# Free sound effects for music: risers, impacts, sweeps > Free sound effects for music production and video: risers, downlifters, impacts, whooshes, zaps, glitches and noise, with licence verdicts and previews. Transitions are what make a drop land: a riser that builds tension, a downlifter that releases it, an impact on the first beat and a whoosh between sections. These collections group free effects by what they do in an arrangement, from cinematic hits to vinyl crackle and laser zaps, with a preview and a licence verdict on every one. Updated 2026-10-23. ## Collections - [Free downlifter sound effects](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-downlifter-sound-effects.md): 6 samples from 1 sources. Free downlifters and falling sweeps that release tension after a drop or lead out of a section, for EDM, trap and film edits, each with a licence verdict. - [Free glitch sound effects](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-glitch-sound-effects.md): 36 samples from 5 sources. Free glitch effects: stutters, digital errors, buffer repeats, bit-crushed bursts and data noise for electronic music, UI and video, with licences. - [Free impact sound effects](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-impact-sound-effects.md): 36 samples from 4 sources. Free impact and hit sound effects: cinematic booms, sub drops, braams and slams for drops, trailers and transitions, each with a preview and licence verdict. - [Free laser and zap sound effects](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-laser-zap-sound-effects.md): 19 samples from 3 sources. Free laser, zap and blaster sound effects: retro sci-fi pews, synth zaps and glitchy shots for music, games and video, with a licence verdict on each. - [Free riser sound effects](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-riser-sound-effects.md): 33 samples from 4 sources. Free riser and uplifter sound effects for build-ups before a drop: white noise sweeps, pitch risers and tension builds, each with a preview and licence verdict. - [Free tape stop sound effects](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-tape-stop-effects.md): 5 samples from 2 sources. Free tape stop and record stop effects: the slowing, falling pitch of a stopping deck, used before drops and at song ends, with a licence verdict. - [Free transition sound effects](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-transition-sound-effects.md): 30 samples from 4 sources. Free transition effects for music and video: swells, reverse hits, sweeps and stingers that bridge two sections or shots, with a licence verdict on each. - [Free vinyl crackle samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-vinyl-crackle.md): 14 samples from 1 sources. Free vinyl crackle, record noise and tape hiss samples for lo-fi beats and warm, worn mixes, as loops and long takes, each with a preview and licence verdict. - [Free white noise samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-white-noise-samples.md): 36 samples from 5 sources. Free white, pink and brown noise samples and noise sweeps for risers, snare layers, transitions and sleep or focus sounds, each with a commercial-use verdict. - [Free whoosh and sweep sound effects](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/free-whoosh-sound-effects.md): 26 samples from 3 sources. Free whooshes, swooshes and noise sweeps for transitions in music, video edits, trailers and games, as short one-shots with previews and a licence verdict. ## Effects by their job in a track Risers build tension into a drop, downlifters release it, impacts mark the downbeat, and whooshes and transitions bridge two sections. Noise, vinyl crackle and glitches add texture, and zaps and lasers bring a sci-fi edge. Layering several, each in its own frequency range, is how most big transitions are made. ## Timing is the trick An effect lands when its loudest point hits the beat or the cut, not when it starts. Line up the peak of a whoosh with the downbeat, end a riser exactly where the drop begins, and start a downlifter together with an impact. Tempo-synced delays and reverbs help effects feel part of the music. ## Also for video and games The same effects serve video editors, podcasters and game developers. Many free libraries, such as Kenney's CC0 packs and the open sound communities, were made with games in mind. The licence verdict is the same question for any project: may this go into something you publish or sell? ## Questions **What is the difference between a riser and a sweep?** A riser climbs in pitch, volume or brightness over several bars to build tension. A sweep or whoosh is shorter and passes by, filling a moment rather than building towards one. **Can I use these sound effects in YouTube videos?** Yes, when the verdict says commercial use is OK; a monetised video counts as commercial. Non-commercial effects, such as the BBC archive's, are for personal or educational videos only. **How do I make my own transition effects?** Reverse a crash or a vocal, sweep a filter on noise, or resample a long reverb tail. Your own transitions fit your track better than stock ones. ## Guides - [CC0 vs CC BY vs royalty-free samples: what's the difference?](https://sound.shep.bot/guides/cc0-vs-cc-by-vs-royalty-free.md): CC0, CC BY and royalty-free licences all allow commercial music, with different strings: credit, redistribution and who granted them. A plain comparison. - [Is BBC Sound Effects free to use in music?](https://sound.shep.bot/guides/bbc-sound-effects-for-music.md): BBC Sound Effects is free for personal, educational and research use under the RemArc licence, not for commercial releases. What that means for producers. - [What counts as commercial use of a sample?](https://sound.shep.bot/guides/what-counts-as-commercial-use.md): Selling, streaming for royalties, monetised videos, beat leases, sync and client work are commercial. How non-commercial (NC) licences apply to music. ## Other kinds - [Free drum samples: kicks, snares, hats and breaks](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/drums.md) - [Free 808 and bass samples](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/bass-808s.md) - [Free loops by genre and tempo](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/loops.md) - [Free vocal samples: chops, a cappellas and shouts](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/vocals.md) - [Free foley sounds and ambience recordings](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/foley-ambience.md) - [Free instrument samples: piano, guitar, synth, strings](https://sound.shep.bot/samples/instruments.md) --- Source: https://sound.shep.bot/samples/fx