As an avid soundie, I'm always on the lookout for sound effects - you can never have too many!

I just had a thought this evening - Would it be a good idea for Amdram to have a sound effect library where people can upload effects (MP3 format say) for use by other clubs?

Obviously there would be copyright issues if you were to use BBC effects for example, however if the effect was created "in-house" by the club it could be made available to others. Could be useful for those hard to find effects...someone somewhere has possibly produced their own.

What do people think?

I have no idea about the logistics of this but I think it's a great idea.

I think its a great idea too. There are many post in the forum asking for specific or hard to find sound effects and could encourage more people to visit the site. I know I had to search many sites for effects for our last show, and had to make do.
Perhaps in midi format as well?

J

There are quite a few sites that already do this very well...............

I can think of one that has proven useful...http://www.mididb.com

Its going to be hard to maintain this sort of thing, at least midi files tend to be relatively small, perhaps it could be a good idea, just as Ryano says needs the logistics deciding.

Anyone got any ideas how this should be structured???

Didn@t we sort of try to do this before with lighting symbols and also including sound effects???

Yep - Thought so look hereA swap shop for data

Maybe we can resurrect the idea?

Some useful Sound FX sites with free SFX.

(You'll have to read their terms of use!)

http://www.a1freesoundeffects.com/people.html

http://www.a1freesoundeffects.com/

http://soundamerica.com/sounds/sound_fx/

I've actually been thinking about SFX for my site...

But with a twist...

Instead of "Single" or "groups" of SFX.

Why not batch them by show...

So people can download the WHOLE lot of SFXs they need in one go for a whole show.

It just needs someone to go through shows and then collate the SFX for each.

SFX are quite easy to create yourself, I've done my own for many shows.

We did discuss this before, and I said that I would be more than happy to set up the database, with links to where the sound effects are etc, but someone who knows what they are talking about will have to tell me what you want.

That offer is still open ... now all we need is a volunteer!

Jane

Well Jane if you want to do the "By Show", I think it would be more useful than a genreal "Effects Page" or database.

You'd need to get in contact or have people go through scripts, aim for the big ones first like "Fiddler on the Roof" and the usual ones Am Dram groups seem to do...

Then just ZIP them all up in bundles.

Then just setup a page with them all on it, listed by show.

A lot of work...

Please, please, please, Theatre isn't all song and dance, musicals and shows!

List the SFX by subject please.

Not just by 'shows'

That leaves no imagination by the director a 'shake-and-bake, her's-one-I-made-earlier package!

Sorry.. I do include Plays in "Shows"....

The idea of grouping by show/play is that it's then a "ONE STOP" visit for those looking for effects and then they don't have to go searching all over the web for effects and spend time download bad ones...

Of course an area for "Misc" effects listed could cover everything..

I have just stumbled across this thread, and find that what you are talking about is something I have recently mentioned to Jane.

We are about to start advertizing a new product with amdram and as a secondary item are looking at "packaging" sound effects on a show by show basis, being in discussion with some of the major effects suppliers regarding royalties etc.

Please Note: I am desperately trying NOT to advertize here as I know it is against the rules ! ..

I am interested in knowing what are considered "Standard" Plays for Amateurs ?

As a Amdramer ( lapsed currently !) I have been in, or been involved in the likes of Blythe Sprit, The Ghost Train, An Inspector Calls, The Importance of Being Earnest , Blood Brothers but as I have been out of touch a bit for the last few years do these still stand up as "Standards", What else do poeple consider Classic AmDram plays and shows ?

Regards
Steve

Okay, I give in!

Maybe it's just me?

"Standard Plays"?

Does that mean the ones we (and they) have all seen before, safe and secure like a blanket, or dare I say, Soap Opera?

Theatre + innovation = a trip into the unknown!
A thrill, an evening to be discussed, an evening to provoke discussion and put people in places they haven't been before.

Yep! Must be just me then.

Can someone pass me a razor blade please.

"Goodbye Cruel (and repetitive) world".
:-(

Whoops ... Light blue touch paper and retire to safe distance .....

OK ... maybe "Standard" was the wrong word !...

Would "popular" , as in "regularily tackled by amateur groups" be a more acceptable description ?

Steve

P.S. Surely, not everyone wants to be "challenged" when they go to Theatre ... some want to be just plain "entertained" ...

I think that if there was a 'one-stop' for the effects then those that choose to use this facility would benefit from such a service. Those that don't can make up there own from scratch. Both groups are doing what they feel is right for them. So, my question is, where's the arguement?

No Argument ... just healthy dicsussion

Steve

I'm in both camps here - believing that G&S should be outlawed but I like the idea of a one stop for a show's sound effects (in fact there are already some commercial ones out there) Those groups with the know how and competance will source and create their own effects but a collection hosted here wil help those that can't

I'd go for it (except that I'm a lampie so don't need it)

As a director, I would like to point out that not everyone likes to do 'copycat' shows. I prefer to find my own interpretation of a show, give it my own twists and ideas, and then go to my sound man and say "these are the sound effects I want" - which are on the whole something quite different from what it says in the script!!

