Sound Particles, a new groundbreaking audio mixing software, was the one responsible for the movie’s immersive sound design. This CGI-like software uses particle systems to create up to millions of sound sources over a 3D space. Although particle systems are widely known for their use on computer graphics (3D) and visual effects (VFX), their potential use in audio mixing and audio effects was unknown.
One of the advantages of this software is its ability to render audio for new immersive formats like Dolby Atmos 9.1 beds or Auro-3D 11.1/13.1 and others, as it gathers acclaim from the entertainment industry.
“Imagine a traditional CGI software like Maya or Blender, but replace the 3D objects with sound sources and replace the virtual camera with a virtual microphone. That is the concept behind Sound Particles”, says Nuno Fonseca.
The beta version of the software was already used on movies like the remake of “Poltergeist”, “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” and is currently going through a testing phase in all major audio post-production studios, including Skywalker Sound, Universal Studios, Sony Pictures, Warner Bros, Fox, Technicolor/Paramount, Formosa, Park Road Post (NZ), and Pinewood (UK).
Nuno Fonseca is a professor at the Polytechnic Institute of Leiria at the School of technology and management and has a BSc in electronics engineering, an MSc and PhD on computer engineering (computer audio), with 20 published papers regarding audio topics. He is also the coordinator of the bachelor degree in Digital Games and Multimedia of IPLeiria and integrates the department of Computer Engineering.
He is best known for the creation of WordBuilder™ software, a text-to-sing solution integrated in “EASTWEST Symphonic Choirs”, which allows computers to sing any text like it was sung by a choir, a solution that is used by many movies, TV shows and game composers around the world.
He is also the author of the Portuguese book “Introdução à Engenharia de Som” (Introduction to Sound Engineering) and co-author of the book “Desenvolvimento em iOS” (iOS Development).
Nuno Fonseca recently became a member of the Audio Engineering Society Technical Committees on “Sound for Digital Cinema and TV” and “Spatial Audio”, and a member of SMPTE, CAS (associate member) and MPSE (affiliate member).
More information can be found:
– Official Website: http://www.sound-particles.com
– Mac App Store: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sound-particles/id965526426
– Media Kit: http://www.sound-particles.com/press/pr2015a.zip