MetalMotion sound effects library - how the sound library was created Asbjoern Andersen

Posted by Asbjoern Andersen in SFX interview, Sound community highlights


What goes into creating a great sound effects library? Sound designer, recordists and composer Nathan Moody shares his sonic journey behind the making of his latest sound effects library, MetalMotion.
The library features 4 hours of moving metal, including everything from impacts and squeals, to scrapes, rattles and beyond - and in this new A Sound Effect Podcast episode, here's the rarely-told story on what it takes to create such an adventurous, experimental and highly useful sound effects library. Hear the full interview below:
An interview with Nathan Moody by Jennifer Walden, hosted by Asbjoern Andersen
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Here’s what’s in this episode (with starting times):

0:00 Introduction

1:54 Sound designer, recordists and composer Nathan Moody shares his sonic journey behind the making of his latest sound effects library, MetalMotion

34:04 Find more great podcasts about sound from our friends in the Audio Podcast Alliance
 

Hear the episode below:


 

Sound effects libraries highlighted in this episode:


  •
    Metal Sound Effects MetalMotion Play Track 2000+ sounds included, 239 mins total $110

    MetalMotion is a sound design construction kit that contains four hours of moving metal mayhem: clicks and clanks, rolls and drags, wronks and squeals, scrapes and rattles, ranging from from tiny to monstrous. Nathan Moody’s unique performances with unusual combinations of props produce everything from Foley-like movements to intense groans and howls.

    Whether you’re covering a robot’s movements, sweetening weapon Foley, making crafting or pick-up sounds in a game, placing unusual layers beneath a kaiju’s roar, or crushing a submarine with undersea pressure, this collection covers the full range of subtle to raucous. Each file has many performance variations for creative choice and game audio asset creation.

    While there are some tasty impacts within, this library’s true focus is on characterful movements: handling, rummaging, opens, closes, ratchets, swirls, rolls, drags, drops, spins, rubs, zuzzes, and bows. Metal containers, filing cabinets, modern appliances, vintage (and very rusty) tools, cymbals, bells, grills, plates, bars, rods, and tubes, and many other props lent their voices to this collection.

    This UCS-compliant library was recorded with a combination of standard, contact, and ultrasonic-capable microphones through Millennia preamps. Sample rates vary based on the amount of ultrasonic content in each file. The audio files are mastered for realism, ready for extreme processing and pitch shifting of your own, but still useful in more grounded contexts.

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  • Funny / Comedy / Cartoon Ultrasquish Play Track 400+ sounds included, 40 mins total $30

    Ultrasquish is an ultrasonic-rich library of squishes and squeezes, optimized for radical pitch shifting. It contains around 40 minutes of 192-kHz, UCS-compliant, icky goodness. Each file contains long takes with many variations, ideal for interactive content. From silly squishes to horrific scenes, Ultrasquish simply oozes usefulness.

    The performances of squished and squeezed water, gel, goo, and air begin as sharp, crisp, and immediately useful assets for representing cartoony action, sticky props, mud, blood, viscera, critical hits, or finishing moves. But once pitched down, they reveal creature growls, monstrous heartbeats, gurgling zombie breaths, gloopy footstep sweeteners, colossal digestive tracts, slimy monster movements, and bubbling alien slimescapes. A set of designed sounds are included to showcase the potential uses of the library, and for immediate use in quick-turnaround projects.

    All sounds were recorded in extreme close-up perspective with both a hypercardioid microphone and an ultrasonic-capable omni microphone, blended together for a punchy, full-range tone while preserving ultrasonic detail (reaching as high as 70 to 100 kHz, depending on the prop or material being recorded).

    Add to cart

 

Audio Podcast AllianceThe A Sound Effect Podcast is part of the Audio Podcast Alliance, featuring a hand-picked selection of the very best podcasts about sound. Check out the full list of Audio Podcast Alliance members below, and click a on podcast name to go directly to their latest episode:
 
AMPS Podcast • CAS In Conversation • Field & Foley • Immersive Audio Podcast • LA Post Production Sound Design • Level with Emily Reese • Location Sound Podcast • Sound Business • Soundbytes Podcast • SoundGirls Podcast • Soundtrack Show • Soundworks Collection • The A Sound Effect Podcast • The Dolby Institute Podcast • The Game Audio Journey • The Sound Architect Podcast • Tonebenders • Twenty Thousand Hertz

Hear more audio-related podcasts here

 

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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:

  •
    Firearms Sound Effects Analogue Ordinance Play Track 6300+ sounds included, 293 mins total $96

    Analogue Ordinance is a massive construction kit for science fiction weapon sounds, made entirely with hardware synthesizers, mastered entirely in the analogue domain, and with more variations per sound than any library of its kind. Absolutely no software plug-ins of any kind were used in its creation, except for its collection of ready-to-use designed sounds to show what can be done with the library’s constituent parts.

