"Did you hear that? It's... it's coming!"

[Rechan]

Sound effects are a great way to create tension. Particularly when a particular nasty monster makes a certain sound, and then the players hear the sound again later, they immediately react.

So my question is: What are some good sound effects to use for various monsters/other things?

Edit: Because it's been all ready said that audio sound effects suck, I'd like to get a good list of what sort of sounds you can imitate/describe that's effective.

 

[Cat Moon]

Sound clips from movies. I've used the dino raors from Jurassic Park in my GURPS Time Travel game.

 

[hong]

Battle Without Honor or Humanity
The Imperial March (Vader's theme)
Theme from The Terminator

 

[Rechan]

I wouldn't necessarily say music. I'm talking about inherent sound effects. Like skittering or shuffling.

Video games use this to great effect. Resident Evil 4 had these really tough, nasty looking monsters that Breathed Really Loud when you entered an area they were in; you knew you were fighting one long before you saw it. Pyramid Head from Silent Hill would drag his giant knife around, making a "Thnk thnk thnk" noise.

 

[Rechan]

Bump.

 

[Terwox]

Personally in tabletop games, I'm alright with music, although I don't use it as a DM -- too distracting for me. Other DMs using it are fine with me, and it can be used to good effect.

Sound effects... eh, this would turn me off. Creepy ambient music, yes. Direct sound effects... not for me.

Might want to check with your players -- I don't think this is something that would translate well from video games.

 

[Rechan]

I was asking (along with examples), what would be best: describing, bringing an audio, or just making the sound itself.

One of those doesn't require any sound so much as just dsecribing it like anything else.

 

[MortalPlague]

I always describe the sound, and sometimes I'll imitate it if that's easily done. I agree with Terwox, I think playing actual sound clips would be cheesy and gimmicky, and would defeat immersion rather than increasing it.

 

[carmachu]

http://paizo.com/store/gameAids/audioCDs/noxArcana

these are great!

 

[Rechan]

So, to get back on Topic:

WHat are good sounds to describe or imitate?