Save Your Ears: How To Protect Your Hearing As An Audio Professional, With Doctor Of Audiology / Audio Engineer Steven Taddei - A Sound Effect Podcast Ep 16

Protect your hearing - for audio professionals

Posted September 22, 2021 by Asbjoern Andersen in Film sound, Game audio, Sound community highlights

The A Sound Effect podcast is back with an interview on a hugely important topic: Your hearing, and how you can protect it when working in sound - with insights from Doctor of Audiology / Audio Engineer Steven Taddei:

Interview by Jennifer Walden, hosted by Asbjoern Andersen and Christian Hagelskjaer

Please share:

Here’s what’s in this episode (with starting times):

0:00 Introduction and new independent sound effects

02:45 Your hearing is absolutely essential when working in sound – and to help you protect it, we invited Doctor of Audiology Steven Taddei on the show. As an audio engineer himself, he knows the unique challenges we face in the audio industry – and here, he generously shares his insights, methods and key advice on how to protect your ears and keep your hearing in pristine condition as an audio professional. Learn more about Steven Taddei on LinkedIn here, and hear his Hearing Tracker podcast here. The NIOSH Sound Level Meter iOS app mentioned in the interview can be found here.

34:44 Find more great podcasts about sound from our friends in the Audio Podcast Alliance

Hear the episode below:

Sound effects libraries highlighted in this episode:

Ethno Instruments Singing Bowls Play Track 550 sounds included, 280 mins total $39

Singing bowl is a type of metal or glass/crystal bell that vibrates and produces a rich, deep tone when played. Also known as Himalayan or Tibetan, singing bowls are used in meditation and yoga practice.

Singing bells are very useful in sound design and music production, because of rich and slowly evolving tones and textures.

For this library I recorded metal and crystal singing bowls in many different sizes.

Also, several polyphonic performances, played by trained yoga-master, are included as a bonus.

Add to cart
User Interface (UI) Sound Effects Smart UI Play Track 1200 sounds included, 61 mins total $47.20

Smart UI by Epic Stock Media is a one-of-a-kind collection of modern user interface sound effects that truly packs a punch when you need your sound to be noticed.

20 %

OFF

Add to cart
Environments & Ambiences Sounds of England Volume One Play Track 50 sounds included, 117 mins total $5

A collection of random soundscapes from Everyday England.

Like an up-to-date version of one of those classic ‘BBC Sound Effects LPs’, ‘Sounds of England Volume One’ showcases just a few of the soundscapes you might hear in everyday England (the one of people going beserk when England win a big soccer game isn’t everyday but is glorious).
Parklife, skateboarders, traffic, police helicopters, a distant pub, fireworks night and much more make up the first volume in this series.

MP3 and WAV included.

Add to cart
Bundles Videogame Foley Essentials Vol. I Play Track 4394 sounds included, 134 mins total $60
Videogame Foley Essentials was created with the goal of assisting all editors and sound designers alike on their newly found videogame ventures, ready to satisfy all your foley needs.

You’ll find on this library the following folders with clear nomenclature and respective metadata pertaining to various interactions either with environmental objects or the characters you’ll find in the game itself:
- Buttons & Switches: everything from simple button presses (of all shapes, sizes and materials, including light switches), to plugging-in sounds of plastic devices and simple mechanisms being interacted with.
- Clothing & Accessories: quick and snappy movement sounds from pants and jackets of diverse materials for all weather conditions; backpacks, pouches, belt buckles, keychains and zippers jiggling; rummaging and dressing-up takes of all the aforementioned clothing pieces and accessories.
- Doors: door handle one-shots ranging from old/decrepit wooden doors to slick/modern ones; closing and opening sounds of multiple door types; insertion, removal and turning sounds of keys on numerous locks; hinges creaking and screeching.
- Drawers & Cupboards: all types of drawer sounds based on metallic and wooden surfaces, both with and without bearings; small office cabinet sounds; creaky and quiet cupboards with and without simple lock sounds.
- Footsteps: numerous one-shots of different shoes on a neutral surface (two shoe types, boots, tap dancing shoes, high heel boots, medium heel shoes, slippers, pool slippers and barefoot), while also including certain ground textures (bark, dirt, dry leaves, dry pine tree leaves, gravel, different plants, sand and wet dirt).
- Rummaging & Jiggling: textures being handled in several ways, from rummaging/dropping/dragging/handling/jiggling sounds of scrap, wood, metallic fragments, plastic and cardboard boxes, cans, plastic bottles, metal plates and plenty of other materials/interactions.
These sounds were created with videogame development in mind, meaning all sounds are short and snappy one-shots with dozens of iterations each, capable of being layered, stretched and bent with surprising results. All audio files were mixed at the same volume level, carefully cleaned-up of any unnecessary background noise and artifacts ready to be dropped onto any audio middleware solution such as Wwise or FMOD. The goal is to help the editor/sound designer on their workflow by simply dropping these ready-to-go sound batches on their middleware projects, avoiding auditory repetition and fatigue for the gamer whilst keeping them totally immersed on their upcoming adventures.
Add to cart

