A construction kit for your weapon sound design
Ever found yourself deep in the trenches of some action game like Call of Duty or Counterstrike, where every click blasts you into another heart-racing battle, only to realize that the pew-pew and ka-ching of laser guns and semi-automatics sound eerily familiar? Or perhaps you’ve been binge-watching your favorite fantasy series, marveling at the seamless blend of visuals and sound, wondering, “How do they make it sound so real?”
Whether it’s podcasts that transport you to other worlds with nothing but sound or indie films where the tension is palpable through audio alone, the secret weapon behind these immersive experiences is often a killer sound effects collection.
Rarely are the weapon sounds that you hear actually what’s picked up on camera. Sometimes it’s distorted, the wind knocks out the sound, the mics aren’t in the best position, the dialogue covers it up, and so on. The job of the sound designer is to replace all those sounds with designed sounds that sound like they came from what’s on screen – or at times, they sound even better than what you would hear from the object on screen.
That’s often the case with weapon sounds. There’s more bass, more gut pounding umph, and more shock and awe than what can sometimes just sound like an underwhelming firecracker.
What’s in a weapon sound?
There’s a lot that goes into weapon sounds. More than just recording them and placing them into your video editor. Like many sound effects, they’re usually made up of five layers: body, transient, sub, mechanical, and tail.
Three of these are in just about every sound effect, the body, transient, and tail. For weapons, you’ve got to go a few steps further since there’s more than just the cannon blast that needs a sound. There’s also the weapons handling – the rotation of the cylinders, the click of the hammer, and so on. So, in the body, you’ve got the main gunshot, and in the transient, there’s the sharpness. Then the impact, the sub, which holds the low-frequency oomph, and the mechanical has all the weapon handling I just mentioned. Finally, the tail has the decay – how long it takes the sound to fade away.
On top of that, you’ve also got to remember the other sounds. Like bullet casing drops, holstering and drawing sounds, the rotation of the cannon, the charging of the plasma, and so on, depending on what weapon is being used.
Do the research
Be aware that no two guns or weapons sound the same. Each pistol, automatic rifle, sword, and so on. This is a rookie mistake for many sound designers who have never fired an actual weapon before. Go to YouTube, watch and listen to some gun enthusiast channels with live fires and hear what it sounds like.
In this video, pro sound designer Matt Gault has some great insights about weapon sound design, highlighting several different types of firearms. And though in this update, we’re not offering such a variety of firearms specifically, but more weapons in general (some firearms, cannons, swords, etc), the design principles that he walks through carry over from weapon to weapon.
What’s included?
Enter our latest release: an arsenal of quality recorded weapon sound effects that range from the medieval clash of chainmail and swords to the futuristic zaps of sci-fi armaments. From the crisp twang of arrows leaving the bow (along with equips, drops, quiver sounds, etc), each designed with a precision that lets you almost feel the fletching. Or the deep, ominous movement and firing of cannons, recorded with authentic period pieces to capture every gritty detail.
The M4 gun reports are as close to the real deal as you can get without visiting a firing range, thanks to the fact that we did. And for those who venture into the realms of the future or the otherworldly, our Sci-Fi Weapon Sounds are a treasure trove. From the plasma charge to the distinctive buzz of electric zaps and retro weapon styles, these sounds are synthesized with an eye for detail that would make even a mad scientist proud.
It’s a construction kit upload at its finest, with all the sound parts you need to create proper effects for medieval video games, combat themed podcasts, and more. There are the bodies, transients, tails, and mechanicals. It’s just up to you to piece them together to complete the realism of your project.
To browse the full list of sounds, click here.
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So, there you have it – a sneak peek into our latest stock FX album featuring a wide range of weapon sound effects. We can’t wait to see how you use these sounds to bring your creative projects to life, tag our social media when you share your project to let us know!
