Very cool!

Well done, pby!

I also plan to include ambient sound on my layout. I’ll have a slow flowing river with birds, interstate traffic, and industrial noise around a scrap dealer. The river sound/birds always put me in a great mood because the sound is so therapeutic.

Keeping the volume low so one hears it just around the intended area is workable. IMO, sounds really enhance a layout if done tastefully and not overdone. 

Thanks. Sure, ambiance sounds

Thanks.

Sure, ambiance sounds add a lot. Since I started to use sound decoder in some engines, I always thought that something was off. Well, a river and a forest without sounds don't seem right.

I put some DCC CVs to program (on the main) the different sound level. That's permit to easily adjust each player, directly on the layout.

@pby_fr

Hi pby_fr (name?),

Some things for you to consider:

A terrific source of composed background sounds specifically for model scenes can be had at  http://www.fantasonics.com  I use these and edit them into other combinations. I am only a very satisfied customer. If you want to edit your own, search on the web for sound libraries. There are a few that offer great sound clips for free downloading.

The little DFPlayers can output real stereo (not using the on-board amp) at 24 bit 48Khz off of a max 32GB micro SD Card. If you get a decent small stereo amp and speakers, starting with quality stereo recordings, you can generate some remarkably good sound from this same tiny module. Try it sometime!

Have fun! 

Hi Geoff, Thanks for the

Hi Geoff,

Thanks for the link. It seems very interesting, with a lot of different ambiances.

Sure, many other sites have also free sounds. But I was amazed at how fast I got an interesting track with just adding several sounds in Audacity. For testing the board, I just made 3 tracks of around 5 minutes, but even with small 2GB cards, it is possible to put a lot more.

I forgot that the DFPlayers can output stereo. But sure, I would need 3 small stereo amp, and 3 more speakers. I don't see the need on my small layout, but I see the point for a larger one (having stereo ambiance sound for a long river can be interesting, has the two speakers are synchronized).

Pierre-Yann

Another todo

Well I guess I will have to add this to my list of ever growing arduino projects, thanks for sharing!

Great idea

Hi Geoff,

I've been thinking of this since I started looking into Arduino.

My goal is to install about 20-30 speakers around my layout (40' x 20') and to have them activated by censors under the track, so that the sound would only follow the operator with it's train. This way if I have 5 operators, each one would only hear the sound around them.

Since I'm new to Arduino, making a sketch is like doing a huge chemistry or a physics project and I don't know where to start from. I just finished my arc welding animation and now I'm presently building my speedometer and working on some animation, sound is next.

Thanks for the info.

Lloyd

Sound was easy.

Hi Lloyd,

There are great and easy instructions on how to get the DF sound module going.  Dr Geoff's instructions were great and got me going.  Using an Arduino as a switch is very straight forward too.  Try it, you'll like it!

Nick

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While I understand the logic of "lots of little speakers with active-detection/following", there are a number of modellers who have attempted to tread this path before you, and all have reached the same conclusions. To Wit:

- Sync from one "speaker" location to the next is not impossible, but technically very challenging
(and one's ears are a very unforgiving, unblinking judge to try and fool. You have a window of 30millisec in which to avoid a audible "d-double" echo hit, and anything between 3-30millisec will sound "weird" as the sounds from adjacent speakers "phase cancels" to varying degrees in the air between the speakers and the listener's ears)

- The inherrent physical movement-interaction between a mobile "point source" (IE locomotive) and target ears is best achieved by actually mounting the point-source speaker co-incident with the visual noisemaker.
(IE if at all possible, put the speaker in the loco).

- "Ambience" is more than just "sounds from scenic items and other non-train noisemakers",
but also encompasses the acoustic interaction of the point-source noisemakers and the surrounding surfaces,
relative to the target listener's ears (including their realtime positional movement).

Putting these nuggets together, it becomes clear that:
- For moving and train-based "point source" reproduction, getting the speaker onboard the loco is actually quite important. With developments of PMD and cell-phone speaker drives, onboard sound even in N is possible

- It is better to think of "layout sound" in terms of a larger 2.1 speaker array per "scene" than to try and "active follow" sound with many many smaller speaker-drivers, presenting an obviously-discordant, disjointed result.

- Once the speakers are appropriately mounted relative to each "scene",
creating an appropriate soundtrack which can purposely and seamlessly knit together point-sources,
individual "call-out" elements (with active and startlingly accurate "localising" within the sound field),
and consistent encompassing enviromental-specific acoustic "ambience",
can present a more finescale, engaging presentation.
(You're already comfy with FreeSound sond sources and Audacity,
so creating an optimised scale-sound soundtrack is only a few moments of "trusting your ears" away... ).

FYI, you might find the following an interesting read...
http://www.fantasonics.com/manual.pdf

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

​PS reducing the playback system down to a 2.1 rig may sound like you're going to smother everyone with noise,
but as Scott T notes above, setting the playback volume waaay down low (and preferably consciously engineering
the soundtrack to sound correct at "just below conscious" playback volumes) can achieve optimised aural results
while not "flooding the room"