We like to support the “little guy” here on pro Tools Expert and to that end we have announced the release of sound effects collections from some of the smaller outfits in the past. To provide users with more information we are reviewing the complete range of libraries from Rabbit Ears Audio lead by Michael Raphael over a series of posts.

Rabbit Ears currently have 9 collections from Rockets, to tanks, to underwater sound, then bells and to Antique Engines. I will include Michael’s Soundcloud sampler tracks but trust me they don’t do justice to the original sound but they do give you a sense of the range of sounds in the collection. Michael provides lots of additional information both on his site, background stuff on his blog and then full metadata and pictures with the audio files when you buy them.

The Sound Effects come in .RAR compressed formats and some of the bigger libraries come in multiple parts. Note that the lowest sample rate Rabbit Audio use is 96KHz and a good number are at 192KHz so you will to set aside some time for the unpacking process. The RAR expander will ask you where you want to expand the files to so you don’t need to copy the RAR files to your destination drive, you can work with them straight from your Download folder.

REA001 - Rockets

The rockets come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and are remarkably sophisticated considering NASA is not involved in their production.  From ignition, to launch, to misfire, to misadventure in mid-air, these rockets pretty much rule.

The rocket engine sizes are rated by letters. The largest rocket was an “M,” but there were also a lot of “J”s and “K”s.  There is a tremendous diversity of sound within those rocket types. 

Even though this was his first library, Michael has taken a lot of trouble and has included a number of points of view for some of the rockets and they all line up in the session, a nice touch. So I tried to use the alternate POV takes to create a surround effect and it worked very well. This is important as we move into more and more programmes being made in 5.1.

Rockets are hard to record and you don’t too many goes at them and there are a couple of recording where the mic couldn’t cope but they are all labeled as having distortion in the metadata. Other than those few, these rocket recordings all come across as well managed recordings. Apart from the obvoius literal uses these sounds could be the basis of weapon sounds, launch sounds for vehicles, as well as many other things.

[REA_001 Rockets preview]

This is a useful package especially if you need any jet type of sounds for futurustic vehicles, rocket propelled weapons and the like.

REA001 - Rockets- 24 Bit 96 kHz | 113 Sounds | 227MB download

Price - $50 - for a single user license. If you are a multi-user site then contact Michael and he will provide you an invidual quote.