| 1 | ->''"...Whoa, that was loud."'' |
| 2 | -->-- '''Wallace Richie''', ''Film/TheManWhoKnewTooLittle'' |
| 3 | |
| 4 | In a typical movie or video game, the sound of a gun firing is impossible to mistake for anything else; a distinctive booming report with lots of bass accompanies the firing of even the most puny weapon, unless [[HollywoodSilencer fitted with a magic noise-removing doohickey]]. |
| 5 | |
| 6 | In reality, this boom is closer to the sound of a ''[[ShotgunsAreJustBetter shotgun]]'' firing. Smaller guns typically lack the howitzer-like boom of the movie versions, instead making a sound similar to a firecracker going off. This means when hearing a real gunshot, many people [[RealityIsUnrealistic find it hard to tell that's what it is]]. |
| 7 | |
| 8 | This is not to say gunshots are ''not'' loud; quite the opposite, a gunshot is the loudest normal sound a human being is likely to hear, which is why ear protectors are mandatory in firing ranges. Hollywood gunshots are usually much too ''quiet'' relative to other sounds, with a character in one scene able to shout as loud as a shotgun blast in another. This is really an AcceptableBreakFromReality; most shooting enthusiasts will suffer from some degree of sound-induced hearing loss due to their hobby, and movie sound systems typically aren't designed to output noise above the human pain threshold anyway ([[DontTryThisAtHome and that is a good thing]]). Therefore we are given [[TheCoconutEffect standard sounds that represent gunfire]]. |
| 9 | |
| 10 | Characters in fiction never seem to flinch or be in pain from the ''sound'' of gunshots, even when firing fully automatic weapons in confined spaces. People on TV never experience tinnitus or hearing loss, even temporarily.[[note]]The ''actors'' on the other hand might very well experience this. While the blanks used in most films and TV shows are significantly quieter than live ammo, they're loud enough to damage ears at close range. For example, UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan permanently lost most of the hearing in his right ear because of a .38 caliber blank that was fired too close to his head during one of the Westerns he starred in.[[/note]] TV characters have the ability to [[AcousticLicense fire their weapons and also hear tiny noises or whispers at the same time]]. |
| 11 | |
| 12 | Gunfire sound effects may also be exploited for other dramatic purposes, most notably a tendency to assign distinctive "good guy" and "bad guy" sounds, akin to SoundCodedForYourConvenience. Sometimes directors will even assign a distinctive-sounding gunshot effect to a specific ''character'', (as in the ''Franchise/IndianaJones'' examples below) in order to emphasize their heroic, villainous, or badass nature. |
| 13 | |
| 14 | If a gun makes way too much noise when it ''isn't'' being fired, that's NoisyGuns, or DramaticGunCock when done on purpose. See also BlownAcrossTheRoom for exaggeration of the ''results'' of gunfire. For when ''fistfights'' are louder than they should be, see KungFoley. |
| 15 | |
| 16 | (Probably) Not related to the Armchair Cynics song. |
| 17 | Not to be confused with MoreDakka, although the two naturally go well together. Also not to be confused with BlingBlingBANG |
| 18 | |
| 19 | ---- |
| 20 | !!Examples: |
| 21 | |
| 22 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 23 | |
| 24 | [[folder:Anime and Manga]] |
| 25 | * Aversion: ''Manga/GunsmithCats'' employs recordings of the actual guns used by its characters, specially made for use in that anime. |
| 26 | ** There is one notable exception--A Welrod-like integrally silenced pistol is given [[HollywoodSilencer the standard Hollywood "pyoo"]] instead of its real sound (which is, amusingly, a bit like one of the more powerful Nerf guns). Of course, the Welrod is a hideously rare gun, so one can hardly blame them for not having one. |
| 27 | ** Played straight in the manga, where Rally correctly identifies a distant ''bkoom'' as a shotgun discharge. [[JustifiedTrope Of course, if there were someone who could recognize something like that, it would be the gun-obsessed bounty hunter herself.]] |
| 28 | * Averted in ''Manga/GunslingerGirl'', where the weapons sound authentic. Yes, an FN P90 as used by Henrietta really has that frightening "TA TA TA" sound. |
| 29 | * ''Anime/{{Noir}}'' averts this by using the actual sounds of the guns used by its characters. |
| 30 | * Averted in the second season of ''Anime/DarkerThanBlack'', where Hei uses construction noise to cover the sound of Suou firing off ''an antitank rifle'' for target practice. |
| 31 | * Lampshaded in ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventureGoldenWind'', as [[TheGunslinger Guido Mista]] notes to bystanders that his pistol isn't as loud as "the ones you hear in movies". |
| 32 | [[/folder]] |
| 33 | |
| 34 | [[folder:Fan Fiction]] |
| 35 | * {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d by Shane in the WhatIf ''Series/TheWalkingDead2010'' fic ''[[http://www.fanfiction.net/s/8737926/1/The-Walking-Dead-Better-Angels Better Angels]]'' when he runs from the herd of Walkers attracted to [[spoiler:Hershel's farm]], blaming Rick for luring the herd of Walkers rather than himself for [[spoiler:killing Rick with a gunshot]]. |
| 36 | [[/folder]] |
| 37 | |
| 38 | [[folder:Film]] |
| 39 | * The standoff turned free-for-all in the bathroom in ''Film/TheRock''. That many automatic weapons firing in an enclosed, acoustically reflective space should have deafened every man in there, but no one seems to be affected by the noise. Slightly zigzagged in that [[AntiVillain Brigadier General Hummel]], who wished to avoid violence, repeatedly shouts, "Cease fire!" but nobody (except the viewer) can hear him. |
| 40 | * In ''WesternAnimation/Cars1'', Lightning is about to pull over and ask the sheriff for help when the sheriff backfires, causing Lightning to panic, thinking he's being shot at. |
