Every day, countless posts appear on Reddit and other forums attempting to track down a specific sound effect from a movie, TV show, or game. Many of these people are searching for the original source file; but some just want to find something similar to use in a project. Others simply want to know the name of a common type of sound effect they’ve heard but can’t identify.
Regardless of what you’re looking for or why, this blog will help you find it (or maybe something even better). That obscure sound effect you’ve been scouring the internet for just might be within reach – if you know how to look for it.
But first, a quick caveat: it may not be possible to find the exact sound you’re looking for. Many of the sound effects you hear in movies, games, and TV shows are custom-made by sound designers, and only they have access to the source files. That said, don’t get discouraged – even if you can’t get that sound, you can almost certainly find a close match or recreate it yourself.
Now, let the search begin!
First, determine which category the sound effect belongs to. This will drastically narrow down your search, saving you precious time wading through unrelated sounds. Below is a list of common types of sound effects, and you can discover even more in our two-part series: Sound Effects Terms Explained: Pt. 1 & Sound Effects Terms Explained: Pt. 2.
To get even more specific, you can reference the Universal Category System (UCS), a standardized naming convention used by Pro Sound Effects and many other professional sound effects distributors. UCS specifies hundreds of categories and subcategories, such as AEROJet (jet-powered aircraft), MUSCPerc (musical percussion), and TOONSqk (cartoon squeaks). Referencing the UCS categories can save you tons of time searching through sound effects databases.
Once you know which category your sound belongs to, try to describe the sound in as much detail as possible. This will give you a specific vocabulary of search terms to use when combing through sound effects libraries, helping you find what you need faster. Here are a few aspects to consider:
For example, a lightsaber from Star Wars could be described as a steady hum with an electrical quality and subtle modulation. When a lightsaber is swung, the sound changes pitch, ascending and descending quickly with a doppler effect. Two lightsabers hitting each other sounds like a distorted, abrasive crackle. Using descriptive words like these will make your search much easier.
The context of a sound effect can often provide a shortcut to finding it. For example, high-budget productions tend to feature a lot of custom-made sound effects, which are often created from professional libraries like Pro Sound Effects. Lower-budget productions tend to use more free sound effects from platforms like SoundQ or widely available public domain sounds. YouTube and TikTok videos often recycle sound effects from other videos.
Where did you hear the sound effect?
If you haven’t found what you’re looking for yet, don’t waste your time trawling endless Google results or asking AI chatbots for help. Instead, use a purpose-built tool like SoundQ to browse more than a million sound effects at once. You’ll not only find results quicker this way, you’ll also be able to download or purchase them instantly, insert them right into your project, and get back to creating.
SoundQ by Pro Sound Effects is a free-to-use sound effects browser with powerful search tools that help you find what you need as quickly as possible. The built-in thesaurus automatically searches for synonyms like whoosh/swoosh, hit/impact, and crack/break, bringing up results that you may not have thought to search for. And if English isn’t your first language, SoundQ will automatically interpret and translate your search queries. You can search the entire PSE collection at once, focus on free content, and filter search results by category, duration, format, and other parameters.
The Pro Sound Effects website is another excellent way to find specific sound effects. You can choose to search for individual sounds or libraries, select the categories you’re interested in, add and remove keywords from your search query, and utilize suggested keywords to help you find what you’re looking for. You can audition and download sounds right from the search results list, or click “Find more sounds like this” to search even deeper. With a PSE account, you can create and save custom Collections of your favorite sound effects.
Sometimes, you simply won’t be able to get your hands on a specific sound effect. Often, this is because it was custom-made by a sound designer and never duplicated, distributed, or sold outside of the original context. When it comes to famous sound effects that have been isolated and shared by fans (think Mario games or popular cartoons), you may be able to find the sound but not use it due to copyright restrictions. If you’re unable to find or license the sound effect you’re looking for, don’t worry – you still have options!
Find the next best option
Most of the time, you’ll be able to find a sound effect that’s similar enough to the one you’re looking for. In fact, you might even find something that’s even better for your purposes! Keep your mind open to alternatives and explore libraries like Anime Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 for recreations of classic anime sound design, Cosmic Echoes for authentic retro sci-fi sounds, and Colossal for iconic trailer effects.
Recreate it yourself
Another option is to roll up your sleeves and attempt to recreate the sound effect you need. Depending on your sound editing skills, this might involve a bit of a learning curve, but it will pay big dividends the next time you need to design a sound from scratch. To start learning the fundamentals of sound design, check out our 101 Series blogs or watch our in-depth tutorial videos on YouTube.
Ask the community
The Pro Sound Effects community is full of sound designers, video editors, field recordists, and other sound experts who might be able to help you find what you’re looking for. Join the PSE Community on Slack or Discord, introduce yourself, and start making connections with people who are as passionate about sound as you are.