Author Topic: Ambient sounds  (Read 7469 times)

ON28

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Ambient sounds
« on: March 26, 2021, 02:32:53 PM »
Mike Confalone has compiled a 50-minute audio file of looped switching sounds -- air pops, wheel squeal, coupling, etc. -- into a 50 minute file. He velcros a bluetooth speaker remote to his throttle and moves the speaker around the room as needed. It's an interesting concept, to give a better sound experience for switching ops. Personally, I enjoy the RP braking and coupling sounds, I wonder how this could be incorporated into RP. Mike's demo vid is only available on the Allagash Facebook account.

Here's the sound file (no video):
t=2436s

During op sessions, my friend Dave Abeles plays a continuous lower octave rumble through free-standing amps just loud enough to create a realistic but not annoying diesel prime mover ambience in his basement.   
Tony Koester also has chirping bird sounds for when you're running out in the middle of Nowhere, Indiana on his NKP layout.
« Last Edit: March 26, 2021, 02:45:16 PM by ON28 »

KPack

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Re: Ambient sounds
« Reply #1 on: March 26, 2021, 09:48:34 PM »
That's an interesting concept.  I don't know how well Railpro would do with ambient sounds, but it doesn't really need to.  I plan on having some ambient sounds on my layout made from recordings of actual locations on the prototype (river, open country, city traffic).  But I won't worry about running ambient sound through Railpro.  Instead I'll use some sort of mp3 playback device activated by push button on the fascia at the appropriate locations.  Speakers will be just loud enough to be heard by the immediate area and not at the others.  Just enough to fill in the background noise to improve the immersion.

I've seen similar done on other layouts with great effect.  It'll be a low priority for me though....lots of things that need to be done before then.

-Kevin

William Brillinger

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Re: Ambient sounds
« Reply #2 on: March 27, 2021, 06:50:45 AM »
I made these loops back in 2014 for just this purpose.

Rolling loop: https://rpug.pdc.ca/index.php?topic=1193 (set to stay on)
Brake Squeal or Flange Squeal: https://rpug.pdc.ca/index.php/topic,140.0.html (set to play only while button is held)
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Modeling the BNML in HO Scale, owner of Precision Design Co., and RailPro Dealer.


William Brillinger

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Re: Ambient sounds
« Reply #3 on: March 27, 2021, 06:53:15 AM »
Here are my loops as mentioned above in action, along with manual notching, and my custom clanks and stretch sounds...
There are some great clunks and stretches between 6:25 and 7:10

« Last Edit: March 27, 2021, 07:05:06 AM by William Brillinger »
- Bill Brillinger, RPUG Admin

Modeling the BNML in HO Scale, owner of Precision Design Co., and RailPro Dealer.


ON28

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Re: Ambient sounds
« Reply #4 on: March 31, 2021, 07:02:49 PM »
Nice, Bill! I'm thinking about 'Run-In', also for slack.