How to create horror sound effects Asbjoern Andersen


Sound designer Joe Dzuban worked on five films with horror director James Wan, starting with Insidious in 2010. Since then, he's designed and/or mixed the sound for a dozen top horror films including The Conjuring, Annabelle, Malignant, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and Crimson Peak.

Here, Dzuban shares his insights and tips on how to design amazing horror sounds!


Interview by Jennifer Walden
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Sound designer/re-recording mixer Joe Dzuban (at Warner Bros. Post Production Creative Services in Burbank) is an undeniable authority on designing and mixing sound for horror films.

Sound designer & Re-Recording Mixer Joe Dzuban

Sound designer & Re-Recording Mixer Joe Dzuban

He’s worked on some of the best-known horror films by top horror directors like James Wan and Guillermo del Toro. His credits include Wan’s Insidious (re-recording mixer / supervising sound editor), The Conjuring (sound designer / supervising sound editor), Insidious: Chapter 2 (re-recording mixer / sound designer / supervisory sound editor), The Conjuring 2 (supervising sound editor), and Malignant (re-recording mixer / supervising sound editor), and del Toro’s Crimson Peak (re-recording mixer / additional sound design).

Dzuban was sound designer and re-recording mixer on two films from director John R. Leonetti: Annabelle and Wish Upon, and sound designer on director André Øvredal’s Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and director Jacob Chase’s Come Play. He also mixed Paranormal Activity 3 (directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman) and Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones (directed Christopher Landon).

Get ready for some great tips on designing horror sounds, courtesy of Joe Dzuban!

 

What are five essential tips you’d share on how to design gory/scary/cringe-inducing horror sounds?

1. Record something! Find something unusual and unique to record for your gore. Try various things you can tear and destroy to get a variety of interesting textures. Take a trip to the grocery store!

2. Don’t over-do it: As sound editors, we love to layer our sounds. But when it comes to gore, fewer layers are better. Give the audience something strong to hold onto. Don’t clutter the moment.

Evocative sounds will make the picture all the more squeamish.

3. Sync is optional: Don’t get too tied to picture. Make a sound that works and tells a story, and 9/10 it’ll work to picture. Evocative sounds will make the picture all the more squeamish.

4. Don’t stack all your sounds: Think of moments in terms of double or triple events. So a stab isn’t just a single sword ‘shing;’ it might be a tear followed by a thrust, followed by a juice splat.

5. Try, try, and try again: Try your sounds to picture, live with them for a few days, revisit them, and then try new sounds. Experiment with different types of sounds and rhythms until you get to that ‘moment’ where it works!


Sound highlight - article continues below:

Popular horror sound libraries:

If you're looking for horror sound effects for your projects, these sound libraries are trending right now:

  • Strident and Demonic

    Expand the timbre of your horror violins and cellos with CIRCUS, a sinister sample pack featuring 180 WAV sounds of screeching or high-pitched string noises, perfect for horror music and dark sound design.

    Creative Tension

    This collection offers a curated selection of screeches, high-tension tremolo, heavy jeté strokes, dark demonic textures, finger patterns, chaotic string elements, clock loops and bow accents.

    Haunting and Experimental

    Create haunting atmospheres, perfect for horror, thriller or experimental soundtracks. Every element has been designed to unsettle and disturb, blurring the line between music and noise.

    80 %
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    Ends 1761951599
  • ⏰ For a very limited time:
    Add this library to the cart and enter ah4launch in the cart coupon field – to sprinkle an extra launch discount, on top of the current discount!

    Animal Hyperrealism Vol IV is a sound library containing animal vocalisations, from real to designed creatures totaling more than 2000 individual sounds in 294 files. The sounds were recorded in zoos, and wildlife centers.

    The asset list includes but is not limited to: hippos, hyenas, vultures, dwarf mongooses, elephants, African cranes, parrots, tigers, pigmy hippos, rhea ostriches, brown bears, pheasants, wildebeests, African wild dogs and many more. The content has been recorded at 192KHz with a Sanken CO100K, an Avisoft CMPA and a Sennheiser 8050 for center plus two Sennheiser MKH8040 for stereo image.

    The resulting ultrasonic spectrum is rich and allows for truly extreme manipulation of the content.

