Sound design that makes things feel real
Gjethe designs sound for video, animation, games, apps and products: custom sound effects, foley, ambient atmospheres, transitions and whooshes for motion graphics, UI sounds and notification tones, and game audio implemented in FMOD, Wwise, Unity or Unreal. We record and build sounds from scratch or licensed sources, master them for each platform and deliver them named and organised for your developers or editors.
- Free first consultation
- Written quote for your project
- Flexible payment milestones
At a glance
- For
- Video, animation, games, apps, products
- Sounds
- Effects, foley, atmospheres, UI and notifications
- Game audio
- FMOD, Wwise, Unity, Unreal
- Formats
- WAV, OGG, MP3, platform-specific
Definition
What is sound design?
Sound design is the creation and placement of non-musical sounds, such as effects, ambiences, foley and interface sounds, to support what an audience sees and does.
People notice sound mainly when it's wrong: a silent animation feels empty, a cheap library effect sounds fake, a notification tone grates by the tenth time. Good sound design is felt rather than noticed. It makes a product feel solid, a video feel finished and a game feel responsive, and it gives a brand small signature moments people recognise.
Who is it for?
Motion and animation studios
Whooshes, impacts and textures timed to every movement.
Game developers
Footsteps, weapons, interfaces and ambiences, implemented and mixed in-engine.
App teams
UI sounds and notification tones that are pleasant on the hundredth hearing.
Hardware products
Start-up chimes, alerts and feedback sounds designed for small speakers.
What's included, and what you keep
What's included
- Sound brief and reference review
- Custom sound effects
- Foley for video and animation
- Ambient atmospheres and room tones
- Transitions and motion graphics sounds
- UI sounds and notification tones
- Sonic branding moments
- Game audio variations and randomisation
- Implementation in FMOD, Wwise or game engines
- Mastering for target devices
What you receive
Handed over at the end. Yours to keep.
- Final sounds in the formats your platform needs
- Variations to avoid repetition
- A named, organised sound library
- Implementation files or in-engine set-up
- A licence for the delivered sounds
Sound for apps and interfaces
Interface sounds are heard hundreds of times, often through phone speakers. They need to be short, clear at low volume, pleasant on repetition and consistent as a family. A confirmation should sound different from an error, and both should sound like they belong to the same product.
We design UI sound sets together with your designers, test them on real devices, and deliver them in the formats and sample rates iOS, Android and web need, with loudness kept consistent.
Sound for video and animation
Motion graphics and animation are silent until sound is added. Every movement, transition and impact can carry a sound, but not every one should. We build a layer of effects and ambience that supports the story, then balance it with music and voice so nothing competes.
Game audio, step by step
| Stage | What happens |
|---|---|
| Audio design document | List of every sound, its trigger and its behaviour |
| Creation | Sounds recorded or synthesised, with variations |
| Implementation | Set up in FMOD, Wwise or the engine with randomisation and parameters |
| Mixing | Levels, ducking and priorities so important sounds cut through |
| Testing | Played in the build on target devices and adjusted |
Hardware and product sounds
Devices from coffee machines to medical equipment use sounds to confirm actions and warn of problems. Small speakers can't reproduce low frequencies, and alerts must be noticeable without being stressful. We design sounds for the actual speaker and its environment, and test them on prototype hardware where possible.
Original and licensed sources
We record and synthesise original sounds and use professionally licensed libraries as raw material, processed and layered into new sounds. Every source is cleared for commercial use, and you receive a licence for the delivered sounds.
What helps us start
- The video, animation or game build
- A list of required sounds and triggers
- References for the style and mood
- Target devices and platforms
- Technical specs: formats, sample rates, loudness
- Who will implement, and in which tools
A sound family for your brand
Brands increasingly think about how they sound as well as how they look: the sound at the end of a video, the tone when an app opens, the chime of a product. Designed together, these sounds form a family that people learn to recognise, like a visual identity for the ear.
