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Foley and ambience

Free paper sound effects

Free paper sounds: page turns, crumpling, tearing, folding and writing, for foley, ASMR, podcasts and crisp percussion in beats, each with a licence verdict.

Samples
36 samples
Sources
from 5 sources
Cleared for commercial use
28 cleared for commercial use
Direct downloads
36 with direct download
Updated

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36 samples

Picked automatically from a live search of 41 sites and refreshed daily. Each sound belongs to its creator: check its licence on the source page before you release it.

Small sounds, big detail

Paper is quiet, but close up it is rich in texture: a page turning, a sheet crumpling into a ball, a tear, a pen scratching. Film and game sound designers use these to make on-screen actions believable, podcast producers to add life to a scene, and ASMR creators for the sounds themselves.

Using paper sounds

Because they are recorded close and quiet, paper recordings often carry room noise and handling sounds. A gentle noise reduction or gate cleans them up. In music, try them as replacements for hi-hats and shakers, or layer a crumple with a snare for grit.

Paper foley is a favourite of hobbyist recordists, so the free libraries have plenty, often CC0. Each card shows the licence verdict.

Questions

Why do producers use paper sounds in beats?
A crumple or tear has a crisp, noisy attack similar to a snare or shaker, but with an organic texture. Short paper sounds make good percussion layers in lo-fi, trip hop and minimal music.
How do I record my own paper foley?
In a quiet, soft-furnished room, with the microphone close. Different papers sound very different: newspaper is soft, printer paper is crisp, and card is stiff and thuddy.

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