| 41 | * Any movie in which there is a minigun. ''Film/Terminator2JudgmentDay'' had a powerful metal-like noise for its minigun, while the noise made by the one in ''Film/{{Predator}}'' was more electric. A real electric Gatling gun's sound is completely different. The sound effect used for miniguns in movies is a slightly-sped-up sound from a [=M2A1=] .50 caliber machine gun being fired. To hear what the weapon (commonly called a Ma Deuce) sounds like, it is shown on the History Channel series ''Mail Call'' being fired in a non-range situation. |
| 42 | * ''Film/TheFinalCountdown'' has a scene where a hostage standoff ends in an exchange of fire between three people firing [=M16=] rifles on full auto in a ship's sickbay, yet nobody shows any signs of hearing damage afterward. |
| 43 | * Played straight in ''Film/TheGodfather'': as Mike prepares to hit Solozzo and [=McClusky=], Clemenza explains the loudness of his gun: "Yeah, I left it noisy -- that way it scares any pain-in-the-ass innocent bystanders away." |
| 44 | * Played with in ''Film/HomeAlone1'', where Kevin tricks Harry and Marv into thinking they've overheard a violent murder in progress, when in reality it's a gangster-movie soundtrack and a packet of firecrackers to amp up the noise. Kevin uses the same "gangster-gunfire-turned-all-the-way-up" trick to fool the pizza delivery boy earlier. |
| 45 | * According to the DVD commentary for the ''Franchise/IndianaJones'' movies, the sound used for Indy's handgun was actually a 30/30 rifle, to make it sound more impressive. Astute viewers will note that these movies adhere to the "distinctive gunshot per character" motif as every handgun Indy uses ''always produces the same sound.'' It's still very--sometimes distractingly--over the top, though. |
| 46 | --> '''[[{{Podcast/Rifftrax}} Mike]]:''' His pistol sounds like a deck gun on the ''Bismarck''! |
| 47 | * Aside from using unrealistic gun sounds, the loudest single sound effect in ''Film/BatmanBegins'' was Joe Chill shooting Bruce's parents. Possibly {{justified|Trope}}, as it's in a flashback, and represents the impact the event had on Bruce's life, and Bruce was retelling this to Henri Ducard. The sound made by the Joker's machine Glock 18 pistol in ''Film/TheDarkKnight'' is actually from a minigun. |
| 48 | * Played with in ''Franchise/StarWars'' -- when Luke and Leia are about to swing over the gap [[NiceJobBreakingItHero because Luke shot the bridge control panel]], Leia fires a shot from a blaster -- and a ''.44 Magnum'' sound effect plays instead of the usual blaster sound. This came down to a production error. The Stormtooper blaster rifles are cosmetically altered real guns (British-built Sterling sub-machine guns), firing blank rounds for smoke effect. They simply forgot to dub over the pop of the the blank in that scene, and apparently never corrected it. |
| 49 | * Averted, for the most part, in ''Film/PublicEnemies'', the 2009 movie about John Dillinger. Thompson submachine guns and other weapons probably would sound like they do in the movie. For that matter, Michael Mann's other films, ''Film/{{Heat}}'' and ''Film/{{Collateral}}'', featured very realistic gun play as well. |
| 50 | * Averted in the classic movie ''Film/{{Hopscotch}}'' (1980) where the main character simulates half of an extended gunfire battle by lighting strings of fire-crackers with carefully-timed delay fuses. |
| 51 | * In ''Film/TrainingDay'', when Alonzo fires his .45 Smith & Wesson 4506s, they [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GXq71vQMTs sound like cannons]] rather than .45 handguns, especially considering the barrels are only 5 inches. |
| 52 | * It is said that pistols in Creator/SergioLeone movies sound like rifles, rifles like cannons and cannons like nuclear blasts. When Creator/ClintEastwood and Lee van Cleef have a friendly shoot-out in the beginning of ''Film/ForAFewDollarsMore'' every single one of their shots also sounds like a ricochet, even though they only shoot into the air and the ground. |
| 53 | * Averted in ''Film/TheLifeAquaticWithSteveZissou''. Although one of the movie's central themes is its unrealistic style, the gunshot sounds are not altered. |
| 54 | * In ''Film/TheMenWhoStareAtGoats'', a group of paranoid security personnel in Iraq start shooting up a market after mistaking a car backfiring for a gunshot. |
| 55 | * Both ''Film/{{Shane}}'' and ''Film/BonnieAndClyde'' deliberately made the gunshots much louder than the rest of the noises in a given scene, specifically to make them much more shocking. One anecdote has Redford at the British premiere of ''Bonnie and Clyde'' noticing the gunshots aren't loud enough, so he rushes to the projection booth. Sure enough, the projectionist had a chart marking the time for each gunshot, and was manually turning down the sound at those moments. He is purported to have said, "This is the worst sound editing I've heard since ''Shane'', all the gunshots are too loud." |
| 56 | * Variation in ''Film/TheOtherGuys'', with a bomb instead of gunshots. |
| 57 | * Played with in ''Film/ReturnOfTheLivingDeadRaveToTheGrave'', in which the handguns used by the men in black suddenly shift from pistol sounds to ''machine-gun'' sounds when they start [[MoreDakka firing faster]]. |
| 58 | * Somewhat subverted in ''Film/TheExpendables'', while almost every gun sounds the same, when Hale Caeser comes to the rescue of them in the tunnel his [[{{BFG}} AA-12]] sounds like he's shooting a goddamn howitzer, which in that space with an AA-12 it should. |
| 59 | * Subverted in ''Film/LastActionHero'': the bad guy walks in "our world", shoots a man and is surprised the noise didn't attract police or passers-by. Maybe justified in that it was a crapsack neighborhood and most likely a CrapsackWorld. |
| 60 | * One character in ''Film/BlackHawkDown'' averts the trope. A weapon is fired too close to his head, causing the character to suffer hearing loss for the remainder of the film. |
