Need more sounds to choose from? We offer an expansive collection at Audio Design Desk, with over 70,000 audio files including all the essential effects for creating atmospheric soundscapes. Sign up for free today and check it out!

Types of Atmospheric Sound Effects

1. City ambience: Traffic noise, distant sirens, pedestrian chatter
2. Nature sounds: Wind through trees, bird calls, flowing water
3. Indoor atmospheres: Air conditioning hum, fluorescent light buzz, office chatter
4. Weather effects: Rain, thunder, howling wind
5. Sci-fi ambience: Spacecraft hums, alien world atmospheres, futuristic city sounds
6. Historical atmospheres: Period-specific street sounds, old machinery
7. Emotional tones: Low drones for tension, soft pads for calm
8. Subliminal sounds: Almost imperceptible tones to influence mood
9. Abstract atmospheres: Processed and synthetic sounds for surreal environments
10. Silence: The strategic use of near-silence to create tension or peace

Atmospheric Sound Design in Action

Let’s explore how these effects are used in popular media:

Blade Runner 2049 (2017): Creating a dystopian future Los Angeles

In this scene, notice how the sound designers blend futuristic vehicle noises with a constant, low-frequency rumble to create a sense of an oppressive, overcrowded city. The occasional distant siren and muffled voices add depth to the urban soundscape. The use of synthesized drones and processed sounds creates an otherworldly atmosphere that perfectly complements the visual aesthetic of the film.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017): Immersive natural environments

Breath of the Wild’s sound design is notable for its subtle, dynamic natural ambiences. As you move through different environments, you’ll hear changes in wind intensity, bird species, and vegetation rustling. The game uses these sounds to create a living, breathing world that responds to the player’s location and the time of day. The absence of background music in many areas allows the ambient sounds to take center stage, immersing players in the game’s vast wilderness.

Inception (2010): Blending realistic and abstract atmospheres

Inception’s dream sequences blend realistic city sounds with more abstract, processed atmospheres to create a sense of unreality. The use of slowed-down, reverb-heavy sounds helps to disorient the audience and blur the line between dream and reality. The iconic “BRAAAM” sound, while not strictly ambient, became a defining element of the film’s soundscape and has since influenced many other movie trailers and scores.

Stardew Valley (2016): Using ambient sound to enhance gameplay mechanics

In Stardew Valley, ambient sounds not only create atmosphere but also provide gameplay cues. The sounds of different seasons (e.g., buzzing insects in summer, crunching snow in winter) help players track the passage of time and adapt their farming strategies accordingly. The game’s day/night cycle is reinforced by changes in the ambient soundscape, with crickets chirping at night and birds singing in the morning.

Creating Atmospheric Sound Design

Sound designers use various techniques to craft convincing atmospheric audio:

1. Field recording: Capturing authentic ambient sounds on location using high-quality microphones and recorders. This can involve traveling to specific locations to capture unique soundscapes or finding creative ways to recreate environments in controlled settings.
2. Layering: Combining multiple sound sources to create rich, complex atmospheres. This might involve blending several different recordings of wind, for example, to create a more dynamic and interesting soundscape.
3. Sound synthesis: Using synthesizers and sound design software to create otherworldly or futuristic ambiences. This is particularly useful for sci-fi or fantasy projects where realistic recordings might not suffice.
4. Processing: Applying effects like reverb, delay, and pitch-shifting to shape the character of ambient sounds. This can help create a sense of space or transform ordinary sounds into something more abstract or emotional.
5. Dynamic mixing: Adjusting the levels and characteristics of ambient sounds based on player location or story events. This is especially important in interactive media like video games, where the soundscape needs to respond to player actions.
6. Spatialization: Using surround sound or binaural audio techniques to create immersive, three-dimensional soundscapes. This can help place the listener within the environment and enhance the sense of presence.
7. Procedural audio: Generating ambient sounds algorithmically to create dynamic, ever-changing atmospheres. This is particularly useful in open-world games where manually crafting every possible ambient combination would be impractical.

