What Is SFX? A Guide to Sound Effects

Most of your favorite movies wouldn't be half as good without the sounds. That satisfying whoosh of a lightsaber, the bone-chilling roar of a T-Rex, or the thump of an explosion - these are all SFX (sound effects) at work. But what exactly are SFX, and how do they make everything from YouTube videos to blockbuster films so much better?

What Does SFX Actually Mean?

SFX stands for sound effects - you know, all those noises that make videos actually watchable. Without them, action scenes feel like interpretive dance class, horror movies become accidental comedies, and gaming videos sound like they're coming from the world's quietest parallel universe.

The Different Types of SFX (Because Of Course There Are Different Types)

Before we go further, you might want to bookmark Flixier's video effects editor - it's about to become your new homepage, right next to Uber Eats and that meditation website you never actually use.

1. Basic Noises

These are your everyday sounds - doors closing, cars starting, phones ringing. Simple stuff that somehow becomes rocket surgery when you have to add it to a video. You'd think recording a door closing would be easy, right? Wrong. Try it yourself, and you'll end up with something that sounds like a haunted house sound effect or your upstairs neighbor at 3 AM.

Some basics you'll probably need:

• Footsteps (on different surfaces because life is never simple)
• Door sounds (opening, closing, creaking, slamming)
• Car noises (starting, idling, honking, that weird sound your engine makes but the mechanic can never hear)
• Phone stuff (rings, buzzes, notification sounds that aren't copyrighted)
• Keyboard typing (from gentle tapping to angry email writing)

Pro tip: Record these yourself if you want to waste three hours learning that it's harder than it looks.

2. Background Stuff

The ambient noise that fills the dead air. Restaurant chatter, office printers, that one coworker who types like they're angry at their keyboard - all that fun stuff. Without these, your video sounds like it was filmed in a vacuum and not the cool space kind.

Popular background noises you'll need:

• Coffee shop ambiance (people pretending to work while taking Instagram photos)
• Office sounds (printers, water cooler gossip, soul-crushing fluorescent lights)
• Nature noises (birds that won't shut up, wind, leaves rustling)
• City sounds (traffic, construction, that one car alarm that's been going off for hours)
• Party atmosphere (people laughing at jokes that aren't funny, music that's just quiet enough to avoid copyright strikes)

Fun fact: Most restaurant background noise in movies is just the sound team saying "watermelon" and "peas and carrots" over and over.

3. The Fancy Ones

Those completely fake sounds for things that don't exist in real life… Like laser guns, dragons, or the sound of your motivation returning on a Monday morning. This is where sound designers earn their money by mixing random stuff together and hoping it sounds cool.

What you might need to fake:

• Sci-fi weapons (because real guns are boring)
• Monster noises (mix a lion's roar with your stomach growling)
• Magic spells (swooshes, sparkles, and whatever noise you think magic makes)
• Future technology (beeps and boops that sound important)
• Explosions (because Michael Bay needs to eat)

4. The "Oh God, Why Is This So Hard" Category

These are the sounds that seem simple but will drive you crazy trying to get right. They're not fancy. They're not basic. They just exist to make your life difficult.

Examples include:

• Rain (never sounds real enough)
• Fire (always sounds like someone crunching potato chips)
• Breaking glass (without actually breaking anything)
• Ice cubes in a glass (sounds fake even when it's real)
• Punches (fun fact: real punches sound boring)

5. The Digital Ones

Maybe it’s due to so many AI advancements in the recent year, or Idk, but half of your sound effects need to sound like computers doing computer things. Because apparently, every keystroke needs a beep and every error message needs to sound like the world is ending.

Modern must-haves:

• Text message alerts (that aren't the iPhone sound)
• Social media notifications (that won't get you sued)
• Video game sounds (bleeps, bloops, and victory fanfares)
• Error messages (make them sound serious but not heart-attack serious)
• Loading bars (yes, they need sound now, welcome to the future)

6. Human Sounds

The most awkward category. These are all the weird noises humans make that you need to recreate without making everyone uncomfortable.

