ZapSplat is a huge directory of tens of thousands of free sound effects every drama teacher and student should know about!
Browse through some of the dozens of categories and sub-categories and you’ll still be there twenty minutes later playing everything from frog noises and human burps to dentist drills and vomiting sounds. It is near impossible to play just a few sound effects and then stop!
Sound effects categories on ZapSplat currently include:
- animals
- bells
- cartoon
- emergency
- explosions
- fantasy
- foley (reproduction of everyday sound effects)
- food and drink
- horror
- hospital
- household
- human
- impacts
- industrial
- leisure
- multimedia
- music
- musical
- nature
- office
- public place
- science fiction
- sound design
- sport
- technology
- vehicles
- warfare
Each of these categories includes numerous sub-categories with sound effects to listen to and download.
If you’d prefer a ready-made pack of sound effects, you can download some of these on topics such as:
- swords
- footsteps
- coins
- sci-fi elements
- science fiction alarms
- magic wand
- retro game musical tones
- FM synth
- denim jeans foley
- raincoat foley
- popcorn
- paper
- cartoon boings
- angle grinder on metal
- metal oil drum impacts
- subtropical rainforest creeks and waterfalls
- Brisbane (Australian city)
The Sci-Fi elements pack, for example, is a zip file of only 5.9 MB and includes 65 sound effects ranging from alien insects and machine malfunctions to robot chatter and teleportation!
There is also a growing library of royalty free music available for download in a number of categories.
All sound effects include an excellent written description and can be played on the ZapSplat website. To download MP3 files of sound effects for free, registration is required for a Basic Account.
If you use any of the ZapSplat sound effects in a school production or YouTube video, for example, a simple acknowledgement/link is required.
If you’d prefer to offer a small annual donation, a Gold Account is created with benefits such as acknowledgements and time delays between downloads being waived, plus WAV files are also available for download.
ZapSplat is a valuable sound effects resource with a massive array of sounds appropriately categorised and professionally presented. Your drama students will love it!