We define a palette of timbres and a few short motifs, then derive individual sounds from them so every notification, transition and alert feels related.
How sound design works, step by step
Every step has a clear output you can review. Timing is agreed in your quote.
- 1
Brief
What needs sound, where it plays and how it should feel.
- 2
Sound list
Every sound and its trigger written down and agreed.
- 3
Design
Sounds created, layered and processed.
- 4
Review
Sounds reviewed in context, against picture or in the build.
- 5
Implement and mix
Placed in the edit or engine and balanced.
- 6
Deliver
Organised files, implementation and licence.
Tools, and what shapes your quote
Pricing is based on your project and agreed in your quote. These are the things that move it.
| Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Number of sounds | More effects and variations take more design time. |
| Originality | Custom recorded sounds take longer than processed library sources. |
| Implementation | Setting up sounds in an engine with parameters adds work. |
| Video length | Longer videos with dense action need more effects. |
| Testing | Device and in-game testing adds time. |
| Area | Tools |
|---|---|
| Design and editing | Reaper, Pro Tools, Ableton Live, Adobe Audition |
| Processing | iZotope RX, Soundtoys, FabFilter, Serum and other synthesisers |
| Game audio | FMOD, Wwise, Unity audio, Unreal MetaSounds |
| Recording | field recorders, foley recording |
Common mistakes to avoid
What we see go wrong most often, and how a good project avoids it.
Adding sound at the very end
Planning sound early avoids rushed, generic choices.
Repetitive effects
The same sound every time becomes irritating. Use variations.
Ignoring small speakers
Sounds tested only on studio monitors can disappear on a phone.
Inconsistent loudness
Some sounds too loud, others too quiet. Normalise the whole set.
Frequently asked questions
Do you create original sounds or use libraries?
Both. We record and synthesise original sounds and use licensed libraries as raw material, processed into new sounds.
Can you implement sounds in our game?
Yes, in FMOD, Wwise, Unity or Unreal, including variations, parameters and mixing.
Can you design notification sounds for our app?
Yes. We design and test UI sounds and notifications on real devices, in the formats each platform needs.
Do you also compose music?
Yes, through our music production service, so music and effects work together.
Can you add sound to our animation or explainer?
Yes. We design effects, transitions and ambience timed to the animation and balanced with voice and music.
Can you design sounds for a physical product?
Yes. We design for the device's speaker and environment and test on prototypes where possible.
Who owns the sounds?
You receive a licence for the delivered sounds; full assignment of original recordings can be agreed in the quote.
How many revisions are included?
Two rounds of revisions on the sound set.
How is sound design priced?
It is quoted on the number of sounds, how original they need to be, and any implementation work.
Can you match sounds to our brand music?
Yes. We can derive UI sounds and transitions from your brand theme, so the whole sound identity feels connected.
What formats do app sounds need?
It depends on the platform. We deliver the formats, sample rates and file sizes your iOS, Android or web developers specify.
Can you do foley for a short film?
Yes. We record or build footsteps, cloth, props and room sounds synced to picture, and mix them with dialogue and music.
Can you replace the sounds in an existing game?
Yes. We review the current sounds, list what to replace or improve, and deliver new sounds with the same file names and triggers.
How do you avoid annoying notification sounds?
We keep them short, soft in the frequencies that irritate, and test them repeatedly on real devices before handover.
Related services
Music Production
Original music, scores and production for brands and media.
Audio Editing & Mixing
Dialogue clean-up, music mixing and mastering.
Motion Graphics
Animated titles, logos, lower thirds and UI motion.
Game Development
2D, 3D, web and mobile games.
Unity & Unreal Development
Real-time 3D apps, games, configurators and simulations.
Sound Design by industry
Make it sound finished.
Tell us what you need. You get an honest assessment, a clear plan and a written quote. The first consultation is always free.
- What happens next
- 1You tell us what you need
- 2We aim to reply within 24 hours with questions
- 3You get a written quote for your project