How to turn a room into an instrument: a (very informal and DIY) tutorial inspired by Hildur Guðnadóttir’s approach for Chernobyl.
Step 1: record room tone.
Step 2: identify the “key” of the room by boosting frequencies with EQ
Step 3: use “additive synthesis” by boosting the frequencies that would make up the harmonic series for said key of the room. repeat this EQ boosting to taste based on whatever frequencies you wish to emphasize
Step 4: annihilate (use effects to taste. here i’m using granular synthesis, distortion/saturation, and filters)
Step 5: bounce your processed sample and load into a sampler of your choosing (I’m using Kontakt, but EXS and other could work just as well)
Step 6: enjoy your new instrument. 
