This edition of Sunday Sound Effects Round Up takes a look at new libraries from Tonstrum, HISSandaROAR, Sound Ideas and an upgrade to a Rabbit Ears Audio library. We also feature a number of excellent sound effects articles from the A Sound Effect and Pro Sound Effects blogs.

Tonstrum Release Whoosh V.1.5 That Also Supports The Free Reaktor Player From NI

Whoosh is a sound design instrument and enables you to create whoosh and pass-by effects. It is possible to design sounds varying from whistling wind whooshes to engine pass-bys or completely over the top granular sci-fi effects. The included Doppler effects engine was designed from the ground up to physical model the acoustic phenomena of an object that approaches, passes, and recedes from an observer.

• Build for the freely available REAKTOR PLAYER - WHOOSH is a third-party instrument that has been made specifically for REAKTOR PLAYER. WHOOSH 1.5 will run with the REAKTOR PLAYER & the full version of REAKTOR.

• Overhauled sample management - WHOOSH now offers 4 user banks for the source and impact samplers. You can now directly Drag & Drop your custom samples from your browser on to the interface.

• Expanded factory SFX library - WHOOSH now comes with over 390 expressive sound effects: Racing cars, flame throwers, explosions, wild animals and a lot more!

• For use with Free Reaktor 6.2.0 Player or Full version Reaktor 6.2.0

• Download Size: 157 MB

• Samples: Over 390

• Price: $99,00 excl.VAT

HISSandaROAR Release Distant Sea Ambience Library

The distant sound of the sea is such an evocative ambience, Tim Prebble from HISSandAROAR set out to capture some of its many moods from some of his favourite locations in New Zealand.

Diffuse roars, discrete booming waves and cliff top perspectives, recorded multi-channel with variation in tides and perspective make up Distant Sea.

• 9.6GB download - 13GB when unpacked

• 63 x 24bit 96kHz stereo .WAV files

• Price: $79

Rabbit Ears Audio Announce Free Update To Their REA_015 LA Underground Library

Charles Maynes has been kind enough to send some bonus recordings through to Rabbit Ears Audio.

REA015 LA Underground is all about grit and the unseen. Charles describes his recent infatuation with the underbelly of Los Angeles...

I found myself interested in recording ambiences in really seedy/unsafe places downtown that made me think of some of my favorite LA crime dramas namely, Billy Friedkin’s Too Live and Die in LA, and Michael Mann’s films, Heat and Collateral. I found the locations for all those films to be an incredible juxtaposition of the common sunny depiction of Los Angeles which draws so many tourists… well, those tourists probably don’t go to these places….

Charles continues with the low-down on this free update...

I do like this collection of sounds, and I do use them myself pretty often. What this set is all about is 5.0 ambiences, which were created as mixes, vs being multi-channel recordings. I like multi-channel recordings, but I have found that when I use them in film and TV projects, I never use them. I usually will grab a stereo pair, and add that to other sounds which go to make up a bed track. So this set is 5.0 premixes using some of the material already in the collection, and some that have been freshly added to make for some cool spaces, I do hope you like it!

If you are an existing Rabbit Ears Audio LA Underground owner, these 5.0 surround files will be made available to you free of charge. All you have to do is log into your accounts and the new files will be waiting for you. If you made your purchase before April 2014, if you email them, they will get you sorted. If you haven't purchased REA_015 LA Underground yet, you can pick up 6 GB of 5.0 surround bonus material at the same low price as before.

Also, their other surround libraries, REA_019 NYC Rooftops and REA_012 Winter Atmospheres will be available at 30% discount until September 14. You will need to use the following discount code at checkout: norabbittears

Canadian recordist Stéphane Dufour went on a recording adventure last December – the goal? To capture the sounds of wild, mysterious jungles and savannahs of the South American Rupununi region.

Sound Ideas Release HD - Extreme Sci Fi Sound Effects

HD – Extreme Sci Fi sound effects library from Sound Ideas is a high definition set of 693 speciality sound effects selected from Sound Ideas General HD 3 collection. All digitally recorded at 24 bit / 96 k, these broadcast wav files are fully embedded with metadata.

This set is available to purchase and download in your choice 24/96, 24/48, 16/48 or 16/44.1 wav files.

The hard drive version of this collection comes equipped with all 4 wav file formats, in your choice of MAC or PC compatible hard drive.

From Modulating Alarms to Impulse Engine Surges – Space Vapour Explosions to Metallic Space Bursts – Quantum Distortions to Energy Shifts

• 693 Royalty free sound effects

• Digitally recorded audio files in stereo at 24 bit / 96 kHz

• Available to Download in your choice of 4 wav file format

• Each hard drive includes all 4 wav file formats

• Broadcast wav files fully embedded with metadata

• Sound Effects include:

  • Bursts of Air & Energy

  • Explosions & Alarms

  • Force Fields & Magnetic Fields

  • Laser Fire & Space Battles

• Price: Introductory offer $150, normal price $299

Creating The Dark, Evil Sound Of ‘Annabelle: Creation’

In this in-depth interview, from the A Sound Effect blog, award-winning supervising sound editor/sound designer Bill R. Dean shares how they used sound to really intensify the fear in 'Annabelle: Creation' – and what it took to create those dark, scary sounds.

