Asbjoern Andersen


I’m very excited to let you know that the A Sound Effect podcast is making a return! A big thanks to Christian Hagelskjaer From for co-hosting and putting this episode together, and to Paul Virostek for sharing his insights into the explosive growth in indie sound effects.
 

The A Sound Effect Podcast Episode 3:
The indie sound effects explosion!


 
Here’s what’s in this episode:

New independent sound effects: We take a listen to some of the interesting new releases that have come out since the last episode (and wow, there were quite a few to pick from!)

The indie sound effects explosion: Paul Virostek, recordist, SFX creator and author, returns with a look at independent sound effects right now. The indie SFX scene has exploded in the year since we last had him on the podcast, and here are his thoughts on what the huge growth means for those who use sound effects, what it means for indie SFX creators – and for the established players in the sound effects industry.

The sounds of Crete: Christian went on a trip to Crete, Greece, managed to capture a lot of interesting sounds for this travel montage – and learned a few lessons along the way :)
 

Sound effects libraries highlighted in this episode:

  • African Wildlife is an utterly unique collection of pristine wildlife and nature sounds, recorded in the wilderness of Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia over a period of 4 months, 2015. It comes in four categories, covering Mammals, Birds, Ambience and Insects recordings.

    It features animals such as elephant, baboon, jackal, lion, rhino, buffalo, hippo, impala, zebra, bat and hyena, as well as insects and 45 species of birds. 50 minutes of ambience recordings are also included.

    The diversity of African wildlife sounds is widely reflected in this library, with the material including but not limited to screaming, barking, growling, roaring, breathing, grunting, feeding, hooting, warbling, screeching, farting, guffawing, whooping, gurgling, rutting, yapping, snorting, tweeting, trumpeting, chattering and squeaking.

    Extensive metadata including detailed information on location, species, habitat, behaviour and usage is included, formatted for Soundminer. Metadata sheets in .xls and .csv formats are also provided.

    Recording equipment: Sennheiser MKH8040-ST (ORTF) / Sony D100 / Telinga MK2 / Sound Devices USBPre2 / Tascam DR-680

  • The collection consists of 43 stereo recordings of 12 rare, industrial machines used many decades ago in German power plants and industrial sites. It includes the sounds of massive 10KV power switches, a Siemens exciter machine (power generator) built in 1945 and many other vintage machines.

    All machines were recorded in isolation without background noise and at high sample rates (192 kHz / 24 bit) with a Sound Devices 633 recorder and the Sennheiser MKH 8040 Microphones in close ORTF, taking full advantage of the extended frequency range (30 – 50000 Hz) of the microphones. Some machines were additionally recorded with a stereo setup of Barcus Berry 4000 series contact mics.

    The following 12 machines were recorded
    – some in multiple takes:

    • Ash breaker
    • Ash blower
    • Coal dispatcher
    • Siemens exciter machine
    • Gas turbine model
    • Motorized throttle-Flap
    • Oil atomizer
    • Pneumatic power switch
    • 10KV power switch
    • Rotation motor
    • Manual steam machine

    2025 Update
    • New UCS 8.2.1 compliant file names
    • Improved 20+ fields of UCS compliant BWAV/Soundminer/XML metadata
    • Metadata translations in 40 languages (TSV/XLSX files)
  • rOtation is a sound effects library built for sound design centered around things that spin. It contains nearly 200 exceptional sounds and is the first of its kind. If you’re looking for brand new sound design source material, rOtation is the ticket.

    Several months of research and recording has led to this very unique collection. It’s props range from ball bearings to trash cans; magnets to fireworks; water to nuts – all in the realm of rotation.

    It contains sounds of things that have never been included in a sound effects library before: The sound of a Euler’s Disk speeding up exponentially fast – the whir and chatter of Hurricane balls spinning to 5000+ RPM – Nuts and quarters zipping and buzzing by in a rumbling balloon – The power of neodymium magnets bending the tones of vibrating glass.

  • Cold Weapon Sound Effects Swordfighter Play Track 479 sounds included $25

    Swordfighter is a robust package with sharp sounding swords, heaps of variations and all the extras you need to make a fight come alive. Build unique sword swings with various hits, swooshes, schings, different fighter vocals and impacts on various surfaces. All up there are 137 sword sounds, 93 surface impact sounds, 15 knife throwing sounds, 48 swooshes and 180 fighter vocals.

    This version includes two sub-folders: one optimised for a film & TV workflow and the other optimised for video games workflow. Plus a few bonus sounds of a charging army.

 

Hear the previous episodes here


 
Be sure to subscribe to the A Sound Effect Podcast
 
You can find the A Sound Effect Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn and SoundCloud
 
 

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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:

  • SONIC SPELLS WITH REAL PERSONALITY

    MAGIC – ALCHEMY is a professional sound effects library built from real chemical reactions and elemental forces. It delivers short, character-rich magic sound effects perfect for spellcasting, magical UI design, and fantasy storytelling. Designed to sit cleanly in a mix and shimmer with personality, these spell sounds are ideal for games, trailers, audio dramas and more. Real reactions, recorded with obsessive detail.

