In this project, I also want to research the role of sound synthesis in game sound design. In addition to using recorded sound effect assets, synthesisers can also be used to create more abstract and emotionally expressive sounds, such as low-frequency drones, environmental textures, danger cues, or unrealistic sound layers. This is useful for the exploration, survival, and enemy threat systems in this project, because these sounds do not necessarily need to be completely realistic. Instead, they need to strengthen the player\u2019s perception of the environment, danger, and emotional state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Absynth 6 is valuable for this project because it is not a normal sound source that is only used to play presets, but a semi-modular synthesiser. Native Instruments describes Absynth 6 as a synthesiser suitable for creating evolving textures, cinematic cues, and ambient soundscapes. It can combine different synthesis methods, such as subtractive synthesis, FM, sampling, and granular synthesis, so it is suitable for creating sounds that change slowly and have a sense of space and instability (Native Instruments).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among these methods, subtractive synthesis is one approach that I want to focus on. In simple terms, subtractive synthesis usually starts with a harmonically rich sound, such as a saw wave, square wave, or noise. Then, filters, envelopes, and modulation are used to reduce, shape, or move the frequency content of the sound. In other words, the sound designer does not directly choose a fixed timbre, but shapes the timbre by controlling the brightness, thickness, attack, decay, and dynamic changes of the sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this project, subtractive synthesis can be used to create environmental layers for different areas. For example, Meadow can use softer noise and filter movement to create wind sounds or a sense of air; Forest can use darker, narrower filters and low-frequency textures to create a sense of oppression; Salmon Run can add sound layers with grainy qualities or high-frequency movement to strengthen the presence of flowing water and rocky environments. For enemy threats, low-frequency oscillators, slowly changing filter cutoff, or LFO modulation can create a tense feeling that seems to gradually approach and breathe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is also related to Technical Audio Design. These synthesised sounds do not necessarily only need to be played as fixed audio files. They can also be connected to game states. For example, when the player approaches a dangerous area, a low-frequency drone can gradually become louder; when wolves get closer, the filter can slowly open, making the sound sharper or more unstable; when time pressure increases, the environmental texture can become denser. In this way, synthesised sound is not only atmospheric decoration, but also becomes part of gameplay feedback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Therefore, I think researching Absynth 6 and subtractive synthesis can help me understand how to design timbre from the basic components of sound and apply these sounds to an interactive game system. It can not only help me create sounds that better match the atmosphere of the project, but also help me consider how sound can produce dynamic feedback according to player behaviour, area changes, and danger states.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Resources<\/strong>\uff1a<\/p>\n\n\n\n Native Instruments (2026) Absynth 6: Semi-modular synthesizer<\/em>. Available at: Native Instruments official website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Russ, M. (2009) Sound Synthesis and Sampling<\/em>. 3rd edn. Oxford: Focal Press.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In this project, I also want to research the role of sound synthesis in game sound design. In addition to using recorded sound effect assets, synthesisers can also be used to create more abstract and emotionally expressive sounds, such as low-frequency drones, environmental textures, danger cues, or unrealistic sound layers. This is useful for the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":61,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-567","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-s2-research"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.wsagames.com\/jz15n24\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/567","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.wsagames.com\/jz15n24\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.wsagames.com\/jz15n24\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.wsagames.com\/jz15n24\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/61"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.wsagames.com\/jz15n24\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=567"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sites.wsagames.com\/jz15n24\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/567\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":568,"href":"https:\/\/sites.wsagames.com\/jz15n24\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/567\/revisions\/568"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sites.wsagames.com\/jz15n24\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=567"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.wsagames.com\/jz15n24\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=567"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sites.wsagames.com\/jz15n24\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=567"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}