TECH SPECIAL ....................... SPICE UP WINDOWS WITH AMAZING SOUND EFFECTS

SPICE UP WINDOWS WITH AMAZING SOUND EFFECTS   Windows will play a sound when you log on, if your battery is running low and if you encounter an error. But what if you want to mix things  up a bit and change the sound scheme for your computer?  Most people will customise their wallpaper or screensaver,  but let's take it one step further by altering sound.  A lightsaber swoosh when you receive an email?  A famous movie quote when you shut down? The sky is the limit! This guide will briefly walk you through  how to change your sound scheme and point you to some  of the best places to download alternative audio. Alter Individual Sounds Or Set A Scheme It's simple and quick to get customising your sounds.   Windows 7 comes with a good number of preinstalled sound schemes,  meaning you can switch to a whole new set in seconds.  Sadly, Windows 8 doesn't offer any of these different schemes.  The only choices are the default pack or having no sound at all. Fear not, however, because it's possible to build your own scheme  and customise it exactly how you like. Like a Star Trek sound scheme, for example! You can either change specific sounds or go all the way  and alter everything. Changing your sound scheme is a really easy  process.You can go ahead and change them all or just alter them. Top Resources For Sound Downloads With sound schemes, it's just a case of picking out those perfect  audio files. If you don't have any suitable choices, take a gander at   the list below for some free resources. It's important to note that you can only use .wav files for your  audio files. If you're using your own clips, rather than those from  the specialised sites below, it's likely they'll be in .mp3 format or  similar. Don't fear, it's not a problem ­ you'll just need to convert  your audio files before Windows will let them be used.  Happily, you can use a handy free and online tool called media.io  to convert your files. These are some of the top resources we found. FindSounds There's a load of variety on offer at FindSounds because it  searches all over the Web to hunt down the audio. Whether you want your computer to play a different guitar chord  for every event, fancy some animal noises to get you in the jungle spirit, or want a Simpsons makeover, FindSounds has got you covered. FindSounds is still going strong to this day. In fact, this coming  August will be the fifteenth year that the site has been live.  Just type in what you're looking for and click Search or  you can view their list of examples to get the inspiration flowing. Freesound Freesound is incredibly active and new sounds are constantly being  added from users all over the globe. There are over a quarter of a  million sound effects and counting, making it a hugely varied source.  There's the standard stuff that you can expect, like nature noises  and drum beats, but there's also more unusual choices like the ambient  noise inside a walk in freezer. You don't even have to con vert anything since you can sort all the  results by file type, meaning you can pick out the .wav files that'll  keep Windows happy. Also, the site was recently updated to include  a new fea ture that allows you to follow specific users or tags.  You'll then be noti fied whenever these are updat ed through weekly  emails, which is great for those who like to keep their sounds fresh. freeSFX Sound effects and music tracks aplenty are on offer at freeSFX.  Grab a comical squish, the chug of a train or the fax modem  signal (just in case you miss the olden days). There are even very specific, specialised noises, which make  freeSFX a unique place. There's also a variety of royalty free music, should you want to  opt for some lengthier tunes to accompany your Windows actions.  You might want to use this as your log in sound in order to start the  day with a track you enjoy ­ opting for smooth jazz, for example,  is a sure-fire way to keep calm! SoundPackager SoundPackager is different from the others on the list. While those above are Web sites to download sounds from,  SoundPackager is a program that aims to make changing your  sound schemes a breeze. It's developed by Stardocks, the guys  behind some popular Windows customisation tools like ObjectDock. The program allows you to apply new sound schemes with a single  click. You can also create your own sound packages or edit the  existing ones with ease. The only downside is that the program costs Rs 650 approx   (with a 30 day free trial), though if you're keen on sound customisation  it may be worthwhile. There is also a supporting site called WinCustomize, which is great  because you can download full themed sets instantly. While the site isn't really active anymore, it still has a decent archive  of sets that might have you covered. If you want to kit your compu ter out with Team Fortress 2,  Knight Rider or Zelda, then this is a great place to go. There's even schemes on there that you probably wouldn't think of,  but may appeal ­ a whole Justin Timberlake set, for example!

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