    MAGIC - ALCHEMY | Sound Effects | Trailer

    Magic Sounds from Real Chemical Reactions

    No digital fakery here. Every sound in MAGIC – ALCHEMY began as a live experiment — alcohol burning in jars, butane growling through pipes, fuses igniting, water swirling in glass. These are true-to-life textures, captured in a lab-grade recording setup. The result? Magical sound with depth, realism, and spark..

    Short, Sharp, and Ready to Use

    These are not long, cinematic flourishes. This library is about immediacy — short, dry, punchy magic effects that are easy to slot into your project. Ideal for game asset design, magical feedback sounds, and trailer moments where clarity counts.

     
     
     

    Three Spell Flavours: Holy, Cursed, Neutral

    Need a healing chime, a cursed hex, or something more ambiguous? The Designed section is grouped into Holy, Cursed, and Neutral categories — giving you emotional options that match your scene’s intent, whether you’re crafting a fantasy RPG or a subtle magical interaction.

    Built for Professionals, Whatever You Create

    Whether you’re layering magic for a fantasy film, adding interactive audio to a mobile game, or creating rich textures for audiobooks or theatre, MAGIC – ALCHEMY fits right in. It’s mix-ready, flexible, and full of sonic character.

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  • Spell Variations Vol. 4 marks the grand finale of our magical sound series, delivering a diverse and powerful collection of spell effects. Inside, you’ll find summonings, blood spells, petrifications, healing spells, dark incantations, and much more!

    This volume includes 255 high-quality sound effects, organized into 27 distinct spell types, each with multiple variations (3 to 17) to ensure no spell sounds the same, even when reused across your project.

    Each spell type is carefully named and sorted into individual folders, giving you intuitive navigation and maximum flexibility for magical scenes, game effects, or cinematic transitions.

    Recorded, edited, and mastered in 192 kHz / 24-bit, these sounds deliver exceptional clarity and full adaptability for pitching, layering, or creative processing.

    A must-have library for professional sound designers seeking drag-and-drop magical sounds for video games, trailers, animations, or any audiovisual production.

    More about the pack
    – Intuitive file naming
    – All you’ll ever need regarding magical sounds [Use them again & again
    Use the sound effects over and over, in any of your projects or productions, forever without any additional fees or royalties. Use the SFX in your game, in your trailer, in a Kickstarter campaign, wherever you need to, as much as you want to.
    – Totally mono compatibility
    – All sounds have several variations.
    – Use your imagination and feel free to use any sound for a creature other than the one described, remember that the world of sound is totally subjective.
    – For any questions or problems: khronstudio@gmail.com

    Features
    – 255 spell sounds
    – Number of Audio Waves: 255
    – Format: 192KHz / 24 bits
    – Win/Mac: Yes
    – Minutes of audio provided: 19:21

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  • ‘Tiny Transitions’ deivers 275 short Whooshes and other Transition sounds. Instead of the huge, more cinematic transitional sounds that you are accustomed to hear from SoundBits, this sound pack focuses more on the smaller, not-so-intrusive production elements that come in very handy for any Sound Designer, All-In-One Film Editor or Web-, App- and Game-Developers.

    All these small motion-supporting elements that you need in your everyday work for game menus, apps, general motion designs, … or as parts of more complex moving stuff.

    You get 275 designed sounds + a selection of 290 cleaned and edited source sounds that were used to design the Tiny Transitions. These sounds are mostly different props that are scraping or sliding on different surfaces and also some vocalized whoosh attempts.

    All source sounds were recorded with Sonosax SX-R4+ and Sennheiser MKH8050+MKH30 M/S rig.

    All sounds come with embedded Soundminer Metadata.

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Explore the full, unique collection here

Latest sound effects libraries:
 
  • UI Interaction Elements by Cinematic Sound Design delivers a meticulously crafted sound effects library designed to enhance every click, swipe, tap, and notification in your user interface. This collection brings your apps, games, websites, and software to life, providing a rich auditory experience that makes every interaction feel responsive, intuitive, and satisfying.

    Inside this library, you’ll find over 200 high-quality sounds, ranging from subtle, crunchy clicks and soft taps to layered futuristic swipes, innovative button presses, toggle switches, and alert notifications. Each sound has been professionally recorded and mastered to ensure clarity, balance, and versatility across any platform or device.

    Whether you’re designing a mobile app, developing an interactive game, or building a modern web interface, UI Interaction Elements provides sounds that seamlessly integrate with your visual design, enhancing user feedback and engagement. The library has been meticulously designed, with each sound layered down and optimized for a maximum performance.

    Bring your interfaces to life and create a tactile, immersive experience for your users. Make your UI unforgettable, one sound at a time.

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  • Animal Sound Effects Forests and Mountains Play Track 96+ sounds included, 220 mins total $110

    Forest and Mountains features nature and wildlife sounds from California, Washington, and Oregon.  Included are a number of bird recordings and forest ambiences, along with some insects, winds, rivers, and rain.  

