Elephant sound effects Asbjoern Andersen


Los Angeles-based sound designer Bret Johns is planning an ambitious elephant sound effects library. Here’s why he’s doing it, how he’s doing it – and how you can help make it happen:


Written by Bret Johns

 

https://vimeo.com/259390742
 

Elephants In The Room will be a professionally recorded sound effects library, sourced from dozens of elephants in various locations throughout Chiang Mai Province. This will be the first independent elephant sound effects library available to the public recorded at 192kHz/24bit.

I had the idea for this library a few years ago while I was working on Marvel Heroes MMO. I knew how important animal sounds were for my work and I loved the elephant vocals I was able to get a hold of. The problem was that I wasn’t happy about the quality or diversity of what was out there.

I wanted a large variety of vocals that had plenty of variations

I wanted elephant vocals that were more than just a single growl or roar. I wanted a large variety of vocals that had plenty of variations. I also wanted vocals that were recorded at a high enough resolution to withstand extreme pitch bending without introducing artifacts and noise. It wasn’t and still isn’t available to the public. Knowing what was missing was one of the first steps to solving the problem.

How you can help:

Bret Johns is running a Kickstarter campaign to help make the library a reality – find out more about the campaign, and support the project if you want to help out, here.

For a project of this magnitude and sounds this rare, I wanted to have access to as many elephants as possible for as long as possible. In researching cost and availability around the world, I decided that Thailand would be the best place for me to explore.

I knew I couldn’t just arrive with a bunch of gear with no contacts or context and ask where I should set it up. So for my first trip I brought a Zoom H6 and a shotgun mic with the hopes of recording whatever I could. My most important goals in terms of the library at that time were to 1) meet people face to face and start a working relationship, and 2) see how I might execute my recording sessions for the following trip.

The people I met in Thailand were extremely helpful and are to this day. I’ve sent over links and recordings of the types of sounds I’m interested in and we’re mapping out our recording sessions from there.

This is me feeding sugarcane to one of the larger elephants I met that day. His mahout is to the left.

 

[tweet_box]How Bret Johns plans to make the ultimate elephant sound effects library:[/tweet_box]  

I’ve used the lexicon and examples from elephantvoices.org as well as various recordings and links I’ve come across over the last year to communicate the specific sounds we’ll be recording. Those are broken down into the categories and subcategories below:

Laryngeal Calls:

Sounds originating in the larynx are referred to as laryngeal calls and include rumbles, revs, roars, cries, grunts, barks and husky-cries.

Trunk Calls:

Trunk calls are produced when an elephant sends an explosive exhalation of air through the trunk. Subcategories include trumpet, nasal trumpet (like a trumpet but less forceful) and snort.

Imitated and Novel Calls:

Many vocalizations that elephants produce are specific to certain elephants and their circumstances. They’ve been known to croak, squelch, chirp, purr, whistle, and even imitate human speech! One of the sanctuary owners says that he has at least 5 elephants lined up that make extraordinary sounds that don’t fit any of the above categories. That’s one of the greatest things about elephants; their vocals can be as varied as their mahouts in character and you never know what cool things they might have to say!

There are a dozen elephants in this photo, and over 500 elephants in this area!

 

Recording Schedule:

I’ve allotted 2 weeks worth of recording time in Chiang Mai. I’ll be recording elephants one by one for particular sounds on command with variations. We’ve talked extensively about the vocals I’m interested in so that we have an “elephant casting” of sorts from the “talent” in the area. Some elephants will be booked by the day or half day and others by the hour. For the on command sounds the elephants are given a reward for making each sound repeatedly.

Some of the most intense and emotional sounds will come from our sessions with wild elephants

Another part of our sessions will involve recording elephants during their daily routine. They’re extremely social creatures and have a lot to say to each other. This might involve eating, greeting, playing or even complaining when something isn’t going their way. For example the baby elephants get particularly cranky if mom moves away for any reason while nursing.

Some of the most intense and emotional sounds will come from our sessions with wild elephants. I’m told that the wild ones are skittish around humans and make a number of protest cries and roars. I’ve also been told that with adequate protection from them, I should be able to get as close as 20 meters!

The wild elephant recordings will be taking place in the jungle. I’ll be sleeping in a treehouse there and coming down to record in that general area. The other sessions will take place in a few different elephant camps in Chiang Mai as well as an elephant sanctuary, and possibly an elephant hospital.
 

I recorded these last year with a Zoom H6. The mahout is heard here asking the elephant to make a sound and then says “Dung noi” which means “A bit louder”. This is just one example of an elephant making a particular vocal on command for a reward.