    15 %
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  • The Seagulls sfx library includes 28 tracks of both single, isolated seagull screams, and bigger flocks of nesting seagulls, calling out to each other and their chicks. There are plenty of classic call sounds, but also some weird throaty and raspy screaming, and what could sound like seagull laughing sounds.

    All tracks are recorded with the very useful zoom function of the Telinga microphone and dish.
    Library includes both untreated tracks, and noise reduction processed tracks in two separate folders. Noise reduction processed tracks have carefully been cleaned up with a CEDAR NR system.

    Though these birds are in an abundance around most harbours and industry around here, they are not always easy to record. You mostly hear them from a distance, or from places not easy to access. When you try to get close to them, they will usually fly away.

    Many hours have been spent on rooftops, gardens, backyards, a junkyard, and different harbours to get this material.

  • Introducing MOTION GRAPHICS, a complete Motion Graphics sound effects library from SoundMorph!

    Motion Graphics focuses on all the elements you might need for sound design on a trailer, a cinematic scene or a visual that is heavy with motion graphics, whether it be abstract or straight forward, Motion Graphics has all the elements and textures you could think of. Motion Graphics are something all of us sound designers run into at one point or another, so this library is an excellent addition to your sound effects tool box.

    Motion Graphics was created by and in collaboration with sound designer Rostislav Trifonov (SoundMorph Elemental library contributor).

    Motion Graphics features 650 24bit/96 kHz .wav files, all meticulously embedded with Soundminer & Basehead metadata.

    The library features:

    • 450 + designed sound effects
    • 190 + source audio files
    • Whooshes
    • Impacts
    • Risers
    • Stingers
    • Low end and Sub Bass
    • Impulse Responses
    • Passbys
    • Textures – noise, grit, glitch
    • Ambiences
    • Buttons and Clicks
    • Mechanical Elements
    • Granular effects
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Search for more horror sound libraries

What’s your approach to creating effective jump scares? (Any tips to offer on how to make the best/most effective jump scares?)

Jump scares work best when the audience least expects them. Much of the success of a scare comes from picture editing. But as sound folks, we can help those moments by trying to ‘lull’ the audience before the big jump. We want them to lean in a bit. Getting into that lull is the creative challenge and is different for every film. Sometimes the lull lives for say 15 seconds before the scare, other times it’s a brief pause just before the action.

Take the transient ‘edges’ off of door closes or footsteps, or EQ them a bit so they are tucked into the mix…

I make sure all the sounds preceding scares are ‘rounded’ and less staccato. Take the transient ‘edges’ off of door closes or footsteps, or EQ them a bit so they are tucked into the mix – we don’t want any sounds capturing the audience’s attention.

Also, try to find a way out of music so that we really minimize the soundtrack.

For the sting itself, use sharp, strident sounds and play them ‘loud and proud.’

 

Bonus: Download 13 free horror / gore sound effects from Soundbits:


Want horror sound effects? Get 13 free horror sounds courtesy of Soundbits below, for free:
 
Download 13 gore sound effects from Soundbits for free (opens in a new window)

Explore the full Soundbits catalog here.

Anything that sound designers should avoid when creating sounds for a horror film?

Avoid excessive sounds in horror films. Don’t overdo the soundtrack with a classic ‘Hollywood’ feel. We don’t need to hear EVERY footstep, EVERY hand-pat, or 30 layers of BGs!

Find those few sound elements in a scene that tell the story and make them come to life.

Horror soundtracks tend to be concise, compact, and incorporate only the bare essentials of what is needed to tell the story. Find those few sound elements in a scene that tell the story and make them come to life.
 

A big thanks to Joe Dzuban for sharing excellent tips on designing horror sounds and to Jennifer Walden for the interview!

