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
140
Publishers
40
Formats
Mono, stereo, M/S, surround, ambisonic
Sample rates
44.1 to 192 kHz
Licence
Royalty-free for commercial work
Price range
$3.72 to $649
FiltersAll 140 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 140 libraries in Historical.
Just added

New in Historical

-8%
44.1 to 96 kHz, 16 to 24-bit. Formats: Stereo.
Medieval archery sound effects featuring bow draws, crossbow loading and wind-ups, arrow volleys, spear throws, whizz-by impacts on dirt, water, and wood, metal shield hits, and armored marching footsteps.
125 files · 179 MB · Metadata
-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
-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
-35%
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
Was $49.00, now $31.85
Add Medieval Town to cart
-26%
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
Was $23.00, now $17.00
Add STEAMPUNK MACHINES to cart
-50%
96 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Mono, Stereo.
This comprehensive medieval audio collection features 1,200+ high-quality sound effects spanning battlefield chaos, town life, and magical spells, recorded with professional equipment at 24bit/96kHz resolution.
680 files · 2.35 GB
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
-35%
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
Was $49.00, now $31.85
Add Medieval Warfare to cart
-40%
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
Was $59.00, now $35.40
Add Empire Game to cart
-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
-60%
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
Was $22.50, now $9.00
Add Dinosaurs Vol. 1 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 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
-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
-25%
44.1 kHz, 24-bit. Formats: Mono, Stereo.
Meticulously recorded hammer impacts and sharpening sound effects featuring 115 high-quality files, including various tool impacts and blade maintenance sounds for professional audio production.
115 files · 19 MB · Metadata
Was $20.00, now $15.00
Add Hammer & Anvil to cart
-60%
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
Was $10.00, now $4.00
Add Antique Clocks to cart
-60%
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
Was $17.50, now $7.00
Add Antique Books to cart
-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
-50%
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
Was $42.00, now $21.00
Add The Blacksmith to cart
-50%
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
Was $200.00, now $100.00
Add 1950s Period Vehicles to cart
-75%
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
Was $20.00, now $5.00
Add reel2reel to cart
-50%
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
Was $20.00, now $10.00
Add Analog Gear to cart
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
-60%
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
Was $22.50, now $9.00
Add Dinosaurs Vol. 2 to cart
-60%
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
Was $17.50, now $7.00
Add Antique Typewriter to cart

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. 4,223 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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