Now, I'm sure not everyone directs like this, but I prefer to put something fresh and new into a show. The only time I've used a standard set of sound effects was in doing a premiere...in which case no-one had heard that particular set-up before!

Am I alone here, am I too forward-thinking, or are there other people with imagination out there?

Absolutely, no one is saying that you can't be creative !

Nobody is trying to stop anyone from using whatever sounds they want !

But just as you want to use your own ideas and you have a soundman to go to. to organize them, there are LOTS of small groups out there who do not have the manpower, the ability or the inclination and want to have an "out of the box" solution ...

They are just as valid in their pursuits as those who want to do so called "challenging" productions ....

Steve

P.S. You can't know how these splinters hurt from sitting on the fence

hee hee hee

*ouch*

"show" is just another search criterion - not the most useful maybe, but as valid as any other.

Thinking out loud, I suppose you could have a review system - "this car crash was perfect for our blithe spirit" kind of thing...

personally I'd prefer a pick and mix style - anything else is like a hobbit's book - "laid out fair and square, with no contradictions, full of things they already know".

Hi, this is my first post here so I'll wear the "WARNING! Newbie!" Hat/badge so you'll know to laugh

I'm currently working on my end-of-course monologue for college (I wrote it myself BTW) and spent ages looking for SFX for it but ended up creating my own (music box tune with reverb etc).

I think that this idea of having some repository of SFX would benefit others, like myself, that are not members of drama groups/societies (allthough I am hoping to join one in the next week or two) so would find it even more difficult to get hold of them.

After gaining some very good comments about my recent plunge into script writing, I had decided to create a site to host the scripts so others can use them (for free) and had already planned to include any SFX (and some prop ideas) used. (That wasn't a plug BTW).

If you used a searchable database then you could allow them to be searched by "Recomended production" and/or "SFX type" so you would be incorporating the suggestions given in this thread... Possibly have a "comments" field to accomodate "Ged's" idea.

Just my suggestion

Hey, thats a great idea of having a sound library. I am a soundie and I somtimes have problems with finding sfx.
Also what about a library for royality free music?

MG

I'm not going to pour cold water on this idea, but we have tried it before - the last time was a set and props database and only one company put anything forward.

Now there is a company who advertise in the Noda magazine who have put together Show CD's containing all the effects needed for a specific show. The trouble i sthat at ?70+ it's a bit expensive, and you have to use the type of effect they choose (ie a certain type of bell)

It's a pity we couldn't some how pool our rescources and offer a similar thing vial the amdram site for a lot less that way you wouldn't mind having the CD and using extra effects if you didn't like every efect on the CD...... Just a thought

A lot depends on your time and resources.

If a group can afford it, Martin's post above is a useful one where groups can buy a whole SFX tape for a specific show. And there are several companies who can do a full backing track for a show at a price.

If you have less finance available, a fun Saturday morning can be spent in your local Performing Arts libarary compiling your own tape free of charge.

Whatever happens with this idea, it is one worthy of continuing discussion. The length of time you can spend finding a sfx then modifying and playing about with it to get it right is significant. Finding all sfx for a full show can be a nightmare.

Perhaps one way about doing it would be to have a separate topic listing plays that all societies have done recently - more importantly, still have masters of the CD/MD whatever was used for the performance on file.

I am sure that to help other Amdram members, copying a CD or Minidisc with a finished soundtrack is not a problem, postage is relatively minimal for such things, and certainly the cost of a CD is only about 20p - ie postage more expensive than the medium it is recorded onto.

Any opinions on this????

Me again!!!

Earlier discussions on this indicate by play or by effect. Both would not be difficult to set up, possible interlinking between areas to show similar or generic areas probably would not be difficult either.

I know of a member in our society who recently catalogued all of our pre-recorded effects onto a database with generic groupings etc.

With what we are discussing here, it would be significantly less intensive, certainly to begin with.

I will chew on this one for a bit and get back - see if anything obvious, easy and relevant can be worked on..

Some useful Sound FX sites with free SFX.

http://www.a1freesoundeffects.com/people.html

http://www.a1freesoundeffects.com/

http://soundamerica.com/sounds/sound_fx/

- someone suggested. These are free to access and hear, but you have to pay to download and use...

Disappointed Bargain-Hunter

Its a good idea and would be a useful resource, however my initial thoughts;

The back end database could be searchable by play or effect allowing you to see all the effects used in a play or the effect and all the plays it has been used in.

The effect would need to be of a zip or rar format to save on download costs.

The cost implication of providing a free service is good whilst it retains novelty value. Once its popularity grows and the number of dl increase your pocket gets hit.

Im not sure of the royalty implications but I am sure they would add a novel twist to the situation as well.

Still a good idea though.

This is perfectly possible. Effects could be associated with plays and vice versa.

Entering Blithe Spirit for instance could bring up a list of the effects that may be suitable for that play. If a car crash were needed for instance it could bring up all of the car crashes in the database and the user could choose the most appropriate.

