* Featured Article *. Dan Brumm on Sound Designing the Hit TV series, Bluey, with Sennheiser and Neumann || Case Study: With nearly 20 years in the industry, Bluey sound designer and voice of Uncle Stripe, Dan Brumm relies on the Sennheiser MKH 416 and Neumann TLM 103 to capture the authentic Aussie sounds of the suburbs of Brisbane for a global audience. Link in profile.
Thank you to the legends @mumbrella_aus and @abckids for nominating the Bluey Listen Along podcasts in the Australian Audio Awards. Converting the audio from @officialbluey episodes into podcasts for kids (and their big kid parents!) has been the some of the funnest projects I’ve worked on of late. Thanks to @veronicamilsom and everyone else at the abc. @scouttalent@folklore_sound
Thank you for all the great suggestions I got on my previous post. I’ve gone with the small but mighty @zoomsoundlab F3. Zoom’s gear is always great, and after trying one of @folklore_sound ’s F3s I knew that was the recorder I needed. Thank you to the legends at @dynamicmusicaustralia for helping me out. Can’t wait to start recording with it
Bluey’s sound designer @danbrumm explains why subtle background sounds matter even when viewers barely notice them. Kids may not analyze sound design, but they instantly sense when something feels off. By carefully shaping everyday ambiences like birds and park noise, Dan helps the world of Bluey feel natural and true to how kids experience it. He’s also the younger brother of Bluey’s creator, Joe Brumm.
I am incredibly grateful to the kind people at @sennheiser and @neumann.berlin for sending me these two beautiful microphones. The U87 has for a long time been my dream microphone, it’s just a work of art. For narration and character acting I’ve always felt it’s the best fit microphone for my voice. The 8018 I’ve never used before, though it’s reviews are outstanding. It’ll now be my mic of choice for all future locations recordings around @visitbrisbane@scouttalent@folklore_sound
Dan Brumm, sound designer for Bluey, explains why the squash episode required recording real gameplay instead of using sound libraries. He recorded every element inside an actual squash court to capture its heavy reverb and long decay. The episode was inspired by real squash games he played with his brother Joe Brumm, who created the show, showing how small, real-life moments can quietly shape the stories in Bluey.
This is my trustee @zoomsoundlab H5 handheld recorder. I used this to record sounds for all 154 episodes of @officialbluey . This thing has been a weapon, it’s been in creeks, bush land, pools, dropped in piles of dirt, and has literally never failed me. It’s well worn now, but still works perfectly after 8 plus years of faithful service. I’ve now bought a great new MS mic, so am after recommendations for a new recorde, hopefully that’s as easy to use and robust as the h5. Any suggestions?
Dan Brumm, sound designer for Bluey, explains why simple sounds like footsteps are crucial to the story. They need to be clear, authentic, and perfectly timed to support the jokes. To get it right, Dan records real footsteps on Queenslander floorboards, so every small sound feels natural and supports both humor and storytelling.
Sound Designer for Bluey, @danbrumm , shares how a personal childhood moment with his older brother Joe Brumm, the show’s creator, inspired a scene in the series. That mix of real experience, thoughtful sound, and emotional honesty is what helps Bluey connect so deeply, supporting both humor and heart in every episode.
Dan Brumm, sound designer for Bluey, explains how specific real-world sounds help balance emotion and comedy in the show.
For this episode, he recorded the actual metal binoculars at Mount Coot-tha, using real textures as a foundation and layering them in post.
Knowing that a real place and a real object live inside an emotional scene is such a beautiful detail. That mix of warmth, humor, and care is exactly why Bluey can make you cry one moment and laugh the next.
