Profanity bleep sound? at DVinfo.net

Joey Nelson · March 20th, 2003, 10:13 PM

Okay, here's something I haven't been able to find any information on:

What's the standard sound used for bleeping profanity on tv? Does anyone know what frequency it is, or better yet, have it as a clean .wav file? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Ken Tanaka · March 20th, 2003, 10:18 PM

I'm not sure that there is a "standard" sound. The actual bleep will have to vary in length depending on what needs to be masked. It should be pretty simple to record a tone of a few seconds in length and then apply and trim as needed in your sound track.

Joey Nelson · March 20th, 2003, 10:56 PM

well obviously the duration of the sound is going to vary, but there's definitely a standard pitch. that's what i'm trying to figure out.

Emery Wells · March 21st, 2003, 12:05 AM

Yes Id like to know this too...

Your right, there is definitely some kinda "standard." Maybe its not a real standard, but if you try to throw in a beep of your own it sounds off, and is a clear indication of lower quality production.

Robert Knecht Schmidt · March 21st, 2003, 12:35 AM

Sounds like a 1 kHz sine tone to me. Tools > Synthesis > Simple is the appropriate command in Sound Forge.

Jon Eriksson · March 21st, 2003, 04:32 AM

As an editor I can confirm that it usually is the 1khz tone. Not that using anything else would be wrong, it is just the easiest and quickest thing to get. Almost everything in the video production/post chain can generate the 1khz tone (from the camera to the NLE and most players/recorders). So, this is probably why it is the norm.

But breaking away from the norm, as we all know, could also be very effective. A few months ago I did a job for someone and we decided to bleep out with different animal sounds. Simple, but it actually made us laugh - a lot...

Moo!

Bill Pryor · March 21st, 2003, 09:10 AM

Yeah, I use the 1khz tone, because it's there. I tried using a duck quack one time, but usually the bleep had to be too short for the quack to be easily identifiable.

Neil Fisher · March 21st, 2003, 02:17 PM

Yeah I needed something similar a while back. I ended up shooting someone pressing a bottom on a phone. It was a real close shot, so you could only see the phone and the hand.

It was a school project on the life of Adam Sandler, so you can imagine the number of profanities he uses.

I recorded the sound of the phone beeping seperatly, then matched it to a 1khz tone. So every time he swore, you'd see this phone with a bottom being pressed. Looked really cool.

Anyway I just did a quick look on Kazaa and Limewire, and couldn't find anything really good.

Just be inventive and find a really good beep noise yourself.

Cell phones, microwaves, I really like to noise made by cars when your door is open and the engine is running.

Trey Perrone · March 22nd, 2003, 01:58 AM

here is a 1kHz sine i made in soundforge...10 secs...wav..1.62 MB
http://visualstudios.org/1kHzSine.wav

Bill Markel · March 26th, 2003, 01:40 PM

If you're using FCP, you already have 1k tone available. Open it in the viewer and set it for the duration you need.

Bill

Trey Perrone · March 26th, 2003, 08:50 PM

most of the NLE's have the 1khz tone, if they have the color bars (and i know premeire and vegas do this for sure) then it is usually included with it.

March 20th, 2003, 10:13 PM	#1
Joey Nelson New Boot Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Denton, TX Posts: 6	Profanity bleep sound? Okay, here's something I haven't been able to find any information on: What's the standard sound used for bleeping profanity on tv? Does anyone know what frequency it is, or better yet, have it as a clean .wav file? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

March 20th, 2003, 10:18 PM	#2
Ken Tanaka Retired DV Info Net Almunus Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 6,943	I'm not sure that there is a "standard" sound. The actual bleep will have to vary in length depending on what needs to be masked. It should be pretty simple to record a tone of a few seconds in length and then apply and trim as needed in your sound track. __________________ Lady X Films: A lady with a boring wardrobe...and a global mission. Hey, you don't have enough stuff! Buy with confidence from our sponsors. Hand-picked as the best in the business...Really! See some of my work one frame at a time: www.KenTanaka.com

March 21st, 2003, 12:35 AM	#5
Robert Knecht Schmidt Wrangler Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 1,933	Sounds like a 1 kHz sine tone to me. Tools > Synthesis > Simple is the appropriate command in Sound Forge. __________________ All the best, Robert K S Search DVinfo.net for quick answers \| The best in the business: DVinfo.net sponsors

March 21st, 2003, 04:32 AM	#6
Jon Eriksson Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: London, UK Posts: 42	As an editor I can confirm that it usually is the 1khz tone. Not that using anything else would be wrong, it is just the easiest and quickest thing to get. Almost everything in the video production/post chain can generate the 1khz tone (from the camera to the NLE and most players/recorders). So, this is probably why it is the norm. But breaking away from the norm, as we all know, could also be very effective. A few months ago I did a job for someone and we decided to bleep out with different animal sounds. Simple, but it actually made us laugh - a lot... Moo! __________________ Real Men do not Preview

March 22nd, 2003, 01:58 AM	#9
Trey Perrone Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Fredericksburg, VA Posts: 155	here is a 1kHz sine i made in soundforge...10 secs...wav..1.62 MB http://visualstudios.org/1kHzSine.wav __________________ Trey Perrone

March 20th, 2003, 10:56 PM	#3
Joey Nelson New Boot Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Denton, TX Posts: 6	well obviously the duration of the sound is going to vary, but there's definitely a standard pitch. that's what i'm trying to figure out.

March 21st, 2003, 12:05 AM	#4
Emery Wells Regular Crew Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: New York, NY Posts: 38	Yes Id like to know this too... Your right, there is definitely some kinda "standard." Maybe its not a real standard, but if you try to throw in a beep of your own it sounds off, and is a clear indication of lower quality production.

March 21st, 2003, 09:10 AM	#7
Bill Pryor Contributor Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 4,449	Yeah, I use the 1khz tone, because it's there. I tried using a duck quack one time, but usually the bleep had to be too short for the quack to be easily identifiable.

March 21st, 2003, 02:17 PM	#8
Neil Fisher Regular Crew Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Saskatoon SK Canada Posts: 136	Yeah I needed something similar a while back. I ended up shooting someone pressing a bottom on a phone. It was a real close shot, so you could only see the phone and the hand. It was a school project on the life of Adam Sandler, so you can imagine the number of profanities he uses. I recorded the sound of the phone beeping seperatly, then matched it to a 1khz tone. So every time he swore, you'd see this phone with a bottom being pressed. Looked really cool. Anyway I just did a quick look on Kazaa and Limewire, and couldn't find anything really good. Just be inventive and find a really good beep noise yourself. Cell phones, microwaves, I really like to noise made by cars when your door is open and the engine is running.

March 26th, 2003, 01:40 PM	#10
Bill Markel Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Sicklerville, NJ Posts: 59	If you're using FCP, you already have 1k tone available. Open it in the viewer and set it for the duration you need. Bill

March 26th, 2003, 08:50 PM	#11
Trey Perrone Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Fredericksburg, VA Posts: 155	most of the NLE's have the 1khz tone, if they have the color bars (and i know premeire and vegas do this for sure) then it is usually included with it. __________________ Trey Perrone