Curious to know what the most popular sound effects libraries have been this year? So were we, so we crunched the numbers – and the results are in. Here are this year’s best-selling SFX libraries:
For dynamic, sparkling user interface sounds that seem to trickle from a spacecraft dashboard, 'High Tech Interface Sounds' by Lesser Vibes will put you in the captain's chair. This library features 280 sounds of beeps, bloops and clicks that signal notifications, data processing, text transmission, and more. It even has bursts, crackles, sparks, alarms, drones and buttons sounds to give you the components of a functional ship. This library has already proven its favor, so let it inspire your next sci-fi RTS or space opera.
What can be harder to acquire than gunshots? Sounds of where those bullets went! 'Bullet Impacts' by Diegetix Sound LLC solves this dilemma with over 300 pings, pops, dings, and cracks of rounds destroying their targets. You will find metallic hits on a car door, shattering wall debris, meaty thuds of body hit foley, and much more. You will also find sonic details that will bring your sound design into a convincing reality with ricochets, reverb tails, near-misses and underwater passbys. It's no wonder this library has been so popular!
'Lethal Energies' by Digital Rain Lab packs a punch that many cannot resist. This library was created to be the ultimate sci-fi weapon library, and with over 1,000 comprehensive sounds, it has achieved its goal. You can find sounds of blasters, cannons, lasers, electric currents and sparks, force fields, transitions, servos and sensors. It even has aiming sounds and tons of weapon foley for designed heavy, medium and light guns, making this a weapon construction kit that will give you seemingly limitless options. Once you see its jaw-droppingly modest price, we bet these sounds will be on your next timeline.
'Swordfighter' by Squeaky Fish doesn't hold back in its sword-swinging warrior action. This library has 180 vocals of male and female fighters giving it all for the Queen, both as lone soldiers and as a horde. It has the swooshing and slicing of swords, as well as sounds of these weapons being dropped, drawn, sheathed, and more. Plus it features foley of knife throwing, various surface impacts, and two separate folders optimized not only for film and TV but also game development. This well-rounded library is a no-brainer for your collection, and it's deserving of its admiration.
'Just Impacts – Simple' by SoundBits is dedicated to individual destruction with over 600 punchy, crumbly impacts. With sounds of blocky wood hits, shattering glass, metallic rings, smashed plastic, and much more, this library not only gives you the variation you need for interactive scenarios, it also has textures and debris for the right amount of embellishment and accuracy - and metadata to lead you there. This library won't make a dent in your wallet, but it will surely impact your timeline.
'Advanced UI' by Epic Stock Media has over 900 user interface sounds to fit a wide variety of projects. With sounds ranging from 8-bit bleeps and bloops, smooth minimalist finishes, complex calculations, futuristic chirps, organic bubbles, cybernetic notifications, and much more, this library will no doubt find its way into your game or film. It also has sounds that will give voice to your computers, navigational systems, robotic AI, sci-fi consoles, and whatever hybrid creations you design. Loved for its versatility, range and professionalism, this library is one to check out.
'WINGS' was the first library created by Bonson, and they couldn't have compiled a better collection. Featuring 1,400 sounds of wings, from the tiniest of insects to fantastic dragons, this library will inspire the creature design in your project. These detailed recordings of carefully crafted flaps offer variation in speed, proximity, and scenario - with landing, taking off, hovering, and flying franticly - and their 192kHz quality and designed versions offer immediate use as well as flexibility. This collection of airborne travel will last you for projects to come.
When 'Diffuse City' by Collected Transients was released, it told other SFX creators to step up their game. This library has sounds that are not only void of distracting voices and nearby cars, it also features the many ambient perspectives in a city. With sounds underneath rumbling bridges, through glass windows, from skyscraper rooftops and balconies, and away from the urban sprawl and interstates, you can sonically place your character exactly where she'd be. It also has sounds of alleys, deserted parking lots, airports, train yards, and factories during day and night. For dependable ambiences that meld accuracy and pliability, you won't find a better collection.
'Signal Frontiers' by Digital Rain Lab is your go-to library of sci-fi and robotic textures for foley, UI and ambiences alike. This massive collection has over 1,000 sounds designed to be used immediately onto your timeline to deliver the immersive feeling of living on a spaceship. Whether you need smooth dashboard sounds, alerts and alarms for your machines, or assets to flesh our your ambience, this library has the variety and consistency to get you on your way. And with such detailed metadata, it won't be hard to find what you need.
Explosions aren't something you can easily go out and record yourself, which is why it's best to keep some handy. If you are looking to start your collection of booms, 'Explosions' by Diegetix Sound LLC is a great place to start. With over 40 sounds of grenade blasts that have a beautiful punch followed by massive, rolling tails, this library will give you what you're looking for so you can quickly get your player into the action. With clean takes that shred the landscape and provide variation in perspective and proximity, it's easy to see why so many choose this library for their collection.
