Origins of Doom sounds

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Most of Doom's sounds were taken from the Sound Ideas Series 6000, originally created by Mike McDonough,[1] while others were recorded by Robert Prince during development.[2][3] The Authentic Sound Effects libraries from Elektra Records were also used for a few sounds in Doom as well as Wolfenstein 3D.[4] For the PlayStation and Sega Saturn versions of Doom, as well as for Doom 64, virtually all sounds were replaced or otherwise edited in some way, and many of the replacements also originate from the Sound Ideas Series 2000-6000 and other commercial sound libraries.

Notable sounds[edit]

Arch-vile's death[edit]

The arch-vile's death sound was created by Robert Prince, who recorded a young girl saying "why" and then transformed this sound by shifting it down and mixing it with other sounds.[2]

Doom doors[edit]

One of the most famous sound associated to Doom is the sound of its doors. These sounds came from Sound Ideas and were originally recorded for the radio serial Bradbury 13. The components that were layered together to make this distinctive noise included an old three-phase generator turning on or off, the engine of a CD tray, a ball bearing rolling inside a balloon, and the hissing of a truck's hydraulics.[1]

Icon of Romero[edit]

When John Romero discovered that id's graphic artists had used his head as the sprite of the actor that, behind the scene, handles the damage inflicted to the final boss, he decided to show he knew about the prank by putting in another Easter egg in the evil voice heard when the player enters the presence of the Icon of Sin. Robert Prince recorded him saying "to win the game, you must kill me, John Romero" and deformed the sound by putting heavy flanging and echo, then reversing it.[2]

Spawn cube[edit]

Another extremely common Doom sound is the one associated to the final boss shooting one of its spawn cubes, DSBOSPIT. This is also a Series 6000 sound, entitled "Fire, Ball – Impact And Large Fire Burst, Rumble", originally created for the Disney cartoon The Black Cauldron, specifically for the scene where the ground opens and the magic cauldron is revealed. This sound was created from a layering of slowed-down fireworks and the rumblings of a piece of sheet metal with the high frequencies filtered out.[1]

Sound list[edit]

