May 4th Star Wars Film Sound Design Asbjoern Andersen


As we once again celebrate May 4th, we've gathered a huge number of stories behind the iconic sounds of the Star Wars franchise for you - feast your ears below, and Happy Star Wars Day!
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The sound of Andor:

 
The Andor series will explore a new perspective from the Star Wars galaxy, focusing on Cassian Andor’s journey to discover the difference he can make. The series brings forward the tale of the burgeoning rebellion against the Empire and how people and planets became involved. It’s an era filled with danger, deception, and intrigue where Cassian will embark on the path that is destined to turn him into a rebel hero.

Watch the video here:



The Sound of Andor - Season 1 with David Acord, Margit Pfeiffer and John Gilroy



 

Much more on the superb sound of Star Wars
– hand-picked stories and interviews:

 

Behind the sound of Obi-Wan Kenobi – told by Bonnie Wild, Julian Howarth, and Danielle Dupre:

 
 




Creating the score for Obi-Wan Kenobi, with composer Natalie Holt:

 
 
So thrilled to be welcoming Natalie Holt back to Soundtracking – a composer who’s doing great things, most recently in providing the score for Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney +.

Here she tells Edith about adding to the legendary musical landscape of the franchise, and meeting the man who’s behind much of it, her idol John Williams.

Hear the interview here – starts at 3:34:


Skywalker Sound: Behind The Mac

 

 



Behind the Mac: Skywalker Sound | Apple


 

The Sound Of The Mandalorian – with Bonnie Wild:

 
In this great interview by the Dolby Institute and the Soundworks Collection, Bonnie Wild – sound effects editor and re-recording mixer of Disney+’s hit show The Mandalorian – takes us behind the scenes for a conversation about achieving cinematic scale and production value on a television budget, balancing the palette of new sound creation with classic Star Wars sounds we all know and love, why mixing in a home theater environment was important for the show, and how to do a Jawa loop group session:



The Sound Of The Mandalorian | Dolby Institute Podcast


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Rare footage: Behind the sound of Empire Strikes Back here:

 



The Empire Strikes Back: Behind the Scenes - SOUNDS OF EMPIRE (Rare Footage 1979)


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How The Mandalorian Score Found The New Star Wars Sound:

Get the story behind Ludwig Görransson’s score for The Mandalorian:



How 'The Mandalorian' Score Found The New 'Star Wars' Sound


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Behind the sound for Return of the Jedi – with Ben Burtt:

Check out Mike James Gallagher’s great feature on the sound of Return of the Jedi – with Ben Burtt:



Star Wars: Return of the Jedi sound design explained by Ben Burtt


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Twenty Thousand Hertz special – the sound of Star Wars:

In this episode from Audio Podcast Alliance member Twenty Thousand Hertz, the team explores how Ben Burtt created the sonic universe of Star Wars from scratch, one sound at a time – featuring Marshall McGee:


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ABC’s fantastic Force of Sound documentary:

Go behind the sound of Star Wars in ABC’s fantastic documentary below:

May The 4th: Celebrating the iconic sounds of Star Wars:
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Audio interviews:

 
In this Soundworks Collection interview, supervising sound editors Matthew Wood and David Acord delve into the conceptual and sonic intricacies of evolving “force lightning,” and about working in stages from temp mixes to the final mix in a film with a legacy. They share experiences working playfully and dynamically with director J.J. Abrams, recording lines in actor Adam Driver’s closet, and working on previous Star Wars films.


Matthew Wood and David Acord, co-sound supervisors on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, have been working on the sound of the SW films for nearly two decades. Join us for a wide-ranging conversation on the audio restorations of the original films, the voice of Baby Yoda from The Mandalorian, the importance of sound to George Lucas… and even the controversy about whether Han or Greedo shot first and the notorious “Maclunkey.”
 



Conversations With Sound Artists: Star Wars | Podcast | Dolby


(via @Soundworks)

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Ben Burtt, on the sound of Star Wars:

Mike James Gallagher has released this brilliant educational video with commentary by legendary sound designer Ben Burtt, giving you the interesting stories behind the making of the Star Wars: A New Hope sound design:

Watch the video here:



Star Wars: A New Hope sound design explained by Ben Burtt


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Shaping the satisfying sound of ‘Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order’



How Respawn Entertainment’s sound team designed their first Star Wars game — Jedi: Fallen Order:
 
Read the story here

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Sound highlight - article continues below:

Popular sci-fi sound libraries:

If you're looking for sci-fi sound effects for your projects, these sound libraries are trending right now:

  • The Push & Pull Heavy Weight Low Frequency Movements Library contains acoustic recordings that will fit the need for huge doors, large gates, heavy loads, massive objects, sliding tombstones, shifting masses and so on… All sounds are clean with no effects added for easy use and editing. Recorded at 192 KHz with Nevaton and Sanken CO100K microphone, the full spectrum allows for quality source material.

