How We Approach Sound Design Education
Creating audio for mobile games isn't just about making things sound good. It's about understanding memory constraints, looping techniques, and interactive implementation. Our methods reflect how sound actually works in production environments.
Technical Foundation First
We start with middleware basics and engine integration before touching creative tools. You need to understand how sounds trigger in-game before worrying about whether they're perfect.
Real Project Constraints
File size budgets. Platform-specific compression. Battery impact. These aren't theoretical concepts—they're real limitations you'll face in every project. We build them into assignments from day one.
Collaborative Feedback Loops
Game audio rarely happens in isolation. You'll present work to classmates playing different roles—developers, designers, other audio folks. Learning to articulate why something works is half the skill.
Breaking Down the Learning Process
Most courses teach software operation. We focus on decision-making under constraints. When you've got 2MB for all UI sounds and three days before submission, knowing which reverb plugin to use matters less than understanding what you can cut.
From Concept to Implementation
The gap between "sounds great in headphones" and "works on actual devices" catches everyone at first. We compress that learning curve by testing on real hardware throughout the process. Android audio behaves differently than iOS. Older devices struggle with certain sample rates. You discover these things through experience, not theory.
What You'll Actually Do
- Build adaptive music systems that respond to gameplay without breaking immersion
- Design UI feedback that works across different screen sizes and device capabilities
- Create loopable ambience that doesn't sound repetitive after 20 minutes
- Balance mix levels for everything from phone speakers to gaming headsets
- Document technical specifications that developers can actually use
Classes mix group critique sessions with hands-on implementation work. You'll spend time both creating sounds and integrating them into Unity or similar environments. That combination is where the learning actually happens—when you realize your beautiful 24-bit recording needs to become an 11kHz mono loop.
Tools and Technology Stack
We teach industry-standard middleware (FMOD, Wwise) alongside traditional DAW work. But honestly? The specific tools matter less than understanding signal flow, triggering logic, and optimization strategies. Those concepts transfer regardless of which software you end up using professionally.
Who You'll Learn From
Our instructors work on actual mobile titles between teaching sessions. They're dealing with the same technical challenges and platform updates you'll encounter. That recent experience shapes how they approach instruction.
Linnea Bergström
Adaptive Systems Specialist
Spent five years implementing dynamic music for free-to-play mobile titles. Knows every trick for keeping players engaged without annoying them after 100 hours of gameplay. Her courses focus on practical implementation over theoretical perfection.
Vesna Dimitrova
Platform Optimization Lead
Former technical audio director who's shipped 12 mobile titles across both major platforms. She teaches the compression and optimization techniques that actually matter in production, not just what sounds good in isolation.
Siobhan Callahan
Interactive Design Instructor
Specializes in UI audio and haptic feedback design for mobile. She's particularly good at explaining why certain sound choices work psychologically and how to balance clarity with personality in interface audio.