The Psychology of Atmospheric Sound

Understanding the psychological impact of ambient sounds is crucial for effective atmospheric sound design:

1. Emotional priming: Certain sounds can evoke specific emotions or memories, allowing sound designers to subtly influence the audience’s mood.
2. Attention direction: Ambient sounds can guide the audience’s attention to specific elements of a scene or highlight important narrative moments.
3. Immersion and presence: Well-crafted ambient soundscapes can increase the audience’s sense of being present in the fictional world.
4. Cognitive load: The complexity of an ambient soundscape can affect how much mental processing power the audience has available for other tasks, such as following dialogue or solving puzzles.
5. Expectation and surprise: Playing with the audience’s expectations of what certain environments should sound like can create moments of surprise or unease.

Pro Tips for Processing and Mixing Atmospheric Sounds

Disclaimer: Audio Design Desk doesn’t sell link placements or place affiliate links in any article. We’ve added callouts with links in this next section, in order to help you find the right tools for the job. We are not partnered with any of these companies.

1. Start with high-quality source material: Whether you’re recording your own ambient sounds or using pre-recorded samples, start with the highest quality audio possible.
2. Use EQ to shape the tone: Plugin Recommendations: FabFilter Pro-Q 3, Waves H-EQ, or iZotope Neutron.
   1. Cut unnecessary low frequencies to reduce muddiness.
   2. Boost or cut specific frequency ranges to emphasize certain elements of the ambient sound.
   3. Use gentle, wide Q settings for natural-sounding adjustments.
3. Apply reverb for space and depth: Plugin Recommendations: Valhalla Room, FabFilter Pro-R, or Waves H-Reverb.
   1. Use different reverb types to simulate various environments (e.g., plate reverb for metallic spaces, convolution reverb for realistic rooms).
   2. Adjust pre-delay, decay time, and early reflections to fine-tune the sense of space.
4. Use compression for consistency: Plugin Recommendations: FabFilter Pro-C 2, Waves SSL G-Master Buss Compressor, or UAD 1176.
   1. Apply gentle compression to even out the dynamics of ambient recordings.
   2. Use multiband compression to control specific frequency ranges without affecting the entire sound.
5. Experiment with modulation effects: Plugin Recommendations: Soundtoys Crystallizer, Valhalla Shimmer, or Native Instruments Molekular.
   1. Add subtle chorusing or flanging to create movement in static ambient sounds.
   2. Use granular effects to create evolving, abstract textures from simple source material.
6. Automate parameters for dynamic soundscapes: Use your DAW’s automation features to create evolving ambient sounds that change over time. This can help prevent the atmosphere from becoming stagnant or repetitive.
7. Pay attention to stereo imaging: Plugin Recommendations: iZotope Ozone Imager, Waves S1 Stereo Imager, or Brainworx bx_stereomaker.
   1. Use mid/side processing to control the width of your ambient sounds.
   2. Create a sense of space by panning different elements of your soundscape.
8. Use sidechain compression for dynamic mixing: In game audio or interactive media, use sidechain compression to duck the ambient sounds when important elements like dialogue or sound effects need to be heard clearly.

Example Workflow in a DAW

1. Import source material: Load your ambient recordings or samples into your DAW.
2. Apply EQ: Use a parametric EQ to shape the overall tone of your ambient sound.
3. Add reverb: Insert a reverb plugin to create a sense of space.
4. Apply compression: Use a compressor to even out the dynamics and add consistency.
5. Experiment with modulation: Add subtle modulation effects to create movement and interest.
6. Automate parameters: Use automation to create evolving, dynamic soundscapes.
7. Adjust stereo imaging: Use stereo imaging tools to create width and depth in your ambient sounds.
8. Fine-tune with volume automation: Make final adjustments to the levels of different elements in your soundscape.

Conclusion

Atmospheric sound design is a powerful tool for creating immersive experiences in films, games, and other media. By carefully crafting ambient soundscapes, sound designers can transport audiences to different worlds, evoke specific emotions, and enhance storytelling in subtle yet profound ways. Whether you’re working on a blockbuster film or an indie game, mastering the art of atmospheric sound design can elevate your project to new heights.Ready to start creating your own atmospheric soundscapes? Check out our collection of royalty-free ambient sound effects and begin experimenting today!

Download Free Ambient Sound Effects Need access to more ambient sounds and some of the secondary elements we’ve mentioned? Sign up for a free trial of Audio Design Desk 2.0 to access 100,000 high-quality audio files and royalty-free music. Visit our pricing page for details on the different subscription tiers and terms of service.For more sound design inspiration and resources, explore our other articles on sound effects for various genres and applications. Happy sound designing!