    You will find variations of trembling, rattling, shoving, scraping, bouncy objects and materials being pushed or pulled.

    This sound FX library is part of a series of recordings available:

    Creaking – Ropes, Cables, Wires
    Creaking Ropes, Cables, Wires

    Screeching, Squeaking, Scraping Old Objects
    Screeching, Squeaking, Scraping Old Objects

  • Electricity Sound Effects Polarity Play Track 975 sounds included $72

    Polarity delivers more than 950 sounds of electricity, science and technology – captured in several locations around the world, from electricity museums to science labs. About 50% of the library is all about electricity, with various types of Jacob’s Ladders, Tesla Coils, Ruhmkorff lamp and all sorts of impactful bursts of energy.

    Then we go through welders, plasma spheres, 3D printers, starting to cover a more broad technology theme – like old phones, telegraphs, dynamo wheels, rotary dials, whirling watchers, alarm, lab centrifuges, something scientists call a roller and a rocker, servo sounds, neon lights, a wimshurst machine and sparklers.

    Many sounds in this section were captured from vintage equipment, from a 1928’s tram to old telephone switchboards, high voltage levers and control surfaces.

    All content was recorded at 192KHz with a Sanken CO100K, a couple of Sennheiser 8040 and a Neumann 81i, translating into final assets that have plenty of ultrasonic content, ready for the most extreme manipulation.

    Bonus: Two extra libraries included for free:
    This library also includes two additional releases from Mattia Cellotto - for free: Crunch Mode delivers 230 crunchy sounds made with a variety of vegetables, fresh bread, pizza crust and a selection of frozen goods. The Borax Experiment gets you 158 squishy, gory, slimy and gooey sounds.
    20 %
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  • 'Organic Lifeform Textures' by Bluezone Corporation is an inspirational sound effect library offering a selection of 99 ( 24 bit / 96 kHz / stereo ) unusual and mysterious sounds : From huge organisms to tiny insects, unexpected groans to invertebrate creatures moving through mud, this SFX library will offer you ultra high quality malleable textures for all your projects. This downloadable sample pack is very usefull for pro editors, film makers, music producers and video game sound designers.

    All sounds were recorded using various sources and processed meticulously using high-end gear. These sound effects have been layered to give you ready-to-use elements. You can easily pitch, modulate, mangle and stretch these sounds to create thousands of variations. 'Organic Lifeform Textures' has been designed to enhance science fiction, mystery, suspense and fantasy video game and scoring projects. Note: The background ambience in the demo is not part of the product but is added free of charge.

  • Firearms Sound Effects Sci-Fi Weapons (Principle Sound) Play Track 2626 sounds included $50

    The Sci-Fi Weapons library delivers more than 2600 futuristic weapon shots, charges, ricochets and other related sounds.

    All of them were designed using exclusively recorded Foley sounds, synthetic layers, various sound manipulation and morphing techniques.

    Single shots and automatic fire, reloading ammo, energy blasts, impacts and explosions, surface hits – it’s all there, ready to be used in your sci-fi projects!

    Version 1.5 is out:
    In v1.5 update we add 11 new weapons and two new reloads/ricochets packs. The total number of sounds in the library comes up to 2626.

    50 %
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Search for more sci-fi sound libraries

 

Go behind the sound of Rogue One here:

Get the story behind he sound for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story in this in-depth feature:



Sound Design for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story


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Hear the Rise of Skywalker score here:

Here’s legendary composer John Williams on creating the score for Rise of Skywalker:



John Williams on Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Score


Hear the full score below, via Spotify:

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Behind the Audio of the Heroes of Star Wars Battlefront II:

EA Dice’s Philip Eriksson shows how the audio team at DICE unified the sound experiences from all eras of Star Wars into one soundscape for Star Wars Battlefront II:



Behind the Audio of the Heroes of Star Wars Battlefront II


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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:

  • In High Desert Ambiences 1: Miniature, get a mini-nature collection of desolately beautiful sounds of the American southwest as the sun brings to life the songs of desert wildlife. This collection features sounds that will make you fall in love with the desert with the trickling of distant rivers, smooth cricket chirps, echoey caws from ravens so close you can hear the details in their wings flaps, snorts from a cautious yet curious mule deer, choruses of birds at dawn, and much more. Most recordings are well over 4 minutes, with one half-hour night-time track that will make you want to take out your tent immediately. For a mini-nature collection of lush, peaceful nature sounds from the heart of the American Southwest, here’s High Desert Ambiences 1: Miniature.

