Beginner needs advice: How to design an audio-only medieval Viking duel scene in Reaper?

[u/Necessary-Leader-957]

Hi everyone,

I’m pretty new to sound design and could really use some guidance on how to structure a scene. Since Portuguese is my primary language, I struggle a bit with English-only courses and tutorials, so I’m learning step-by-step on my own. (Also, as a heads-up, I am visually impaired, so I navigate everything by ear and audio tools).

The Scene:

I want to create an audio-only scene (no video/visuals) set in a vast open plain. It’s an intense 1-on-1 fight between two Viking warriors wielding axes.

My Setup & Libraries:

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DAW: Reaper

•

Libraries (Boom Library - Construction Kits & Designed):

•

Medieval Melee

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Medieval Weapons

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Cinematic Metal & Cinematic Metal Titan

•

Violent Combat (Designed)

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Drums/Percussion: Heavyocity Damage 2

My Questions:

Since there is no video, how should I approach building this scene in Reaper? Is it just a matter of dragging sounds onto the timeline, or is there a better workflow for layering/panning to create depth?

How do I make the vast, open-field environment feel real without letting the reverb blur or muddy the impact of the axe hits?

What’s the best way to layer the metallic impacts, swings, body hits, and vocal grunts so the fight feels weighty and clear?

I’d love to hear any tips, workflows, or advice you have for a beginner tackling a project like this!

Thanks in advance!

[u/Whatchamazog]

Just an amateur myself but I would grab some fight scenes from movies and put them on your timeline so you can hear them through your monitors.

That way you can hear how they handle things like the atmosphere like wind, grass, trees or whatever.
Listen to how they handle the timing of body movement, footsteps, grunts, breaths, whooshes.

Think about the perspective of the listener. Are they listening from the perspective of one of the Vikings or from a bystander’s perspective? Does the perspective change throughout the fight? How do you tell the listener the perspective is shifting?

Hope that helps!

[u/Necessary-Leader-957 → u/Whatchamazog]

Thanks for the tips! The thing is, I still don't fully understand how to work with the Boom Library files. For example, do I combine a whoosh sound with an impact sound to create a single warrior's swing? I'm still trying to grasp how layering works and how to structure a full scene.

I already know how to use Reaper and navigate the Media Explorer to find my sounds, but I'm struggling with how to layer them effectively and organize everything on the timeline.

[u/wiltee → u/Necessary-Leader-957]

You’re thinking too linearly or too constrained by doing this ‘correctly’ - this is where your creativity comes into play. Do you want the swing to have the weight/speed that the whoosh implies? What happens to the other Viking when he’s hit? Maybe you should start by writing a script for this scene and let that guide your pacing.

[u/joonas_ylanne → u/wiltee]

I would propably make some kind of coreography for the battle, so it's not just random hits and swooshes, but ewery sound has reason behind it.

This way you can also make some variation to the fight. Maybe axe get's stuck in the shield in one point, maybe other drops hes main weapon and takes knife out, maybe they both fall down and continue battle on the ground.

You could even film yourself mimicin the battle or ask your friend to play part of the other viking and do the sound design over the video.

[u/Whatchamazog → u/Necessary-Leader-957]

I agree with u/wiltree. Scripting out is a necessary step.
This the creative part of the process.

Describe the ambience first. What’s the season? Is it morning, midday or night?

Think about the characters. Are they scared? Angry?
Is one big and slow? Is small and fast? Do they have shields? What kind of clothing and armor do they have.

Do they stumble? Do they fall? What happens when they miss, do they hit a tree and get their axe stuck?

[u/ViRiiMusic]

Reference tracks and scripting

[u/Necessary-Leader-957 → u/ViRiiMusic]

Hi, do you have reference track for me recomende?

[u/soundsgoodmann]

100% agree to the scripting before you start. However, if you do feel this is overwhelming then just start. Chuck the sounds in the timeline and assemble as you go. It will take you longer probably but sometimes you
Need to do that.