Sound libraries

Historical Sound Effects

Historical sound effects for period pieces of every kind. Knights clanking around a medieval town. Muskets and cannons. Wartime planes overhead. Then the more recent past, with film projectors, typewriters, old telephones, antique clocks, reel-to-reel tape and classic cars. If your story is set before smartphones, there's a good chance it's covered.

Libraries
138
Publishers
40
Formats
Mono, stereo, M/S, surround, ambisonic
Sample rates
44.1 to 192 kHz
Licence
Royalty-free for commercial work
Price range
$5 to $649
FiltersAll 138 libraries in HistoricalFilter by the spec, not just the subjectRecorded or designed, sample rate, bit depth, channel format, embedded metadata and file count. Narrow it down before you download anything.
Recorded or designed
RecordedDesigned

Recorded means captured in the field or a studio. Designed means built from other material.

Channel format
MonoStereoM/SSurroundAmbisonic

Mono for 3D positional audio. Ambisonic and surround for immersive mixes.

Embedded metadata
Tagged for Soundminer or UCSUntagged

Soundminer and UCS fields written into the files.

All 138 libraries in Historical.
Just added

New in Historical

-8%
44.1 to 96 kHz, 16 to 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Medieval siege engine sound effects covering trebuchet, mangonel, catapult and ballista launches, winch loading, trigger locks, fireball and stone projectile flybys, battering ram gate impacts, and siege tower rolling loops.
130 files · 630 MB · Metadata
-8%
44.1 to 96 kHz, 16 to 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Musket, flintlock, and blunderbuss sound effects across 480 files (160 original sounds), with field and naval cannon blasts, ramrod and powder-pouring foley, cannonball impacts on water, wood and stone, and battlefield ambience.
160 files · 503 MB · Metadata
-15%
44.1 to 96 kHz, 16 to 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Medieval siege engine sound effects covering trebuchets, catapults, ballistae, battering rams and siege towers, alongside sword, axe, bow, crossbow and spear combat, armour foley and combat gore across 1,500 files (500 original sounds).
500 files · 1.35 GB · Metadata
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Historical mechanical device sound effects across 223 files at 96kHz/24-bit, covering clicks and snap-ins, gear rotation, ratchets, slides, spinning motion sequences, and activation and processing sequences.
42 files · 450 MB · Metadata
-54%
44.1 to 96 kHz, 16 to 32-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Fantasy game sound effects featuring 1,505 WAV files covering dragons, medieval weapons, magic spells, creatures, castle ambiences, footsteps, treasure interactions, and RPG UI feedback designed for adventure games.
1,505 files · 1.34 GB · Metadata
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Mono, Stereo.
Medieval environments come alive through 400+ authentic sound effects, including tavern ambiences, church bells, blacksmith tools, and pastoral elements captured in high-definition 24-bit quality.
253 files · 1.31 GB · Metadata
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Mono, Stereo.
Featuring over 350 high-quality sound effects, this medieval warfare collection captures authentic historical elements, from battle cries to horse hooves, recorded with professional studio equipment.
220 files · 375 MB · Metadata
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Professional mechanical sound effects featuring industrial machinery, rotating gears, and metallic impacts from vintage workshops. Detailed recordings capture neo-Victorian era mechanisms and Steampunk-inspired contraptions.
182 files · 346 MB
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
A comprehensive medieval-themed collection featuring 618 high-quality sound effects, including settlements, warfare, professions, and UI elements, designed for strategy and fantasy game development at 96k/24bit resolution.
618 files · 1.19 GB · Metadata
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Historic World War Two aircraft sound effects recorded in Washington DC using multiple professional microphone setups, capturing authentic flyovers and passes of rare operational warbirds.
47 files · 722 MB · Metadata
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Prehistoric creatures come alive through meticulously recorded sound effects, featuring authentic roars and rumbles of various dinosaurs, captured in high-quality 24-bit 96kHz format.
32 files · 47.7 MB · Metadata
-50%
44.1 kHz, 16-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Authentic medieval sound effects encompass weaponry, castle ambiance, and battle elements, featuring 99 handpicked recordings from premium audio collections for historical productions.
99 files · 198 MB · Metadata
Was $50.00, now $25.00
Add Medieval Times to cart
48 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
This library of armor sound effects contains character movement, equipping sequences, and combat impacts including weapon strikes, projectiles, bodyfalls, and various surface interactions.
33 files · 336 MB · Metadata
-50%