You'll probably need:

• Coughs (not the COVID kind)
• Sneezes (the safe-for-work version)
• Laughing (from genuine to obviously fake)
• Gasps (dramatic but not too dramatic)
• Sighs (from mild disappointment to complete existential crisis)

Remember: Each of these categories exists because someone, somewhere, messed up a video badly enough that we now need specific terms for all these different types of sounds. You're not just adding noise - you're participating in a grand tradition of making things sound better than they actually do.

How to Actually Use This Stuff

1. Don't Go Overboard

Your video doesn't need a sound effect every half a second. This isn't a Michael Bay movie, and you're not getting paid millions to make everything go boom. That cool "whoosh" sound you found? Great. Using it for every single camera movement? Not so great. Think of sound effects like hot sauce - a little bit adds flavor, but too much, and nobody can taste anything else. Your viewers don't need their ears assaulted by sword-drawing sounds every time someone moves their arms.

2. Match the Sound to the Scene

If your video shows someone gently closing a door, don't use a sound effect that makes it sound like they're slamming it off its hinges. Unless they're really angry - then go for it. 

This applies to everything: footsteps should match the surface (concrete doesn't sound like wooden floorboards), car engines should match the vehicle (a Toyota Prius doesn't roar like a Ferrari), and punches shouldn't sound like someone dropping a nuclear bomb. Your rom-com doesn't need The Matrix sound effects, no matter how cool you think they are.

3. The Volume Control

Nothing says "amateur hour " like sound effects that blast everyone's eardrums. Your door-closing sound shouldn't be louder than your explosion sound. That's just common sense.

Here's a quick volume hierarchy to save your viewers' hearing:

• Explosions and major impacts: Loudest
• Vehicle sounds and machinery: Pretty loud
• Regular actions (doors, footsteps): Normal speaking volume
• Background sounds: Quieter than your main audio
• That one cricket sound you insisted on adding: Barely audible

Pro tip: If your audio quality isn't quite there, try running it through our audio enhancer.

4. Timing Is Everything

Bad timing can turn your professional-looking video into a low-budget disaster faster than you can say "out of sync." If someone throws a punch, the impact sound should happen exactly when their fist connects - not three frames later when they're already ordering victory pizza. 

5. Layer Like You Mean It

One sound effect? Amateur hour. Real pros layer their sounds like a cold-weather outfit. Take an explosion: mix the initial blast, the debris sounds, the aftermath rumble, and maybe even some glass breaking. 

Just remember rule #1, and don't go crazy - you're making a video, not starting World War III in someone's headphones.

6. The Background Game

Dead silence between your main sound effects is weird and unnatural - kind of like that one colleague who stands too close during conversations. Add subtle background noise: room tone, distant traffic, office sounds, or nature ambiance. It's like AutoTune for your video - best when nobody notices it's there.

7. The Tech Check

Before you spend hours adding perfect sound effects, check your video's final destination:

• YouTube? You're good to go
• Instagram? Maybe tone down the bass
• Your company's ancient website? Keep it simple unless you want it to sound like it was recorded underwater
• Your grandma's Facebook page? She's going to play it at full volume anyway, so plan accordingly

Having format issues? An audio converter can save you hours of headaches and keep your sound effects from sounding like they were recorded on a potato.

8. Test Your Work

Here's the real test: play your video for someone who hasn't seen it yet. If they're wincing, reaching for the volume control, or asking why everything sounds like it was recorded inside a tin can, you might need to start over. Better to know now than after you've shared it with your entire social network or, worse, your boss.

Remember, the goal isn't to win an Oscar for Best Sound Effects (though if you do, please mention this guide in your acceptance speech). The goal is to make your video sound natural enough that nobody notices your sound effects at all. It's like being a ninja, but for audio - if they notice you, you're doing it wrong.