| 61 | * The "characters never experience hearing loss or tinnitus" part of the trope is averted in an unusual way in ''Film/GetSmart''. Max and Agent 22 are doing an urban warfare exercise using paintball guns, and 22 fires his right next to Max's ear. Max's ears continue to ring one scene later. |
| 62 | * Completely averted in ''Film/ActOfValor''. Navy SEALS playing the main cast members fired live ammo on set. |
| 63 | * Lampshaded in ''Film/TheGoonies''. |
| 64 | --> '''Chunk''': Mikey, Mikey, Mikey. That sounded like gunshots. Not the big ones that you hear in war movies, but gunshots, real ones. They're trying to kill us! |
| 65 | * Averted, of all places, by SoBadItsGood CultClassic Irish martial arts movie, ''Film/FatalDeviation''. [[KungFoley The punches and kicks are actually louder.]] |
| 66 | * In ''Film/AFistfulOfDollars'', when "Joe" is recovering from being beaten, he does some pistol practice. In a modestly sized room. And every other shot is a PEEYOW! ricochet. |
| 67 | * In ''Film/HitmanAgent47'', 47's Ballers sound distinctively suppressed, when they ought to be rather louder. |
| 68 | * In ''Film/MadMaxFuryRoad'' Furiosa steadies a sniper rifle on Max's shoulder before firing a decidedly not that loud shot. In reality a supersonic round should have blown out Max's eardrums. |
| 69 | [[/folder]] |
| 70 | |
| 71 | [[folder:Literature]] |
| 72 | * Averted in one Creator/JohnDicksonCarr novel, where a firecracker is used to fake the sound of a gunshot to throw off the investigation. |
| 73 | * Averted in the Literature/{{Discworld}} novel ''Literature/MenAtArms'', where [[spoiler:the gonne]] is mistaken for fireworks thanks to both the sound and smell. |
| 74 | * Subverted in Harry Dolan's ''Bad Things Happen'', where a character at first thinks that gunshots are a car backfiring, but then realizes that you don't hear that much anymore. |
| 75 | * ''Literature/SpiderManTheVenomTrilogy'': Lampshaded in Creator/DianeDuane's ComicBook/SpiderMan novel ''Literature/SpiderManTheLizardSanction''; Spidey comments that real gunfire sounds nothing like it does in the movies, and fills in his own descriptions of the actual sounds, such as "rulers being smacked on a desk." |
| 76 | * In Creator/StephenKing's novel ''Literature/TheRegulators'', gunshots are incredibly loud; a sound of a shotgun is described as the sound of "a detonating backpack missile". Justified, because the shooters are actually [[spoiler: figments of a little boy's imagination, made real by an evil force]]. |
| 77 | * Subverted in the ''Literature/ConfederationOfValor'' series. The Confederation has the technology to make its SpaceMarines' KC-7 rifles completely silent, but research showed the end users preferred the shots to be audible. |
| 78 | * In Rob Grant's solo ''Literature/RedDwarf'' novel ''Backwards'', [[TheAce Ace Rimmer]]'s CO resigns his commission and takes a bath before pulling out his sidearm and fires it inside the confines of his bathroom. The gunshot is so loud that his ears start to bleed and he exclaims "Bugger me, that was loud!" Justified in that he's in a confined and tiled space that would amplify the sound of the gunshot. |
| 79 | * In the ''Literature/GauntsGhosts'' short story ''In Remembrance'', the protagonist -- a sculptor tasked with memorializing a recent victorious war -- muses that in Imperial propaganda footage, the [[RayGun lasguns]] wielded by the Imperial Guard are always erroneously portrayed with loud, dramatic sounds as part of the effort to glamorize the military. When he joins the Ghosts on a patrol and witnesses a firefight, he's stunned to discover firsthand that the sound lasers ''actually'' make is more akin to twigs snapping. |
| 80 | [[/folder]] |
| 81 | |
| 82 | [[folder:Live-Action TV]] |
| 83 | * ''Series/TheWalkingDead2010'': |
| 84 | ** {{Justified|Trope}} when a herd of Walkers is attracted to [[spoiler:Hershel's farm]] from the sound of a gunshot. The event-in-question is preceded by a conflict between two of the then-main characters who were totally unaware that the herd was nearby, but who had, ironically, spent most of the season modifying their tactics to avoid this outcome. |
| 85 | ** In one episode, Rick seems to have no problem handling the noise of his magnum revolver. Then he shoots it inside a tank... and is temporarily deafened by it. |
| 86 | * ''Series/MiamiVice'' uses shotgun noise for the firing of pistols. |
| 87 | * The FN Herstal P90 submachine gun in the ''Franchise/StargateVerse'' sounds very powerful, but that's not the issue here. The issue is that the AK-47 ''Assault Rifle'' sounds exactly the same. Particularly strange, because it sounds as if the AK-47 fires far more rounds than you'd guess from watching the action onscreen. The M-16 variants used on occasion ''also'' use the same sound effect as the P90s, incidentally. One need only look at the fights in "Heroes" for evidence. |
| 88 | * ''Series/{{Seinfeld}}'' has Jerry mistaking a car backfiring for a race's starting pistol, giving him an unfair head start and winning him the race. |
| 89 | * ''Series/DoctorWho'': |
| 90 | ** {{Averted|Trope}} in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS9E3TheSeaDevils The Sea Devils]]", as much genuine Royal Navy ordnance is shot off (including a Bofors anti-aircraft cannon), but the soft (for varying values of "soft", of course) "paf-paf" sound that the real guns actually have on camera is nothing like what an audience might expect. |
| 91 | ** {{Averted|Trope}} in "[[Recap/DoctorWhoS29E9TheFamilyOfBlood The Family of Blood]]". May have something to do with the fact that it takes place in 1913, so the audience doesn't expect the guns to sound like the Hollywood version of modern guns. Which is odd, because 1913-era guns sound much like modern guns, only with a lower rate of fire. The Hollywood version thereof, however, would have to wait until somebody invents the soundtrack, so TheCoconutEffect is averted. |