    Masterminded by sound designer Nathan Moody, this library’s unique sonic language delivers about five hours of material, pushed hard through op amps, transistors, tubes, and transformers. Boutique and unique, customized synthesizer modules were used in conjunction with mastering-grade studio hardware to create sounds that range from retro and cute to modern and devastating.

    Sounds are organized into mechanical, thump, body, tail, and charge-up groups for truly modular weapon construction. Each group has six to eight “banks” of related sounds, many with intensity (light, heavy) and duration (short, medium, and long) options. Nearly all sounds include 16 variations. In addition to the construction kit elements, some fully-designed weapon sounds are provided (using only the sounds from the construction kit), designed by Nathan Moody, Chase Steele, Axel Steichen, and Sergio Ronchetti. 

    But the flexibility doesn’t stop there. Reversing the sounds suddenly turns charge-ups into body elements, and vice versa. Each group has some frequency overlap with the others, so they can be mixed interchangeably outside of their labeled or intended uses with filtering and time/pitch manipulation. While the sounds are designed to be layered with themselves, this library plays very well with others, providing thousands of sweeteners to “tech up” any near-future gun or projectile-based firearm, magical attacks, superhuman abilities, or even user interface elements.

    Add some hardware to your warfare. From concealable stun pistols to orbital artillery, Analogue Ordinance provides a fresh injection of new source material for your sci-fi weapon designs.

    20 %
    OFF
    Add to cart
  • Destruction & Impact Sounds Cracks Play Track 800+ sounds included, 200 mins total $43

    CRACKS is a large exploration of different cracking sound sources – cracking, crunching, breaking and creaking.
    I have recorded a number of different materials, designed and processed to create some more aggressive, powerful and ready-to-use destruction sounds.
    Bread, Cardboard, Celery, Ceramic, Chips, Glass, Ice, Icy vegetables, Leather, Paper, Pasta, Plastic, Polystyrene, Rocks, Snow, Wood.
    The library contains over 444 sound files – around 2,5 hours of sounds included in total.
    Originally recorded at 192 kHz with two Sennheiser MKH8040 and a Sound devices 702.

    Each sound file has been carefully named and tagged for easy search in Soundminer and is Universal Category System (UCS) compliant.

    (see the full track list below).

    Update 3 – New sounds added to the library:
    Cracks has been updated with 71 new recordings, and completely renamed and tagged in UCS .
    A total of 2 GB of free additional content, bringing the total library size to over 7 GB in 515 files.
    Update 4 – New sounds added to the library:
    Cracks has just been updated with 73 new files, more rock, ice and wood cracks.
    A total of 1,8 GB of free additional content, bringing the total library size to over 8,5 GB in 586 files.
    22 %
    OFF
    Add to cart
  • Game Audio Packs Mobile Game Play Track 578 sounds included, 30 mins total $39

    Inspired by app market hits like Clash of Clans and Candy Crush, we present to you Mobile Game – a truly fun and genuinely gameplay inspired sound effects library. Filled with a thorough selection of popular game ready audio assets, Mobile Game gives you sounds that you can quickly implement inside any game to give it a familiar “hit app” game feel.

    • Includes 578 files
    • All files in .Wav 96k 24bit
    • Plus game ready mp3 files
    • Inspired by today’s best App Games
    • Includes Soundminer metadata
    • 891.9 MB of samples

    Mobile Game features sounds such as:

    Bubbles • Building • Coins • Crafting • Mechanisms and Contraptions • Musical Stabs • Objective Completes • Pick Ups • Potions • Tonal Designed Organic fx • UI/Menu • Upgrades

    20 %
    OFF
    Add to cart
Explore the full, unique collection here
Latest sound effects libraries:
 
  • Firearms Sound Effects Analogue Ordinance Play Track 6300+ sounds included, 293 mins total $96

    Analogue Ordinance is a massive construction kit for science fiction weapon sounds, made entirely with hardware synthesizers, mastered entirely in the analogue domain, and with more variations per sound than any library of its kind. Absolutely no software plug-ins of any kind were used in its creation, except for its collection of ready-to-use designed sounds to show what can be done with the library’s constituent parts.

    Masterminded by sound designer Nathan Moody, this library’s unique sonic language delivers about five hours of material, pushed hard through op amps, transistors, tubes, and transformers. Boutique and unique, customized synthesizer modules were used in conjunction with mastering-grade studio hardware to create sounds that range from retro and cute to modern and devastating.

