Designing Body Fall Sounds From Scratch

Hi there! If you wanna learn how to create sound effects, then you are in the right place. Today, I’m going to show you how to create body falls from scratch. I’ll be recording everything from my studio and sharing the process of recording, editing, and layering sounds.

Recording Sound Sources

First, I like to record a few seconds of silence. This helps to capture the sound of the room. I can remove that noise later.

Next I record sounds of heavy clothing, jackets, and even a weighted vest to imitate the sound of a heavy body falling of the ground.

Next, here’s how I edit the recordings:

• Open the spectral de noise element in RX software and select “learn” to capture the noise profile.
• Listen to the noise and the recording to ensure it doesn’t intrude.

Once I’ve removed the noise, I level the sounds. Some hits are louder than others. I want them all to be around the same loudness.

Editing Our Sound Recordings

Now, it’s time to edit the recordings in Reaper. You can cut out individual files manually or use a dynamic split. I prefer to do it manually for accuracy.

• Cut up the recordings and space them out.
• Export these into a folder for later use.

Next, I load NVK create as a quick layering tool. You can do this manually, but this tool makes it quicker.

Cutting and Layering Sounds

When layering sounds, I check for the quality. Some sounds can be plasticky, which is not ideal. I like to add a low-end enhancer to make the sound feel bigger and heavier, simulating a body falling.

• Use EQ to shape the sound.
• Listen for parts of the sound that might not fit.

I’m looking for transient-heavy sounds that have less noise. This helps create a more detailed sound.

Outro and Summary

And there you go! It’s pretty simple to create body falls from scratch. If you want to see this in action, I did a redesign of a game scene where I used these body falls. If you have any questions or comments, let me know below!