature SFX libraries from the independent sound community here.

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Ice Sound Effects Deep Ice Play Track 133 sounds included $60

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Animal Sound Effects The Birds Play Track 78+ sounds included, 177 mins total $100

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Forests and Mountains
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Sound Devices MixPre-3
Sound Devices MixPre-6
Zoom F3

Mics
Sennheiser MKH 8020
Sennheiser MKH 8040
Sennheiser MKH 8040+MKH 30 MS

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Animal Sound Effects Harbor and Ocean Play Track 15+ sounds included, 37 mins total $12

Harbor and Ocean is a smaller micro library featuring a mix of Ocean and Harbor sounds. This features some recordings of Seagulls in a harbor, a large group of Cormorants and sea Pigeons hanging out on old dock pilings, and morning birds in a lake marina. There’s also a few various sounds of ocean waves on different beaches, water laps on rock jetty’s and a lake dock, a barge ship heading out of the harbor, and general industrial harbor ambience.

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Cinematic & Trailer Sound Effects Synthetic Cut Transitions Play Track 214 sounds included $39
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