| 92 | * In one episode of ''Series/{{Shark}}'', it really ''is'' a car backfiring. |
| 93 | %%* Ditto ''Series/{{Friends}}''.%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExample |
| 94 | * ''Series/{{Firefly}}'' goes back and forth on this. Most of the guns have somewhat futuristic but quieter laser-like sounds, despite the vast majority of them looking like the same kinds of guns you'd find today (though they are from the future, so maybe they use a different firing mechanism or have been redesigned for better stealth or something). Other times, however, they make more standard gunshot sounds. In the RPG, the explanation is that most firearms have a somewhat computerized firing system. While they can fire without the system working, the electronics make the weapon fire cleaner, thus the whine. And some of the higher-tech (Newtech) weapons are actually Gauss weapons, using a linear accelerator to fire a slug magnetically, not chemically. |
| 95 | * {{Lampshade|Hanging}}d in the episode "The Perfect Dress" of ''Series/GilmoreGirls'' when Paris tells Rory "No, that was just a car backfiring. The real gunfire actually sounds fake." |
| 96 | * {{Averted|Trope}} to a degree in ''Series/TheManFromUNCLE''. In part, the aversion was [[PlotSensitiveItems plot determined]], in that the "U.N.C.L.E. Special" handgun was capable of firing non-lethal "sleep darts", and when firing in that mode the pistol sounded very little like a firearm. But even when firing regular bullets while un-silenced, the U.N.C.L.E. Special's report was always quite a bit less noisy than the normal run of Hollywood handgun. |
| 97 | * In the ''Series/{{Weeds}}'' episode during which Nancy is shot at for the first time in her life, a backfiring car later causes her to drop to the ground in screaming terror in an {{Anvilicious}} display of post-trauma. Oddly enough, while guns still make her nervous later on, the post-traumatic stigma isn't there anymore. Hmmm... |
| 98 | * One episode of ''Series/CSIMiami'' actually attempts this with popping wine bottles. In another, Horatio proves a man witnessed a shooting because he has hearing loss consistent with having been close to a gun being fired. |
| 99 | * In an episode of ''Series/{{Frasier}}'', Niles falls into a depression and locks himself in the bathroom; his friends try to convince him out and hear a gunshot, prompting them to believe he committed suicide. In actuality, the shaving cream can had exploded. |
| 100 | * In-universe example for ''Series/LawAndOrderCriminalIntent'': a criminal makes it seem that she's being held hostage and pops a plastic bag, leading the police to come charging in firing. |
| 101 | * {{Averted|Trope}} in ''Series/TheOfficeUS'', in which Dwight shoots a gun next to Andy, causing temporary deafness in one ear. |
| 102 | * In ''Series/{{Fringe}}'' Peter became temporarily deaf due to gunshots next to his ears. It was intentional, though. |
| 103 | * {{Averted|Trope}} in an episode of ''Series/CriminalMinds'', Morgan has to shoot at an [=UnSub=] from inside their moving SUV. Prentis reams him afterward and complains that he's blown out one of her eardrums. In another episode, a gun goes off right next to Hotch's ear, and he is visibly deafened afterwards. |
| 104 | * {{Averted|Trope}} in the ''Series/YoungBlades'' episode "Four Musketeers and a Baby" when the Highwayman warns D'Artagnan that firing a gun next to a baby will injure the baby's eardrums. |
| 105 | * Discussed in an episode of ''Series/{{Supernatural}}'' where Dean and Sam use a kid as bait to draw a MonsterOfTheWeek into a bedroom. They ask if the kid has heard a gunshot on TV, and he says he has. They tell him it will be much louder, and he should cover his ears. |
| 106 | * ''Series/TheCloser'': In the season 4 episode "Time Bomb", the squad's confrontation with the final member of a teenage terrorist group features fully automatic rifle fire and ''vast'' amounts of handgun fire. The sound effects for both are perfect: the automatic reports 'blur' into one another with a standard 'ratatatata' while the slower handgun shots are short, extremely loud and mid-rangey instead of the standard Hollywood BANG. |
| 107 | * Early seasons of ''Series/HillStreetBlues'' use a similar trick to ''Shane'' and ''Bonnie and Clyde'' as described in the Film section, with the addition of some echo and {{Overcrank}}, but it's used only sparingly (and not very consistently) even for a PoliceProcedural in which only about one episode in four sees an officer even unholster their weapon. |
| 108 | * ''Series/WonderWoman1975'': A staple of every episode is when a bad guy shoots at Wonder Woman and she deflects the bullets with her bracelets. The gun generally makes the standard bang sound. |
| 109 | * {{Averted|Trope}} in ''Series/MissionImpossible'', at least for the effects. During one episode, Rollin Hand is pretending to be deaf. A bad guy 'tests' him by firing a gun off near his ear. He proceeds to manage to keep cover despite the fact that he's one step from bleeding out the eardrums! |
| 110 | [[/folder]] |
| 111 | |
| 112 | [[folder:Professional Wrestling]] |
| 113 | * Unsurprisingly, Homicide's themes tend to feature a lot of gun bangs, particularly in the International Wrestling Cartel and when he used 50 Cent's ''You're not ready'' in Wrestling/RingOfHonor. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiz4xAVzpf0 here's]] the theme Wrestling/{{Konnan}} did for him. |
| 114 | * Wrestling/BulletClub's ''Last Chance Saloon'' theme runs through the gamete of stock gun sound effects, from the DramaticGunCock, to the noisy 'BANG', to the 'chachow' ricochet, to the 'dakka' of semi automatics...[[/folder]] |
| 115 | |
| 116 | [[folder:Tabletop Games]] |
