Did you know that you can download more than 33,000 BBC sound effect samples for free?

Free BBC sound effect samples
(Image credit: BBC)

There can be few organisations that have used more sound effects than the BBC, but did you know that that the good old British Broadcasting Corporation has made more than 33,000 of its FX available for free download?

The collection has swollen considerably since it was first made public; the sounds are available under the RemArc licence, which means that they can be used for “personal, educational or research purposes”.  

The archive is easily searchable, and a quick browse confirms that there’s a wide variety of content, ranging from the atmospheric to the downright obscure. Each sample can be previewed and has its duration and filename listed.

You can dive in and start downloading right now on the BBC Sound Effects website, and don’t forget that MusicRadar also offers its own library of free samples in the form of SampleRadar. This content can be in commercial recordings royalty-free.

Ben Rogerson

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it. 

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