 

 

https://vimeo.com/259410973

Mahouts, elephant camp owners, and sanctuary owners depend on elephant tourism as a way of life.
My main contact in this area is coordinating our recording sessions among the local villages to help facilitate the sounds that we need. I took this video last year on a day I spent near the river. This Mahout was with these elephants the entire day.
 

This is one of the guides I met while I was there. She was from one of the local hill tribes. She had taught herself English and was really funny! She stayed with me throughout most of the recording I did that day.

Popular on A Sound Effect right now - article continues below:


Trending right now:

  • Introducing MOTION GRAPHICS, a complete Motion Graphics sound effects library from SoundMorph!

    Motion Graphics focuses on all the elements you might need for sound design on a trailer, a cinematic scene or a visual that is heavy with motion graphics, whether it be abstract or straight forward, Motion Graphics has all the elements and textures you could think of. Motion Graphics are something all of us sound designers run into at one point or another, so this library is an excellent addition to your sound effects tool box.

    Motion Graphics was created by and in collaboration with sound designer Rostislav Trifonov (SoundMorph Elemental library contributor).

    Motion Graphics features 650 24bit/96 kHz .wav files, all meticulously embedded with Soundminer & Basehead metadata.

    The library features:

    • 450 + designed sound effects
    • 190 + source audio files
    • Whooshes
    • Impacts
    • Risers
    • Stingers
    • Low end and Sub Bass
    • Impulse Responses
    • Passbys
    • Textures – noise, grit, glitch
    • Ambiences
    • Buttons and Clicks
    • Mechanical Elements
    • Granular effects
    91 %
    OFF
  • Modular UI is an advanced user interface library designed by world-renowned sound designer and musician Richard Devine.

    Designed and sourced entirely from Richard Devine’s personal and exclusive Eurorack modular synths and processors collection, the Modular UI soundpack combines the retro, clean sound of analog with the futuristic tech of the new wave of advanced analog and digital synthesis from modular synths, evoking flashbacks of iconic sound design heard in both classic and modern sci-fi films.

    The Modular UI soundpack gives you access to sounds created by one of the masters of modular synths and sound design, and is sourced from equipment that would take a lifetime to purchase and assemble, giving an incredible value to this soundpack both artistically and financially.

    Utilizing many Eurorack modules that have not yet been released to the public and containing samples equally suited to sound designers and electronic musicians alike, Modular UI is in a class by itself!

    91 %
    OFF
  • ⏰ For a very limited time:
    Add this library to the cart and enter ah4launch in the cart coupon field – to sprinkle an extra launch discount, on top of the current discount!

    Animal Hyperrealism Vol IV is a sound library containing animal vocalisations, from real to designed creatures totaling more than 2000 individual sounds in 294 files. The sounds were recorded in zoos, and wildlife centers.

    The asset list includes but is not limited to: hippos, hyenas, vultures, dwarf mongooses, elephants, African cranes, parrots, tigers, pigmy hippos, rhea ostriches, brown bears, pheasants, wildebeests, African wild dogs and many more. The content has been recorded at 192KHz with a Sanken CO100K, an Avisoft CMPA and a Sennheiser 8050 for center plus two Sennheiser MKH8040 for stereo image.

    The resulting ultrasonic spectrum is rich and allows for truly extreme manipulation of the content.

    15 %
    OFF
  • Discover this rich selection of ready-to-use wet motion sounds – perfect for biological / organic mutation sound design, for slimy tentacle creatures or aliens, an ‘adult bedroom scene’ that may require some exaggerated moist sound effects, or any other kind of video game or motion picture production.

    Each audio file is drag-and-drop ready, all presented in 3 formats – high quality MP3 (320 Kbps) and WAV (96 + 44.1 kHz, 24 + 16 Bit) with meticulously labelled keywords, as to create the perfect experience for any audience in a matter of moments!

    So, wether you are looking for a perfect set of sounds for an animal or human tongue licking, snake or tentacles moving / sliding friction, look no further!

    DOWNLOAD WET & SLIMY NOW to instantly turn your project into a true masterpiece!

    PERFECT FOR:

    • Video Games
    • Film / Animation
    • Ads / Trailers
    • YouTube Videos
    • Sound Design
    …and all other audio-visual productions!

    ADDITIONAL BENEFITS:

    • Easy to use, drag and drop ready
    • AAA mixing and mastering
    • High Definition, Standard Quality WAV and High Quality MP3 formats
    • Meticulously labeled and easily searchable files, including keywords/tags
    • FREE Updates to higher versions, FOREVER!

