Agency: Cinco Design
Work: Sound Design for Product

Overview

Helio Sound teamed up with the product and digital experience groups at Cinco to create sound design for the Hora Timelight concept. The IOT product uses light, sound and interactivity in simple ways to help manage the rhythm of homelife. Wireless connection and control enables the user to program a full spectrum of light and sound to schedule. Hora’s moveable design allows users to brighten any room. The Timelight was honored with a Notable Design Concept Award from Core 77.

PRODUCT CONCEPT

Hora is made for integration with everyday life. It works with the daily rhythms of individuals and families to help them wake up, fall asleep, relax, have fun and time events. Hora can be used as your alarm clock, night light, and scheduled to let your kids know when they’ve been brushing their teeth for two minutes or when it’s time to come down for dinner. Two distinct “play” modes entertain and delight. The product design and app are intuitive and beautiful, allowing for a seamless incorporation with daily flow.

Sound Design BRIEF AND STRATEGY

The sound design brief called for a "Modern Nature" approach - departing from the disturbing on/off binary of technology and instead opting for an aural experience with more melodic appeal and intricacy than the “beeps and bloops” we’ve come to accept from too many digital products. Just as Hora forgoes the “light on/light off” aesthetic, we created sounds with more interesting rising and falling signatures and note patterns. The approach was more akin to writing short ambient music pieces in the mind frame of Brian Eno’s “Discreet Music” album. To tie everything to nature, we used sounds based off of real instruments (glockenspiels, amglockens, mbira, pan drums, xylophones, chimes, violins, clarinets, flutes, cellos, etc.), digitally altering and treating them with space so they are beyond the point of literal recognition. Sound design for Hora was a conceptual exercise in creating sonic metaphors. We were mindful of the Calm Technology philosophy, the goal being a non-intrusive aural experience.

FUNCTIONS

Hora's main utilitarian functions include an alarm light (Sunrise), timer (Notification), and a night light (Sunset). In addition, there are two entertainment functions: Firefly and Stars. Each function has 5-7 unique sound options that can be chosen by the user via the app and set as the primary sound. Users can program their personal sonic palette. We provided a variety of textures and complexity for each function.

Sound sample lengths were set at 15-30 seconds and designed to loop without abrupt stops for as long as necessary. To test the tolerance of a listener to repetition and make sure that sounds did not become annoying over time, we listened to all of them as extended loops and ensured they created the right headspace. The playback speaker for the Hora is designed to have a greater frequency range and lower harmonic distortion than the typical mobile phone or laptop, but still limited in low and high frequency content with an uneven midrange. We set up a custom EQ profile on our otherwise full-range monitor speakers with rolled off high and low frequency curves to simulate the product speaker range.

In all cases, sound design correlates with light motion. For instance, the softly pulsing sounds of the Sunrise function rise in tandem with the light intensity. The flickering randomness of the Firefly setting is accompanied by more complex moving musical elements.

Have a listen to the variety of different function options below!

Sunrise

The Sunrise function takes the place of the traditional alarm clock. Instead of using the ubiquitous harsh beep sounds we’ve all come to dread, we wanted to “lift” people from sleep in a much more appealing way. We opted for softly pulsing sounds with a noticeable volume ebb and flow. High end content and texture, subtle bell and chime tones, as well as sitar timbres (“Early Meditation”) were blended to add enough high frequency content to rouse one from sleep. We used sounds with generally positive connotations like violins (“Blissful Orchestra”) and flowing water (“Morning Stream”) to make the morning experience as pleasant as possible.

Notification

For Notifications, we utilized synthesized plucks, altered glockenspiels, and tuned cowbells to create sounds with enough transient attack to alert the user without grating on the nerves. Short, rising musical patterns grab attention. Subtle digital delays and reverbs add harmonic and spatial interest, so the sounds don’t come across as the lifeless “alerts” we’ve all come to accept from products.