Sound lump Description Library Name
DSPISTOL Pistol shot Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Gun, Hand Gun - 44 Magnum: Single Shot 01"
DSSHOTGN Shotgun shot Sound Ideas Series 6000
Sound Ideas Series 4000
"Explosion - Large Explosion 06"
"Gun, Shot Gun - 12 Gauge: Pump Action 01"
DSSGCOCK Entering level Sound Ideas Series 4000 "Gun, Shot Gun - 12 Gauge: Pump Action 01"
DSSAWUP Chainsaw selection Sound Ideas Series 2000 "Chainsaw - Start, Cut, Stop, Logging 01"
DSSAWIDL Chainsaw idle Sound Ideas Series 2000 "Chainsaw - Hard to Start, Start, Run, Logging"
DSSAWFUL Chainsaw use Sound Ideas Series 2000 "Chainsaw - Start, Cut, Stop, Logging 01"
DSSAWHIT Chainsaw connecting Sound Ideas Series 2000 "Chainsaw - Start, Cut, Stop, Logging 01"; reversed
DSRLAUNC Rocket launcher shot Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Electronic - Magical Swish 03"; start of the sound unidentified
DSRXPLOD BFG9000 projectile explosion Sound Ideas Universal Studios Library "Space, Ship Viper Fighter: Peel Off"
DSFIRSHT Generic hellspawn fireball Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Electronic - Magical Swish 01"
DSFIRXPL Generic projectile explosion Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Thunder - Thunder Clap and Rumble, Weather 04"; 200% speed
DSPSTART Lift/platform start sound Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Space, Door - Space Ship Door 2, Sci Fi"
DSPSTOP Lift/platform stop sound Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Space, Door - Space Ship Door 2, Sci Fi"
DSDOROPN Door raise Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Space, Motor - Space Motor, Malfunctioning"
DSDORCLS Door lower Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Space, Motor - Space Motor, Malfunctioning"; BFG charge sound mixed in
DSSTNMOV Crusher movement Unidentified
DSSWTCHN Switch use Authentic Sound Effects Volume 8 "Dishwasher - Machine Goes Trough Several Cycles, Shuts Off"
DSSWTCHX Menu closing sound Authentic Sound Effects Vol. 1 "Electric Wall Heater Switch"
DSPLPAIN Player pain Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Human, Groan - Groan: Male 01"
DSDMPAIN Generic hellspawn pain Sound Ideas Series 4000 "Scream - Male, Terror, Human, Horror"; 50% speed
DSPOPAIN Zombie pain sound Sound Ideas Series 4000 "Scream - Male, Long, Human, Horror 02"; 50% speed
DSSLOP Gib death Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Horror - Chewing on Bone, Human"; Heavily edited
DSITEMUP Item pickup Unidentified
DSWPNUP Weapon pickup Sound Ideas Series 4000 "Gun, Shot Gun - 12 Gauge: Pump Action 01"
DSOOF Fall grunt Sound Ideas Series 4000 "Cartoon, Groan - Male, Stress, Human, Horror"
DSTELEPT Teleporter Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Space - Warbling, Electronic"; heavily edited
DSPOSIT1 Zombie sight #1 Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Animal, Creature - Large Animal Growl 02"
DSPOSIT2 Zombie sight #2 Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Animal, Creature - Large Animal Growl 02"; also used as roaming sound in PSX Doom and Doom 64
DSPOSIT3 Zombie sight #3 Sound Ideas Lucasfilm SFX Library "Cat, Domestic - 8 Angry Snarls & Hisses, Animal"; 50% speed
DSBGSIT1 Imp sight #1 Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Animal, Creature - Large Animal Roar 13
DSBGSIT2 Imp sight #2 Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Animal, Creature - Large Animal Roar 06"
DSSGTSIT Demon and spectre sight Sound Ideas Lucasfilm SFX Library "Cat, Tiger - Growls, C.U. Growls, Snarls, Roars, Animal"; edited
DSBRSSIT Baron of Hell sight Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Human, Growl - Growl: Female 02"; pitched down and reversed
DSSGTATK Demon and spectre bite Sound Ideas Series 6000 Unidentified lion roar heard in SIS6K promotional video, slowed down
