Discover the latest industry news and audio post production.
Glitchedtones are known for their ability to spark creativity with their cinematic and experimental Sound Libraries. Abstract Sound Design serves as a starting point for those initial idea phases.
November 23, 2021
Company: Glitchedtones
Product: Abstract Sound Design
Price: $12
Our Rating: 4.3/5
Glitchedtones have organised their samples into two folders, one for Atmospheres and one for FX. Everything here is neat and tidy, and the files have varying lengths provided in 24Bit 48kHz WAV with metadata - a total of 60 sounds. Even though the artwork does look self made, I think it serves the product well and matches the theme nicely, kudos.
The value in this library is great in terms of quantity. The sounds weigh it at just $1 per 5 effects ($1 per 10 effects if you count the 50% discount currently running).
These sounds are very fitting to the kind of glitchyness and weirdness found in Psychological Thrillers, Sci-Fi, Trailers and even Modern Cinematic Hybrid Music. They could be a good counterpoint to visually distorted footage too. One reference point to the style of these would be Neill Blomkamp films where there is an element of future lo-fi and grit, tasty stuff.
How do they sound? Abstract. You wont find much here in terms of building blocks, but more the results of a loopy feedback Sound Design session from Glitchedtones. Perhaps something that may set your project apart for the price of $12. Especially if its an experimental 3D animation project with visual movement. Or a high end Sci-Fi that needs some extra 'edge'. The sounds are quite heavily processed too - more so towards the side of dynamics processing. The frequency content feels raw and dirty, but is without any quality issues.
The price here is great, but a couple of small niggles make this library less competitive than it could be. Considering the theme, you would think that providing the sounds in 96kHz would be a no brainer. Anything ambient/atmospheric in a Sound Library really should be at least 30-60 seconds long, and the shorter sounds leave users feeling like the focus was on quantity over length.
Bare in mind that this doesn't take away from the fresh content that this product delivers. We'll be using it for Psychological Thriller/Sci-Fi projects that come in, or when we want a layer to a transforming cyber duck with a plasma fuelled jetpack!
Great price, lots of bang for buck ($6 with the discount!) for brave souls that like to venture into the weird and wonderful projects often assigned to Sound Designers and Composers. Get 50% off Abstract Sound Design now while the offer is still available!
Principle Sound Design's Sci-Fi Weapons fuses Hollywood style elements with hard hitting Russian engineering.
November 23, 2021
Company: Principle Sound Design
Product: Sci-Fi Weapons
Price: $42
Our Rating: 4.7/5
After opening the review copy sent to us by Principle Sound Design, we were excited to take a look at what is on offer here. The first impressions were great, as over 1000 weapon sounds are included (that should be enough to fill out your star-ship armoury).
There are also categories which are cleverly separated into weapon names; DP-116-STEELFINGER and UR-1804 CRUSHER being personal favourites. A clever touch that gives the impression that real care and attention went into building each weapon with unique character, something often missing in Sci-Fi libraries at this price point.
The cover art, layout and file naming of the library is very consistent and feels professional. The 1000+ sounds are provided in 24Bit 96kHz so that you can stretch 'till your hearts content (or until you get artefacts).
An unfortunate thing here is the lack of metadata tagging! A small price to play for the quality vs. price ratio though.
This library is modular, offering customers free updates which we think is very generous considering how much content is included already - we were told by Principle Sound Design that at least 7 new guns and about 50 sounds of reloading will be added as a free update very soon, and that metadata may also be on the cards.
You also get performances / repeated shots built into many of the sounds which is useful for huge battles and off screen elements, saving you lots of time when spotting those behemoth sized planetary invasions.
Some of the weapons are clearly inspired by your favourite Sci-Fi heroes (see SW-77-REBEL) where others offer something completely new and exciting (see FN-001-WHIP).
So how do they sound? Hollywood, huge, heavy and high calibre. They have a fat, processed and clean sound that feels mixed to the point where you can drop them straight into a scene with some reverb and distance perception. Reloads and ricochets also make an appearance, and are definitely a nice addition.
Enough stereotypical Sci-Fi elements have been used to build this library, but some new ones have been sprinkled in to give it some fresh flavour. This will blend with other vendors libraries well, but will also stand on it's own with formidable glory. A combination of Foley and Synthesis were blended to create the content, which has resulted in a well rounded aesthetic.