How to Add SFX with Flixier

Adding sound effects (SFX) to your videos can make them more engaging and professional. Flixier is a user-friendly online video editor that makes this process simple, even for beginners. Here's how to enhance your videos with sound effects using Flixier.

Getting Started

1. Click the blue Get Started button to open Flixier in your web browser. 

Pro tip: Need to grab audio from an existing video? Our audio extractor tool is your new best friend.

Import Your Media

2. Upload your video file from your computer, cloud storage (Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox), or by pasting a link.

3. Go to the Audio section on the left side of the screen and browse the Sound Effects menu.

Adding and Editing SFX

4. Choose your desired sound effect and drag it onto the timeline.

5. Position the sound effect by dragging it left or right to sync with your video.

6. Adjust the volume using the slider in the properties menu (default is 100%).

Enhance Your Sound Effects

7. Change your SFX using these tools:

• Adjust gain to modify the volume (starts at 0%)
• Use the Equalizer feature to boost bass or tweak the treble
• Apply fade-in or fade-out transitions for smooth sound blending
• Enable the audio levels visualizer by clicking the rectangles in the right corner of the preview canvas

Final Adjustments

8. Use the AI audio enhancer to:

• Clean up the audio quality
• Remove background noise
• Fix volume levels

Export Your Project

9. Click Export when finished and choose your preferred sharing option or download format.

Common Mistakes That'll Make Everyone Cringe

1. The Machine Gun Effect

Adding sound effects to your video is like adding salt to food - too much, and you've ruined the whole thing. You know that one person who puts 47 different transitions in their PowerPoint presentation? This is the audio equivalent. Your video doesn't need a whoosh for every camera movement, a boom for every text appearance, and an explosion for every scene change.

Signs you're guilty of this:

• Your timeline looks like a barcode
• People ask if Michael Bay edited your video
• You've used more than three laser sounds in a cooking video
• Your corporate training video has the same number of sound effects as a Marvel movie

2. The Time-Travel Problem

Nothing screams "I edited this at 3 AM while chugging energy drinks" quite like misaligned sound effects. Your brain expects certain sounds to happen exactly when the action occurs. Even a tiny delay makes everything feel off, like watching a badly dubbed movie or trying to have a conversation over a laggy video call.

Red flags that you're messing with the space-time continuum:

• Footsteps that sound after the person has already walked
• Door sounds play while the door is still closed
• Punch sounds that hit before the actual punch
• Car engines that start three seconds after the car is already moving

Quick fix: Zoom in on your timeline and line up the sound effect with the exact frame where the action starts. Your viewers' brains will thank you.

3. The Quality Issue

Bad sound effects are like bad CGI - once you notice them, you can't focus on anything else. Those free sound effects you downloaded from that sketchy website from 2003? Yeah, everyone can tell. The same goes for that explosion sound you recorded by blowing into your phone's microphone.

How to spot garbage sound quality:

• Static that sounds like you recorded a beehive
• Bass that sounds like it was recorded underwater
• Effects that cut off abruptly like they've been chopped with a digital axe
• That weird metallic echo that screams, "I recorded this in my bathroom"

And since we're talking about quality issues, if you're working with voice-overs or dialogue, the convert audio to text feature can help you spot timing issues before they become timing disasters.

4. The Context Catastrophe

Every space has its own sound characteristics. A footstep in a cathedral sounds different from a footstep in a closet. Somehow, people keep using outdoor gunshot sounds for indoor scenes or cave echoes in bedroom settings. This is like wearing a swimsuit to a business meeting - technically clothes, but wrong for the situation.

Warning signs you're doing it wrong:

• Beach waves in a basement scene
• Echo-free voices in a cathedral
• Thunder that sounds the same indoors and outdoors
• Door slams that sound identical in every room

5. The Volume Rollercoaster

Nobody wants to adjust their volume every five seconds because your sound effects are playing "How loud can I go?" Your explosion doesn't need to be heard by the neighbors three blocks away, and your whisper doesn't need to be actual ASMR.

