Questions & Answers

Sound FX and music origins

Who are we?

Sound Fishing / Sound 4 museum is a French company dedicated to the production and distribution of audio files on the internet. It is directed by the creator of the company : M. Nicolas Dubois.
Since 1998, Sound Fishing has offered sound fx, soundscapes and stock music for legal download. All sounds are entirely produced by Sound Fishing.
Sound Fishing also take part in the creation of on-demand sounds in various fields such as publishing, cinema/TV, multimedia, museums and industry. Sound 4 Museum is a division of Sound Fishing dedicated to creating sound universes, including historical sound reconstructions for museums and culture councils.

Where do the sound fx, soundscapes and stock music come from? How are they created?

All sound fx, soundscapes and jingles to download from the website are created (recorded) and produced by Nicolas Dubois or Sound Fishing’s occasional collaborators. This allows us to offer sounds where the copyright is 100% taken care of by Sound Fishing. Recordings are produced in sound studio facilities or outdoors with the use of professional techniques and equipment.
The pieces of stock music are original works created for Sound Fishing or by composers who have granted Sound Fishing the right to these works (Mourioche, MrKey, Jean-Michel Cazorla, Sylvain Ott, Beuss, Christophe Espern). The terms of use for these pieces of music are dependent on the type of licence associated with them.

What equipment does Sound fishing use to create their recordings?

We have been offering downloadable sounds for the past 15 years and sound location equipment has evolved over these years. Therefore, different set ups have been used over time. The first one was the combination of a Mini-disc and a small Sony ECM-DS70P microphone. It was replaced by a HIMD from Sony together with a Lavalier B2 from AKG. The sound recorder was then replaced by a Fostex FR2-LE and different types of microphones such as Røde NTG2, Røde NT4 (X/Y) and NT5 (matched pair), AudioTechnica BP4027 (stereo shotgun) and AKG C414 II. Some of these microphones are still in use even though the location mics have been expanded with an AudioTechica BP4025 (X/Y) stereo mic as well as a matched pair Neumann KM184. The audio recorder currently in use is a Nagra LB as well as a Fostex FR2 when additional tracks are required. For some recordings that require both discretion and light weight, we use a Sony PCM-D50.

What is the format of the downloadable sound files? Are they mono or stereo?

Sound files are in wav or MP3 format depending on the situation:
- Music and free sound fx files are in stereo format, MP3-16bit-44.1kHz-80 or 128kbps.
- Music and sound fx downloaded with a Premium MP3 subscription are in MP3 format, stéréo-16bit-44.1kHz-192kbps.
- Music and sound fx downloaded with a Premium WAV subscription are in wav format, stereo-24bit-48kHz.
- Music and downloadable sound fx bought per unit are mostly in wav-stereo-16bit-44.1kHz or 48kHz.
Recordings are made in mono or stereo depending on the equipment used. Different stereo recording techniques are used: M/S, X/Y, AB or NOS. Audio files offered for download are on stereo or dual mono for mono recordings.

Downloading sound fx and stock music

How to download sound fx?

To download free sound fx, click on the green button which reads “Free”, located next to the sound FX's description. You will be then be invited to choose the file directory.
To download sound fx from Sound Fishing Premium Collection (WAV or MP3), you must be registered and log into your account. The red buttons which read “Premium MP3” or “Premium WAV” will turn green. Just click them to download the sound fx.

I've subscribed but I can't download any Premium sound fx.

The most common explanation is that you haven't logged into your account. It is mandatory to log in as subscriber.
The activation of your subscription is automatic and occurs right after the payment verification. It could happen, despite our efforts, that a delay in the transmission of the payment confirmation may entail a slight delay in the activation of a subscription. Do not hesitate to contact us in case of any problem.

I bought a paid sound fx, what happens next?

As soon as you have paid for your purchase, an automatic email is sent to you with the link to download the sound FX. If you do not receive this email, check your spam or junk mail folder. If there is still nothing there, do not hesitate to contact us. You will also find a link to the download on your account page.

When listening to some samples of sound fx from Premium Collections or paid sound fx, there is a beeping sound or a voice saying “Sound-fishing” at regular intervals. Is this “beep” also on the sound files I download?

Of course not! This is just an anti-copying device which we apply on our samples (pre-listening). Sound files to download do not include this “beep”. Subscribers of Sound Fishing Club can also listen to samples without hearing the “beep” or the voice.

Your account on Sound Fishing

I’ve lost my log in details (username and/or password). What can I do?

You can retrieve your log in details from the log in page. You can also find a password recovery link on log in page. Alternatively, you can send us an email with information related to your account (log in ID or the email you subscribed with). We will reply with your details as soon as possible.

Is my subscription automatically renewed once it comes to its end?

No, your Premium subscription is not automatically renewed. We do not offer any recurring subscription. You are then free to renew your subscription whenever you feel like it and for the duration you wish.

Does my account disappear at the end of my subscription?

No, the Premium subscription is a temporary or permanent option which you can subscribe to via your account. Your account will only disappear when you decide to unsubscribe yourself. Do not hesitate to contact us regarding this.

Are my bank details saved after payment?

No, your bank details are never saved on our website. We do not have access to this information. All payment processes are secured by Banque populaire or Paypal directly via their payment platform. In other words, you are directed away from our website when you make the payment and reconnected to it once the payment is complete. This procedure guarantees maximum security.

Use of sound fx and stock music

Can I use sound fx as cellphone ringtones?

Yes of course!

Can I freely use sound fx and stock music from Sound Fishing as stock audio for my web page, audiovisual projects or in my music?

Yes, they are intended for this purpose. Please refer to the sound fx and stock music licences to find out which uses are authorised for each licence.
Sound fx and stock music with the licence LESF are not subject to any royalties for private/family or commercial/professional use. This licence is tacitly granted, free of charge, when you open an account on Sound Fishing.
Stock music licensed under LMK is not subject to any royalties. The LMK licence is free for private/family use. It is subject to a fee in the case of commercial/professional use.
Stock music designated with "OGD" belongs to the catalogue of a society of authors such as SACEM. Their use requires the authorisation of the author/publisher as well as SACEM/SESAME/SDRM. Their use as commercial purpose involves the payment of a fee via those organizations.
Whatever the type of licence, the download of sound fx and stock music is subject to a range of different prices (free sound effects, club membership, paid sound fx) and this is indicated in the in the "File" column on the sound fx pages.

Should I credit the sound fx I have used from Sound Fishing in my projects?

No, there is no obligation regarding this. It is, however, very much appreciated and can entail certain benefits. We offer free download credits for any mention of Sound Fishing, whether it's at the beginning or at the end of your work or for any link to our website. Just send us an email containing either the URL of the web page that has the link or the webpage link of your work.
For the use of stock music, on the other hand, we highly encourage you to mention the composer and the title of the work that has been used.

Can I put Sound Fishing sounds on my website and let people download them?

No. Sound fx and stock music produced by Sound Fishing are the property of Sound Fishing, so you cannot redistribute them without our consent, in any form, free or paid. It is necessary to obtain a particular licence for this purpose.

I can't burn any sound fx or stock music onto a cd. What to do ?

No copy protection or anti-piracy system is used in any audio file that has been downloaded from our website. They can normally be burnt to a CD from any computer and with any software. If you encounter a problem, it could be due to a problem with an MP3 format compatible with your burning software. Do not hesitate to update it. Otherwise try with another computer. Sounds that don't exceed 2 seconds cannot be burned to an audio CD, you should go for a CD-Rom format.