One minor problem that I feel was overlooked by Principle Sound Design here was the naming of the library. It is very similar to libraries from SoundMorph which raises some questions, but also makes it very confusing to find in search engines.
In terms of what's offered, the only negative is the lack of metadata - the sound, price, format and everything else help make this a really killer library!
If the lack of Metadata doesn't concern you, there are over 1000 reasons to purchase this library for the small price of $42 and not many reasons to say no; especially if you are working on a Sci-Fi project.
SoundBits' fun library Tiny Transitions takes the concept of their other 'Whoosh' based products, this time offering a less intrusive pallete.
November 23, 2021
Company: SoundBits
Product: Tiny Transitions
Price: $39.60
Our Rating: 4.5/5
When opening the library, we were surprised by the myriad of samples, extensive enough to cover most bases within this theme. We put the library through it's paces in a Pixar style animation film we are currently working on.
The library provides stellar quality 96KHz 24Bit samples, neatly organised into folders for both the 'Designed Sounds' and the 'Source Sounds' with extensive metadata. 565 sounds are provided - carefully edited to allow for the rather compact size of 770MB.
As usual with the nature of whoosh libraries, users may find better results by trying out a bunch of sounds, rather than relying fully on metadata mining.
One thing noted by SoundBits when sending us the library was that they took some of our feedback on board from the previous product review - we mentioned that it may be a good idea to offer a library of some miniature whooshes; great plus for customer service!
When listening, be prepared for cute, animated zips and whizzes - that work surprisingly well when layered with SoundBits 'Whooshes & Impacts' libraries. Definitely do not expect a thin and synthesized sound though, despite the title. This library has heaps of varied content, sounds akin to everything from dragonfly wings passing by to cyborg computer startup screens.
Offering the Source Sound content makes for a very generous package at the asking price, and offers a wider variety to users. So where would you use this? Simple. User interfaces, small creatures, robotic movement and layers to more aggressive libraries + more.
Tiny Transitions has that awesome signature SoundBits sound - well designed sonic glitter that has a clear base in reality somehow. The source sounds are painstakingly recorded with a Sonosax SX-R4+ and Sennheiser MKH8050+MKH30 M/S rig before the design begins deep in the SoundBits lab somewhere in Germany (you can feel that German accuracy and efficiency).
On the project we used the library on, it worked great for adding a little spark to duller moments, or offering a new layer to a deeper whoosh (our favourites are the LF_Whoosh sounds in Whooshes & Impacts 2). Another thing that is great about this library is the experimentation it encourages. It won't be the only layer in many cases but it will add that last piece of swagger that makes your clients smile in the studio.
One small thing that bothers us about SoundBits libraries is the artwork. It is not bad artwork by any standard, but it really does undersell the content. Considering there are over 500 micro story moments on offer here the artwork doesn't reflect that - and I think it is something that SoundBits could look into improving to match how well designed their sound content is.
One more thing to suggest here, would be to split the elements into frequency content (like on Whooshes & Impacts 2). It's not really an issue because of the 'micro' nature of the sounds, but it would be a nice touch nonetheless.
The robotic creature like movement sounds in here are so unique and interesting that I would like to see a future library that focuses on small animal movements from SoundBits. Even though that is only one part of the content on offer here, it really does stand out as unique and new.
SoundBits libraries are always a no-brainer purchase as inspiration tools, and we will be using this extensively in more projects to cover UI, Sci-Fi, Animal and layered elements - go grab it today. You will find both expected and unexpected sounds here and the price is reasonable enough to warrant a purchase from most Sound Designers.
5 Copies of Tiny Transitions are available to win for
all who like the 344 Audio Facebook page at:
and all who subscribe to SoundBits Newsletter at by the 25th June 2017:
The prize winners will be announced on the 344 Audio Facebook Page!
Mattia Cellotto's latest library Polarity is a real shock to the system with it's intense electricity based effects.
November 23, 2021
Company: Mattia Cellotto
Product: Polarity
Price: $90
Our Rating: 4.8/5
The library was recorded at 192KHz with a Sanken CO100K, a couple of Sennheiser MKH8040's and a LOM Elektrosluch 3+ for electromagnetic interferences. The recordings were taken in Italy and the UK (much to our excitement!)
On opening our review copy, the library was split into six sections, with sounds numbered by their variation along with extensive metadata.
Everything here is clearly labelled, and well edited into sub themes, making it a breeze to find that perfect electrical sound punch for your project.
