In this complete guide to sound effects we’re going to give you the lowdown on all things SFX.
SFX stands for sound effects, and they’re a hugely important part of cinema. Think of how different Star Wars fight scenes would be without the humming sounds of the lightsabers.
Plus, horror films would really have the edge taken off them if you couldn’t hear the subtle yet ominous sounds that represent impending danger – a creaking door or heavy footsteps.
Believe it or not, SFX are equally important in your marketing videos. We’ll explore why in this complete guide.
What are sound effects? (SFX definition)
Sound effects (SFX) are audio elements used in media (everything from marketing videos to video games) to enhance the viewing experience, influence the mood, and/or generate certain reactions from audiences.
SFX exclusively refers to sounds added to videos rather than music tracks or voiceovers. They are typically artificially added by video editors during post-production.
Different types of sound effects
There are many different types of sound effects that you’ll come across when making videos for your company. Each has a different use case and can elevate the quality of your video content. Let’s take a look at them all in turn…
1. Background/ambient sound
Let’s begin with one of the most subtle and yet also most important sound effects. Background and ambient SFX help to build realism into the world of your video. Some examples include traffic sounds, nature sounds, or the murmur of a crowded room.
Background sounds should be unobtrusive and not draw away from any of the other elements (either auditory or visual) of your video, but they are still crucial for building an atmosphere and making your video feel more authentic and professional.
2. Spot sound effects
Spot sound effects (also sometimes referred to as ‘hard SFX’) are sounds that are directly linked to a visual. For example, the sound of a door closing or a gunshot. These sound effects need to be synchronised with the visual that they represent and timed precisely to match.
If a spot sound effect was slightly off it would destroy the realism of the video and also the immersion of the viewer. When done correctly, spot SFX can help to play a vital role in storytelling by emphasising important moments and keeping viewers drawn in.
3. Foley SFX
Foley SFX can refer to both background sounds and spot sounds. Essentially, foley sound effects are custom-recorded sounds made to replicate everyday noises. This could be the sound of footsteps on gravel (background) or it could also be the sound of a mug being placed on a table (spot SFX).
The main aim of foley is realism. Foley sound effects are typically created by foley artists, using props and special techniques to add as much realism as possible.
4. Design SFX
Design sound effects are creatively engineered sounds that often don’t exist in the real world. You’re most likely to hear these sound effects in sci-fi and fantasy movies. Popular examples include alien creatures, futuristic technology, or magic spells.
Design sound effects are particularly important if you’re interested in making animated videos. Animation can help you bring any scenario to life, and so can design sound effects! The two work together effectively to enhance storytelling and add depth to fantastical scenes.
5. Human sounds
If you have human characters in your video then you’re going to want to use human sound effects. These sounds encompass all of the vocal and non-vocal noises produced by people – everything from sighing to coughing to speaking to laughing to crying!
Human sounds help to convey emotion and are critical in helping viewers to understand the narrative. To ensure the sounds remain crisp and clear, human sounds are often recorded separately and layered into the scene in post-production.
6. Environmental SFX
Environmental sound effects are similar to background sound effects but they refer exclusively to the environment. These sounds help to represent the natural or urban surroundings of the scene. Examples could be weather effects like rain or thunder, but also construction and traffic noises.
Environmental SFX help to establish the atmosphere of the scene and create a more immersive experience for viewers.
How sound effects are used in media
To enhance realism
Sound effects are absolutely essential for enhancing the realism of your video world. Without sound effects, viewers would immediately know something was off about the video and it would destroy any immersion they would’ve had.
In this way, SFX is kind of like an unsung hero. Many sound effects aren’t actually supposed to be noticed at all – like wind rustling through leaves, the beep of a card being tapped on a card reader, the sound of paper being folded – but they have to be there because people would definitely notice their absence!
To set the mood
Another way that sound effects play a significant role in video creation is through establishing mood. Setting the mood of a scene gives cues to the audience about what they should be feeling and thinking while watching. Mood-setting SFX are used often and to great effect in horror films:
However, they can just as easily be used to set the mood of your marketing videos. Think about how you want your audience to feel while watching and try to select sound effects that help with that.
To provoke a reaction
Sound effects are also used to provoke different reactions from viewers. Again, the horror genre uses this to great effect with ‘jump scares’ but SFX can also be used to create moments of surprise, joy, and even moments of calm.
To direct attention
Sound effects are a great way to naturally direct your audience’s attention to specific elements within a scene. For example, the sound of a phone ringing or footsteps approaching both clearly indicate certain actions to viewers. This can help to clarify the narrative and ensure that key moments don’t go unnoticed.
To enhance storytelling
Sound effects can do so much to enhance your storytelling. When you combine all of the different types of SFX together you can create videos that are immersive, engaging, and super professional-looking.
The importance of SFX in your videos
We’ve touched upon just how vital high quality, well-edited sound effects are in your videos, but let’s take a look at it in action. Here’s a video we made that includes sound effects:
You can hear the sound of the crowds cheering, the sound of the football being kicked, the sound of notifications coming through, and more.
Now, here’s the same video without the sound effects:
The soundtrack is working hard here, but the video feels a lot flatter without those subtle sound effects elevating the immersiveness. This is why SFX is so important when it comes to your video content.
Benefits of sound effects
1. Create believability
Sound effects make the world of your video seem more realistic. Think about the many everyday sounds we are exposed to: the tapping sound of a keyboard, the whooshing sound of the wind, the sound of footsteps on different surfaces.
Sound effects like this, when layered together, will make your video more believable.
2. Generate an emotional response
SFX can really impact our mood. They can make us feel frightened when watching a horror film or feel emotional when watching a romance.
In marketing videos, sound effects can generate an emotional response from potential customers. They can help viewers feel inspired, feel sombre and reflective, or even make them laugh.
3. Adds professionalism
It’s not so much that watching a video with sound effects makes you think ‘huh, this is professional.’ It’s more that when you see a video that’s missing SFX it can instantly appear to be very UNprofessional. And you really don’t want that for your marketing videos.
How does SFX copyright work?
We can’t talk about sound effects without discussing copyright and the legalities around usage. So, how does it all work?
Well, there are many royalty free SFX sites out there that will allow you to use their sound effects for commercial purposes either completely free, for a fee, or for written recognition.
We recommend using these as it’s the easiest and most inexpensive way to source copyright-free sound effects for your brand videos.
Final thoughts
So, now you know pretty much everything there is to know about sound effects! When making your next explainer video, think about the different SFX you could include to elevate the viewer experience and make your videos appear more professional.
To expand your video marketing knowledge even further, read this next: 17 Top Tips for Creating Professional-Looking Videos.