    These were recorded over the past three years in various forests, foothills, and mountain environments.   A lot of these took place in or near Southern California’s Angeles Forest and San Gabriel Mountains, an area that spans 1200 Square Miles and varies vastly in terrain.

    Also included are some sounds from Northern California, along with recordings from the Pacific Northwest.

    The recording techniques for this varied as sometimes I went with the recorders running unattended to capture night, dawn and early morning.  Other times I’d record while being close by.

    Working as a Sound Effects Editor I’ve curated this collection with Editors in mind.  Background Ambiences and Spotted FX can really bring a location to life and give it so much story and character and that was a lot of the inspiration behind putting this all together. 

    Forests and Mountains

     

    The Locations

    California (61 Files) – This is where a majority of the sounds from this library were recorded and specifically Southern California.  Variety of areas and different environments, mostly around Angeles Forest, from Lower Elevation Foothills to more rugged mid-elevation Mountain Canyons and then much Higher Elevation and more remote terrain.  Also included are a few recordings from the Eastern Sierras and Northern California.

    Washington (19 Files) – Southern WA in Gifford Pinchot Forest and various Northwest Forest areas near Puget Sound.

    Oregon (16 Files) – Lakeside Recordings in forest and marsh at Klamath Lake in SE Oregon. 

    The Birds 

    Prominent / Specific Birds (36) (Closer Mic Perspective and more detailed) (* denotes multiple versions)

    Acorn Woodpecker, Barred Owl, Black-headed Grosbeak, California Towhee, *Canadian Geese, *Fox Sparrow, *Great Horned Owl, *House Wren, Northern Flicker, Oak Titmouse, Pacific Wren, Pileated Woodpecker, *Raven, Robin, *Song Sparrow, Spotted Towhee, Swainson’s Thrush

    Other Birds Featured (17) (Mixed together from various perspectives, calm to busy depending on time of day, and then closer to more medium and distant sounds.)

    Acorn Woodpecker, American Coot, California Quail, California Towhee, Cassin’s Finch, Fox Sparrow, Great Horned Owl, Hose Wren, Mallard, Mountain Chickadee, Northern Flicker, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, Oak Titmouse, Pied-billed Grebe, Common Poorwill, Raven, Red-tailed Hawk, Spotted Towhee, Steller’s Jay, Western Tanager, Western Wood-Pewee, White-breasted Nuthatch, Wilson’s Warbler, Wrentit, Yellow-throated Blackbird, Zone-tailed Hawk

    General Forest (9) – A mix of some wildlife (Chipmunk, Deer, Bullfrogs), and more general lighter forest ambiences.
    Insects (7) – Crickets from various perspectives and different forests along with some Grasshoppers.
    Rain (4) Light to heavier in a canyon with dense vegetation, some with distant birds.
    Rivers (5) Smaller detailed creeks to faster moving rivers.
    Wind (11)  A mix of calm to heavier with gusts, vegetation, and tree creaks.
    Metadata
    Detailed with descriptions and markers and photos to easily navigate and allow for options when searching.  UCS was used to categorize and various bird species are identified.  I’ve also labeled the metadata with what I consider Lower Elevation (up to 1500 feet), Middle Elevation (2000-5000 feet), and Higher Elevation (above 5000 feet).   Included are the season of the year which was mostly Spring and Summer.  Using Open-Tier in Soundminer you can use these to help get a bit more specific to particular environments.

    The Gear

    Sound Devices MixPre-3 & 6 | Zoom F3 & 6 | Sony PCM-D100

    Mics

    Sennheiser MKH 8020 | Sennheiser MKH 8040 |

    Sennheiser MKH 30 | Clippy EM 272

  • Hello Creators!

    Here’s my new pack: “General UI Sounds“

    General UI Sounds  ·  The Sound Guild

    I wanted to create a sound pack to cover different situations in an user interface.
    I hope you enjoy implementing this sounds in your project!

    Making-Off

    All this sounds were originally recorded with a Zoom H6 (cardiod microphone), and were processed in Logic Pro X, mainly editing the recorded material but also I used the Logix Pro X sampler.

    Some considerations

    1. Keep in mind this sounds can be used in a variety of situations, I put a name to the SFX but this doesn’t mean it can’t be used in other contexts.

    2. The sounds are in 44.1Khz/16 bit format. I have the original files at 96khz/24bit also, if you need this format, please contact me.

    Check all my packs on Asoundeffect

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  • Car Sound Effects BMW Z4 E89 2009 sports car Play Track 221 sounds included, 47 mins total $65

    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 also available in UCS.

  • Toy Quadcopter is a focused mini library capturing the playful and high-pitched character of a toy drone in motion. Perfect for film, TV, games, and interactive media, it offers a variety of flight sounds, close fast pass-bys, slow passes, motor modulations, and essential electronic signals.
    This collection includes take-off and landing sequences, beeps for syncing, calibration and low battery warnings, as well as servo engine textures and detailed proximity recordings. Recorded with precision and clarity, it’s a compact but rich toolset for designing scenes that call for small UAVs, gadgets, or sci-fi elements.


   

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