Where to find the A Sound Effect Podcast:

Be sure to subscribe to The A Sound Effect Podcast in places like , iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn and SoundCloud

Please share this:

THE WORLD’S EASIEST WAY TO GET INDEPENDENT SOUND EFFECTS:

A Sound Effect gives you easy access to an absolutely huge sound effects catalog from a myriad of independent sound creators, all covered by one license agreement - a few highlights:

Cinematic & Trailer Sound Effects Bloody Nightmare Play Track 550 sounds included $9

Bloody Nightmare is a modern horror cinematic library aimed at the most cutting edge bone chilling productions out there.

Whether you work in sound design, as a composer, trailer editor or as an electronic musician, Bloody Nightmare is a valuable new wave of Horror sounds that will surely cause visceral moments of terror and dread!

91 %

OFF

Add to cart
User Interface (UI) Sound Effects Motion Graphics Play Track 650+ sounds included $9

Introducing MOTION GRAPHICS, a complete Motion Graphics sound effects library from SoundMorph!

Motion Graphics focuses on all the elements you might need for sound design on a trailer, a cinematic scene or a visual that is heavy with motion graphics, whether it be abstract or straight forward, Motion Graphics has all the elements and textures you could think of. Motion Graphics are something all of us sound designers run into at one point or another, so this library is an excellent addition to your sound effects tool box.

Motion Graphics was created by and in collaboration with sound designer Rostislav Trifonov (SoundMorph Elemental library contributor).

Motion Graphics features 650 24bit/96 kHz .wav files, all meticulously embedded with Soundminer & Basehead metadata.

The library features:
• 450 + designed sound effects
• 190 + source audio files
• Whooshes
• Impacts
• Risers
• Stingers
• Low end and Sub Bass
• Impulse Responses
• Passbys
• Textures – noise, grit, glitch
• Ambiences
• Buttons and Clicks
• Mechanical Elements
• Granular effects

91 %

OFF

Add to cart
Firearms Sound Effects Punchy Transients – Punchy Layers and Thumps Play Track 239 sounds included $5

Punchy Transients is an organized toolbox that serves as a reliable source of ”layers of impact” which many, many sounds do require to be in their best fit. It is also a trusty stash for designers who need to save some time to focus on something else.

The library content was made by recording a collection of hits on a punching bag using many techniques. Also, a dry version of each sample and a folder of bonus thumps are included.

58 %

OFF

Add to cart

Explore the full, unique collection here

Latest sound effects libraries:

Environments & Ambiences São Miguel – Flows Play Track 14 sounds included, 9 mins total $10

São Miguel – Flows (supporter pack) is a collection that includes 14 looped files.
The palette explores the sounds of the ocean, waterfalls, and hot springs. These recordings were captured in Moihnos (Cascata do Limbo, Praia dos Moihnos), Ribeira dos Caldeirões, Ponta do Arnel, and Furnas (Caldeira).
Recorded in 96 kHz/24 bit, these sounds are easy to navigate and were captured using a Sony PCM D100.

Add to cart
Game Audio Packs - Game Sound Effects Libraries Sports Slot Game Music and Sound Effects Play Track 170 sounds included $269.99
ATTENTION: The audio preview only simulates gameplay to demo just a portion of the library’s content.

Reward your players with the jackpot of 340 high-quality (170 original sounds), easy to use audio files that provide you with all the sports-themed audio your games will ever need!

Create a casino masterpiece and a true immersion in your slots with this one-of-a-kind collection of royalty free sounds and music, expertly handcrafted to be a perfect fit for your games.

ALL SLOT GAME ELEMENTS YOU WILL EVER NEED

With numerous INTERFACE SOUNDS, such as REEL SPIN START BUTTONs, REEL SPINNING noises, REEL STOPs, BET INCREASE and DECREASE sounds, and all other interface buttons and TRANSITIONS, as well as WIN PAYOUT SOUNDs, such as short WIN TUNES, MUSICAL PAYOUT ROLLUP COUNTERs, SELECT and REVEAL jingles, various SYMBOL sounds, and FREE GAMES / FEATURE MUSIC LOOPs to fit any scene or situation (from strip-back relaxing background to upbeat catchy themes), this library is a perfect choice for your Online Video Slot, Mobile or even Land-based Casino Games!

SPORTS-THEMED SOUNDS FOR YOUR FEATURE GAMES

Need BASKETBALL game sounds, SOCCER / FOOTBALL, HOCKEY, BASEBALL, GOLF, TENNIS, TABLE TENNIS / PING PONG, SKIING / BOBSLED, SWIMMING or WATERPOLO, BOXING and even more? We got you covered!

