Building a Sound Effects Library: Essential Steps
Sound effects have become a popular commodity in recent times due to the proliferation of video. Therefore, it may be that sound designers and recording enthusiasts will want to assemble libraries of their sounds to take economic advantage of these valuable audio assets. The steps below will provide a general outline of the process involved in creating a sound effect library to distribute for profit as single online downloads.
1. Record a wide array of 48k sample rate ambiances and single hits using a digital mobile hand-held recorder.
2. Import this raw audio into a digital audio workstation (DAW) and edit, using eq, filters, and normalization, to take out noise and maximize sonic impact.
3. Create stereo 48k 24bit products if possible as distinct .wav files.
4. Name each file as you mix them down with three-letter, five-digit, SKU numbers such as SFX00001 CarHonk1, SFX00002 CatMeow2, etc.
5. After creating the files build an excel sheet which lists categories, sub-categories, filenames, SKU numbers, keywords, descriptions, pricing, and time length.
6. Once you have your excel information and .wav files, consider converting the .wavs to both .aiffs for Mac users and .mp3s for web use, making sure that all .mp3s are based on a 44.1k sample rate.
While any number of sound effects can be considered a library, no matter how small, aim for several thousand to generate enough hits and sales to make a financial impact on your life. Seek out as many online distributors as possible. With a little effort, one can find at least 10 to 15 online stores willing to host and market your products.
1. Record a wide array of 48k sample rate ambiances and single hits using a digital mobile hand-held recorder.
2. Import this raw audio into a digital audio workstation (DAW) and edit, using eq, filters, and normalization, to take out noise and maximize sonic impact.
3. Create stereo 48k 24bit products if possible as distinct .wav files.
4. Name each file as you mix them down with three-letter, five-digit, SKU numbers such as SFX00001 CarHonk1, SFX00002 CatMeow2, etc.
5. After creating the files build an excel sheet which lists categories, sub-categories, filenames, SKU numbers, keywords, descriptions, pricing, and time length.
6. Once you have your excel information and .wav files, consider converting the .wavs to both .aiffs for Mac users and .mp3s for web use, making sure that all .mp3s are based on a 44.1k sample rate.
While any number of sound effects can be considered a library, no matter how small, aim for several thousand to generate enough hits and sales to make a financial impact on your life. Seek out as many online distributors as possible. With a little effort, one can find at least 10 to 15 online stores willing to host and market your products.
About the Author:
In addition to writing articles on multimedia subjects, SFXsource holds a Sound Effects library and licenses royalty free music for multimedia projects.