Sunset

The Sunset function can be used to accompany the user-programmed timed fade of Hora’s night light to lull the user into a restful sleep. Interesting hollow resonances create a sense of a “safe place” (“Sunset Pier” and “Meditating on the Day”). “Twilight Crickets” uses soft high end resonances to evoke the soothing sound of a summer evening, while hushed flutes and clarinet samples were used as the basis for “Pink Sky” and “Evening Drone”. Tonal movement and textural complexity are more restrained throughout, so the loops would disappear as an ambient background through repetition.

Firefly

The Firefly function uses fast random movements and abrupt flashing of the lights to delight the user. A playful complexity for the sound design was the key to interfacing with the dynamic light. We opted for random, percussive bell-like tones with lots of high frequency movement and texture to engage the listener. Irregular patterns, non-resolving melodic, and non-melodic content create the sonic illusion of many things going in different directions, mimicking the random flashes of fireflies.

Stars

The random, slow paced light movement of the Stars function is a more low key iteration of the Firefly function. Whereas Firefly was meant to be awake and playful, Stars is meant to bring to mind the complexity of feelings one may experience when gazing at a diamond sky far from the city. Ambient sounds with plenty of reverb were used to give the listener a sense of space and time to reflect. The goal was to communicate subtleties of emotion: pensiveness, wonder, a contemplation of vastness, solitude, and dream-states.

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ADOBE

Client: Adobe
Agency: Thinkingbox
Work: Sound Design, Custom Composition, Mixing, Mastering for Brand Video
Description: We worked on three marketing and commerce focused brand videos for Adobe, communicating the functionality of their Experience Cloud and Advertising Cloud products. The brief called for sound design that subtly augments motion while not distracting the listener from the fast paced informational VO. Overall, with music and sound design, we wanted to communicate a sense of ease. We kept the UX/UI sounds subtle so as not to make the technological aspect of the products seem dauntingly complicated. Transitional FX (wooshes, rises, falls) were lighter in tone with slightly rolled off low-end content so as not to feel heavy. We cued brief key moments when sound design comes forward to provide more literal and playful connections to keep the listener engaged (ring on table at :24, hearts popping at :26, ship deck section at 1:42-48) . The custom music track is upbeat, using string plucks and piano rather than drums as primary percussive drive to maintain a sense of lightness. This audio language is extended to all three product videos to reinforce the unity of the brand experience. Watch the final videos below to hear the integration of VO, music and sound design.

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BKBX

Client: BKBX
Agency: Cinco Design
Work: Sound Design, Custom Composition, Mixing, Mastering for Brand Video
Description: A very different project from Adobe :) BKBX is a high-end adventure training facility in Allston, MA. Their parent company, New York based Brooklyn Boulders, created the gym to appeal to affluent clients. The rollout for the new location called for a sizzle reel making the analogy to a big budget blockbuster movie. “Intensity” was the key theme. Accordingly, we approached the sound design using Hollywood film trailers as a reference. Heavy low end whooshes, whips and reverberant taiko drum slams were used to exaggerate movements and impacts. Dramatic literal sounds (waterfalls, wind, gravel crunch) were cued with hard cuts. And the sound design was mixed very prominently in the final. For the music we took cues from sci-fi film and TV soundtracks (Blade Runner, Stranger Things, etc.) using vintage analog synthesizers (Moog Mini Moog,Oberheim OBXa). Heavier, fundamental synth tones with lots of low end sub bass were used to complement the darkness of the imagery.

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SMITH

Client: Smith
Agency: Subjekt Objekt
Work: Sound Design, Custom Composition, Mixing, Mastering for Brand Video
Description: The Sound Design for adventure equipment company Smith’s Forefront 2 video was fully based on non-organic, non-literal synthesized sounds. Sonic realism was eschewed in favor of heavily exaggerated metaphor. For instance, in place of a gravel foley sound where a bike tire digs, we used a digital synth to create an otherworldy grind. When a bike hits the ground, the impact is a heavily emphasized electronic drum. As the rider flies through the air there is no wind, but a moving filter in synch with motion. All sound design was made to blend seamlessly with the synth based music track.

