How to create STAR WARS Lightsaber sound effects | Shanks FX | PBS Digital Studios

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  • Опубликовано: 11 сен 2024
  • The lightsaber sound from Star Wars was created by legendary sound designer Ben Burtt. He combined the sounds of a 35mm projector and a 70s tube TV to create one of the most iconic sounds in movie history.
    In this episode I try and use the same techniques Ben Burtt did and create a similar analog driven sound design for my very own lightsaber.
    Finding a tube TV wasn't hard but couldn't locate an old projector with twin motors but I was able to replicate a similar sound with a square-wave generator.
    My advice would be to walk around your house with a mic and recorder and see what kind of sounds you get from all the electrical appliances. (just be mindful that getting too close to certain electromagnetic fields could put your gear & sd cards in danger, never happened to me, but that's what I heard can happen in certain cases)
    Older appliances seemed to work better for me as I got a lot of interesting sounds by recording the vibration of the their electrical transformers.
    Another tip would be to go to antique stores with an audio recorder and record all the old interesting mechanical devices from yesteryear. You may even run into an old 35mm projector!
    After making this episode I find myself hearing a lot more electrical hums wherever I go. It never hurts to bring an audio recorder with you at all times!
    A great resource I found was the "The Lightsaber Sound Cookbook" which really goes in depth about the whole process of creating these kind of sounds. Some of the technical detail went over my head but I'd rather it be too much information than not enough!
    www.dblondin.co...
    Here are some more links from some of the Ben Burtt video excerpts seen in this episode.
    Ben Burtt creates the sounds for Wall-E
    • Video
    Sounds in Space - Lightsaber Sounds
    • Conversations: Sounds ...
    Also, check out our episode that shows you how to create the original Lightsaber effect.
    • Original 1977 STAR WAR...
    Music by: Big Fok
    In association with: PBS Digital Studios

Комментарии • 81

  • @megazoned3973
    @megazoned3973 6 лет назад +13

    I love the little nose whistle in the original projector recording.

  • @Shoostep
    @Shoostep 7 лет назад +49

    Brilliant. I think most people don't realise scope and depth involved with sound design. Nice work!

  • @jjkmovies
    @jjkmovies 8 лет назад +94

    Thanks for this. This is absolutely incredible.

    • @ShanksFX1
      @ShanksFX1  3 года назад +3

      Ohhh, that's an interesting thought actually. Maybe you can try that out and share with us :-)

  • @artificialinsolence3182
    @artificialinsolence3182 5 лет назад +2

    Man. Listening to the section around 1:08 with headphones on, feels like your brain is melting.

  • @harrystamas8728
    @harrystamas8728 5 лет назад +3

    FANTASTIC video! Thank you so much for this. Ive known the basis for the lightsaber sound since I was a kid and even experimented with the TV portion myself back in the early 80's. Loved seeing it all put together and fully explained in detail which the Ben Burtt interviews always talked about but never highlighted the separate raw elements.

  • @S1erra107
    @S1erra107 7 лет назад +6

    Oh the wonders of foley and sound design

  • @SandalwoodBros
    @SandalwoodBros 2 года назад

    Other than the ignition sound (which must be a secret), everything sounded excellent.

  • @MarkArandjus
    @MarkArandjus 8 лет назад +7

    I've seen all kinds of lightsaber tutorials, but not one for sound, well done Shanks!

  • @kamil.p5134
    @kamil.p5134 4 года назад +1

    I think you brought this to another level. And for me it's even better than the original

  • @Lizzzzzzy921
    @Lizzzzzzy921 2 года назад +1

    Thank you so much for cutting the music when you played your combined buzz and hum. I can’t find that awesome square wave generator you guys used and I just want to play around with that buzz sound.

  • @PluggedHades62
    @PluggedHades62 4 года назад

    I thought the ignition sound was to short but never the less this is great

  • @pumfeethermodynamics3286
    @pumfeethermodynamics3286 6 лет назад +33

    lightsaber effects you made sounded more evil

    • @clintoncook6082
      @clintoncook6082 6 лет назад +5

      Or just more dangerous (like lightsabers should be). Then again, considering tape, audio, and recording quality back then, today's technology just allows the sound to sound more crisp.

    • @PersonausdemAll
      @PersonausdemAll 3 года назад

      Like sith sabers should be Pontené :'3

  • @RedYoshi-gc9gs
    @RedYoshi-gc9gs 3 года назад

    Cool better than what people do know where they download sound effects, it may make the budget higher but it still gets the job done

  • @natemarin1038
    @natemarin1038 8 лет назад +2

    this is the exact video I was looking for, and the quality was fantastic you earned a sub!

  • @henrijs1733
    @henrijs1733 Год назад

    damn the "electric" sound of lightsabers touching was ice and metal? mindblown

  • @faraz5213
    @faraz5213 4 года назад

    raregem video i found useful for my vfx carrier

  • @amyjojinkerson6745
    @amyjojinkerson6745 3 года назад

    1 word AMAZING

  • @sahawndada
    @sahawndada 4 года назад

    So Sick!!