    2% for the Planet:
    Two percent of the price of this library is donated to an environmental cause. I view it as an “artist royalty” for the planet!

    KEY FEATURES:

    • Sounds in this library are NOT included in High Desert Ambiences 2 and 3.
    • This library contains a small selection of both “active” and “quiet” nature sounds from the high deserts of West Texas.
    • If you need more “active” or “quiet” nature sounds check out: High Desert Ambiences 2: Active Nature or High Desert Ambiences 3: Quiet Nature.
    • Featured on Designing Sound: “Our Favorite Sounds of 2016
    • Desert dawn and evening choruses
    • Distant flowing river, songbirds, and insects
    • Ravens soaring and squawking in a stark and resonant valley
    • Lengthy night-time cricket chorus
    • Partially audible and ultrasonic bat clicks up to 70kHz
    • Ghostly distant animal calls
    • Mule deer warning snorts and jumping movement
    • Files ranging from 31 seconds to 30 minutes
    • Rio Grande dawn chorus along the Texas/Mexico river border
    • Locations: Near Marfa, Texas (in a mountain valley at an altitude of 6,000 ft) and Big Bend National Park along the Rio Grande River, Texas/Mexico border.
    • These desert ambiences are extremely quiet, so I have included descriptive markers to signal interesting events in an otherwise featureless waveform. These markers can be read in programs such as RX, Reaper, and Soundminer. The markers are also included as .txt files in the sound files folder.
    ambiences_markers

    GEAR USED:
    • Sennheiser MKH 50/30 MS pair
    • Mid/Side recordings decoded to LR stereo
    • Sound Devices 702
    • Rycote AG MS Blimp
    ***Note – the name of this library was changed from High Desert Ambiences 1 to High Desert Ambiences 1: Miniature on 11/28/17. This was a name change only. No audio files were updated.
  • City Life Sound Effects Diffuse City Play Track 116+ sounds included, 752 mins total $75

    Diffuse City is the unique urban ambience sound effects library you didn’t know you were missing. It captures the urban environment in its many forms – all based around the idea of diffuse ambience.

    The Diffuse City library is purpose-built for the times an environment needs to be felt, but not be distracting.

    Every track in Diffuse City was recorded with some sort of real life “filter” in mind; be it distance, elevation, time of day, physical material – Anything to provide the feeling of city life with out the specificity of many urban ambience libraries. No distracting close car pass-bys or people talking; only great natural ambience beds.

    Diffuse City was recorded in big cities, suburbs, small towns, and rural settings over a span of two years. It was largely recorded over very late nights, when very few people we’re around. Occasionally, however, a car would pass by… a gun would go off… While these were edited out of the recordings, they are included as “extras” in the library. Perfect for adding some flavor to a moment that’s authentic to the environment it was recorded in.

    Metadata – and markers:

    In addition to thorough metadata, each ambience in Diffuse City is embedded with markers highlighting unique moments that aren’t easily visible in a waveform. Software like Soundminer v4.5 and Reaper can display these markers, making it easy to identify distinct sonic moments in an otherwise nondescript waveform.

    reaper-markers-example

    Markers in Reaper

    There are 10 areas of focus in Diffuse City:

    Elevated City • Distant Highways • Underground City • Distant City • Under Bridges • City Rumble • Empty Parking Lots • Alleys • Industrial • Window Contacts

    Hear examples and learn more about each one below

  • Environments & Ambiences SEASIDE Play Track 16 sounds included, 50 mins total $16

    Get the sounds of the sea – captured at different beaches along the Japan coast and the French Normandy coast. Recorded at the marina, pier, harbor, bridges and beaches, the SEASIDE library delivers around 50 minutes of waves, water, seagulls and more. All recordings are AB ORTF stereo, and there’s a mono center added in some cases to deliver a LCR format.

