Sound Ideas Blog
This is the perfect space for sound ideas.
We are delighted to introduce Randy Thom, a prolific and well-respected Director of Sound Design, Supervising Sound Designer and Re-Recording Mixer as the guest blogger for Sound Ideas. Randy is one of the best in the field with Oscar, Emmy and Grammy nominations to his credit; as well as receiving C.A.S. Career Achievement and MPSE Career Achievement awards.
You can learn more about Randy here.
Building-Up Instead of Blocking-In
August 31, 2026
Painters are taught to begin in generalities. Sound is built from particulars: specific songs, specific news bulletins, specific human voices, each one identifiable, each one anchored to a moment.
BROWSE THROUGH OUR POSTS
Explore the Wild with Animal Kingdom Sound Effects
September 09, 2026 - Sound Ideas
From the roar of a lion to the calls of exotic birds, the natural world is filled with sounds that can instantly bring a scene to life. Our new Animal Kingdom Sound Effects Library puts an incredib...
Read moreShould You Record Your Own Sound Effects or Use a Sound Library?
August 31, 2026 - Sound Ideas
When a production needs a specific sound, there are two main options: record it yourself or find an existing recording in a sound effects library. Both approaches have advantages, and professional ...
Read moreBuilding-Up Instead of Blocking-In
August 31, 2026 - Randy Thom
Sound is apprehended in time, serially, and the ear builds its sense of a world from particulars accreting moment to moment. Sound is built from particulars: specific songs, specific news bulletins...
Read moreExplore Immersive Sound With Dolby Atmos and Ambisonic Effects
August 26, 2026 - Sound Ideas
Great sound has the power to transport an audience anywhere. With three new additions to our Dolby Atmos and Ambisonic collection, sound designers can now explore environments ranging from the dese...
Read morePodcast Spotlight: Building the Sci-Fi Soundscape of Murderbot
August 12, 2026 - Sound Ideas
In Episode 371 of the Tonebenders Podcast, recent Emmy nominees Danielle McBride and Tyler Whitham join the conversation to explore their work as supervising sound editors on the sci-fi comedy Murd...
Read moreWhat They Want vs What They Think They Want
July 31, 2026 - Randy Thom
In post-production, all sound, in fact every sound, functions partly as music functions. It makes us feel certain ways. It’s almost always a good idea to take some artistic license to hit the emoti...
Read moreAre Sound Effects Copyrighted? Here's What Creators Should Know
July 30, 2026 - Sound Ideas
It's a question many creators ask before publishing a project: Are sound effects copyrighted? The short answer is yes, most sound effects are protected by copyright. Just because a sound is availab...
Read morePodcast Spotlight: The Art of Field Recording
July 27, 2026 - Sound Ideas
In Episode 366 of the Tonebenders Podcast, host Timothy Muirhead reunites three of the industry's most respected field recordists, John Fasal, Charlie Campagna, and Eric Potter, for the second half...
Read moreMeet the Next Evolution of Sound with General HD 7
July 15, 2026 - Sound Ideas
Every great production starts with great sound. That's why we're excited to introduce General HD 7, the latest installment in Sound Ideas' flagship high-definition sound effects series. Packed with...
Read morePainkillers Instead of Diagnosis
June 30, 2026 - Randy Thom
Temp music tracks have been defended as a “necessary evil” in film editing. A shortcut to convey emotional tone and pacing before a composer enters. But temp music an be a crutch that conceals stor...
Read moreWhat Makes a High-Quality Sound Effects Library?
June 22, 2026 - Sound Ideas
Not all sound effects libraries are created equal. While many collections offer thousands of audio files, quantity alone doesn't guarantee quality. Whether you're producing a film, podcast, video g...
Read morePodcast Spotlight: Bringing the Creatures of Wednesday to Life
June 15, 2026 - Sound Ideas
In Episode 362 of the Tonebenders Podcast, host Timothy Muirhead visits the Toronto-area studio of Supervising Sound Editor John Loranger for an in-depth conversation about the sound of Netflix’s h...
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