| 117 | * Justified case in ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}.'' Orks find it hard to believe that a gun can do a lot of damage without making a truly deafening noise. This being the case, Ork Mekboyz create firearms designed specifically to make the loudest ''[[MoreDakka DAKKADAKKADAKKA]]'' you'll ever hear, therefore making the weapon that much more powerful. For a bit of clarification, Ork tech works the way it works [[ClapYourHandsIfYouBelieve because orks think it should work that way]]. By making them as loud as possible, Mekboyz probably DO, in fact, increase the damage output of the weapon. |
| 118 | ** Made a little more justified in the ''TabletopGame/RogueTrader'' supplement Into The Storm, which lets ork Mekboyz kustomize weapons with loudeners. It doesn't make them more powerful, but it does make them ''sound'' more dangerous, enhancing the effects of suppressive fire. |
| 119 | * It's actually pretty hard for a character in ''TabletopGame/{{GURPS}}'' to identify the sound of a gunshot as such if unfamiliar with guns. |
| 120 | [[/folder]] |
| 121 | |
| 122 | [[folder:Video Games]] |
| 123 | * Miniguns in video games are often depicted even more unrealistically than on film: not only do they make any of a variety of "rat-tat-tat" noises (with an electric motor noise occasionally thrown in for good measure), but often have such a slow rate of fire that the presence of more than one barrel is completely unnecessary. |
| 124 | ** Averted in ''VideoGame/{{Battlefield}} 2''; the mounted miniguns on the Blackhawk transport helicopters sound mostly realistic, if a bit high-pitched. |
| 125 | ** Averted in ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty4ModernWarfare'' and [[VideoGame/ModernWarfare its sequels]]: the miniguns used by the player at some points fire ''exceptionally'' fast. |
| 126 | ** ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIII'' has an assault rifle that fires at the rate of and sounds like a minigun. |
| 127 | ** ''Videogame/PlanetSide 2'' has fairly accurate sounds for its miniguns, though their actual firerate is far lower than a real minigun; the MCG makes a realistic "BRRRRRRRRRR" noise but fires at a measly ~800rpm. |
| 128 | ** ''VideoGame/ResidentEvil4'' plays this trope straight with both the mounted minigun in the castle and the miniguns wielded by the {{Giant Mook}}s in Chapter 5. |
| 129 | ** ''F/A-18 Hornet'' averts this with the titular jet fighter's M61 Vulcan Cannon. |
| 130 | ** Hoo boy is this averted in ''VideoGame/HotDogsHorseshoesAndHandGrenades'' after Update #52 overhauled the sound system. It fires at ''2,700 RPM'' and each individual round gets it's own sound and it is ''frightening''. |
| 131 | ** ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid'' plays this straight when Vulcan Raven hand-wields the aforementioned M61 Vulcan that he is named after, firing much slower than the 6000 RPM of the real thing. |
| 132 | ** ''VideoGame/GoldenEye1997'' downplays this with its minigun sentry turrets, which fire much faster than in most media, but still somewhat slower than real life miniguns. |
| 133 | * ''VideoGame/HalfLife'': |
| 134 | ** The [[VideoGame/HalfLife1 first game]] plays this totally straight with the Colt Python, which befitting its status as a revolver that is as such [[RevolversAreJustBetter the strongest non-energy gun in the game]], is ridiculously loud. ''VideoGame/HalfLife2'' averted this with the 9mm USP Match, which had a rather disappointing (but fairly realistic) "PAFF PAFF" sound. |
| 135 | ** Inverted with the Glock 18, the first of the StandardFPSGuns acquired in the first game's campaign, which makes a strange high-pitched wheezing noise that sounds vaguely like an energy weapon. ''VideoGame/BlackMesa'' replaced this effect with a much more realistic sound clip that could well be taken from a real 9mm pistol, as well as switching the [[HandCannon Colt]]'s sound out for something a bit quieter but still noticeably deeper and more bass-heavy than the Glock. |
| 136 | * Averted in the first-person shooter series ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty''; the guns sounding pretty realistic as long as you turn the volume loud enough. Sometimes the devs fudge with things for the purpose of dramatics, however; for example, a character executing another with an M1911 halfway through ''VideoGame/CallOfDuty4ModernWarfare'' is accompanied by the sound of the Desert Eagle. |
| 137 | * The Rifle and [[GunsAkimbo Dual Pistol]] power sets for blasters in ''VideoGame/CityOfHeroes'' are ''all about'' classic movie gun sounds -- with a different one for each "power" your weapon(s) gains. |
| 138 | * ''VideoGame/CounterStrike'' also plays this with the [=H&K USP45=] and the Glock 18: since the Glock eats 9mm Parabellum rounds and the [=USP45=] uses the more powerful .45 ACP rounds, they basically made the USP's bang more low-pitched to make it feel more powerful. This may be an [[AcceptableBreaksFromReality Acceptable Break From Reality]] though: remember video games must also give some feedback to the player, and in this case, the user knows the difference between the Glock and the USP's power by the detonation. |
| 139 | ** The .45 ACP is more powerful, but fire big bullets slowly, while the 9 fires small bullets somewhat faster; if you shoot a 9mm and a .45 side-by-side, the former will sound closer to a 'crack' and the latter to a 'thump.' Not by a huge degree, mind you, but this leans towards TruthInTelevision. |
| 140 | ** {{Exaggerated|Trope}} with the M249: it isn't the [[MoreDakka fastest firing gun in the game]], or the [[AwesomeYetImpractical most accurate machine gun in the game, but it is the most expensive]]. It's also unarguably the loudest gun in the game, beating the AWP in noisemaking due to the sheer amount of Bangs that can come out of it per minute. |
| 141 | * ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoIII'' and ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCity Vice City]]'' have pistols that make a loud "BANG!" when fired. ''[[VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoSanAndreas San Andreas]]'' then downplays this by giving the pistol a more muffled, high-pitched, "weaker" sound. |