DSCLAW Imp and Hell noble melee Sound Ideas Series 4000 "Rip, Fabric - Heavy Cotton, Long Tear"
DSPLDETH Player death Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Scream - Male, Long, Human, Horror 04"; not an exact match, might be instead Bobby's own scream.[3]
DSPDIEHI Player extreme death Sound Ideas Series 4000 "Scream - Male, Long, Human, Horror 03"
DSPODTH1 Zombie death #1 Sound Ideas Lucasfilm SFX Library "Camel - Vocalizations, Animal"
DSPODTH2 Zombie death #2 Sound Ideas Lucasfilm SFX Library "Camel - Vocalizations, Animal"
DSPODTH3 Zombie death #3 Sound Ideas Series 4000 "Scream - Male, Short, Human, Horror"; 50% speed
DSBGDTH1 Imp death #1 Sound Ideas Lucasfilm SFX Library "Camel - Vocalizations, Animal"
DSBGDTH2 Imp death #2 Sound Ideas Lucasfilm SFX Library "Camel - Vocalizations, Animal"
DSSGTDTH Demon and spectre death Sound Ideas Lucasfilm SFX Library
Authentic Sound Effects Vol. 3
"Cat, Cougar - C.U. Snarl, Growl, Animal"; "Body Falling Downstairs"
DSBRSDTH Baron of Hell death Sound Ideas Lucasfilm SFX Library "Bear - Black Bear Cub, Moans, Purrs, Animal"; 50% speed
DSPOSACT Zombie roaming sound Sound Ideas Lucasfilm SFX Library "Cat, Leopard - Clouded, Nay, Hiss, Lunge, Growls, Animal"
DSBGACT Imp roaming Sound Ideas Lucasfilm SFX Library "Cat, Jaguar - Baby, C.U. Snorts & Wails, Animal"; heavily edited
DSDMACT Generic hellspawn roaming Unidentified low roar
DSNOWAY Wallhump Sound Ideas Series 4000 "Cartoon, Groan - Male, Stress, Human, Horror"
DSBAREXP Barrel and rocket explosions Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Explosion - Large Explosion 07"
DSPUNCH Fist punch Sound Ideas Series 4000 "Punch, Body - Punch Impact, Human 05"
DSTINK Deathmatch player message NeXT NeXTSTEP System Beep - Tink; used in Doom and The Ultimate Doom only
DSBDOPN Blazing door raise Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Space, Motor - Space Motor, Malfunctioning"; sped up
DSBDCLS Blazing door lower Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Space, Motor - Space Motor, Malfunctioning"; sped up
DSITMBK Deathmatch item respawn Premiere Edition 1, The Gusts Heavy Cold Wind PE031601 / Whistling Wind Stead PE033301[citation needed]
DSGETPOW Powerup pickup Sound Ideas Series 2000 "Gong - Large: Single Hit, Music, Percussion 01"
DSPLASMA Plasma rifle shot Unidentified sound.
DSBFG BFG9000 charge and shot Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Space, Gun Shots - Laser Gun Shot, Large, Galactic"; edited
DSCACSIT Cacodemon sight Alan Howarth Signature Series Growls Asthmatic Br AHS040701[citation needed]
DSCYBSIT Cyberdemon sight Sound Ideas Lucasfilm SFX Library "Camel - Vocalizations, Animal"; identification uncertain, heavily edited
DSSPISIT Spiderdemon sight Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Animal, Creature - Large Animal Death Scream"
DSSKLATK Lost soul charge Sound Ideas Lucasfilm SFX Library "Bats, Fruit - 8 Short Squawks, Animal"; 50% speed
DSCACDTH Cacodemon death Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Skates, In Line - In Line Skates: Stop, Roller Blades, Sports"
DSSKLDTH Unused lost soul death sound Sound Ideas Series 4000 "Cartoon, Groan - Male, Stress, Human, Horror"; placeholder sound, unused
DSCYBDTH Cyberdemon death DSPOSIT2 mixed with unidentified explosion
DSSPIDTH Spiderdemon death Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Explosion - Large Explosion 07"; mixed with unidentified sounds
DSHOOF Cyberdemon hoof Sound Ideas Series 4000 "Punch, Body - Arm Swing And Punch, Human 06"; 50% speed
DSMETAL Spiderdemon walk Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Industry, Puncher - Auto Plant Punch Press: Running, Factory 01"
DSDSHTGN Super shotgun shot Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Cannon - Black Powder Cannon: Single Blast 01"; also mixes in DSSHOTGN. Cannon sound also used in Quake.