    Sounds are organized into mechanical, thump, body, tail, and charge-up groups for truly modular weapon construction. Each group has six to eight “banks” of related sounds, many with intensity (light, heavy) and duration (short, medium, and long) options. Nearly all sounds include 16 variations. In addition to the construction kit elements, some fully-designed weapon sounds are provided (using only the sounds from the construction kit), designed by Nathan Moody, Chase Steele, Axel Steichen, and Sergio Ronchetti. 

    But the flexibility doesn’t stop there. Reversing the sounds suddenly turns charge-ups into body elements, and vice versa. Each group has some frequency overlap with the others, so they can be mixed interchangeably outside of their labeled or intended uses with filtering and time/pitch manipulation. While the sounds are designed to be layered with themselves, this library plays very well with others, providing thousands of sweeteners to “tech up” any near-future gun or projectile-based firearm, magical attacks, superhuman abilities, or even user interface elements.

    Add some hardware to your warfare. From concealable stun pistols to orbital artillery, Analogue Ordinance provides a fresh injection of new source material for your sci-fi weapon designs.

    20 %
    OFF
    Add to cart
  • Water & Ocean Sounds Deep Underwater Designed Play Track 304 sounds included, 5 mins total $70

    Deep Underwater Designed is a collection of ready-made designed underwater sounds.

    The library includes a range of FX including various underwater movements, atmospheres, explosions and bubbles; this in combination with different sonic textures and deep underwater perspectives.

    Atmospheres are over 5 minutes in duration (for surround application).

    No hydrophones were used in the creation of this library.

    Add to cart
  • Car Sound Effects SUVs Play Track 2225 sounds included, 328 mins total $200

    Compilation of 10 different SUVs. Sounds are recorded with RØDE NTG1, RØDELink Lav, Line Audio Omni1, Shure KSM137, Shure VP88, Sonorous Objects SO.3 FEL Pluggy XLR EM272 and FEL Clippy XLR EM272 microphones, Sound Devices MixPre-6 II, Zoom F3 and Zoom H4n recorders. Library contains wav files of driving, interior and exterior foley, mechanical and electrical sounds. The library is also available in UCS.

    Models:

    1. Alfa Romeo Stelvio 2016 compact crossover SUV sport utility vehicle

    2. Audi Q5 2008 compact crossover SUV sport utility vehicle

    3. Lada Niva 1977 off-road compact SUV sport utility vehicle

    4. Land Rover Freelander 2003 compact crossover SUV sport utility vehicle

    5. Mazda CX-5 2012 compact crossover SUV sport utility vehicle

    6. Nissan Qashqai 2006 compact crossover SUV sport utility vehicle

    7. Renault Captur 2013 subcompact crossover SUV sport utility vehicle

    8. Suzuki SX4 2006 subcompact crossover SUV sport utility vehicle

    9. Tesla Model Y 2020 electric mid-size crossover SUV sport utility vehicle

    10. Volkswagen Tiguan 2007 compact crossover SUV sport utility vehicle

     

    Add to cart
  • Mechanical Sound Effects Small Motors (SB114) Play Track 144+ sounds included $40

    SMALL MOTORS, BIG VALUE – TINY TECH IN ACTION
    The SB114 SMALL MOTORS Sound Effects Library is a collection of close-up recordings of various small electronic motors.

    WHIZ, WHIRS, REVS AND PURRS FOR YOUR PROJECT
    We captured the sounds of small electric motors from various household items, then meticulously edited them to be useful as practical effects or manipulated as sound design. Our recordings feature blenders, coffee grinders, drills, food processors, handheld massage vibrators, a tiny whipping frother, toothbrushes, razor/shavers, and a wine opener. Each sound was recorded in 24-bit/96kHz to minimize audio artifacts when processing as unique sound design. Every file includes Soundminer-compliant metadata and an organized file naming structure, allowing you to spend less time searching and more time creating.

    20 %
    OFF
    Ends 1727128799
    Add to cart
  • Drones & Mood Sound Effects Sci Fi Game Menu Music – Background Music Loops Play Track 10 sounds included $32.40

    Enhance your game with this Sci-Fi Menu Music Pack, featuring seamless loops designed for background ambiance in space-themed interfaces. Ideal for menus and GUIs, this collection offers immersive, ambient soundscapes that elevate the sci-fi experience. Perfect for creating a captivating and futuristic game atmosphere.

    10 %
    OFF
    Ends 1727128799
    Add to cart

   

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