| 142 | * An accidental example in ''Franchise/{{Halo}}'': For ''VideoGame/HaloCombatEvolved'', Creator/{{Bungie}} mastered the weapon sound effects with an LFE component (the .1 in 5.1 surround sound). For most parts of a recording, this sound-effect-to-LFE transition ("bass management") is actually meant to be performed by the home user's sound system, so in this instance the bass on the guns was doubled-up. This was corrected for ''VideoGame/Halo2'', leading to a more accurate sound that initially seemed weaker. Strangely enough, the silenced SMG in ''VideoGame/Halo3ODST'' is ''louder'' than the original version. |
| 143 | * ''Franchise/AceAttorney'': |
| 144 | ** Inverted in case three of ''VisualNovel/ApolloJusticeAceAttorney'', where [[spoiler:the killer uses firecrackers to fool witnesses into thinking the murder took place much later than it actually did.]] |
| 145 | ** ''VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigationsMilesEdgeworth'' has a similar inversion in case four where the Judge thinks he hears a gunshot [[spoiler:but it's only a balloon popping on a cactus]]. |
| 146 | * Most of the guns in ''VideoGame/GoldenEye1997'' follow this trope but special mention has to go to the [[HandCannon Cougar Magnum]]. Even though it's a handgun and therefore one of the smaller weapons in the game, it sounds like a cannon going off (and can shoot through up to five enemies at once, unlike the other guns). |
| 147 | ** The same goes for the [=DY357=] Magnum in ''VideoGame/PerfectDark'', which uses a [[StockSoundEffects stock sound]] often used for shotguns. In fact, the shotguns in this game use the same sound. |
| 148 | ** ''VideoGame/SoldierOfFortune'''s HandCannon, the Silver Talon, also sounds somewhat cannon-like, and decapitates enemies at absurdly long range. |
| 149 | * Actually becomes a minor plot point in ''VideoGame/MadWorld'', in with the [[BloodSport Deathwatch]] forbids guns except for the overseers and a handful of contestants, where Jack hears a small-arm fire and realises it's too small to be one of their weapons. |
| 150 | * ''VideoGame/MedalOfHonor'' employs recordings of authentic UsefulNotes/WorldWarII weapons firing live ammunition just to get the sound right. Oddly, the MG-42's in ''Allied Assault'' fire slower than in other games, and sound more like assault rifles or [=SMGs=] than heavy machine guns. The Springfield sniper rifle sounds like a cannon in the first game (similar to the HandCannon in ''VideoGame/{{GoldenEye|1997}}'' and ''VideoGame/PerfectDark'', actually), but more realistic in later games. |
| 151 | * An odd aversion is present in ''VideoGame/UnrealIITheAwakening'' where the main assault rifle has people divided over the sound with reactions including, 'good', 'more like a staple gun' and even a 'weak hissing' noise according to one [[http://www.iomx.com/game_review/pc_games/unreal_II_review.htm reviewer]]. |
| 152 | * ''VideoGame/StarCraftI'': The Marines are outfitted with "Gauss Rifles" that, based on the name, should accelerate bullets [[MagneticWeapons using electromagnetic coils]] yet, for some reason, make generic rat-a-tat sounds as if they're propelled by gunpowder. |
| 153 | * In ''VideoGame/TheGodfather: The Game'' the magnum series does make loud sounds, which the description in-game clearly notes, but the other guns are more subdued. |
| 154 | * As a general note, Video Games dealing with real models (weapon types that are actually in existence) tend to have this better than most Live Action franchises by a noticeable (though not overwhelming) amount, in large part because since you can usually tailor everything in the game to proportion (as opposed to live action, where you can chop up the recordings and modify them by increasing or decreasing the volume to varying extents but have very concrete technical limits). This is not to say that they are perfect (far from it, many if not most do have this trope) and very, VERY few people try to get the sound of fictional weapons somewhat right, but on the whole it's something. |
| 155 | * The pistol sound used in the 3D ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAuto'' games shows up a lot not only in other video games, but TV and film as well. |
| 156 | * Somewhat averted in ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas''. Many of the guns are quieter than your average gamer would expect, especially the good ole 9mm, and when heard from a distance, it sounds more like a PAFF PAFF PAFF when people are going at it some distance away. They did a very nice job with most sound effects in the game, especially those heard from a distance. |
| 157 | * Averted with the 9mm pistols in most of the ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' series, but played straight with the magnums, which use typical HandCannon sounds. |
| 158 | * Averted in the ''Videogame/ArmA'' series, which realistically simulates sound effects separately for both supersonic and subsonic ammunition. Supersonic bullets will let off a large cracking sound when fired, while subsonic rounds only have the sound of the initial gunpowder explosion. |
| 159 | * Averted by the 9mm pistol in ''VideoGame/MaxPayne''. Played straight by every other weapon, however. |
| 160 | * ''VideoGame/AlanWake'' surprisingly plays this straight even on a diegetic level; an audible ringing can be heard after firing a pistol for the first time, and Alan will mention he is used to wearing ear protection in a firing range. Subverted from then on to undoubtedly avoid annoying players. |
| 161 | * The first ''VideoGame/GearsOfWar'' game averts this with a number of guns that sound fairly realistic, with the sniper rifle and default pistol sounding the most like actual guns. The newer sound effects for pretty much every gun in the sequels plays this straight though. |
| 162 | * The developers of ''VideoGame/{{Gun}}'' made recordings of real life versions of each gun in the game, specifically to avert this. |