  • @christianchilders8556
    @christianchilders8556 4 года назад

    This saber definitely sounds dangerous

  • @marionmund7200
    @marionmund7200 8 лет назад

    Damn, I love Ben Burtt. How he managed to get some of the SFX on Indiana Jones is also really interesting. It's just the fact that he finds those sounds and then finds a perfect use for them. Who would've connected blaster sounds to the sounds a slinky makes?

    • @ShanksFX1
      @ShanksFX1  8 лет назад

      +Marion Mund Yeah, he's my kind of guy. He won an oscar for Indiana Jones and the Last crusade. And it seems he may be one of the reasons they created a sound mixing and design award at the Oscars. Because his first 2 Oscars were special achievement awards b/c the category hadn't been on the ballot until the early 80s.

    • @SomeMaxiboy
      @SomeMaxiboy 8 лет назад

      +Marion Mund The stormtrooper blaster sound is made by smacking a steel wire from a telephone pole with a wrench.

  • @supahcomix
    @supahcomix 4 года назад

    you can do the extending effect by facing the saber directly forward at the camera and slowly moving it to the left or right

  • @scottthompson9720
    @scottthompson9720 4 года назад +1

    Well done. :) Not as good as Ben's but yours have their own original genius and awesomeness to them. Disney hire him as a sound designer! ;)

  • @vampyrate8804
    @vampyrate8804 4 года назад

    Nice ASMR

  • @daveblanks5699
    @daveblanks5699 8 лет назад

    So awesome! Nicely done, Mr. Shanks!

  • @thomasmahone1396
    @thomasmahone1396 7 лет назад +27

    how do you add that deep, raspy bass tone of the sith sabers though?

    • @zhiracs
      @zhiracs 5 лет назад +3

      some mixing and EQ adjustments, likely. Or they recorded samples from a different tube TV that buzzed in a slightly different way.

    • @xxtheswagger8xx263
      @xxtheswagger8xx263 4 года назад +3

      Buzz for the sith
      Hum for the Jedi

  • @davidnavarro4821
    @davidnavarro4821 6 лет назад

    So very well done!

  • @thestooge200
    @thestooge200 2 года назад

    How do you add the low end distortion?

  • @JogauVids
    @JogauVids 8 лет назад +1

    as always amazing work, and once again i learned a lot !

  • @jx592
    @jx592 7 лет назад +3

    laser blast sounds come from Burtt hitting a radio tower with a hammer "He beat the ever loving shit out of it"

    • @clintoncook6082
      @clintoncook6082 6 лет назад +2

      Well, the unshielded guy cable connected to the tower.

  • @KORIBLADE100
    @KORIBLADE100 7 лет назад +1

    I thought that sounded awesome. Have you thought of continuing work on the sounds and releasing it so people can use it on their own custom lightsabers? You could upload it to saberfont and get a few bucks for it.

  • @fracox17
    @fracox17 5 лет назад

    Wow

  • @MigPlz91LivestreamOnly
    @MigPlz91LivestreamOnly 7 лет назад

    astounding

  • @egor102
    @egor102 5 лет назад

    cool video. I always wondered what effect was for the crossed sabers.

  • @TomSchreck-n1t
    @TomSchreck-n1t 12 дней назад

    Nice! What about the ignition sound? What makes that?

  • @TJCooney
    @TJCooney 8 лет назад

    Great work shanks!

  • @godofrainbows
    @godofrainbows 8 лет назад

    Awesome!

  • @TheMCPO117
    @TheMCPO117 5 лет назад

    I didn't quite get how you made the ignition sound. You used some dry ice sounds and then what? I am trying a lot to edit this part but I just can't get it right.
    Some help would be much appreciated :)

  • @frankjamesbonarrigo7162
    @frankjamesbonarrigo7162 7 лет назад

    great video!

  • @larrykellyiii1680
    @larrykellyiii1680 8 лет назад

    amazing!!!

  • @SomeMaxiboy
    @SomeMaxiboy 4 года назад

    why did you use edited versions of the classic sounds at some times?

  • @joeyb4ever
    @joeyb4ever 3 года назад

    Motors at 60 Hz, TV with it's 30 Hz high voltage scan.

  • @Spurrr
    @Spurrr 2 года назад

    Why is the original buzz so much different?

  • @CAPATURE
    @CAPATURE 8 лет назад +7

    wow I actually bought a shotgun mic and tried this.

  • @frankjamesbonarrigo7162
    @frankjamesbonarrigo7162 7 лет назад

    you have the dimmer switch hooked up to the function generator too?

  • @normanbos9804
    @normanbos9804 5 лет назад

    Thank you for the great tutorial! How and to what exactly did you hook the dimmer switch up to?