    GET IT NOW for the perfect touch for any app, game, or media project!

    8 %
    OFF

Latest releases:

  • Metal Sound Effects Military Truck Percussion Play Track 321 sounds included, 14 mins total $10

    A US Military Truck is transformed into a percussive instrument and hit with drum sticks and a variety of mallets ( gong, xylophone and timpani ) and sampled using contact microphones and geophones.

    A unique collection of 321 metallic percussive hits perfect for metal impact sound design and transient shaping.

    Type : Source Files / WAV Mono

    Normalised : -6 dbFS

    Grouped Files for Easy Reference Included

    Recorder : Sound Devices Mix Pre 10II

    Microphones : Stille & Klang Spot, LOM Geofon

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O805cKU_XrE

    33 %
    OFF
  • All files are recorded 32bit, 192 kHz, with RØDE NTG1, Line Audio Omni1 and FEL Clippy XLR EM272 microphones, Sound Devices MixPre-6 II recorder. Library contains wav files of driving, interior and exterior foley, mechanical and electrical sounds. It is only available in UCS.

  • Effective Trailer Booms Vol. 2 delivers the next level in cinematic low-end, featuring 232 brand-new one-shot sounds meticulously designed for cutting-edge trailers.

    Building on the original Vol. 1, this new collection is designed for cutting-edge trailers. It moves beyond simple impacts to focus on the deep sub-bass, tonal rumbles, and resonant elements that build anticipation. It’s the perfect tool for setting a dark, mysterious tone at the beginning of a trailer or providing that final, deep punctuation at the end.

    A boom isn’t just a hit, it’s the sound of intrigue. Effective Trailer Booms Vol. 2 delivers the next level in cinematic low-end, featuring 232 brand-new one-shot sounds meticulously designed for cutting-edge trailers.

    Building on the original Vol. 1, this new collection is designed for cutting-edge trailers. It moves beyond simple impacts to focus on the deep sub-bass, tonal rumbles, and resonant elements that build anticipation. It’s the perfect tool for setting a dark, mysterious tone at the beginning of a trailer or providing that final, deep punctuation at the end.

    Inside, you’ll find a massive library of deep tonal rumbles, powerful sub-bass swells, bone-chilling textures, dark resonant drones, and powerful cinematic punctuation, all designed to pull the audience in.

    40 %
    OFF
  • Cinematic & Trailer Sound Effects SpellBound Play Track 969 sounds included, 122 mins total $90

    SpellBound is premium sound effects library exploring the intersecting spaces of modern magic and science fiction energy. The result is a polished, designed, and inspiring set of cinematic magic sounds ready to bring new life to your film, game, and media projects. Brian Johnson, the creator of SpellBound and Slipstream is an award winning sound designer who after working in film, and television, has found his home designing sound for the biggest video game franchises in the world.

    SpellBound has 969 total sound effects
    Spells, explos, tails, whooshes, beds, impacts, drones, and more.

    Designed section – 202 designed multi-event show stopping full frequency sound effects.
    Elements section – 767 designed construction kit, layers, sweeteners, and single event effects.

    SpellBound can compliment your fx arsenal with traditional fantasy, modern magic, cinematic impacts, and even as an explosion sweetener. It can take over a fantasy trailer or a compliment a hybrid space magic video game.

    Thank you for licensing SpellBound. I hope it inspires you to create something exciting and magical.

    SpellBound Flyer

    28 %
    OFF
  • Kawaii UI Bundle is the ultimate bundle for cute user interface sounds.
    In this Bundle you get both volumes of our Kawaii UI libraries.
    Kawaii UI + Kawaii UI 2

    These libraries provide an adorable blend of cute, satisfying interface sounds, crafted to enhance user experience and feedback.
    Bring your games and apps to life with the Kawaii UI Bundle.

    It’s ideal for creating joyful menus, delightful HUDs, playful navigation and notifications, engaging pop-ups, and expressive text.

    Kawaii UI Trailer
    Kawaii UI 2 Trailer

    The source recordings inside are a treasure trove of physical button presses, clicks, pops, taps, mouth sounds, toks, shakers, general synthesised UI sounds, FM bells and telemetry style sounds.. Kawaii UI Bundle provides you with the essential building blocks to craft your own distinctive designs.  Combining these elements gives sound designers a robust sonic palette to create new UI sounds.

    13 %
    OFF
Need specific sound effects? Try a search below:


Mics and Recorder:

I’ll be recording with a Sound Devices 702T, and using a mid-side microphone configuration with a Sennheiser MKH 8050 and a Sennheiser MKH 30 for stereo recordings. For wild elephants I’ll be using a Sennheiser MKH 8060 shotgun mic.
 

