Day 12: Rocket League Sound Design
Tuesday, March 31st, 2026
Warmup
Login to Clever.com and go to Edpuzzle.
Watch the video that reviews setup for sound design.
The files for the Rocket League assignment are here.
Work Session
Download the Files
Download the Rocket League sound design files from the link provided in the warmup section. Unzip the file and familiarize yourself with the contents. You should see a folder with various audio files that you will use to create your sound design project.
There is also an MP4 file. The MP4 file is the video clip that we are designing the sound for.
Sound Design Procedure
Import the video into GarageBand
Simply drag and drop the video into GarageBand.
Watch and Identify Needs
Watch the animation from Rocket League and identify the key moments where sound effects are needed. Pay attention to the actions of the cars, the ball, and any other significant events in the video.
Import Audio Files
Select audio files from the provided folder. They do NOT need to sound correct yet. Random noises can work just fine.
Align the Sounds
Align the sounds you chose to the exact moments in the video where they are needed. This will likely require some trial and error to get the timing just right.
Zoom in with ⌘➡️ (command and right arrow) to get a closer view of the timeline for more precise editing.
Drag the sound and the video plays so you can align it.
Use Effects
Effects can transform a sound and make it fit better with the video. Mr. Willingham will demonstrate how to apply effects. Here are some common ones you can try:
- Pitch Shift — Raise or lower the pitch to make a sound feel heavier or lighter.
- Reverb — Add space and echo to make a sound feel like it’s in a large room or stadium.
- EQ (Equalizer) — Boost or cut specific frequencies to shape the tone of a sound.
- Distortion — Add grit or intensity to make a sound more aggressive.
Experiment with stacking multiple effects on the same sound to get something completely new.
Checkpoint: Work Session
- I have imported the video into GarageBand.
- I have identified the key moments in the video where sound effects are needed.
- I have imported audio files and aligned them to the correct moments in the video.
- I have used effects to enhance the sounds and make them fit better with the video
Closing
Listen to your animation and at least one other person’s animation. Reflect on the following questions:
- How can sounds be transformed using effects?
- Why is timing important in sound design?
- What was the most challenging part of this project?
Tomorrow, you will continue working with sound effects and learn how to use prebuilt sound libraries to enhance your projects.
Standards
- MSMTC8.CR.1 — Generate musical ideas for compositions using digital tools.
- MSMTC8.CR.2 — Select and develop musical ideas into a larger work using digital tools and resources.
- MSMTC8.RE.2 — Explain how knowledge of structure, technological aspects, and purpose of the music informs the response.