DSDBOPN Super shotgun breaking open Sound Ideas Series 4000 "Gun, Rifle - Bolt Action Rifle: Push Bolt"
DSDBCLS Super shotgun closing Sound Ideas Series 4000 "Gun, Rifle - Bolt Action Rifle: Push Bolt"
DSDBLOAD Super shotgun reloading Sound Ideas Series 4000 "Gun, Rifle - Bolt Action Rifle: Push Bolt"
DSVIPAIN Arch-vile pain Unidentified low roar
DSMNPAIN Mancubus pain Unidentified
DSPEPAIN Pain elemental pain Unidentified
DSBSPSIT Arachnotron sight Unidentified
DSKNTSIT Hell knight sight Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Human, Growl - Growl: Female 02"; pitched up and reversed
DSVILSIT Arch-vile sight Unidentified
DSMANSIT Mancubus sight Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Jaguar - Grownling, Snarls, Animal, Cat 02" and low-pitched DSMNPAIN[citation needed]
DSPESIT Pain elemental sight Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Animal, Creature - Large Animal Growl 04"; 200% speed
DSSKEPCH Revenant punch Sound Ideas Series 4000 "Punch, Face - Jaw Sock, Human 05"
DSVILATK Arch-vile attack Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Explosion - Increasing Rumble Leading To Explosion"
DSSKESWG Revenant melee swing Sound Ideas Series 4000 "Swish - Arm Or Weapon Swing Through Air, Swoosh 04"
DSBSPDTH Arachnotron death Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Explosion - Large Explosion 05"; mixed with unidentified shutdown sound
DSVILDTH Arch-vile death Edited from a recording of a young girl saying "why?"[2]
DSKNTDTH Hell knight death Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Jaguar - Two Jaguars, Angry, Animal, Cat"; also used in Quake for the vores
DSPEDTH Pain elemental death Unidentified explosion mixed with edited DSSKLATK
DSSKEDTH Revenant death Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Horror - Head Crunch, Human 06"
DSBSPACT Arachnotron roaming Unidentified
DSBSPWLK Arachnotron walk Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Industry, Puncher - Auto Plant Punch Press: Running, Factory 01"; sped up and mixed with unidentified sound
DSVILACT Arch-vile roam Unidentified
DSFLAME Arch-vile fire Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Fire, Weeds - Dry Weeds and Grass Burning, Crackle Fire Scenes"
DSFLAMST Arch-vile fire start Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Fire, Burst - Small Burst Of Flames In Wood Stove 01"; not heard in game due to oversight
DSBOSPIT Spawn cube launch Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Fire, Ball - Impact And Large Fire Burst, Rumble"
DSBOSCUB Spawn cube roaming Unidentified
DSBOSSIT Final boss sight John Romero "To win the game, you must kill me, John Romero"[2]
DSBOSPN Final boss pain Unidentified
DSBOSDTH Final boss death Unidentified
DSMANATK Mancubus battlecry Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Pig - Squealing, Animal"; 75% speed, edited
DSMANDTH Mancubus death Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Animal, Creature - Slimy, Crawling Mass"; thump unidentified but same as in DSSGTDTH, at 50% speed; moan unidentified
DSSSSIT Wolfenstein SS sight Wolfenstein 3D "Schutzstaffel!"; recorded by id Software staff
DSSSDTH Wolfenstein SS death Wolfenstein 3D "Mein Leben!"; recorded by id Software staff
DSKEENPN Commander Keen pain Commander Keen first trilogy Neural stunner SFX; PC speaker sound recorded with microphone
DSKEENDT Commander Keen death Commander Keen first trilogy Entering level SFX; PC speaker sound recorded with microphone
DSSKEACT Revenant roam Unidentified
DSSKESIT Revenant sight Unidentified
DSSKEATK Revenant shot Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Space, Whoosh - Fast Whoosh By, Sci Fi 09"
DSRADIO Deathmatch player message Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Telephone, Electronic - Electronic 1: Ringing, Office"; used in Doom II and Final Doom

