99% Invisible

The Sound of the Artificial World

Without all the beeps and chimes, without sonic feedback, all of your modern conveniences would be very hard to use. If a device and its sounds are designed correctly, it creates a special “theater of the mind” that users completely buy into. Electronic things are made to feel mechanical. It’s the feeling of movement, texture and articulation where none exists. We talk with Sound Designer Jim McKee of Earwax Productions about the art of designing organic sounds for inorganic things.

https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/episode-15-the-sound-of-the-artificial-world/

Listen to this episode from 99% Invisible on Spotify. Without all the beeps and chimes, without sonic feedback, all of your modern conveniences would be very hard to use. If a device and its sounds are designed correctly, it creates a special "theater of the mind" that users completely ...

99% Invisible

The Architect of Hollywood

“In the golden era of Hollywood of the 1930s, 40s and 50s, the new movie industry titans who flocked to L.A. had an opportunity to construct whatever style houses they wanted. After all, Los Angeles had a lot of open space to develop, and no unifying architectural style. And there was one particular architect who could make any kind of building and make it well: Paul Revere Williams.”

https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/the-architect-of-hollywood/