SampleRadar: 395 free FX and sweetener samples

One lump or a few hundred?
One lump or a few hundred? (Image credit: Burke/Triolo Productions/Brand X/Corbis)

Struggling to decide what to give your beloved on Valentine's Day? How about a couple of zip files stuffed with SampleRadar's high-quality, royalty-free samples?

This week, we're offering you a selection of sounds that can be used to add an extra 'something' to your tracks. By that, we mean FX noises and sweeteners that will serve as the icing on the sonic cake (or, if you're more experimental, the egg and flour).

What you need to know

The samples are split into ten folders. Nine of these contain FX sounds, while the final one (which is in a separate zip file) contains the sweeteners. As well as loops, some of the kits also contain hits.

All the samples are supplied as WAV files so can be imported directly into your DAW or sampler of choice. Because they're royalty-free, you're welcome to use the samples in your music in any way you like - all we ask is that you don't re-distribute them.

The FX and sweetener samples are supplied in zip files, so you'll need to extract them before you can see them. Enjoy!

Example sounds

Alien Minstrals

Synth noise

Reversed piano chord

Radio noise

FX and sweetener samples: click to download

FX samples (263MB)

Sweetener samples (332MB)

These samples originally appeared on Computer Music magazine's cover DVD. Check out the latest issue for many more.

FX tutorials

How to make a massive FX sound

How to make an 8-bit video game FX sound

For more than 50,000 more samples, head to our SampleRadar hub

The MusicRadar team

MusicRadar is the number 1 website for music makers of all kinds, be they guitarists, drummers, keyboard players, djs or producers...

GEAR: We help musicians find the best gear with top-ranking gear round-ups and high- quality, authoritative reviews by a wide team of highly experienced experts. TIPS: We also provide tuition, from bite-sized tips to advanced work-outs and guidance from recognised musicians and stars. STARS: We talk to musicians and stars about their creative processes, and the nuts and bolts of their gear and technique. We give fans an insight into the actual craft of music making that no other music website can.