Console Doom sound list[edit]

Original sound lump Doom 64 sound lump Description Library Name
DSPISTOL SFX_033 Pistol shot Sound Bible 44 Magnum
DSSHOTGN SFX_034 Shotgun shot The Edge Edition Volume 1 Hollywoodedge, 22357 Magnum Fire Clo TE029501[citation needed] (slowed down), unknown reload sound
DSSGCOCK Entering level
DSSAWUP SFX_037 Chainsaw selection Sound Ideas Series 2000 "Chainsaw - Start, Cut, Stop, Logging 01"
DSSAWIDL SFX_038 Chainsaw idle Sound Ideas Series 2000 "Chainsaw - Hard to Start, Start, Run, Logging"
DSSAWFUL SFX_039 Chainsaw use Sound Ideas Series 2000 "Chainsaw - Start, Cut, Stop, Logging 01" (shorter than the PC version)
DSSAWHIT SFX_040 Chainsaw connecting Sound Ideas Series 2000 "Chainsaw - Start, Cut, Stop, Logging 01"
DSRLAUNC SFX_041 Rocket launcher shot Edited from the original Doom sound with unknown samples
DSRXPLOD SFX_043 BFG9000 projectile explosion Unidentified
DSFIRSHT SFX_123 Generic hellspawn fireball
DSFIRXPL SFX_044 Generic projectile explosion Sound Ideas Series 6000 Explosion, Large (edited)
DSPSTART SFX_045 Lift/platform start sound
DSPSTOP SFX_046 Lift/platform stop sound
DSDOROPN SFX_047 Door raise Sound Ideas 6000 SPACE, DOOR - SPACE DOOR: ACTIVATE 01 (ending modified)
DSDORCLS SFX_048 Door lower
DSSTNMOV SFX_049 Crusher movement
DSSWTCHN SFX_050 Switch use
DSSWTCHX SFX_051 Menu closing sound
DSPLPAIN SFX_052 Player pain
DSDMPAIN SFX_053 Generic hellspawn pain
DSPOPAIN SFX_054 Zombie pain sound (in Doom 64 also: imp and nightmare imp)
DSSLOP SFX_055 Gib death
DSITEMUP SFX_056 Item pickup
DSWPNUP SFX_122 Weapon pickup
DSOOF SFX_057 Fall grunt
DSTELEPT SFX_058 Teleporter
DSPOSIT1 SFX_059 Zombie sight #1
DSPOSIT2 SFX_060 Zombie sight #2
DSPOSIT3 SFX_061 Zombie sight #3
DSBGSIT1 SFX_062 Imp sight #1
DSBGSIT2 SFX_063 Imp sight #2
DSSGTSIT SFX_064 Demon and spectre sight
DSBRSSIT SFX_066 Baron of Hell sight
DSSGTATK SFX_069 Demon and spectre bite
DSCLAW SFX_070 Imp and Hell noble melee
DSPLDETH SFX_071 Player death
DSPODTH1 SFX_072 Zombie death #1
DSPODTH2 SFX_073 Zombie death #2
DSPODTH3 SFX_074 Zombie death #3
DSBGDTH1 SFX_075 Imp death #1
DSBGDTH2 SFX_076 Imp death #2
DSSGTDTH SFX_077 Demon and spectre death
DSBRSDTH SFX_079 Baron of Hell death
DSPOSACT SFX_081 Zombie roaming sound
DSBGACT SFX_082 Imp roaming
DSDMACT SFX_083 Generic hellspawn roaming Sound Ideas Series 6000 "Animal, Creature - Large Animal Growl 02"; also used as a zombie wake up sound in PC Doom
DSNOWAY SFX_0124 Wallhump
DSBAREXP SFX_084 Barrel and rocket explosions
DSPUNCH SFX_085 Fist punch
DSBDOPN SFX_108 Blazing door raise
DSBDCLS SFX_109 Blazing door lower
DSITMBK SFX_042 Item and monster trigger spawn/deathmatch item respawn
DSGETPOW SFX_110 Powerup pickup
DSPLASMA SFX_035 Plasma rifle shot
DSBFG SFX_036 BFG9000 charge and shot
DSCACSIT SFX_065 Cacodemon sight
DSCYBSIT SFX_067 Cyberdemon sight
DSSPISIT Spiderdemon sight
DSSKLATK SFX_068 Lost soul charge
DSCACDTH SFX_078 Cacodemon death
DSSKLDTH Unused lost soul death sound
DSCYBDTH SFX_080 Cyberdemon death
DSSPIDTH Spiderdemon death
DSHOOF SFX_086 Cyberdemon hoof
DSMETAL SFX_087 Spiderdemon walk
DSDSHTGN SFX_088 Super shotgun shot
DSDBOPN SFX_089 Super shotgun breaking open
DSDBCLS SFX_090 Super shotgun closing
DSDBLOAD Super shotgun reloading
DSMNPAIN SFX_102 Mancubus pain
DSPEPAIN SFX_094 Pain elemental pain
DSBSPSIT SFX_096 Arachnotron sight
DSKNTSIT SFX_091 Hell knight sight
DSMANSIT SFX_101 Mancubus sight
DSPESIT SFX_093 Pain elemental sight
DSSKEPCH SFX_107 Revenant punch
DSSKESWG SFX_106 Revenant melee swing/dart shot
DSBSPDTH SFX_097 Arachnotron death
DSKNTDTH SFX_092 Hell knight death
DSPEDTH SFX_095 Pain elemental death
DSSKEDTH Revenant death
DSBSPACT SFX_098 Arachnotron roaming
DSBSPWLK SFX_099 Arachnotron walk
DSMANATK SFX_100 Mancubus battlecry
DSMANDTH SFX_103 Mancubus death
DSSKEACT SFX_104 Revenant roam
DSSKESIT Revenant sight
DSSKEATK SFX_105 Revenant shot/Homing fireball/Mother demon projectile
SFX_111 Unmaker shot
SFX_112 Plasma gun idle noise
SFX_116 Dart hit
SFX_121 Mother demon sight
SFX_117 Mother demon roam
SFX_118 Mother demon attack
SFX_120 Mother demon pain
SFX_119 Mother demon death
SFX_115 Earthquake
SFX_114 Thunderstorm 1
SFX_113 Thunderstorm 2

Sources[edit]

External links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Rüegg, Philipp; Johnson-Ferguson, Jessica (19 March 2020). "«Really? I had no idea» The «Doom» sound designer talks about his unexpected legacy." digitech.ch. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Prince, Bobby (1996). "Tricks and Techniques For Sound Effect Design" (archived 🏛), bpmusic.com.
  3. 3.0 3.1 Prince, Bobby (31 August 2012). "Creating SFX for Wrack—The Lastest." Wrack Blog. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
  4. ColorSphere (6 December 2021). Doomworld forums post. Doomworld forums. Retrieved 3 June 2022.