Sound of Berlin
Key Features
- 58 WAV field recordings captured across 22 kilometers and 12 hours of walking through Berlin with a Zoom H5 recorder
- Completely raw and unprocessed audio with no studio effects, reverb, or EQ applied to the original recordings
- Urban sound palette including subway trains, canal water, street performers, courtyards, streetcars, and crowd atmospheres
- 4 GB of content providing extended, usable recordings rather than short clips or isolated hits
- Six behind-the-scenes videos documenting the recording process plus seven bonus audio files extracted from the footage
- Instant direct download as a single RAR archive with no email gate, account creation, or signup required
- Versatile source material for sound design, podcast production, film scoring, ambient music, and YouTube content
Description
Sound of Berlin is a 4 GB field recording sample pack from Beat Magazine, the German music production publication, created in collaboration with Zoom. The collection captures 58 raw, unprocessed WAV recordings made with a Zoom H5 portable recorder across 22 kilometers and 12 hours of walking through Berlin.
The recordings document the city's acoustic character without any studio processing or effects applied. You get the metallic screech of subway trains pulling into Alexanderplatz, the gentle splash of the Landwehr Canal, gravel crunching underfoot, distant voices echoing through Kreuzberg courtyards, and the rhythmic clatter of streetcars.
Beyond recognizable transit sounds, the pack captures street performers, party atmospheres, and the layered hum of a busy European capital on a full day out. Six accompanying videos show the recording team navigating Berlin with their Zoom H5, with seven additional audio files extracted from that footage.
These are production-ready urban textures suited for sound design, podcast intros, film scoring, and ambient electronic music. Drop them into any DAW as atmosphere beds, chop them into rhythmic loops, or layer them under synths for organic depth.
The download is a single RAR archive available directly from beat.de/soundofberlin with no email signup or account required.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is included in the Sound of Berlin download?
The download is a single 4 GB RAR archive containing 58 WAV audio files. 51 are labeled as field recordings captured at various Berlin locations, and 7 are audio tracks extracted from six behind-the-scenes videos that document the recording process.
Are the Sound of Berlin recordings processed or raw?
All recordings are completely raw and unprocessed. Beat Magazine intentionally left them without any studio effects, EQ, compression, or reverb so you can treat and manipulate them however your project requires.
What equipment was used to record the Sound of Berlin pack?
The entire pack was recorded using a Zoom H5 portable field recorder. Beat Magazine partnered with Zoom on this project, and the recording team carried the H5 across 22 kilometers of Berlin over a 12-hour session.
Can I use these field recordings in commercial music releases?
Beat Magazine released this pack as a free resource for creative projects including music production, podcasts, and YouTube videos. Check the included license terms in the download for specific commercial use details, as field recording packs sometimes carry location-specific restrictions.
