When we think of the air, we normally think about the quality of it, whether it's clean or dirty, dry or humid, cold or warm. But, what does air actually sound like?
We’ve asked ourselves this question when ADAM, a specialist provider of air hygiene safety, asked us to develop a brand sound for them that has never been heard before. Of course, creating something that has never been heard before was the biggest challenge here, especially when you look at the history of sound designs for air. Typically, the same sound spectrum has been used across all audiovisual media, for all time. So we had to reinvent the sound of air.
Our idea was that if you can simulate pattering rain with the sound of bacon frying, then there must be some way to capture a completely original air sound in a new way. After spending a long time researching, we discovered an unusual and largely unknown instrument: the Daxophone! Although it's not actually a wind instrument, to us it really sounds like the air might, if it was talking to us. An unusual mix of sound and noise.
It took another two years to learn how to build the instrument and ultimately make it sound right for our work. Using different types of wood from all over the world, we created the sound lips, which create the sound with the so-called DAX and a bass bow. With this completely new and totally unique sound palette, we started composing music and recorded films, web specials, telephone announcements and signal tones. The result was an unparalleled corporate sound that had never been heard before, which gives one of our most precious basic elements - air - the attention it deserves. ADAM - save the air.