| 163 | * Partially averted in ''VideoGame/MafiaII''; during a scene from the mission "The Buzzsaw", the player fires an MG-42 light machine gun. The protagonist's best friend then shouts "Stop shooting that fucking gun, I'm going deaf over here!". Though minutes later he shows no signs of hearing loss, as would befit someone less then ten feet from the business end of such a weapon. |
| 164 | * It is customary for the sound volume of individual shots to be inversely proportional to rate of fire (much as [[ArbitraryGunPower the amount of damage per bullet]] varies as well). A minigun tends to sound like "prrrrrrrrrr" (see the one in ''VideoGame/UnrealTournament'') while a pistol goes "'''BANG BANG'''". |
| 165 | * In the second ''VideoGame/{{Turok}}'' game, all of the guns that both the player and enemies use have unique sounds, though none resemble anything that would be realistic. The two biggest offenders have to be the Firestorm (a plasma [[GatlingGood gatling gun]]), which essentially winds up from the aforementioned "minigun purr" to something that sounds like ''screams'' as it fires, and the Cerebral Bore, which makes sounds unpleasantly like a dental drill. Which is arguably fitting, since it fires homing needle-pods that ''drill out the victim's brains''. |
| 166 | * Mii Koryuji's gun firing in the opening to ''VideoGame/ProjectXZone'' sounds a lot like the sound used in ''Film/DirtyHarry'', ''Film/DeathWish3'', ''Series/MiamiVice'', and ''VideoGame/LethalEnforcers''. |
| 167 | * Guns in ''VideoGame/Left4Dead'' and ''VideoGame/Left4Dead2'' sound quite loud, but since the games are based on B-horror movie cliches, it was likely intentional. Thanks to mods, you can avert the trope by having guns with more realistic sounds or exaggerate the trope further by making the guns sound even louder. |
| 168 | * The guns used by Crow, Fie, Sara, Machias, and Musse in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsOfColdSteel'' are ''very'' quiet compared to the sounds of a gun in real life. Even Randy's {{BFG}} from ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfHeroesTrailsFromZero'' has a very low pitch sound coming from a machine gun. |
| 169 | * In the first two ''Franchise/TombRaider'' games, Lara's dual pistols had a cannon-like boom sound, but the third game changed their sound to be more realistic. |
| 170 | * ''[[VideoGame/Ashes2063 Ashes Afterglow]]'': The baseline [[SniperRifle Junker Musket]] sounds powerful on its own, but when you upgrade it to the [[MagneticWeapons Junker Driver]] and [[ChargedAttack fully charge up a shot]], it sounds almost like a truck exploding. [[{{BFG}} The damage increases accordingly]]. |
| 171 | [[/folder]] |
| 172 | |
| 173 | [[folder:Web Original]] |
| 174 | * {{Averted|Trope}} in ''WebVideo/DiamondsCut''. Guns fire pretty quietly -- assuming, of course, that they fire at all. |
| 175 | [[/folder]] |
| 176 | |
| 177 | [[folder:Western Animation]] |
| 178 | * They originally tried using the workaround of recording actual firearm noise for ''WesternAnimation/AeonFlux'', but it ultimately wasn't used due to ExecutiveMeddling. The funny thing is that the foley effects they went with actually made less of a racket. In this case it kinda works, though, since the guns are all futuristic models. |
| 179 | * Averted in ''WesternAnimation/{{Archer}}'', in which several characters suffer some degree of hearing loss, temporary and/or permanent, due to explosions or gunfire. Sterling Archer in particular suffers from ongoing tinnitus. |
| 180 | * WesternAnimation/TheClevelandShow: The trope is averted in the episode ''Til Deaf'', where Lester accidentally fires his shotgun near Cleveland while trying to shoot a deer. This resulted in Cleveland losing his hearing for one week, hearing only ringing in the ears and having to shout. |
| 181 | * ''WesternAnimation/TomAndJerry'': Averted in ''Sorry Safari'', when Tom's master punishes him by wrapping his shotgun around his head and firing it, causing him to go deaf (and render the cartoon itself silent) for a moment. |
| 182 | [[/folder]] |
| 183 | |
| 184 | [[folder:Real Life]] |
| 185 | * The German [=MP40=] (also called the Schmeisser) has been described as sounding like "the scariest sewing machine you'll ever hear". [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQo9yZT_m8w Listen for yourself]]; you need to take the volume down a bit to eliminate the high range that would not carry over any significant distance. The quote probably dates to a time when most people would be more familiar with the sound of a sewing machine than automatic gunfire, and refers only to the regular nature of the sound rather than the precise sound of the shots. |
| 186 | * TruthInTelevision -- only with high-powered guns, though, especially rifles that can still hurt one's hearing far away. |
| 187 | ** You know how sometimes games and films have a weird metallic ringing noise along with the BOOM? It's obvious that no weapon could possibly make a noise like that. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS4tYKJ-RvQ Oh, wait...]] |
| 188 | *** The Yugoslavian [[https://youtu.be/zi6zu1i_G8M?t=291 M76]] is an even better example. |
| 189 | ** The Russian SVD has a loud booming noise. This is due to the construction of the 7.62x54R standard Russian ammo, which sounds stronger even compared to similar .30-caliber ammo. However, the Chinese SVD (Type 79/85) ejects the shell extra hard. Their [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK3m_h0t0gE QBU-88]] also makes the same noise. |
| 190 | ** As a large number of people can tell, the .223 / 5.56 NATO round will make a sharp crack [[note]]like a very dry wood splintering itself[[/note]] when fired in a long-barreled rifle in single shots. Larger rifle calibers in .30 caliber and up will have a deeper and more booming sound. On the other side, 9x19mm handgun ammo, despite what Hollywood may claim, is louder and deeper than a .223 if fired from a modern automatic pistol, and almost as loud as a full-powered rifle if the 9x19 cartridge is fired from a long-barrel carbine. |
