As a sound recordist, I am always on the lookout for new and unique sound effects to add to my collection. Recently, while watching the TV series Mindhunter, I was struck by the typewriting sounds in the background of one particular scene. I was immediately inspired to record my own typewriter sound effects.

Luckily, we happened to be visiting our friend in her office and noticed that she had an original Smith and Corona typewriter from the 1960s. It was a beautiful piece of machinery and I couldn’t resist the opportunity to record its sounds. I asked her if I could record the typewriter and she kindly agreed.

I set up my Soundman binaural microphones on either side of the typewriter and used my Zoom H6 recorder to capture the sounds. I spent around 10 minutes typing at different paces and speeds, capturing a variety of sounds including the clicking of the keys, the “ding” at the end of each sentence, and even the sound of the mechanical return.

One of my favorite sounds from the recording session was the “bing” that the typewriter made at the end of each sentence. It added such a unique and interesting texture to the overall sounds.

Overall, it was a great experience and I am thrilled with the results. These typewriter sound effects will be a valuable addition to our collection and I can’t wait to use them in future projects.

Whether you’re working on a film or TV series, or just looking for some unique and authentic sound effects for your own projects, these typewriter sound effects are sure to add a touch of nostalgia and character.