Signs you're failing the volume game:

• Background music drowning out dialogue
• Footsteps louder than car crashes
• Ambient sounds compete with the main audio
• That one random effect that blows out everyone's speakers

6. The Copy-Paste Syndrome

Using the exact same sound effect multiple times in your video is like wearing the same shirt every day - people notice, and it's weird. This is especially true for specific sounds like glass breaking or car horns. Real life has variety; your sound effects should, too.

Dead giveaways you're copy-pasting:

• The same door squeaks for every door
• Identical punch sounds in fight scenes
• One bird chirp repeated throughout your nature video
• That Wilhelm scream you thought was subtle (it wasn't)

7. The Genre Confusion

Every type of content has its own sound personality. Using cartoon sound effects in your serious documentary about climate change is like wearing a clown costume to a funeral. Read the room, or in this case, the genre.

How to tell you're mixing up your genres:

• Sitcom laugh tracks in horror scenes
• Cartoon boings in your corporate video
• EDM sound effects in your period drama
• Horror movie stings in your cooking tutorial

Keep in mind: The goal isn't to make your video sound like a sound effects demo reel. It's to enhance what's already there without making viewers wish they were watching on mute.

Making Your Own Sounds (If You're Really That Dedicated)

So you've decided to become the next big sound designer because, apparently, you hate having free time. Or maybe you're just too cheap to buy sound effects. Either way, here's how to turn your house into a bootleg sound studio without driving your roommates completely insane.

Kitchen Sound Studio 101

Your kitchen isn't just for making questionable midnight snacks anymore. It's now your primary recording studio:

• Need rain? Fry some bacon on medium heat. Bonus: You get to eat your sound effects
• Want a crackling fire? Crumple aluminum foil near your microphone
• Ocean waves? Pour rice slowly between two cups
• Sizzling lava? Pour salt on a hot pan (don't blame me if you set off the smoke alarm)
• Breaking bones? Snap celery or lettuce near the mic (perfect for those horror projects nobody asked you to make)

Bathroom Audio Magic

Yes, your bathroom is now a recording booth. Deal with it:

• Need wind sounds? Blow across an empty shampoo bottle
• Want creepy whispers? Talk into the toilet paper roll (clean ones only, please)
• Spooky echoes? Record anything in there - nature's reverb chamber
• Water drips? Just turn on your faucet slightly (and maybe fix that leak while you're at it)

Living Room Sound Factory

Time to annoy everyone within earshot:

• Need footsteps in the snow? Squeeze a bag of cornstarch
• Want grass walking sounds? Rub your hands on a strip of carpet
• Thunder? Shake a thin metal sheet (or just bang some pots if you're feeling lazy)
• Door creaks? WD-40 is your enemy - find the squeakiest door in your house
• Monster noises? Record your stomach after Taco Tuesday (or your dad's snoring)

Garage Gold Mine

Your garage isn't just for storing stuff you'll never use again:

• Need crash sounds? Drop some tools (not the expensive ones)
• Want machinery noises? Record your washing machine
• Car sounds? Rev your engine (but maybe warn the neighbors first)
• Metal impacts? Hit different tools together (safety glasses recommended)
• Explosions? Pop balloons near the mic (warning: cats hate this one)

The Bedroom Studio

Even your bedroom can become a sound effects workshop:

• Need cloth movement? Record yourself rolling around in bed sheets
• Want ghostly sounds? Wave blankets in the air
• Leather sounds? Squeeze your old jacket
• Wing flaps? Wave a book open and closed

You're Ready to Make Some Noise

Sound effects seem so simple on the surface… It's just about making things sound natural enough that nobody notices your work - which is ironic, considering how much time you'll spend on it. But at least now you can add "amateur sound designer" to your resume of random skills nobody asked for.

Remember: The best sound effects are like good plastic surgery. If people can tell you did something, you probably did too much.