Want to learn more about horror sound?
Check out the Ultimate Horror Sound Guide below:

 
The Ultimate Horror Sound Guide

Explore the Ultimate Horror Sound Guide here

 


 

Shortcuts:

Click below to jump straight to your desired topic or story in the Ultimate Horror Sound Guide:

How to make your own horror sound effects:

How to Design Fierce Creature VocalsHaunting Horror Sounds Effects for Interfaces5 tips for making the most of Dehumaniser 2How to create horror sound effects that are truly scary (and gory!):Tips: How to create your own horror sounds


Exclusive horror sound stories:

Midnight MassCandymanHalloween KillsThe Black PhoneBodies Bodies BodiesSpeak No EvilThe QuarryArchive 81MasterPreyTwin Peaks: Fire Walk With MeDemonicContagionThe Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do ItThe Haunting of Bly ManorThe Third DayLovecraft CountryHalloweenThe Haunting of Hill HouseHereditaryThe NunA Quiet PlaceAnnabelle: CreationIt Comes At NightAlien: CovenantBlair WitchThe MistPenny DreadfulLights OutThe Conjuring 2


Bonus: More horror sound stories:

Behind the sound of Inside The Exorcist, Darq, Through The Woods, The Evil Within, Outlast, and Colina: Legacy + how scarehouse sound is made & How Sound Is Used To Create Suspense In Horror Movies


Ready to scare: Nightmare-inducing horror sound effects:

Highlighted horror sound effects librariesPopular horror sound effects librariesNew horror sound effects librariesSearch for horror sound effects

 

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THE WORLD’S EASIEST WAY TO GET INDEPENDENT SOUND EFFECTS:
 
A Sound Effect gives you easy access to an absolutely huge sound effects catalog from a myriad of independent sound creators, all covered by one license agreement - a few highlights:

  • Cinematic & Trailer Sound Effects SpellBound Play Track 969 sounds included, 122 mins total $90

    SpellBound is premium sound effects library exploring the intersecting spaces of modern magic and science fiction energy. The result is a polished, designed, and inspiring set of cinematic magic sounds ready to bring new life to your film, game, and media projects. Brian Johnson, the creator of SpellBound and Slipstream is an award winning sound designer who after working in film, and television, has found his home designing sound for the biggest video game franchises in the world.

    SpellBound has 969 total sound effects
    Spells, explos, tails, whooshes, beds, impacts, drones, and more.

    Designed section – 202 designed multi-event show stopping full frequency sound effects.
    Elements section – 767 designed construction kit, layers, sweeteners, and single event effects.

    SpellBound can compliment your fx arsenal with traditional fantasy, modern magic, cinematic impacts, and even as an explosion sweetener. It can take over a fantasy trailer or a compliment a hybrid space magic video game.

    Thank you for licensing SpellBound. I hope it inspires you to create something exciting and magical.

    SpellBound Flyer

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  • Kawaii UI Bundle is the ultimate bundle for cute user interface sounds.
    In this Bundle you get both volumes of our Kawaii UI libraries.
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    These libraries provide an adorable blend of cute, satisfying interface sounds, crafted to enhance user experience and feedback.
    Bring your games and apps to life with the Kawaii UI Bundle.

    It’s ideal for creating joyful menus, delightful HUDs, playful navigation and notifications, engaging pop-ups, and expressive text.

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    Kawaii UI 2 Trailer

    The source recordings inside are a treasure trove of physical button presses, clicks, pops, taps, mouth sounds, toks, shakers, general synthesised UI sounds, FM bells and telemetry style sounds.. Kawaii UI Bundle provides you with the essential building blocks to craft your own distinctive designs.  Combining these elements gives sound designers a robust sonic palette to create new UI sounds.

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  • Environments & Ambiences Suburban Russia Play Track 56 sounds included, 173 mins total $19

    What could be better than summertime in the country?

    Of course summertime in Russian village!

    Those sweet sounds of hammers, lawnmowers, dogs, neighbors activity, forests, fields, rain and, of course, lots of cicadas!

    This library contains authentic atmospheres of villages and small towns of suburban Moscow, as well as sounds of nature, roomtones and doors of the old Dacha from Soviet era.

    KEY POINTS:

    • Authentic atmospheres of dacha, forests, fields, streams, rains, streets of small towns, night and day suburban activity and roomtones!

    • An excellent addition to your library for film, TV and multimedia – Suburban Russia during summer and autumn time

    • Recorded with Mid-Side Sennheiser MKH8040/MKH30 combo

    • Sorted by location-type categories

    • All files have metadata included

Explore the full, unique collection here

Latest sound effects libraries:
 
  • Metal Sound Effects Military Truck Percussion Play Track 321 sounds included, 14 mins total $10

    A US Military Truck is transformed into a percussive instrument and hit with drum sticks and a variety of mallets ( gong, xylophone and timpani ) and sampled using contact microphones and geophones.

