But even if the visuals reflect the speed of the object, it’s all for nothing without the right sound.Ĭase in point, Superman flying in Man of Steel:Īs boring of a hero as Superman is, you have to admire how fast he can fly. Somebody’s hair blows back, or dust scatters, or whatever. If an object, or superpowered person, moves across the camera at high speed, the audience expects a certain reaction from the world around said object. First, it helps suspend the audience’s disbelief. This accomplishes a couple of different psychological effects. The humble whoosh sound is a cornerstone of diegetic sound design, because it adds weight to the movement of objects in the film world. That could be Superman, flying faster than a speeding bullet, or it could be a sword barely missing its mark during a samurai duel.īoth of these are examples of diegetic sound, or noises that emanate from a source within the film’s world. When you think of a whoosh sound effect, the first image that springs to mind is probably some type of object hurtling by.

So in honor of the whoosh, the unsung hero of sound design, here’s a breakdown of how to apply this sound to your videos. If you’re going to make a film or a YouTube video, at some point you’ll probably employ this sound effect.

We’ve all heard it a million times, but do we really appreciate all its hard work?

Whoosh sound effects free