Sci-Fi sound FX?

  • Hello everyone,


    Longtime Darkstar owner and I was wondering if someone could recommend a soundset (hopefully a freebie on this site) for sci-fi sound effects? I'm not looking for musical sounds as I have enough of those and then some.


    I'm going to try and design the sound(s) I need but admittedly sound-design is not my strength so it could (and probably will) take much longer than I want to invest, since I've set a deadline for a project and I'd really like to stick to it.


    The type of sound I'm looking for could be described as a void opening and closing or a vacuum closing type sound.


    Thanks a lot and take care:)


    JD

  • The type of sound I'm looking for could be described as a void opening and closing or a vacuum closing type sound.

    Reminds me of some Star Trek episodes! How about trying a "dark" spacious reverbed pad that you could probably already find in the Darkstar's sound banks, and then add a slow enveloped noise generator "whoosh" to it. Play some atonal chords in the lower registers and there you go- the door into another universe!

    Just a suggestion! :)

  • Reminds me of some Star Trek episodes! How about trying a "dark" spacious reverbed pad that you could probably already find in the Darkstar's sound banks, and then add a slow enveloped noise generator "whoosh" to it. Play some atonal chords in the lower registers and there you go- the door into another universe!

    Just a suggestion! :)

    Lol, I absolutely love Star Trek! :) Awesome suggestions:) I want to keep the release short as well, so like an abrupt stop with a soft, dark reverb tail- maybe a comb filter would help give the sounds some spacey texture lol. I looked for hours earlier- tweaking some presets but couldn't nail the sound...yet. I'm going to give it another shot shortly. Thanks again for your excellent suggestions:)

  • Lol, I absolutely love Star Trek! :) Awesome suggestions:) I want to keep the release short as well, so like an abrupt stop with a soft, dark reverb tail- maybe a comb filter would help give the sounds some spacey texture lol. I looked for hours earlier- tweaking some presets but couldn't nail the sound...yet. I'm going to give it another shot shortly. Thanks again for your excellent suggestions:)

    Happy to help! Not sure, but maybe what you're after would be using only the noise generator? Start with an Init patch, turn any regular osc's off, turn the NG on and set, filter cutoff and resonance to taste, filter keyfollow the c/o to pitch it across the keys or filter envelope to modulate the c/o per key strike, set the amp envelope how you want, and then add the reverb and maybe some flanging for a comb filter effect.

    As I said, I'm not quite sure what you're after, but this would definitely portray a "vacuum in space" type effect.

    Let us know how it turns out!

    Cheers!

  • Happy to help! Not sure, but maybe what you're after would be using only the noise generator? Start with an Init patch, turn any regular osc's off, turn the NG on and set, filter cutoff and resonance to taste, filter keyfollow the c/o to pitch it across the keys or filter envelope to modulate the c/o per key strike, set the amp envelope how you want, and then add the reverb and maybe some flanging for a comb filter effect.

    As I said, I'm not quite sure what you're after, but this would definitely portray a "vacuum in space" type effect.

    Let us know how it turns out!

    Cheers!

    Thanks again, that is a good suggestion^ for the closing of the void sound- it's the opening that I think needs some kind of close to audiorate LFO modulated osc with a comb filtering effect. I haven't really explored the comb-filter of the Virus yet, so that's todays exploration lol:)

  • Thanks again, that is a good suggestion^ for the closing of the void sound- it's the opening that I think needs some kind of close to audiorate LFO modulated osc with a comb filtering effect. I haven't really explored the comb-filter of the Virus yet, so that's todays exploration lol:)

  • If you‘re making use of all of your envelopes targeting e.g. the wavetable index, folding, fm and/or cutoff, while dialing in a decent amount of noise, it would eventually lead you to some space sounds after you apply some effects. You can also run LFOs in envelope mode and choose one of the many different wave shapes to get more complexity going.


    To become more efficient just create a template with 2-3 slot pages sourcing envelopes with your 2 most useful targets while you keep the 3rd target to some effect parameter that you‘re planning to use. After you‘ve done that, you could time box your fx creation to 30 min. I would assume that if you once created a decent SciFi fx patch, any further ones will go very efficient.


    For me it‘s usually all about preparation ?

  • If you‘re making use of all of your envelopes targeting e.g. the wavetable index, folding, fm and/or cutoff, while dialing in a decent amount of noise, it would eventually lead you to some space sounds after you apply some effects. You can also run LFOs in envelope mode and choose one of the many different wave shapes to get more complexity going.


    To become more efficient just create a template with 2-3 slot pages sourcing envelopes with your 2 most useful targets while you keep the 3rd target to some effect parameter that you‘re planning to use. After you‘ve done that, you could time box your fx creation to 30 min. I would assume that if you once created a decent SciFi fx patch, any further ones will go very efficient.


    For me it‘s usually all about preparation ?

    Well said "all about preparation".

    I've tried the envelopes on the LFOs - didn't like it :) So I've shortend the Amp Decay instead to avoid a repetition of the wave. But as said, I did not spend too much time in doing it.