    A unique collection of 321 metallic percussive hits perfect for metal impact sound design and transient shaping.

    Type : Source Files / WAV Mono

    Normalised : -6 dbFS

    Grouped Files for Easy Reference Included

    Recorder : Sound Devices Mix Pre 10II

    Microphones : Stille & Klang Spot, LOM Geofon

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O805cKU_XrE

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  • All files are recorded 32bit, 192 kHz, with RØDE NTG1, Line Audio Omni1 and FEL Clippy XLR EM272 microphones, Sound Devices MixPre-6 II recorder. Library contains wav files of driving, interior and exterior foley, mechanical and electrical sounds. It is only available in UCS.

  • Effective Trailer Booms Vol. 2 delivers the next level in cinematic low-end, featuring 232 brand-new one-shot sounds meticulously designed for cutting-edge trailers.

    Building on the original Vol. 1, this new collection is designed for cutting-edge trailers. It moves beyond simple impacts to focus on the deep sub-bass, tonal rumbles, and resonant elements that build anticipation. It’s the perfect tool for setting a dark, mysterious tone at the beginning of a trailer or providing that final, deep punctuation at the end.

    A boom isn’t just a hit, it’s the sound of intrigue. Effective Trailer Booms Vol. 2 delivers the next level in cinematic low-end, featuring 232 brand-new one-shot sounds meticulously designed for cutting-edge trailers.

    Building on the original Vol. 1, this new collection is designed for cutting-edge trailers. It moves beyond simple impacts to focus on the deep sub-bass, tonal rumbles, and resonant elements that build anticipation. It’s the perfect tool for setting a dark, mysterious tone at the beginning of a trailer or providing that final, deep punctuation at the end.

    Inside, you’ll find a massive library of deep tonal rumbles, powerful sub-bass swells, bone-chilling textures, dark resonant drones, and powerful cinematic punctuation, all designed to pull the audience in.

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  • Cinematic & Trailer Sound Effects SpellBound Play Track 969 sounds included, 122 mins total $90

    SpellBound is premium sound effects library exploring the intersecting spaces of modern magic and science fiction energy. The result is a polished, designed, and inspiring set of cinematic magic sounds ready to bring new life to your film, game, and media projects. Brian Johnson, the creator of SpellBound and Slipstream is an award winning sound designer who after working in film, and television, has found his home designing sound for the biggest video game franchises in the world.

    SpellBound has 969 total sound effects
    Spells, explos, tails, whooshes, beds, impacts, drones, and more.

    Designed section – 202 designed multi-event show stopping full frequency sound effects.
    Elements section – 767 designed construction kit, layers, sweeteners, and single event effects.

    SpellBound can compliment your fx arsenal with traditional fantasy, modern magic, cinematic impacts, and even as an explosion sweetener. It can take over a fantasy trailer or a compliment a hybrid space magic video game.

    Thank you for licensing SpellBound. I hope it inspires you to create something exciting and magical.

    SpellBound Flyer

    28 %
    OFF
  • Kawaii UI Bundle is the ultimate bundle for cute user interface sounds.
    In this Bundle you get both volumes of our Kawaii UI libraries.
    Kawaii UI + Kawaii UI 2

    These libraries provide an adorable blend of cute, satisfying interface sounds, crafted to enhance user experience and feedback.
    Bring your games and apps to life with the Kawaii UI Bundle.

    It’s ideal for creating joyful menus, delightful HUDs, playful navigation and notifications, engaging pop-ups, and expressive text.

    Kawaii UI Trailer
    Kawaii UI 2 Trailer

    The source recordings inside are a treasure trove of physical button presses, clicks, pops, taps, mouth sounds, toks, shakers, general synthesised UI sounds, FM bells and telemetry style sounds.. Kawaii UI Bundle provides you with the essential building blocks to craft your own distinctive designs.  Combining these elements gives sound designers a robust sonic palette to create new UI sounds.

    13 %
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