It also features an exclusive video clip on a rather novel sound design approach for the movie (involving light bulbs, filament and synth sounds)...

As we got into the final mix, I really started digging into these high-frequency wood creak sounds. I could make them into these gargantuan, gigantic sounds to accentuate the power. As we were working we were creating different vocal elements for the demon to convey power. We found that having the environment involved — and not just having a giant roar all the time, worked well. The whole environment is being affected by the demon’s power. The house is coming apart because so much power is being expressed. It’s just coming apart and creaking. That was fun to make what are some of the largest wood creaks that I have ever made. It was the perfect place to do it and it wasn’t even for a movie with a ship!

You can read this article in full on the A Sound Effect blog.

How To Create Pro Tools Session Templates For Sound Effects Editing

In this article on the Pro Sound Effects blog David Forshee explains that templates are a very important part of the sound editing process. When he begins a project, it’s essential for him that he is not wasting energy reorganising and rerouting tracks. David continues...

Instead, when I begin editorial, I want to focus on the story and realize my ideas as quickly as possible. More generally, software and technology that we surround ourselves with should be set up in a way that gives us a reliable framework in which we can be creative and play with sound, with minimal distraction and technical drudgery.

One big caveat here, you should ALWAYS consult your re-recording mixer for track layout and preferences before beginning a project, and adjust your template and editing style to their tastes. Also note that the FX editing template I will describe is probably best suited for feature films, although a slimmed down version of this could be utilized for short-form or less FX-heavy projects.

I’ll also fill you in on some of my personal preferences along the way, but of course, there are many ways to organize a template and it’s ultimately about what works for you and your mixer!

You can read the rest of this article on the Pro Sound Effects blog.

Field Recording And Immersive Installations – A Q&A With Julian Konczak

Have you ever listened to sounds that made you feel like you were right there where they were recorded or walked into a space that stimulated your senses so strongly that you felt instantly transported?

Audiovisual artist Julian Konczak explains to Anne-Sophie Mongeau his process and what lies behind the creation of an immersive, multi sensory installation. Read the full article to learn how he uses field recordings and nature scenes to convey a sense of place to his audience.

The work that formed Resoundscapes was a real turning point in my practice – I have just finished work on a documentary A Polish Journey and over the extended production process (production started 2012 and was selected Sheffield Documentary Festival 2016), I found that the soundtrack was increasingly the most important factor. In fact, for this project I started working with Jeremy Avis on some improvisations before principal photography had started. During post-production the opportunity came up to go on a Field Recording Workshop with Chris Watson in Iceland – I was very familiar with Chris’s work having already built a collection of his CDs. I went on the course with a beginners mind (and, as it turned out, some less suitable kit!). I learnt so much from being on the course – and it was great being with a fellow bunch of sound geeks. The landscape had a profound effect on me – I have, over the years made a number of pieces that focus on landscape, but the energy here is just completely different, I had always associated plants and animals with “life” but here the mineral world seemed itself to be alive. The Icelandic people do believe in Huldu or the nature spirits and after spending time in the country it seems less far-fetched! I stayed on for a few weeks recording more sound and trying to capture the kinetic energy of the land on camera. The installation idea was really to directly communicate the sense of this continually vibrating and resounding environment in image and sound.

You can read this article in full on the A Sound Effect blog.

Setting The Studio On Fire: Recording Sounds For Raiders Of The Lost Ark

As the team at Pro Sound Effects were developing the soon-to-be-released Mangini-Anderson Sound Library and exploring its sonic treasures, they uncovered a historic sound effect story that was too good to keep to themselves.

They recently sat down with Mark Mangini to learn about his process and approach to sound for film. He ended up sharing an incredible story about recording fire sounds with partner Richard L. Anderson for an iconic scene from Spielberg’s classic 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark.

There is a memorable fight scene includes a shootout between Indiana Jones and the Nazi commander’s henchmen. Amid chaotic combat and gunfire, fire spreads throughout the bar and ignites a trail of spilt whiskey.

Like true sound recordists, Mangini and Anderson were not willing to settle in their portrayal of the igniting trail of flames – so out came the sterno and benzene. This is just one of many examples showing the duo’s commitment to capturing the perfect sound. 

How Stéphane Dufour Captured The Sounds Of Wild, Mysterious Jungles And Savannahs (includes 50 free bird SFX!)

On the A Sound Effect blog, there is an in-depth story behind the preparation and recording of Stéphane Dufour's epic jungle adventure library – complete with 50 free sound effects for you to download.

The whole trip was a kind of ‘visceral sound chase’ in one of the most unspoiled and most bio-diverse places in the world. I had almost no control over the environment; I just absorbed the peaceful magical moments as a witness of these pure symphonies offered by Mother Nature. It is only a few years ago that I fell in love with the act of recording natural sounds.

One fascinating thing I noticed about The Rupununi region is that it has literally been the theatre of myth and legend. Indeed, the northern Rupununi has been the alleged location of the famous El Dorado city sought by major explorers like Sir Walter Raleigh, yet, it has never been discovered! This spawns an exciting depth around the creation of the library.

You can read this article in full on the A Sound Effect blog as well as get your 50 free sound effects.