View Full Version : looking for a sound effect to build tension


Eric Edmondson
March 13th, 2006, 01:02 AM
Hi,
My apologies if this is not the right place to be asking a question like this, but from what I could tell, it looked like the best choice.

Audio is not my specialty, but seeing as I have been left to edit this project totally solo, I have to figure something out. So, Please forgive my ignorance on the subject.

I am looking for an effect to lay under some music and help build the tension in a scene. What I am looking for could best be described as rising symphonic chatter, similar to what was used in the suicide scene in Rules of Attraction, or just before Paul McCartney's part in A Day in the Life (those are just two of the examples that come to mind).

I certainly would have no idea how to create something like this on my own, and I'm not even really sure where to look for it.

Is this something I might be able to find as a stock/royalty free effect? If so, what would I want to search for?

Thanks for any advice.

Cheers~
Eric

Glenn Davidson
March 13th, 2006, 01:11 AM
Try www.sounddogs.com and search "Orchestra Tension". Several EFX will come up. Someone else here turned me on to this site. Tomorrow I am planning on purchasing the EFX I need for a project. The EFX cost about 3 dollars each, and come from some great SFX Libraries. As far as I can tell they are legit and copyright cleared. I will know more tomorrow.

Eric Edmondson
March 13th, 2006, 01:19 AM
Great, I'll check it out. Thanks!

Douglas Spotted Eagle
March 13th, 2006, 08:21 AM
Sound Dogs is a great resource. There are also a lot of other resources out there.
I've also assembled a list of places we've purchased music from, or sold music to.
http://vasst.com/resource.aspx?id=ea50de73-e3c2-4421-b4b0-d871584737ef

Steve House
March 13th, 2006, 11:09 AM
Only marginally on topic but have you noticed the almost subliminal low level SFX of a cell phone or desk phone ringing down in the music bed of a lot of commercials these days? Once you hear it it'll drive you nuts, a classic "ear worm." Builds a lot of tension for me!

K. Forman
March 13th, 2006, 11:34 AM
Only marginally on topic but have you noticed the almost subliminal low level SFX of a cell phone or desk phone ringing down in the music bed of a lot of commercials these days? Once you hear it it'll drive you nuts, a classic "ear worm." Builds a lot of tension for me!
I've heard them too, and yes, it annoys me. I'm sure their might be a copyright issue with the ringtones.

Eric Edmondson
March 15th, 2006, 12:17 PM
I haven't noticed that sound before, but I bet I will now. lol

Thanks for the input everyone, I think I found something on sound dogs that will work!

Cheers~
Eric

Patomakarn Nitanontawat
March 16th, 2006, 04:05 AM
Hmm, if you wanna do some "original" sounding stuff perhpas check out this cool, virtual instrument, called Spectrasonics Atmosphere. Really got some creepy stuff you can subtly mix in. It's more for horror stuffs though.

Barry Werger
March 17th, 2006, 01:48 AM
Tension? Record your wife asking, "so how much do you plan on spending on eight seconds of sound?"