Challenges and Goals

A project this large takes a lot of patience, planning and persistence. When I first started I had more questions than answers. Each step has presented new challenges and new insights. I didn’t know anyone in Thailand and didn’t speak the language. I’d never planned an exotic animal recording session, and had no idea how I’d go about getting the elephant vocals I wanted. The one thing I did know was that if I kept working, eventually the answers would present themselves.

When I first started I had more questions than answers

Since then, everything has come together in ways I couldn’t have possibly imagined. I’m incredibly grateful for all of the support, advice and feedback I’ve received from the audio community as well as friends and family who I’ve driven completely crazy with my elephant library obsession.

My Kickstarter campaign is one of the last steps in pre-production. I launched my campaign on March 1st and so far I’ve received over 55% funding; most of which funded within the first 48 hours.

I’m offering the full library on Kickstarter for $99 (over 100 off the expected retail price.) I’m also including the wild elephant recordings which won’t be available in the retail release.

I’m in a unique position to move this forward, but I need your help to bring it over the finish line.High quality elephant recordings are extremely rare and useful and I’m excited to get back to Thailand and start recording! I hope you’ll pledge today and help make it happen. Thank you!
 

Sonic Shepherd

Elephants In The Room will be the first library to launch under the Sonic Shepherd label. My first exposure to a high quality sound effects library date back to my roots at Soundelux in Hollywood, California. I could get lost for days listening to the collection they had on that server. As an independent sound designer I’ve had to take some creative steps to do more with less, but it was easy to see the advantage they had with such an incredible library. Creativity still plays a large role in the work that I do today, but I’ve learned that clean, inspirational, unique recordings help shape that creativity and make my job much easier. My goal for this and all future Sonic Shepherd projects is to produce sound libraries for other sound designers with that perspective in mind.
 

The logo for Sonic Shepherd is based on my best friend and biggest fan pictured here.

 

Big thanks to Bret Johns for sharing his Elephants in the Room story!


 

Bret Johns is a sound designer based in Los Angeles California. He’s worked in television, film and video games. For the last 6 years he was the senior sound designer for Marvel Heroes MMO.


Visit his Kickstarter Campaign for more details on his Elephants in the Room Library!
 

 

Please share this:


 



 
 
THE WORLD’S EASIEST WAY TO GET INDEPENDENT SOUND EFFECTS:
 
A Sound Effect gives you easy access to an absolutely huge sound effects catalog from a myriad of independent sound creators, all covered by one license agreement - a few highlights:

  • Characters speak and so do the items they use. USER INTERFACE will bring the small to life with this collection of clicks, notifications, buttons, and swooshes.

    Included are: Buttons, Clicks, Jingles, Notifications, Organics, Slides, Swishes

  • Environments & Ambiences Suburban Russia Play Track 56 sounds included, 173 mins total $19

    What could be better than summertime in the country?

    Of course summertime in Russian village!

    Those sweet sounds of hammers, lawnmowers, dogs, neighbors activity, forests, fields, rain and, of course, lots of cicadas!

    This library contains authentic atmospheres of villages and small towns of suburban Moscow, as well as sounds of nature, roomtones and doors of the old Dacha from Soviet era.

    KEY POINTS:

    • Authentic atmospheres of dacha, forests, fields, streams, rains, streets of small towns, night and day suburban activity and roomtones!

    • An excellent addition to your library for film, TV and multimedia – Suburban Russia during summer and autumn time

    • Recorded with Mid-Side Sennheiser MKH8040/MKH30 combo

    • Sorted by location-type categories

    • All files have metadata included

  • Introducing MOTION GRAPHICS, a complete Motion Graphics sound effects library from SoundMorph!

    Motion Graphics focuses on all the elements you might need for sound design on a trailer, a cinematic scene or a visual that is heavy with motion graphics, whether it be abstract or straight forward, Motion Graphics has all the elements and textures you could think of. Motion Graphics are something all of us sound designers run into at one point or another, so this library is an excellent addition to your sound effects tool box.

    Motion Graphics was created by and in collaboration with sound designer Rostislav Trifonov (SoundMorph Elemental library contributor).

    Motion Graphics features 650 24bit/96 kHz .wav files, all meticulously embedded with Soundminer & Basehead metadata.

