# Atmosphere, Individual Sounds, or Both??



## RedRum13 (Nov 16, 2008)

Need to get some advice. Working on the sound for the wifes haunt and wondering what would be better. Overall music/atmosphere throughout the entire haunt, Or just individual sounds at each part of the haunt, or have an over all music/atmosphere with individual sounds at each piece? Let me know what you think


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## Otaku (Dec 3, 2004)

I use a mix of sounds. I have an overall soundscape of blowing winds, rustling leaves, footsteps and so on. Each animated prop has its own soundtrack. I also set MP3 players and speakers in the bushes, behind trees, and in the graveyard to supply stuff like whispering voices, crow calls, owl hoots and distant howls. These go off at intervals of a couple minutes so the TOTs won't hear the same things twice. Certain areas, like the porch display, usually have a background music track playing.
If your haunt has differently-themed areas then an assortment of localized sounds/music may be what you need. Placement of the speakers will be important so you don't get too much "leakage" of the ambient sound from area to another.


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## Mr_Chicken (Nov 26, 2008)

The audio from my talking/singing props (of which there is at least one in each area) is all I have...I figured if I tried to put any kind of ambient track they would be competing with eachother.
I do plan to make an ambient track to play when the talking props aren't running/set up.


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

We just used spooky music in the past, until last year, when I tried some audio for our witch. Now I'm hoping to add more sound effects for one or two more props. So I guess my answer is .... both.


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## Scottzilla (Jun 13, 2007)

I'm with Otaku. I like to create an overall base layer of sound for an area that's not too intrusive (wind, etc.) then use individual sounds that appear to come from localized sources (talking skull, cat in the bushes, bats in the ceiling, whatever). Adjust levels so they don't compete.


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## Just Whisper (Jan 19, 2009)

I use both. It works well together. The background music/sounds are part of what bring the neighbors flocking to my house. One year my background "music" died and all I had was individual sound effects for the last half hour of TOT. It was definitely too quiet and boring. It lost a lot of it's ambiance.


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## Mr Grimsley (Aug 23, 2009)

*Yardhaunt Soundscapes*

I will have what I call my "ambient" cemetery background audio: Usual night noises, critters, howling wolves, owls, tolling church bells etc.

Then hidden speakers directed at those coming up the driveway will have stereo audio of ghostly voices, creepy chanting, wispering, etc.

My thunder soundtrack is hidden away in above my carport where the strobe is placed. It is a track by one of the forum members I believe and and has intermittant sounds between the thunder which happens every few minutes so it's not constant.

Lastly, I will be playing haunting music coming from inside my house, likely from my upstairs window where my dispappearing ghost and floating candelabra is seen. My favourite track for this is a very haunting solo vocal track by the "bride" from Phantom Manor at Paris Disneyland. Awsome for mausoleums and female FCGs!


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## Warrant2000 (Oct 8, 2008)

Previous years I've used a CD mix of tracks I collected, it was all somewhat random. Sound effects, spooky music, Tacota en Fugue, screams, etc.

This year I've bought 2 CD's from PoisonProps, Industrial and Toxic. That will be the ambient sound for my back yard walkthrough. I have another CD of spooky ambients that came with my zombie costume that I'll use for the front yard cemetary.

I'll also use specific sound effects with small mp3 players at various locations. I will have a few of my zombie actors strapped with these portable players to give them the flesh-eating sound they so richly deserve.


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