A handy useful information .pdf is a nice touch from Mattia - explaining the mic positioning and file naming conventions to the user. The behind the scenes video (featured at the bottom of the review) is also a very useful, and adds value to the hard work behind this library.
The metadata names for many of these sounds along with the artwork, give the user fond thoughts of Frankenstein being electrically charged and brought to life!
The content here just oozes with fizzy quality and abundance. Everything is on offer, from aggressive electrical sounds, to warm and soft hums, zaps, tesla coils. There is even a 'Cheats Section' where electricity sound is created from miscellaneous items such as tape, dry ice and synthesizers. Another nice touch is the variations of each sound on offer, which all have personalities of their own.
As well as the base content, Mattia also generously recorded some vintage devices (phones, rusty levers, telegraphs etc.) and machines which add immense value and continuity when combined with the wonderful electrical elements!
The way the library sounds is truly magical. Full in all frequencies, without being harsh or over emphasised (clearly due to the great recordings). It sits well in a mix, with sounds for big electrical moments such as Thor's hammer hits and softer hums that would work great within a Sci-Fi ship's engine generator. Basically, if there is an electricity sound you are imagining, it's very likely in here and I promise it will get your film scene fully charged up.
The Cheats Section is great for layering with other electrical sounds to add a high texture, and the Jacob's Ladder effects are our favourite show stoppers. The theme was met extremely well and Mattia clearly spared zero Watts when working on this - giving users an all in one solution to electricity that has a touch of class throughout every carefully chosen sound.
This library is very impressive and is a testament to how one can take a theme and really put time and design into the sounds recorded and the overall aesthetic. There are no real mishaps to be found in the quality or consistency of what you get here for your hard earned cash.
One thing that I felt was lacking slightly was the use of more complex synthesis. There are some great Granular style glitch effects but base elements made from synthesis would have been a nice detail to fill this lavish library out further.
The price is rather high, but it reflects the high level of detail and care put into making this library what it is - a masterpiece.
Usually specific themed libraries like these are not worth purchasing unless you have a scene that requires them, but for this product, you should definitely make an exception. It can be used in a wide variety of circumstances and it will definitely be our go to electricity library from now on.
Grab the FREE exclusive mini library below to hear why this library is so special.
Badlands Sound never fail to bring smiles to Sound Designer's faces with their forward thinking, affordable libraries.
November 23, 2021
Company: Badlands Sound
Product: Resonance
Price: $12
Our Rating: 4.3/5
Badlands like to organise their samples into one folder, which makes sense with their libraries being quite compact in terms of file numbers. Everything here is neat and tidy, each file all around 1 minute in duration. With a total of 25 minutes of content, all in stunning 24 Bit 96kHz WAV fidelity, this library is a must have for all you drone lovers. Every time we receive a Badlands library, the quality of the theme, marketing materials and sounds offer exceptional value (just look at that artwork). We put it through it's paces in a recent Horror film, which was very much grounded in reality, an interesting test for a drones library.
The 25 files on board this library cover a variety of styles and feelings, many quite simple and straight forward, minimal. The reason they are minimal however is because the quality is excellent and doesn't need to be masked with too many elements. Resonance is useful in many applications such as Sci-Fi, Horror and Psychological Thriller film scenes. Everything from pulsating tones to lift an extra terrestrial planet BG, to ringing akin to the presence of supernatural spirits.
What adds much more value for money and usefulness, is that the sounds were mostly created by manipulating voices. This gives them a certain context grounded in reality, which is where many Sci-Fi films are headed; this library would be useful in films like Arrival and Interstellar. It has that misty soft and juicy ethereal quality, which enhances otherwise static moments under dialogue and action. Everything here sits nicely, in a way that feels homemade and not overly processed.
One thing that could have pushed the theme to the next level, is making it much bigger and breaking it down into sections relating to the sound source. Sections could include: voices, metals, liquids, plastics etc. This is definitely reflected in the price, and what you get is well worth a couple of coffees.
The content here is lush and consistent, adding an extra minute to each file would have also gone a long way to extend it's usage.
If you are a forward thinking Sound Designer, these will be a great asset in your toolbox for scenes bordering on the futuristic and supernatural, but it won't draw attention to itself. It is extremely well priced, yet with our discount code you will get an extra 30% off for a limited time!
Get Resonance for 30% off: Use Code: pulse
