Back Pocket Sound – Introductions
I’d like to take a moment to reintroduce Back Pocket Sound, talk about who we are and what we do.
Back Pocket Sound is a sound effects company founded by Benjamin Spiller – a Canadian sound designer, dialogue editor and re-recording mixer. With ten years of audio-post experience, Ben has worked out of three major studios in Toronto: RHC Music, Wanted Sound and Picture, and Eggplant Music and Sound.
Through these working opportunities I’ve made bonds with many people in Toronto and beyond. These connections continue to foster new and exciting opportunities, and take me to places I never thought I could go with audio.
Audio Post Production
In my ten years in Toronto, I’ve worked on a wide variety of projects in TV, Film, Video Games and Advertising. Several of my favourite jobs can be found on the work page. You can also see my IMDB page for the full list of TV and Film credits. Here are a few favourite projects from the last couple years:
Sound Effects Libraries
Through years of sound designing I came to appreciate how important it is to have a good sound effects library. As sound designers we’re often cutting hundreds of sounds a day – so the size and organization of our sample libraries play a key factor in the quality and efficiency of our work. I believe one should take pride in their sound effects library – adding to it frequently by purchasing sound collections, recording their own sounds, and following independent SFX companies – as many of them give away sounds for free.
Adding to my collection of sounds is a favourite past-time. Back in school we had a recording project, tasked with taking out a field recorder and capturing 10 sounds to start our own sample libraries. I was immediately drawn to it and well… didn’t stop at 10 sounds. Field recording became an obsession. I started a blog in school called Next Sound, recording new sounds every day to share with friends and colleagues. Following good reception with that project, and some new gear acquisitions, I started Back Pocket Sound.
Why field recording?
There are many advantages to field recording – one of which is to gain the knowledge and instincts that come from recording in less-than-ideal conditions. Having spent most of my recording life in a controlled studio environment – location sound consistently takes me out of my comfort zone. It will challenge you in new ways – and ultimately result in making you a better and more equipped recording engineer.
Additionally field recording is an immersive experience. When recording out in natural spaces, with sounds amplified in your headphones – you can hear details you’ve never heard before. It can help connect you to the world, and give you a new appreciation for simple things in life.
And third is the practicality. A good sound effects library is a sound designer’s greatest tool. Every sound you record is a sound you can use as a sample in your projects. The more you record your own sounds, the more useful and personal your sound library will become. Furthermore you can confidently offer your clients a certified original product. This isn’t the same Sound Ideas thunder sample that everyone uses – this is a thunder storm you recorded last night – a sample nobody else has but you. That’s value to a client. They love hearing those stories, and will remember you because of them.
For those reasons and more Back Pocket Sound is dedicated to providing high quality sound effects for your projects. We recommend you check out our Free Sounds page to take advantage of dozens of free sound packs. And if you’re looking for more sounds please consider purchasing one of the full sound libraries on our Products page. These collections have hundreds of sounds, and we’ve kept everything reasonably priced. The Ambience library and Foley library are great starter packs for anyone building out their own sound effects libraries. Every purchase helps greatly with our website upkeep, and future recording endeavors.
Let’s Connect
Thank you for reading and visiting our website. If you’d like to learn more about Back Pocket Sound, please drop us a note on our Contact page. You can also follow us on Facebook, TikTok, Youtube, and Instagram for more free sounds and exclusive content. We have some big things on the horizon… so stay tuned!