| 191 | * Black powder guns actually do tend to have a ''bit'' of the bass "booooom" effect that's added to most gunshot sound effects. Also, some of the smallest guns make the biggest noise. [[http://www.naaminis.com NAA minirevolvers]] in .22 magnum are known for sounding a lot like movie SFX. Shorter barrels translate directly to a bigger bang, since much of the gunpowder hasn't yet been consumed by the time the bullet clears the muzzle (it also explains another reason short barrels reduce projectile velocity; bigger bang means more powder going to waste). |
| 192 | * In Vietnam, some US soldiers took to stealing AK's from dead NVA/VC soldiers. Aside from souvenirs, they did this because the AK has a rather distinct sound among assault rifles, so they could use them against the Viet Cong to sow confusion amongst them in battle. Unfortunately that tactic was more harmful than beneficial in some cases since, upon hearing the distinctive report of AK-47s, other US soldiers would often assume the fire was of enemy origin. This led to some friendly fire incidents. |
| 193 | ** In 1967 and 1968, MACVSOG[[note]][[AcronymAndAbbreviationOverload Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group]][[/note]] adopted several [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=po715YGEzTY Colt Model 639s]], which featured a sound "moderator" on the muzzle. This changed the signature of its firing sound to actually sound more in-line to an AK rifle rather than an M16 carbine. |
| 194 | * This also sometimes--depending on the construction of the range--add to the ''pleasures'' of a trip to a firing range, and increase your appreciation of ear protection.[[note]]It protects your hearing, and often it is well worth layering. Ear plugs alone are acceptable, ear plugs '''and''' muffs are better.[[/note]] |
| 195 | * In [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACkmNvDGE3U this video]], an AR-15 is firing off-screen with slightly-quieter "crack-crack-crack", and then the shooter fires his old Mosin-Nagant rifle, which makes a much louder "BOOM!", enough to scare the man with the AR-15. |
| 196 | * Some video game studios have actually used live-fire recordings, among other things to create their gunsounds. However, in some making-of videos on special-editions DVD's of the games, the gunfire in game is nothing like the live-fire recording. |
| 197 | * Hunting rifles being fired in the distance in a forest, will sound very similar to movies where guns are fired in the distance in some abandoned forest; a muffled, medium-high pitch crack, followed by a bassy echo. However, they will be quadratically louder in volume the closer you get to the source; a gun fired a mile away will be as loud as thunder rumbling a couple miles away. A quarter mile? A head on car collision. Within a few feet? As loud as a thunderclap hitting a tree a couple houses down from your house. |
| 198 | * Microphones in your run-of-the-mill camcorders and mobile phones are ''notoriously'' bad at picking up a gun shot correctly. Therefore the only way to truly find out what a gun sounds like when it's fired is to actually shoot one yourself. Or buy specialized recording equipment. [[note]]hint: the former is more fun[[/note]] |
| 199 | * Most [[GatlingGood electric-driven Gatling guns]] have a very unique sound unlike just about any other firearm. The sound has been compared to a loud buzz, hum or [[{{Fartillery}} a really long, loud fart]]. Often times, this sound will be replaced (for live action works) or substituted with a sound more akin to a traditional machine gun, [[TheCoconutEffect because of the belief that an audience will not recognize it as a machine gun with any other sound]]. |
| 200 | ** The same cannot be said for the [[MoreDakka GAU-8 Avenger Gatling autocannon]] found on the A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack aircraft. The distinctive [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvIJvPj_pjE "BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT!"]] of the GAU-8 is instantly recognisable and can be heard from miles away. It's also been speculated that the sound of the A-10's GAU-8 firing is both a morale booster and a [[LoudOfWar psychological weapon in and of itself]] - If you're in battle, it's either come to save you, or - if you're on the other side of the fight - ''it wasn't aimed at you''. |
| 201 | * The MG 42 was infamous for its [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ptqNMGg948 distinct sound]], due in large part to its [[MoreDakka high firing rate]] -- the human ear is almost entirely incapable of distinguishing the individual gunshots when there's upwards of 20 of them going on in one second. Almost every nickname it earned was due to the sound it made. American troops called it "Hitler's Zipper", while the Germans themselves were known to call it the "Buzzsaw". |
| 202 | * An example of how gunshots aren't always recognizable is the assassination of Reynaldo Dagsa, a Filipino politician who became famous for inadvertently capturing his killer in a family photo. The assassin was standing right behind the victim's family when he fired the fatal shot, but they just saw Dagsa fall down and didn't immediately realize he had been shot. Namely, the assassination took place during New Years' celebrations, and they mistook the sound of the assassin's .45 caliber handgun for a firecracker. |
| 203 | * A similar example happened with the mass shooting at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport in early January 2017. Many people away from the site of the shooting heard the sounds of gunfire from the shooter, but some mistook them for the sounds of firecrackers and only knew of what happened after people started panicking and running. |
| 204 | [[/folder]] |
| 205 | |
| 206 | ---- |
| 207 |
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