    The library features:

    • 450 + designed sound effects
    • 190 + source audio files
    • Whooshes
    • Impacts
    • Risers
    • Stingers
    • Low end and Sub Bass
    • Impulse Responses
    • Passbys
    • Textures – noise, grit, glitch
    • Ambiences
    • Buttons and Clicks
    • Mechanical Elements
    • Granular effects
    91 %
    OFF
Explore the full, unique collection here

Latest sound effects libraries:
 
  • Metal Sound Effects Military Truck Percussion Play Track 321 sounds included, 14 mins total $10

    A US Military Truck is transformed into a percussive instrument and hit with drum sticks and a variety of mallets ( gong, xylophone and timpani ) and sampled using contact microphones and geophones.

    A unique collection of 321 metallic percussive hits perfect for metal impact sound design and transient shaping.

    Type : Source Files / WAV Mono

    Normalised : -6 dbFS

    Grouped Files for Easy Reference Included

    Recorder : Sound Devices Mix Pre 10II

    Microphones : Stille & Klang Spot, LOM Geofon

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O805cKU_XrE

    33 %
    OFF
  • All files are recorded 32bit, 192 kHz, with RØDE NTG1, Line Audio Omni1 and FEL Clippy XLR EM272 microphones, Sound Devices MixPre-6 II recorder. Library contains wav files of driving, interior and exterior foley, mechanical and electrical sounds. It is only available in UCS.

  • Effective Trailer Booms Vol. 2 delivers the next level in cinematic low-end, featuring 232 brand-new one-shot sounds meticulously designed for cutting-edge trailers.

    Building on the original Vol. 1, this new collection is designed for cutting-edge trailers. It moves beyond simple impacts to focus on the deep sub-bass, tonal rumbles, and resonant elements that build anticipation. It’s the perfect tool for setting a dark, mysterious tone at the beginning of a trailer or providing that final, deep punctuation at the end.

    A boom isn’t just a hit, it’s the sound of intrigue. Effective Trailer Booms Vol. 2 delivers the next level in cinematic low-end, featuring 232 brand-new one-shot sounds meticulously designed for cutting-edge trailers.

    Building on the original Vol. 1, this new collection is designed for cutting-edge trailers. It moves beyond simple impacts to focus on the deep sub-bass, tonal rumbles, and resonant elements that build anticipation. It’s the perfect tool for setting a dark, mysterious tone at the beginning of a trailer or providing that final, deep punctuation at the end.

    Inside, you’ll find a massive library of deep tonal rumbles, powerful sub-bass swells, bone-chilling textures, dark resonant drones, and powerful cinematic punctuation, all designed to pull the audience in.

    40 %
    OFF
  • Cinematic & Trailer Sound Effects SpellBound Play Track 969 sounds included, 122 mins total $90

    SpellBound is premium sound effects library exploring the intersecting spaces of modern magic and science fiction energy. The result is a polished, designed, and inspiring set of cinematic magic sounds ready to bring new life to your film, game, and media projects. Brian Johnson, the creator of SpellBound and Slipstream is an award winning sound designer who after working in film, and television, has found his home designing sound for the biggest video game franchises in the world.

    SpellBound has 969 total sound effects
    Spells, explos, tails, whooshes, beds, impacts, drones, and more.

    Designed section – 202 designed multi-event show stopping full frequency sound effects.
    Elements section – 767 designed construction kit, layers, sweeteners, and single event effects.

    SpellBound can compliment your fx arsenal with traditional fantasy, modern magic, cinematic impacts, and even as an explosion sweetener. It can take over a fantasy trailer or a compliment a hybrid space magic video game.

    Thank you for licensing SpellBound. I hope it inspires you to create something exciting and magical.

    SpellBound Flyer

    28 %
    OFF
  • Kawaii UI Bundle is the ultimate bundle for cute user interface sounds.
    In this Bundle you get both volumes of our Kawaii UI libraries.
    Kawaii UI + Kawaii UI 2

    These libraries provide an adorable blend of cute, satisfying interface sounds, crafted to enhance user experience and feedback.
    Bring your games and apps to life with the Kawaii UI Bundle.

    It’s ideal for creating joyful menus, delightful HUDs, playful navigation and notifications, engaging pop-ups, and expressive text.

    Kawaii UI Trailer
    Kawaii UI 2 Trailer

    The source recordings inside are a treasure trove of physical button presses, clicks, pops, taps, mouth sounds, toks, shakers, general synthesised UI sounds, FM bells and telemetry style sounds.. Kawaii UI Bundle provides you with the essential building blocks to craft your own distinctive designs.  Combining these elements gives sound designers a robust sonic palette to create new UI sounds.

    13 %
    OFF

   

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

HTML tags are not allowed.