Howdy all, Is there anywhere on the net or otherwise offering "free" sound effects for use in non commercial software? I can compose and record music but getting sound effects has always been a problem, there''s only so many times I can stand hearing the explosion from TOTWGPG CD Any help would be heaps appreciated. Thanks Toby Gobsmacked - by Toby Murray

Try these:

http://www.stonewashed.net/sfx.html

http://www.grsites.com/sounds/

I''ve got plenty of sound effects. Explosions for sure. Taken from games, naturally, but they''re not all cliche ones.
Try me if those sites don''t satisfy you. #sa-magic@joymail.com is the address. That''s my mail. That address again is sa-magic@joymail.com !#

Woah, those sites are good.

If you took them from games, and you or anyone else attempts to use them in their software, you will most likely be breaking copyright law.

Don''t distribute samples that you do not know are free from royalty.

addendeum: And its best to play it safe, even if your software is "non-commercial." If you are making a very simple game for rpactice''s sake, then I woudlnt worry, but if you do anythign that might become popular in any way and attract attention to yoruself, you can still get nailed for distribution if you use unlicensed copyrighted samples.

Very good point. I''m used to totally fan-based forums, so I rarely consider it.

www.flashkit.com has links to some pretty good free sound. Most of it is royalty free so you can use it commercially if you want.

borngamer

I''ve seen this question a few times, and I''m starting to think that my city (Vancouver, BC, Canada) is a freakshop, but here goes ..


In our major public library is a CD collection. In addition to all the Brahms and Bach are over 200 sound effect CDs. These are all available to borrow from the library. Since the content on them is license free to the holder of the CD, I think you should be able to use anything you find on them for your games. I know I have. And for film, and for television spots.

I''ve found CDs full of explosions, birds and waves, car doors opening, car doors closing, buttons being pressed, elevator doors opening, and all kinds of stuff.

So if you live in a major city, or even a not-so-major city, go to your public library and see if they have sound effect CDs. See if they have sound-effect LPs. I''ve found some of the best science fiction sound effects on a record in the library that is over 30 years old.

Just me thoughts!

Hell ya that rocks man! I never thought of the public library having sfx, but they do!?! Thanks for the info!

DRINK GIN! IT MAKES A MAN MEAN-milk and cheese

Check the fine print on those CD''s. A lot of SFX CD''s that I''ve looked at at in the past are sort of "listen-to-it" CD''s, and strangely enough, you had to write in, request permission, and sometimes pay to use the sample you want.

I dunno what the legalities are of using things in public libraries...just because the library loans a book to you, it doesnt give you the right to sell copies of the pages, and it likely applies to the SFX CD''s, too...dunno.