What are SFX? A Guide to Sound Effects

If you’re a movie fanatic, you’re probably familiar with the term SFX – a term that stands for both special effects and sound effects. Admittedly, it can be a bit confusing at first, but hey, we didn’t make the rules! What we did make, however, is a plethora of high-quality, royalty-free sound effects that are guaranteed to take your next project to the next level. And by the way, HookSounds Is Featured On TheInsaneApp.com, check it out!

What is ‘SFX’?

Before you get your hands on editing, here are some more things you need to know about sound effects. Firstly, they are a huge part of sound design, no matter what kind of content you are creating and, most importantly, if your content is audio-based. If you have a podcast, then sound effects are a must, but even if you are doing a video, they can be helpful to create transitions or add a little extra something to the content. 

If you’re creating a film, documentary, or music video, SFX will be your best friend as they will help you to set the mood in many scenes. As we talked about in our article about diegetic sounds, sound effects play a huge role in films and are a great way for filmmakers to make the worlds that they build feel even more powerful. Think of any great movie in history, and you will realize how all the sounds play a major role in storytelling. 

SFX: Sound Effects or Special Effects?

If you’re a movie lover, you may have noticed that some people mistakenly use the terms “sound effects” and “special effects” interchangeably. However, there is a distinct and notable difference between the two. Sound effects, commonly abbreviated as SFX, refer to the sounds that are added to a movie or video to enhance the auditory experience. On the other hand, special effects, abbreviated as FX or VFX, are the visual elements added in post-production to create illusions or enhance the realism of a scene. With the advancement of technology and the constant evolution of the film industry, it’s important to understand the difference between these two acronyms to avoid any confusion when discussing film and video production.

How Sound Effects are Made

Making sound effects is a crucial aspect of filmmaking, as it serves to enhance the viewer’s experience and immerse them in the story world. While there are various techniques and tools used to create sound effects, Foley sounds stand out as a type that recreates those heard on-screen, but in a more authentic way. These sounds are made by actual humans, who use a variety of props and surfaces to create the desired effect. This old-school way of recording sound effects is still very much in use in many films, as it provides a unique and genuine touch to any audio creation. Watching Foley artists at work is not only fascinating, but it also helps us appreciate the artistry and skill involved in creating the sounds that bring our favorite movies to life. So, the next time you’re watching a film, take a moment to listen closely to the sound effects and appreciate the hard work and creativity that goes into making them. It’s also very fun to watch:

Types of Sound Effects

Sound effects are so big, that they have become an art form themselves.  There are different types of sound effects:

• Hard Sound Effects: common sounds like door alarms, weapons firing and cars driving by.
• Background Sound Effects: these sounds indicate the setting to the audience, for example, forest sounds and car interiors.
• Foley Sound Effects: these are sounds that are crafted in sync with the film during post-production to recreate everyday sound effects.
• Design Sound Effects: these sounds do not normally occur in nature. One example of this is the sounds that are used in science fiction films in which futuristic technology is used.

Importance of Sound Effects in Film

Understanding how sound effects enhance films is crucial  A real gunshot is not as loud as it seems in movies, and most thunders aren’t as scary as they are on-screen. Still, without those sounds, something would seem off, as we have grown so accustomed to them, we expect to hear them when watching a movie. But the truth is that the right audio effects are powerful and can completely change your movie.

Not only do they help make a scene seem more real, but they also boost emotions in the audience. Actually, movie score composers carefully consider how to use familiar sounds in unusual ways to make us feel uncomfortable and tense. Many times these sounds are buried in the movie score or even as subtle sound waves to generate different emotions. For example, infrasound is well-known for creating an unsettling sensation and freaking audiences out. This is a low-frequency sound that cannot be heard, but literally unsettles human beings down to our bones. While human ears begin to hear a sound at 20 Hz, Infrasound exists at 19 Hz and below, that is why we can’t actually hear it but still feel it. 

Movies with Great Sound Effects

Knowing how to use sound effects effectively is as essential as having great audio files. There are a few movies out there that have both, great sound effects and the correct usage of these. Here, we are going to list a few movies with both, great sound effects, aswell as their perfect use:

• Jurassic Park: this movie has amazing sound effects and an amazing T-Rex roar, which was achieved by making a mix of different animal vocalizations.
• Interstellar: This is one of HookSounds’s favorite of all time. Interstellar is not only a stunning movie with a remarkable score by Hans Zimmer, but the sound effects department really played a huge role here.
• Dunkirk: This movie also has stunning sound effects and a really immersive sound design.

Royalty Free Sound Effects

Obviously, you can make videos without using sound effects, but since beauty is in the details, they will for sure be a plus when creating audiovisual content and your audience will appreciate it. Be sure to browse around our sound effects library. Add them to your videos and get ready to step up your editing game!

The moment we mentioned how audio helps enhance video content is the exact same moment where HookSounds Music comes in. HookSounds counts with a 3000+ royalty free music track library. All of which have been carefully crafted by our talented team of in-house artists. Whether you’re looking for upbeat, energetic tracks to match a lively montage, or soothing, ambient melodies to accompany a thought-provoking scene, Hooksounds has everything you need to take your video content to the next level.