44.1 to 48 kHz, 16 to 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Vintage analog sound effects featuring over 350 recordings of retro radios, televisions, cameras, typewriters, cassette decks, vinyl crackle, telephones, walkie-talkies, VHS static, and 8mm projectors for period-piece sound design.
356 files · 386 MB · Metadata
192 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Professional swordsmen's authentic duels and medieval combat sound effects, featuring various weapons hitting shields and flesh, recorded with multiple microphone perspectives in high-quality 24-bit/192kHz format.
80 files · 1.17 GB · Metadata
-50%
44.1 kHz, 16-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Capturing the essence of the American frontier, this collection delivers 200 authentic sound effects featuring horses, steam trains, gunshots, and classic Western ambiance.
200 files · 900 MB · Metadata
Was $50.00, now $25.00
Add Western to cart
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Meticulously recorded sound effects capture authentic antique timepieces, featuring grandfather clocks, pendulums, and vintage mechanisms - all preserved in high-quality 24-bit audio format.
20 files · 631 MB · Metadata
-50%
44.1 kHz, 16-bit. Formats: Stereo.
This collection features 35 carefully curated medieval sound effects, including axes, catapults, archery and cannons, sourced from premium professional audio libraries.
35 files · 84 MB · Metadata
Was $50.00, now $25.00
Add Medieval Times Vol. 2 to cart
192 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Historical forge sound effects captured at an ancient blacksmith, featuring 800 files of metallic impacts, hammering, chains, and tools, recorded in pristine 192kHz quality.
800 files · 4.06 GB · Metadata
48 kHz, 16-bit. Formats: Mono, Stereo.
Comprehensive collection of authentic 1950s vehicle sound effects, featuring interior and exterior recordings from six classic American cars, complete with engine starts, idling, passbys, and period traffic ambience.
941 files · 9.7 GB · Metadata
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Professional tape machine recordings featuring diverse mechanical sound effects, from DC motors and servos to analog buttons, captured through multiple microphones for enhanced tonal range.
559.1 MB · Metadata
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
This collection offers 73 high-quality sound effects samples of vintage devices, including cassette players, Polaroids, and classic radios, recorded at 96kHz/24bit for authentic retro textures.
73 files · 158 MB
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Mono, Stereo, M/S.
Twelve vintage timepieces contribute their mechanical sound effects, from delicate pocket watches to towering grandfather clocks, featuring intricate ticking mechanisms, chimes, and resonant bell tones.
933 files · 14.3 GB · Metadata
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Prehistoric creatures come alive through meticulously crafted sound effects, featuring diverse roars, growls, and breathing patterns from carnivores, herbivores, and baby dinosaurs in high-quality audio format.
40 files · 144 MB · Metadata
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
This comprehensive collection captures authentic handling noises from vintage books, featuring creaking leather and page turns, alongside mystical sound effects for enchanted tomes.
78 files · 203 MB · Metadata
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Vintage 1929 Royal Portable Typewriter sound effects, featuring authentic mechanical operations - from ribbon respooling to keystroke actions - recorded at professional 96kHz quality.
116 files · 337 MB · Metadata

Made for films, documentaries, or games that lean into the past, this category brings the atmosphere as well as the noise. Period texture. More of it sits next door in Guns, Boats & Ships, Military Vehicles, Antique Vehicles, and Nature Ambience.

Before you buy

Where do I start?

Tell us what you are making and we will narrow it down for you. Or start from a recordist whose work you already know. Some release here and nowhere else.

Can I use these commercially?

Yes. One licence covers commercial use, including client work, broadcast and games. No subscription, and nothing expires.

Film, games, audiobooks, all of it?

All of it. The licence does not care what you are making. Audiobooks, podcasts, film, television, games, theatre, advertising, installations.

Do you accept AI-generated sounds?

No. Every library here was recorded or designed by people. We do not accept generated audio from publishers.

How do I know a sound is in there before I pay?

Libraries publish a full tracklist, linked on the library page, and you can play the previews first. Still not sure? Ask us and we will check for you.

Will the files work with my setup?

Everything is WAV. 4,112 libraries carry embedded metadata for Soundminer and UCS, and the sample rate, bit depth and channel format are shown on the library page before you open it.

Where are the full licence terms?

On the licence page, in full, before you buy. Studio and multi-seat terms are there too.

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