Free UI Sound Effects - Octave, BFXR and Game Audio 101

Free UI SFX Libraries and Tools

The user interface an important element in games and apps. A mobile screen is essentially a barrier between two worlds. Sound gives a normal finger tap new powers as it reinforces the feeling of control. The process is pure magic, bringing graphics an animation together with audio. The Graphical User Interface has evolved and companies now specialize in creating UI and UX (user experience) for games and a wide range of interactive projects. To really get under the hood, go here and learn about the various tech behind the glass. Audio deepens the user experience while this is pretty basic game audio stuff, it can't be overstated.

Without sound, a screen tap is nowhere near as powerful. Gamers want to feel in control and this can be confirmed by looking at the most popular games. Developers understand that even the most subtle notIfication sound can heighten player engagement and draw them deeper into the gameplay. The following free UI sound effects libraries and creation tools are perfect for mobile games and apps.

Octave

Octave has a free set of 48 handmade beeps, taps and slides. These are mostly for iOS as they are AIFF's and can be coverted to your format of choice. Many developers lack time, expertise or interest in creating sound and many don't have a budget for custom audio work. These are quite good and can also serve as a quick study for game audio professionals. Enhance usability with these simple sounds that can be used wherever you like.

http://raisedbeaches.com/octave/

BFXR

BFXR is the improved version of the popular SXFR and CFXR tools, but with increased range of expression. This free tool is perfect for the sound designer, game developer and sonic adventurer. This free program lets you quickly craft your own sound effects. The original Windows version sliders are still there, allowing you to create something 100% unique. Kudos to the creators of this fine tool:

http://www.bfxr.net/

Narfstuff

Next up is NarfStuff, who has created a set of Affirm, Deny, Alert, Click, Mousover and Whooshing Sounds. You can implement them easily into menus, games, applications and utilities. Feel free to use these sounds in commercial or personal projects – but don’t repackage these verbatim to sell on to others, or remove the accompanying readme file – that would just be mean :)

http://www.narfstuff.co.uk/2009/09/13/royalty-free-ui-sound-pack-now-free/

Lokif

Lokif went ahead and created some cool UI sounds for you to have and hold. These are mostly geared towards menus with various clicks as well as positive/negative sounds. Audio files can be layered or combined into entirely new SFX.

http://opengameart.org/content/gui-sound-effects

Kenny

This micro pack features 5 button clicks, 2 mouseclicks, 6 rollovers and 38 switches. They are well designed and ready to be used in games and apps. Just be sure and add the credits: "Kenney.nl" or "www.kenney.nl" if possible.

http://opengameart.org/content/51-ui-sound-effects-buttons-switches-and-clicks

Game Audio 101

Last but not least is our own free UI SFX library! It still gets downloads and thank you messages, which is great to see over the years. This collection of 56 sounds includes sci-fi as well as general use sounds.

https://freesound.org/people/GameAudio/packs/13940/