FMOD is a powerful middleware game audio solution – but how do you get started and make the most of its key features?
Game sound designer and composer Sergio Ronchetti has created a series of videos to help with exactly that – check them out below to supercharge your game audio work in FMOD:
Early BirdNOVA by Mattia Cellotto is coming soon!Become an Early Bird and get 3 SFX libraries (worth $125 total!), FREE with your NOVA orderBECOME AN EARLY BIRD →Table of contents
Click any chapter or lesson to jump straight to it:
Chapter 1
Looping audio in FMOD
First thing to learn how to do is loop audio in FMOD – the most basic yet super common function of audio middleware! There are a few ways in which we can achieve this. These videos should help:
Building loops:
3 ways to loop audio in FMOD:
What are Magnets?
Using Magnet Regions:
Chapter 2
Parameters are your best friend!
Understanding how to use parameters is a great next step! With these we can connect our audio with game data. This is the next step towards creating our interesting adaptive systems. Watch the videos below to learn about 3 of the most commonly used parameters:
Continuous Parameters:
Discrete Parameters:
Labeled Parameters:
Want to learn even more about FMOD? Join Sergio Ronchetti’s FMOD course:
Chapter 3
Spatialize that sound!
If you’re a sound designer learning all about attenuation and 3D implementation then understanding the spatializer is essential. These videos will help you learn them inside out PLUS a bonus video on how I automated a Spatializer on a game i worked on:
Spatializer Effect:
Spatializer Sound Size and Minimum Extent:
Automating the Spatializer in FMOD – Rail Route gameplay example:
Chapter 4
Snap into action!
Snapshots are a ludicrously powerful feature in FMOD. They allow us to alter and change our mixes at the snap of our fingers! These videos will help you understand how:
Implementing Snapshots:
Reverb Snapshots:
Pause Menu Filter Snapshot:
Snapshot Intensity:
Chapter 5
Built-in Parameters
Built-in Parameters are standard tools in FMOD that are super easy to implement and can help us describe game scenarios in more detail (and even replace the Spatializer in some cases!) so check out these videos on the Distance, Direction and Event Cone Angle parameters:
Distance Parameters:
Event Cone Angle:
Direction Parameter:
Chapter 6
I Command you to sound great!
Command Instruments allow us to control events in FMOD without the use of scripting or the game engine. Meaning we can save time AND create some super intuitive sequences:
Command Instruments:
Command Instruments Part 2:
Chapter 7
Deep dives to inspire your own work
Context is everything! Check out the deep dive interviews i did with some of my game audio friends to see all these features (and more!) being used in real video game projects:
FMOD Deep Dive into Go Mecha Ball w/ Joonas Turner:
FMOD Deep Dive into Prehistoric Kingdom w/ Byron McKay PART 1
FMOD Deep Dive into Prehistoric Kingdom w/ Byron McKay PART 2
Chapter 8
Are you up for a challenge?
Want to learn more? Then check out my new course FMOD Challenges! all about mastering the most powerful features with super fun exercises. Because context is everything when we’re learning. The course so far has helped complete beginners and pros with years of experience improve their FMOD implementation chops. If you want to drastically improve your skills in a super short amount of time, then I invite you to check out the landing page!
Chapter 9
So much more to learn!
There are sooo many other cool features and tools inside of FMOD. From using Seek Speed, Nested events and LFO’s. Below are a few more videos to get you inspired, otherwise check out the rest of my FMOD in 2 mins playlist here:
Return Tracks
LFO’s
Nested events
Convolution Reverb
Chapter 10
FMOD’s Official Series
Finally, I couldn’t create this playlist without recommending the new Getting Started series by the good folks at FMOD themselves. They’re truly great and cover even more features!