Users could even rate the effects and add comments to them as in the IMDB or Amazon for instance.

I would be happy to be involved in the design and/or implementation of this DB if people think it would be used. How many people have royalty free effects that they could upload?

A

Hey this was my idea *wink*

Been working on shows as I do them at the moment...

Got Planet and Oklahome SFX all batched together...

It's slow work though when you're doing it show by show...

We'd need everyone to get involved, the more input the
better...

How do you mean batched together, George. How are you physically organising this?

A

George,

This is something that Jane and I have been working on for the Amdram site for a while.

We are thinking along the lines of an Open Directory type system whereby users can submit their own links to files and review them.

These links would be periodically checked, with broken links removed etc.

At the moment they are on my harddrive,
was going to put them on my site as a ZIP file.

Not sure at the moment, need more examples
to make it work as such.

Most I record my own samples, even the "royalty free" ones,
sometimes don't allow you to put them in bundles etc..

A lot of Royalty Free ones actually aren't that good,
low level db... beginnings and endings cut or badly edited.

I used my laptop to record as a WAV file and WaveLab Lite
which is good enough to do most jobs editing WAV files.

I also use my laptop to play the WAV and MP3 files
during shows.

Groups could look into doing their own, it's very easy to do.
And there's loads of cheats to get amazing results with little
work..

Might write a paper on it..

Whoa... Get off your high horse...

I meerly refer to the post I made at first..

Bundling them together...

"I've actually been thinking about SFX for my site...
But with a twist...
Instead of "Single" or "groups" of SFX.
Why not batch them by show...
So people can download the WHOLE lot of SFXs they need in one go for a whole show.
It just needs someone to go through shows and then collate the SFX for each.
SFX are quite easy to create yourself, I've done my own for many shows."

It was after that the idea apparently was taken on board..

Whats with the outburst of drivel!

I was just letting you know I was putting something together for the site that was based on an Open Directory style interface.

The idea we had in mind was that each individual sound effect would be categorised under a SHOW etc etc.

People would be able to review the sound effects, people would be able to submit new links to new dound effects that they had found etc etc.

This was something Jane and I discussed and I thought it was appropriate to share the idea now!

Simon, what you doing on that chocolate bar full of nuts?


Anyway....

I'm quite happy to give these effect I got already to Jane.

I am on topic!

Girls please - dont wind simon up its too easy and he sulks

The database of links would be a start but to get any quality you would want to have the clips on a server for download i would of though?

anyways it was my idea

The idea behind this fishy was that the files can be hosted wherever.

Multiple people can host the files wherever and this sytem merely provides link to those files. An automated checking system would be ran regularly allowing Jane to verify the links.

People can then add their own links under whichever category they think appropriate.

They can even suggest new categories to be added, afterall this is going to start off empty then develop from there.

The main thing here is that the resource will be available to everyone, and isn't that what we're all interested in?

Jane

Yeah Jane, we need ideas, which shows are in favour etc etc...
And a list of SFX in those shows.. This is where the forum could
come in handy.


Some longer effects can be quite sizable...

They may need to come on a CD or something..

MP3 would be best for those size effects, like
background sea noises, farm yard stuff...

WAV files are fine for those you wnt to edit perhaps

But then again it's easy to change a MP3 into a WAV
file if editing is required.

and it was still my idea fishy ? 2003 Me!

I can see the benefit or using the links so as not to encur transfer costs and its sensible.

Fully agree its aim is a resource for all.

Im just being picky and looking for all the holes in the plan.

Ive seen several image sites that do exactly this and work very well. All the images however are on the server and u can build your cd from all the clips or images and then woosh in the post or a dl area.

They charge for the privelage and its well worth it.

Sound FX library is now open.............

Sound FX Library

Initially it is going to take a while to configure the categories, you need to suggest both categories and file links.

If there are any queries that I can help with then please post here

It is supposed to have nothing there isn't it?

Or is it just me?

No we've set up the basics what we want now are suggestions for websites and categories - what do you guys want?

Jane

I know a lot of people would like full show fx but I'd find it useful if I needed a door slamming to go to a link that gives me a list along the lines of.....

Doors
Opening
Closing
Opening & Closing
Slamming
Creaking
Knocking at


Then I could click the link I wanted and choose from the mulitple examples on offer.

Thinking back on the plays and stuff I've done, they are mostly things like ships, cars starting etc...

Animals noises... SciFi stuff... Guns... Windows smashing...

I'd suggest to start with....

Background/Ambience | Vehicles | SciFi | Ainimals | Human | Gun/Expo | Misc

Then list

Plays/Musicals or Alpha Order where complete collections can be found
for each show.

As for Sites...

If you want to pay for them (not cheap either) try

http://www.sound-effects-library.com/

Got a huge selection.

Don't suggest categories here!!

Use the Sound FX Library to suggest your categories

They can then be approved CLICK HERE and added to the database.

Then we need suggestions of links to sound effects!!