How to Create Monster Sound Effects
Image Credit - Vadim Bogulov
What do you think of when you imagine monster sound effects in films?
Maybe Godzilla, Alien or the dinosaurs out of Jurassic Park?
Many productions have successfully created intricate and unique sounds to draw in audiences and enhance an otherworldly experience. The question lies with how these sounds were able to be made.
There is no set in stone rule when it comes to creating monster sounds or any sound effects for that matter but here are some examples of how it can be done:
Use animals as inspiration
Animals in the wild have widely been used as a source of inspiration. For example, the Predator was inspired by marine life, taking the camouflage from an octopus and the body flexibility from sea snakes.
Sound designers working on the production of Jurassic World used the vocalisation of baby animals and sick animals to layer and produce a unique frequency. These animals included howler monkeys, leopards, dolphins, whales, and many more.
A good process to use if you are not quite sure which animals sounds to use it to look at the type of monster you are creating sounds for, does it resemble any animal on planet Earth? You can take inspiration from animals that have similar characteristics as that of the monster. Doing this can help it to sound more realistic and are relatable to the audience as the the look and sound share some likeness with creatures they have seen before.
Remember there are no rules, feel free to mix and match different animals sounds to get what you want!
Collect organic recorded material
Image from Insider (YouTube)
Foley artists are typically the people to go to for organic recorded material that mimics the sound of creatures or animals. Their job is to look for natural resources that can replace an animal, human or completely fabricated creature sounds of movement.
For instance, this foley artist used a tree stump wrapped in leather to recreate a mammoth’s stomp. As a sound designer, you can either create your own sounds through this type of channel or perhaps take recordings of thunder, wind chimes or other naturally occurring noises that can be used and layered for your creature.
Using foley techniques is a great way to capture the motion and feel of a sound in sync with the action, using materials you find and using them creatively can give you unique monster movement sounds that you may not be able to find naturally.
Human voices are great ways to get unique audio
Image Credit - Neil Godding
Organic material and animal sounds are two great options for recordings, but if you have nothing else available, why not try it yourself?
By recording your attempts at different pitches and calls, you can easily make a sound like nothing you’ve heard before. There are countless instances of sound designers using their own voices in films which have been manipulated and edited beyond recognition to create a brand new sound.
Don’t be shy during this process, let loose and really go for it! You may feel self conscious, especially if you are in front of other people but remember it’s all part of the job and in the end great sound effects are what you are aiming for.
Try to create some amazing monster sounds yourself or with friends — the more, the merrier!
Layer different sounds
Image Credit - Godfrey Nyangechi
Creating a monsters requires something more intricate than a one-dimensional tone.
This is where layering is important.
To create depth in your monster’s sound, you should consider layering multiple pitches and notes that complement each other. Mess around with your sound effects to find the right combination, and don’t be afraid to pitch or time shift, reverse or cut, and rearrange in order to create something tangible. Try layering different pitches on top of each other to give your audience something to tingle their senses.
Be careful not to use too many sounds, especially those within the same frequency spectrum. Having too many similar sounds can cause the overall sound effect to become muddy, meaning they all blend together and there is no distinction between them. Sometimes you need to give a sound it’s own space for it to have the full affect.
Processing
Image Credit - Techivation
Now, you can take all of your recorded sounds and add finishing touches like:
● Distortion
● Reverb
● Pitch Shift
● Reverse Clips
● Echo and Delay
● Specialised Effects Plugins
● Double-up the clips
Processing will allow you to get the right tone to make your creature believable. It also adds additional substance to what you already have from the original sound recordings. After you’ve recorded your sound, layered the clips and processed until you have fine-tuned and polished a monster sound that you’re happy with, it’s time to put the sound to the face in post-production.
Your job might be finished for now, but there’s a host of things that sound design can offer. Interested in audio technology? Sign up for news on Subversive and join a community of collaborative visual artists and sound designers.
