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| The creation of sound effects is not an exact science. The
methods listed here are certainly not the only way to achieve a particular effect. You will find that often
the real thing does not sound right which means thinking of a new source. This list below is intended to get your creative juices flowing and move your thinking outside the box.
Got an effect technique you would like to share? Pass it on to audiotheater@spamcop.net |
| You may find these pictures of sound effect props useful: Foley or Sound effects? Foley Doors (2) Other Devices (3) and more (4) Twanger Breaking Glass Creakers |
|
Books: Radio Sound Effects - Robert L. Mott McFarland 1993 ISBN 0 89950 7476
Funny Noises for the Connoisseur Bart Hopkin Experimental Musical Instruments; (June 2003) # ISBN: 0972731318 |
|
Resource Material for creating SFX.
These articles can provide you with a great background and understanding of sound effects, their use and creation: The Art of Foley by Philip Rodrigues Singer M.P.S.E. Sound Effects Many resources by Tony Palermo. Pictures of doors and other props Articles by Randy Thom Sound Designer. Why Is That Thing Beeping? A Sound Design Primer by Max Lord |
| Arrow Fly Bys | Using a sharp motion pass the microphone with: Thin Dowel (about 2 ft long) Stiff Wire like an umbrella rib or ceiling hanger wire. Cheap bow twangs from rubber bands. |
| Arrow Hits | Knife or other sharp object thrust into soft balsa wood. |
| Auto Brakes Squeal | 1. Slide drinking glass upside down over sheet of plate glass. 2. Drive several nails into a wood block so that the tips just penetrate the other side and scrape those points over plate glass or other metal surfaces. 3. Use nails on a brake drum (which doubles for a church bell). |
| Church Bell | Suspend a car break drum Suspend a section of copper pipe. |
| Bird Wings | Feather Duster |
| Body Falls | 1. Duffel Bag filled with clothes etc. Tape the metal hook so it doesn't cluck. 2. Drop a bag of potatoes. Work on dropping so that you get multiple hits like dropping the bag vertical so it will then fall over. Complicate the sound. |
| Breaking Bones | Snap carrots for a clean break, celery if you want to hear a slow torture. |
| Breaking Glass | Picutures |
| Fire | Originally created by creaking the cellophane wrapper off of cigarettes, now uses any cellophane that works. For a fireplace fire, snap small twigs also. |
| Doors: | |
| Elevator Door | Metal roller skate or other metal wheel rolled down a length of aluminum. A brick on top of a plastic spice turntable. |
| Garage Door | Metal roller skate or other metal wheel rolled down a length of aluminum, with a spring twang at the end. (VegeMatic Large Stapler or any other spring.) |
| Jail Door | Two heavy pieces of iron collide. Follow the hit with a slide if the door
is locked with the sliding bar. If recording, try the sliding door on the side of a large garbage dumpster. |
| Foot Steps: | |
| in Leaves | Try corn flakes, quarter inch recording tape, vhs tape, a small whisk type broom. |
| in Snow | Corn Starch |
| in Sand | rice |
| on Stairs | Walking Up stairs, you use the ball of your foot. The heel may or may not actually touch. |
| Glass Breaking | While the really big stuff should come from CD, if you need a small breaking sound of glass then build a glass break box. |
| Gun Shots | All ways a difficult sound to produce, OTR shows had a special pistol created that
used a special loaded blank. Give the problems of transporting a gun, not to mention
a blank is usually way too loud for a live show, consider using a clip board. The quality
of the sound can be changed by holding or placing the clip board on a solid surface.
Alternately hit a corrugated box with a stick or rod. |
| Horse Hooves | Coconut shells in gravel or kitty litter box. A large shallow plastic storage box makes a great way to store and travel. Small rubber plungers. |
| Ice Cubes in glass | Christmas tree bulbs or small batteries into a glass. (Carefully) |
| Jail Door | Two heavy pieces of iron collide. Follow the hit with a slide if the door
is locked with the sliding bar. If recording, try the sliding door on the side of a large garbage dumpster. |
| Match | Using a large kitchen match, strike it on sand paper 6 to 8 inches away from the microphone, then quickly move close in for the sound of the flame. |
| Rhubarb | A name applied to crowd background talk. More |
| Saw - hand | an open cardboard box and an all-thread or a long threaded bolt. |
| Slime | Borax Slime Elmer's slime
Slime and saftey Oatmeal or Mac n Cheese Spaghetti Water soaked chammy cloths grape jelly Wet Dog Food John's baby oil GEL Elasti Plasti |
| Telephone Booth Door | Squeaky card table leg folding. |
| Walla | Those crowds in the background. |
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