Explore the full, unique collection here

Latest sound effects libraries:
 
  • ‘Cartoon & Animation Vol 2’ by Cinematic Sound Design delivers the ultimate sound effects library tailored for your comedic creations, cartoons, games, and music productions. Dive into a realm of whimsical wonders with this curated collection of handcrafted sound effects, featuring an array of delightful cartoon pops, boings, jumps, crashes, impacts and a lot more.
    Crafted and captured using top-of-the-line outboard equipment including the ‘Sound Devices 702’ field recorder and Neumann KM184 microphones, each sound is processed through an Apogee Symphony AD/DA for unparalleled clarity, depth, and impact. Discover an array of truly unique SFX meticulously crafted to infuse your projects with personality and charm with a selection of zany boings, energetic jumps, clumsy falls, quirky snaps, lively runs and playful mallets.

    Product Details:

    • 121 Designed Cartoon SFX
    • 24-Bit/96kHz
    • 100% Royalty-Free

  • Unleash the full potential of your audio production with the Tool Bag Foley Sound Effects Library. Meticulously recorded with precision, this library offers an expansive collection of sounds straight from the tool shed. Whether you’re in film, television, game development, or theatre, these sounds will enhance your soundscapes and bring your scenes to life.

    29 %
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  • CRRRACK!!!

    Introducing “Wood Destruction” – a powerful sound library that brings the raw and intense sounds of wood breaking to your audio projects. This collection is designed to provide sound designers, filmmakers, and video professionals with an extensive range of wood destruction sounds. From small wooden objects to massive structures, every breaking sound is meticulously captured to deliver a sense of power and scale.

    The sounds in “Wood Destruction” are presented in a clean and isolated format, allowing for seamless integration into your projects without the need for extensive editing. Each sound is carefully labeled and categorized, making it easy to find the perfect wood destruction sound for your specific scene or sequence.

    From explosive demolition scenes to suspenseful moments of destruction, this library will be your ultimate resource for authentic and impactful wood destruction sound effects.

    26 %
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  • Environments & Ambiences Natural Water Streams Play Track 10 sounds included, 30 mins total $18

    This meticulously crafted sound effects library is an essential tool for professionals in film, game development, and audio production who seek authentic and high-quality water soundscapes.

    Recorded using high-quality equipment such as Zoom H4N, H1, and H6, these sounds offer unparalleled clarity and realism. Whether you’re creating serene nature scenes or designing complex audio environments, ‘Natural Water Streams’ provides a versatile range of water sound effects.

    28 %
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  • Industrial Ambiences Wind Turbines Inner Sounds Play Track 45 sounds included, 144 mins total $15

    Wind turbine rotations and motor movements recorded subterraneously, through wire fences, metal steps and the body of the turbine.

     The results are a selection of metallic movements, evolving eerie soundscapes, atmospheric hums, whines.

     Excellent design source and sound morphing material, eerie atmospheres and dystopian environments.

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

    Number of Sounds : 45

    Number of Files : 45      

    Total Audio Time : 2 hours  22 minutes  18  secs  ( 142 minutes 18 seconds)

    Type : WAV Stereo

    Sample Rate / Bit Rate : 192 kHz / 24 Bit

    Mastered : No

    Normalised : No

    Size : 9.92 Gb

    Metadata : Files are stamped with detailed UCS compliant metadata in Soundminer

    Documentation Included : Copyright, EULA, Images, Metadata (exported in multiple formats)

    License : A Sound Effect EULA / Terms and Conditions https://www.asoundeffect.com/license-agreement/

    Recorders : Zoom F3 and Sound Devices Mix Pre 10 II

    Microphones :  LOM Geofon, Stille and Klang small spots, Sennheiser 8040’s and 8050

    Microphone Configuration : Magnetic, Spike, Contact. ORTF and Centre Mic

    KEYWORDS : Wind Turbine , Back, Wire Fence, Metal Steps, Underground, Rotate, Inner, Motor, Vibrate, Whirr, Bass, Hum, Whine, Pulse, Atonal, Disharmonious, Breeze

    FXNAME :  Abandoned Environment, Deserted Environment, Design Source, Dystopian, Eerie Atmosphere, Post Apocalypse, Sound Morph, Uninhabited, Wind Turbine

    25 %
    OFF
    Ends 1715205599

   

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