The Indie Game Developer Handbook
Audio Resources
Need some quality sound effects or music? If you want to keep your costs down I can recommend having a look through these sites. Again, be sure to read and understand the usage licences for any free content.
FreeSound.org
Website:http://www.freesound.org/
Freesound aims to create a huge collaborative database of audio snippets, samples, recordings, and bleeps released under Creative Commons licences that allow their reuse.
Audio Jungle
Website:http://audiojungle.net/
135,266 royalty-free audio files from $1. Music loops, music packs, sound effects, source files, logos and idents.
DigCCMixter
Website:http://dig.ccmixter.org/
This site includes a small ‘free music for commercial projects’ section, under an attribution licence.
Flash Kit
Website:http://www.flashkit.com/soundfx/
Offers an ever-growing list of shareware and freeware Sound FX for download.
Free Music Archive
Website:http://freemusicarchive.org/
It’s not just free music; it’s good music.
Indie Game Music
Website:http://www.indiegamemusic.com/
You can find music for various platforms; MIDI for e.g. Java ME, MODs; XMs for e.g. Gamepark/PSP/Nintendo DS; S3Ms for e.g. Gameboy Advance; MP3s for e.g. Flash.
Lucky Lion Studios
Website:http://luckylionstudios.com/
Lucky Lion Studios provides high-quality video game music at an affordable price, whether you’re an independent developer in need of a few select songs or an established studio seeking an entire original score.
Partners in Rhyme
Website:http://www.partnersinrhyme.com/pir/PIRsfx.shtml
Free sound effects and royalty-free sound effects.
Sound Bible
Website:http://soundbible.com/
Free sound clips, sound bites and sound effects.
Sound Jay
Website:http://www.soundjay.com/
Another free sound effects website. Most files are 16 bit stereo 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz high-quality sound effects (i.e. ideal for games).
Sample Swap
Website:http://sampleswap.org/
Professional quality, free audio samples and electronic music.
Sound Dogs
Website:http://www.sounddogs.com/sound-effects.asp
The world’s first online commercial sound effects and production music library. Offers a large, easily accessible sound library for immediate download (in .aiff, .wav. and .mp3) and the packaged (on CD/DVD or hard drive) ‘Soundstorm’ library.
Shockwave Sound
Website:http://www.shockwave-sound.com/
One of the pioneers of online royalty-free music, stock music and downloadable sound effect libraries. I’ve used Shockwave Sound quite a bit in the past, and the quality can be very good.