With all essential action and foley sounds for most common Oympic Sports that have been included in this pack, along with ambiences and miscellaneous sounds – such as AIR HORNS, ARENA AMBIENCES, CROWD CHEERING and CHANTING, JUDGE WHISTLE, and more – this sound effects library will leave nothing to be desired!

ENGAGING SPORTS MUSIC IN ALL GENRES

Immerse your players in gaming experience like no other with almost every music genre commonly found in sport events, games and tv program. We have also included multiple variations and edits to make your workflow as fast and easy as posible.

From INDIE ROCK, HARD ROCK and METAL, to multiple sub-genres of ELECTRONIC Music, FUNK, ROCK BLUES and other genres, from SHORT STINGS, JINGLES and DROPS, to LOOPS, music mixes in VARIOUS INTENSITIES, included content here is a must have in your audio collection.

With each audio file being drag-and-drop ready, presented in high quality MP3 and WAV formats with meticulously labelled keywords for your convienience, you will create the perfect gaming experience for your players in a matter of moments!

So STEP UP YOUR SLOTS, GRAB ATTENTION and BUILD CONNECTION with YOUR PLAYERS!

DOWNLOAD NOW!

SPORTS SLOTS at a Glance:
- Symbol Sounds, Buttons and other Interface Sounds, Reel Spin and Stops, Trigger Sounds, Selection and Reveal sound effects, Music Loops for every scene and situation, Win Tunes and Rollups, Payouts and other short Celebration Tunes + much more!
- Sports-Themed Feature Sounds: Basketball, Soccer / Football, Hockey, Baseball, Golf, Tennis, Table Tennis / Ping Pong, Skiing / Bobsled, Swimming, Waterpolo, Boxing and more
- Numerous Variations and Edits of the assets, such as multiple lengths, intensities, looping and non-looping variants, and more;
- Ready to use – requires no editing, labelling or splicing. Categorized, organized and individually labeled files for maximum use efficiency;
- FREE Updates to higher versions, FOREVER!
Enrich your slot IP in seconds with beautifully mixed, AAA quality sounds brought to you by our team of industry veterans, whose 1000+ slot games worth of experience have culminated in this extraordinary sound pack!

DON’T DELAY any longer, you are only a step away from bringing your game to life. Take action and DOWNLOAD NOW!
10 %

OFF

Add to cart
Animal Sound Effects Pigs Play Track 33 sounds included $7.99
A collection of close up recordings of large pigs making sounds such as grunts, oinks, and squeals!

Features:
- 33 audio files in 48kHz 24 bit WAV format
- UCS compliant file naming and metadata
- Available for commercial or non-commercial use, with no attribution required
20 %

OFF

Add to cart
Bundles The Arcane: Fire And Electric Spells Bundle Play Track 1260 sounds included $50

This bundle includes THE ARCANE: ELECTRIC SPELLS and THE ARCANE: FIRE SPELLS.

More than 1200 sound effects fully focused on electric and fire spells.

THE ARCANE: ELECTRIC SPELLS

622 meticulously processed stereo electric and lightning spells sound effects recorded in 96 khz and 24 bits for high audio definition.

The collection comes with hundreds of variations, more than 1 hour of content and many different type of spells. It also includes raw files for more flexibility for your projects.

This collection is perfect for any films, video games or trailers.

The library is fully focused on electric, thunder and lightning spells. You will find simple one shot electric impacts, powerful high level thunder spells, magic weapon enchantments and so on. Spells such as lightning strike, electric blast, thunderbolt, magnetic field, thunder hammer, electric sword, lightning projectile, etc. are included in this library.

Recorded assets: Thunder, big and small adhesive tapes, inflated balloon, styrofoam, cellophane, various clothes, baseball glove, winter gloves, metal objects, aluminum foil, oven door, etc. Analog/digital synths and ultrasonic/geophone usage for more variety.

THE ARCANE: FIRE SPELLS

638 meticulously processed stereo fire spells sound effects recorded in 96 khz and 24 bits for high audio definition.

The collection comes with hundreds of variations, more than 1 hour of content and many different type of fire spells. It also includes source sounds for more flexibility for your projects.

This collection is perfect for any films, video games or trailers.

The library is fully focused on fire spells. You will find simple one shot magic firebolt, powerful high level fire spells, fire sword, berserker enchantments and so on. Spells such as fireball, firewall, rain of fire, meteor, fire nova, magma storm, pyroblast, sword of Avernus, etc. are included in this library.

Recorded assets: blanket, rainproof trouser, ski gloves, wind breaker coat, paperboard, thin and thick paper, bubble wrap, tap water, water in hot pan, pine cone, wood branches, various synth, etc.

17 %

OFF

Add to cart
Destruction & Impact Sounds Woodpile Chaos Play Track 82 sounds included $6

Woodpile Chaos is a gritty collection of 82 wooden hits, creaks, and scrapes — a wild mix of organic textures born from raw timber and controlled destruction.

40 %

OFF

Ends 1761606000

Add to cart