What Does Walla Mean?

Walla is the name for the sound effect used to imitate the murmur of a crowd in the background. It got its name in the early days of radio when the sound of a crowd in the background was needed. It was discovered that if several people simply repeated the sound “walla” in the background, it sounded like actual chatter. The name for the actors who help create the sound effect are called the walla group.

Listen to the walla sound effect below:

“crowd ( walla ) Sound Effect” by Sounds Recorded

Fun Fact: In the UK, the word rhubarb is used in place of walla. In Germany, it is rhabarber, and in Japan, it is gaya.

In present-day filmmaking, the walla group uses real words and conversations in order to better match the story’s locale and time period and produce a more authentic sounding background chatter effect.

If you are looking for voice-over talent and recording studios to create your own background chatter for your next production, check out our online Nevada Production Directory to find experienced Nevada production crew and support services or drop by our office and pick up a free printed directory!

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