  • @juan.orduz.musico
    @juan.orduz.musico 8 лет назад

    Can it be done with a regular microphone? Say any cardioid microphone? Because I currently don't have a shotgun microphone

    • @bogdann1375
      @bogdann1375 5 лет назад

      shotguns are usually super cardioid. The sweet spot and ofc the loudest being narrower will simulate the movement efect better. The sound in movement will have a greater dynamic range.

  • @Chukeeman
    @Chukeeman 8 лет назад

    Is a Canon Rebel T3i good for its value? Also wondering what lenses are best for filmmaking, (probably 55mm wide angle and macro)

    • @sebgallegos
      @sebgallegos 8 лет назад

      A T3i is well worth the money if you install Magic Lantern and invest in good lenses. I recommend purchasing the camera body only as opposed to buying it with a kit lens.
      Lenses really depend on what kind of films and style you want to shoot so I can't really recommend one in particular, however I strongly recommend you buy Cine lenses as opposed to photography lenses. The Rokinon line of Cine lenses is definitely your best choice for glass out there, I use them all the time.

    • @Chukeeman
      @Chukeeman 8 лет назад

      +SebasGallegos Thanks!

  • @GohTakeshita
    @GohTakeshita 6 лет назад +1

    No one seems to know how to make a proper ignition sound. It seems to be one of Ben Burtt's trade secrets or something. In an interview George Lucas said it was the sound of a vacuum cleaner turning off, but I tried that and after editing the sound to death it still never sounded close to right.

    • @robynsun_love
      @robynsun_love 3 года назад

      A new ignition sound was created for The Last Jedi, using the sound of air bursting out of a hole in a life vest. So, quite literally, the sound of a lightsaber igniting is the sound of a lifesaver deflating. ;)
      www.google.com/amp/s/amp.cinemablend.com/news/1745579/the-surprising-way-they-made-reys-lightsaber-sound-for-star-wars-the-last-jedi

  • @cjkalandek996
    @cjkalandek996 7 лет назад

    I SERIOUSLY NEED TO TRY THIS OUT! Where'd you get the supplies for this?!

  • @eyeofender8950
    @eyeofender8950 5 лет назад

    Actually, the blaster sounds were made with the suspension wire for a bridge

  • @markstanley2001
    @markstanley2001 8 лет назад

    excellent!

  • @bluewolf9782
    @bluewolf9782 Год назад

    Can you have a lightsaber duel with that?

  • @Lucasfan375
    @Lucasfan375 4 года назад

    Jedi fallen order took the clash sounds if you listen closely when Cal is cutting small things like grass

  • @Tenacious54X
    @Tenacious54X 8 лет назад

    what would be a good beginner dlsr? with a price range of 1,000 usd?

    • @ShanksFX1
      @ShanksFX1  8 лет назад +1

      +jorge gutierrez You can prob find a used Canon 60d for under a grand. That was my first taste of the HDSLR resolution and I still prefer using it over my Canon 5d because of the articulating screen. And it also shoots 60fps at 720p. I would then try and get a good wide angle, macro, and 50mm lens. I use those 3 lens 80% of the time.

    • @Tenacious54X
      @Tenacious54X 8 лет назад

      thank you so much

  • @sonn4jam3s
    @sonn4jam3s 8 лет назад

    My EARSS!!!!

  • @gammaechofoundationproductions
    @gammaechofoundationproductions 8 лет назад

    Hey, thanks for this! Very educational! You just earned a new subscriber! :)

  • @vfxteamde
    @vfxteamde 8 лет назад

    Hey Shanks! Nice Vid!! Have you seen my recent mail concerning the video-interview?

  • @tedwhite6588
    @tedwhite6588 Год назад

    cool video, but the added music over everything distracts from listening to the SFX

  • @user-uw1pw5ts2g
    @user-uw1pw5ts2g 10 месяцев назад

    Ёпэрэсэтэ мощная круть

  • @AxleMyths
    @AxleMyths 8 лет назад

    or, if you are extremely lucky... you can get both noises from a micro wave.

  • @ollieducker6899
    @ollieducker6899 6 лет назад

    anything other than dry ice i can use

    • @sergios4214
      @sergios4214 6 лет назад

      use a kitchen grill, pour butter or whatever you want and you can get an even grittier sound, more like the one kylo ren's saber does(supposedly because the crystal is broken)

    • @GohTakeshita
      @GohTakeshita 6 лет назад

      I read recently that you can get some duct tape or packing tape and stick it on a window or a mirror and slowly peel it off so it makes a crackling sound. I tried it and it works great, especially after some effects are added to it.

  • @Patara.
    @Patara. 8 лет назад

    yrsss

  • @sanjacobs6261
    @sanjacobs6261 5 лет назад +1

    How did your ears not commit suicide when confronted with the constant high-pitched squeel of this TV??? 1:05