Ringling College Library Guide for Sound Resources:
Contains some special resources you are automatically given access to as a Ringling student. And a few tools/resources you’ll already find familiar!
The default resource for free stock sounds. Allows you to sort by “Creative Commons” to avoid using sounds that can’t be used in commercial projects.
Also a good resource for usable music (and images).
Not necessarily known for their sound effect banks, but you’ll find gems, like this old-fashioned Hanna Barbera cartoon sounds collection that can be used with attribution.
Open-Use Music Resources:
*Be careful with music channels from places like YouTube that claim materials are “no copyright.” Oftentimes, these channels promote resources that they cannot 100% confirm are free to use. My thoughts on this: only use media you can 100% confirm the *original* creator permits the use of. You should only use materials you are positive beyond a shadow of a doubt you are able to use. This includes the resources below:
Archive.org:
The largest and most accessible archive on the internet, and home to a vast amount of public domain recordings, as well recordings that are free to use. I personally make use of their pre-1925 recordings for The Backrooms: Silverfish, which are in the public domain in the United States (in accordance with the Music Modernization Act). Podcasts like Midnight Burger have used such recordings for both horrific effect and for that zany, old-time kind of feel.
Wikimedia Commons:
Home to some unique and strange public domain musical recordings (like concerts played by military bands, which are inherently public domain).
Musicians who Permit (Largely) Free Use of their Materials:
Used so frequently in productions that can’t afford music it’s almost a meme—but he’s the go-to choice for a reason. McLeod’s backlog of music features albums worth of music for any occasion. Scan the next indie production you watch for his name.
Use at your own discretion.
A stripped-down version of Apple’s premier DAW, Logic Pro, GarageBand offers a relatively intuitive interface for composing, recording, and producing music digitally. While its primary design purpose is for music, it’s also a great alternative to Audacity for getting started in editing your show, as it doesn’t rely on destructive editing.
While Sptifire’s LABS offering are free (amongst many other services they offer), their educational discount also knocks a good chunk off their paid options. They collaborate with some well-known names in the music industry (you can play Phillp Glass’s piano!) to make virtual instruments. Their offerings range from the tried and true (examples) to some seriously inventive stuff (from playable whale sounds, foghorns, and siren sounds to a choir of gaelic singers and a virtualization of one of the world’s oldest synthesizers). They recently added some paid instruments under the “Labs+” program (hey, people gotta get paid to make cool stuff), but you’ll find plenty of excellent free options with the right digging (use the “most recent” sort option).
Spitfire BBC Symphony Orchestra:
Contains everything you need to make full orchestral music, in a sleek and easy-to-use interface.
A great free alternative to the full Kontakt library that allows independent sound designers to create their own samples, and offer/sell them through their platform. Because of this, you can find a great and inventive selection of instruments you won’t find elsewhere (some of my personal favorites are the banjo ukulele, the slinky violin, a metal desk lamp, a sonic toothbrush synth, and a toy tiger xylophone.) While they do feature some paid products, most of these come with a slightly stripped-down free version you can still get a lot of mileage out of.
Not only a great resource for general conversation and updates about independent music production, but a great place to find free virtual instruments (and plugins) as well.
Novelty Virtual Instruments:
General Resources & Free Collections:
Free Virtual Instrument Collections:
Lofi & Analogue Sound Filters:
Looking for a lofi sound for that old box of cassettes, VHS tapes, or vinyl records your protagonist is (madly) sorting through? Try these:
Spooky, Scary Sounds:
Ambient, Dreamy, and Otherworldly Sounds:
Load an audio sample into the track, go to “Effects,” select “Paulstretch,” and play around with it. It’s an oldie, but it can create limitless otherworldly textures out of virtually any sound sample. I’ve used it on samples of cows mooing to create the ambience of a cave before, for example. Highly recommend it!
Vocal Processing:
Other: