What is an AI sound effects generator?

An AI sound effects generator creates audio from a text description. You describe the sound, such as footsteps on wet pavement or a spaceship engine hum, and the AI generates a custom sound effect you can preview and export.

How do I generate sound effects from text?

Type a description of the sound you want, choose a duration, and generate. For better results, include the source, surface, environment, distance, intensity, and how the sound will be used in the edit.

Is the AI SFX generator free and do I need to sign up?

You can create a Melies account to explore the workflow. Generating and exporting sound effects requires a Melies plan. Effects start at 5 credits and longer durations cost more, quoted before you generate.

How do I write a good SFX prompt?

Write the sound like a production note: action, material, environment, distance, intensity, and timing. For example, 'slow footsteps on wet asphalt at night, close microphone, soft puddle splashes, no music' is stronger than 'footsteps'.

Can I make foley for film and video?

Yes. Use Melies to generate footsteps, prop sounds, door movement, cloth movement, room tone, impacts, and ambience for film, short-form video, ads, and AI-generated scenes.

What types of sounds can I generate?

You can generate many common SFX categories: nature sounds, impacts, mechanical sounds, sci-fi effects, ambience, human movement, UI sounds, transitions, creatures, and more. Detailed prompts usually produce better results.

How long can the sound effects be?

The current sound effects tool supports short effects and ambience clips up to 22 seconds. Layer multiple generations when you need longer soundscapes.

Can I use these in my video projects?

Yes, subject to your Melies plan and terms. Download the generated audio asset and use it alongside dialogue, music, subtitles, and video assets in your project workflow.

Can I use generated SFX commercially?

Generated audio can be exported and used under the applicable Melies plan and terms. For client work, paid media, or resale, review the usage rights attached to your subscription.

How is this different from Freesound or ElevenLabs SFX?

Freesound is a library, so you search for an existing asset. Standalone SFX generators create custom audio but often require extra import and export steps. Melies focuses on prompt-to-SFX inside a broader video creation workflow.

Can I generate music with this tool?

This tool specializes in sound effects. For music, use the Melies AI music generator which creates original compositions, background music, and scores from text descriptions.

Text to sound, ready for the cut

AI sound effects for the exact scene in your head

Describe the source, surface, space, and energy. Melies turns the direction into a custom sound effect you can preview, download, and keep beside the rest of your film assets.

AI-generated result

Rainy city, after midnight

Ready

0:000:04

MP3

“Wet city street at night, light rain, distant traffic, occasional footsteps, natural stereo ambience, no music.”

4.1 secStereo5 credits

Try the direction

Write it like a note to a sound designer

Specific prompts create more useful editorial material. Name what makes the sound, where it happens, how intense it feels, and how it should sit in the cut.

Sound direction

Describe one audible moment

107 / 500

Duration

1–22 seconds · downloadable MP3 · from 5 credits

From prompt to timeline

A sound asset, not a dead-end demo

Generate for a specific beat, compare variations, then keep the chosen result with the scene’s image, video, dialogue, and music.

01
Direct the moment
Describe the audible action, material, room, distance, timing, and emotional energy.
Rain · metal awning · medium distance · under dialogue
02
Compare variations
Generate alternate takes, preview the result, and choose the version that fits the picture.
03
Keep it with the scene
Download the MP3 or keep it beside voice, music, image, and video assets in Melies.
City ambience · 00:04

Prompt anatomy

Five details that change what you hear

01
Source: Name the object or action: footsteps, glass, engine, monster, crowd, door, rain.
02
Surface: Add material details: wet asphalt, wooden floor, metal hallway, gravel, cloth, mud.
03
Space: Set the environment: small room, empty street, forest, cave, spaceship, stadium.
04
Energy: Describe intensity and timing: soft, distant, sharp, heavy, rising, quick, looping.
05
Use: Mention the edit context: under dialogue, trailer hit, UI click, horror reveal, logo sting.

What you can generate

Foley, atmospheres, transitions, and impossible sounds

Use these directions as a starting point. Each can be refined by surface, space, timing, intensity, and edit context.

Impact & Foley

Footsteps, punches, glass shatters, door slams, and object hits, timed and textured to match your scene.

Nature & Ambience

Rain, wind, forest, ocean, thunder, and crackling fire. Build full atmospheric soundscapes from a sentence.

Sci-Fi & Tech

Spaceship hums, laser blasts, force fields, UI bleeps, and futuristic machine sounds for games and film.

Mechanical & Vehicles

Engines, gears, motors, gunshots, and machinery. Realistic mechanical SFX without a field recorder.

Creatures & Fantasy

Monster roars, dragon wings, magic spells, and creature movement for games, animation, and fantasy worlds.

Human & Crowd

Footsteps, breathing, applause, crowd murmurs, and reactions to fill out any human or social scene.

UI & Game Sounds

Clicks, notifications, power-ups, coins, and menu sounds. Generate matching SFX sets for your interface.

Whooshes & Transitions

Risers, swooshes, stingers, and transitions for trailers, edits, and motion graphics.

Complete the soundtrack

One audio workflow around the scene

AI Voice Generator

Generate voiceovers and narration from text.

AI Music Generator

Create original background music for your scenes.

AI Video Generator

Generate the visuals your sound design brings to life.

AI Lip Sync

Sync dialogue and audio to on-screen characters.

AI sound effects generator: frequently asked questions

Practical answers before you start creating.

Stop searching the library. Direct the sound.

Create custom effects for the moment on screen, then keep the result ready for your edit.