Menu Cells

Effects -> DDSound

The Effects -> DDSound command in the Motion module attaches a stereo sound file to an animated (translated) object in your scene, and creates a new sound file that produces a virtual 3D sound effect.

As the object and camera move, the DDSound effect displaces the sound through the left and right stereo channels, increasing and decreasing the volume in each channel in relation to the distance between the moving object and the moving camera. The result is somewhat like a Doppler effect: the sound acquires a perceptible depth and gives you a sense of movement.

Note:: The DDSound effect uses only AIFF stereo format files for input and output.

Procedure

1. Create a scene that contains a moving object and an animated camera movement. For the DDSound effect to work, both the object and the camera must be animated.

2. Create a null object using the Get -> Primitive -> Null command.

3. Constrain the null to the camera using the Constraint -> Position command in the Motion module.

4. Create another null object and constrain its position to the camera's interest.

5. Choose the Effects -> DDSound command. The DDSound dialogue box is displayed:

6. Set the parameters as desired and click Ok.

7. Pick the null attached to the camera.

8. Pick the null attached to the camera's interest.

9. Pick the moving object to receive the input sound file.

10. Play the animation.

When you play the animation, the DDSound effect creates the new sound file and writes it to disk.

Parameters

Input AIFF

Specifies the name and location of the AIFF sound file to be imported. You can use the Browser button to open a browser in which to locate this file.

Output AIFF

Specifies the name and location of the new AIFF sound file that is recorded. You can use the Browser button to open a browser in which to select a file for overwriting, if you like.

Frame Rate

Number of frames per second of the animation.

Length

Represents the length in frames of the animation. The default length is 100 frames.

MaxDist

Represents the maximum range between the noise object and the camera in which the sound can be registered. In other words, it simulates the farthest distance from which you can actually "hear" the object. This value is measured in SOFTIMAGE units.

Offset

Determines the intensity of the shift between the right and left stereo channels as the noise object moves in relation to the camera.

Next, Previous, Delete, and Key

To animate the effect, Next advances to the next keyframe, Previous goes back to the previous keyframe, Delete removes a keyframe, and Key sets a keyframe. These controls can only be accessed after you have set the initial parameters in the dialogue box and clicked Ok. To return to the dialogue box and edit keyframes for the effect, select the effect icon and choose the Effects -> Edit Parameters command in the Motion module.

SOFTIMAGE 3D Reference - 18 APR 1996