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GOGORO

Client: Gogoro
Agency: Cinco Design
Work: Sound Design, Brand Mnemonic, Custom Composition, Mixing, Mastering for Brand Video
Description: Gogoro is a forward-thinking electric scooter brand based in Taiwan. The video for their Network of ecological interchangeable batteries was meant to communicate that it’s not only environmentally positive, but fun for users to engage. We opted for playful, cartoon-like, cute sounds with bright frequencies and plenty of “pops” to go along with the vibrant animation style. Special attention was paid to not sounding overly “techy” in order to maintain a sense of accessibility for the average user.

The mnemonic for Gogoro uses musical elements from the custom composition to maintain unity with the brand aesthetic. Like the custom composition, we relied on electronic instruments as the Gogoro target audience is younger forward thinking people at home with the digital world. We opted for a rhythmic treatment (fast repeating arpeggio with volume rising drum pattern) to communicate the dynamic movement of the Gogoro scooter and as a sonic metaphor for the flow of electricity associated with their Network system. The low end bass drum “boom” on the brand name lock communicates brand strength.

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Okta

Client: Okta
Agency: Butchershop
Work: Sound Design, Brand Mnemonic, Custom Composition for Brand Video
Description: Okta is a publicly traded identity and access management company based in San Francisco. Their clientele is primarily large companies concerned with network safety. Their aesthetic is more business-like and conservative. Consequently, we used traditional “techy” beeps, bloops and buzzers to cue their informational video. Digital sounds were used as Okta is a digital company. The music is similarly restrained.

The Okta mnemonic is an example of a textural treatment of sonic brand identity. The quick arpeggio used repeats once before resolving back on the beginning note, making direct reference to the circular completion of the sweeping “O”. An underlying lower textural single note is synced with a volume envelope (rising from low to high to low again) to mimic the doppler effect of an object whizzing by the listener. A separate single note, high frequency texture is matched with the green and white “motion” lines with a faint delay to connect with the trailing line breaks of the animation. A low end bass drum hits when the “O” locks in place, communicating the strength of Okta’s internet security barriers.

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Hightower

Client: Hightower
Agency: thisisnotapipe
Work: Brand Mnemonic
Description: We scored a brand video highlighting award winning Danish design team Strand+Hvass for modern office furniture company Hightower. Strand+Hvass’s work is inspired by natural forms and a certain Scandinavian restraint. Similarly, Hightower serves large businesses who desire neutrality and universality when furnishing the workplace.

We were tasked with creating a brand mnemonic that could be used across platforms. We chose to take melodic approach to the brand identity. A mnemonic is a form of sonic painting; a translation of brand identity, minute animation movement, and color into sound. Violins and piano were utilized to communicate the sophistication and refinement of the Hightower identity. There’s a trustworthiness to the tone of violin and piano. Western Civilization have known both for many years and associate them with taste and stability. The recognizable “real” timbres tie back in with Strand+Hvass’ focus on natural forms. If we had used synth tones it would have felt overly technological. Electric guitar, too heavy handed. Acoustic guitar may have worked, but risks being too “folky” for Hightower’s office place aesthetic.

Close attention was paid to sound synchronization with animation movement and color. Subtle wooshes underscore the first tile sliding in frame from the left and the website underlining. Rising violin plucks in a higher register allude to the optimistic build of the three animated pillars, while two descending lower register piano notes refer to the falling of the dot from the top of screen. The brand name is accompanied by violins playing a pulsing major 7th chord. This chord voicing is important, because while the major tonality suggests resolution, the added 7th gives it a feeling of restfulness. A simple major triad would have come across as too grandiose (“tah-dah!”) for the retrained brand identity. Muted, minimal, warm tonality was used to tie in with the “salmon” color of the background

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Superfeet

Client: Superfeet
Agency: thisisnotapipe
Work: Brand Mnemonic
Description: Superfeet makes the custom “ME3D” shoe insole using highly advanced 3D foot scanning and biomechanical pressure analysis. Their slogan is “Technically You”. We opted for a combination of a textural and subtle melodic approach. We used vivid, futuristic sound design to communicate Superfeet’s advanced process. The static/scratchy sounds used to cue “ME3D”, “Superfeet” and “Technically You” allude to the digital synthesis of their insole making process. The underlying robustness of the descending bass note melody lends a sense of strength to the action focused company. The “woosh” that underlines the final “you” gives a sense of swift footed finality.