diff --git a/init.lua b/init.lua
index fc44822..7095f53 100644
--- a/init.lua
+++ b/init.lua
@@ -413,12 +413,28 @@ function mobkit.animate(self,anim)
 	end
 end
 
-function mobkit.make_sound(self,sound)
-	if self.sounds and self.sounds[sound] then
-		minetest.sound_play(self.sounds[sound], {object=self.object})
+function mobkit.make_sound(self, sound)
+	local spec = self.sounds[sound]
+	local param_table = {object=self.object}
+	
+	if type(spec) == 'table' then
+		--pick random sound if it's a spec for random sounds
+		if #spec > 0 then spec = spec[random(#spec)] end
+		
+		--returns value or a random value within the range [value[1], value[2])
+		local function in_range(value)
+			return type(value) == 'table' and value[1]+random()*(value[2]-value[1]) or value
+		end
+		
+		--pick random values within a range if they're a table
+		param_table.gain = in_range(spec.gain)
+		param_table.fade = in_range(spec.fade)
+		param_table.pitch = in_range(spec.pitch)
 	end
+	return minetest.sound_play(spec, param_table)
 end
 
+
 function mobkit.is_neighbor_node_reachable(self,neighbor)	-- todo: take either number or pos
 	local offset = neighbors[neighbor]
 	local pos=mobkit.get_stand_pos(self)
diff --git a/mobkit_api.txt b/mobkit_api.txt
index d75e77a..35afe16 100644
--- a/mobkit_api.txt
+++ b/mobkit_api.txt
@@ -208,9 +208,32 @@ minetest.register_entity("mod:name",{
 		...
 		}
 	sounds = {
-		[name] = [string filename],
+		[name] = [string filename],				--single, simple,
+		
+		[name] = {								--single, more powerful. All fields but 'name' are optional
+			name = [string filename],
+			gain=[num or range],				--range is a table of the format {left_bound, right_bound}
+			fade=[num or range],
+			pitch=[num or range],
+			},
+						
+		[name] = {								--variant, sound is chosen randomly
+			{
+			name = [string filename],
+			gain=[num or range],
+			fade=[num or range],
+			pitch=[num or range],
+			},
+			{
+			name = [string filename],
+			gain=[num or range],
+			fade=[num or range],
+			pitch=[num or range],
+			},
+			...
+		},
 		...
-		}
+	},
 	max_speed = [num],					-- m/s
 	jump_height = [num],				-- nodes/meters
 	view_range = [num],					-- nodes/meters
@@ -335,7 +358,8 @@ function mobkit.animate(self,anim)
 	
 function mobkit.make_sound(self,sound)
 	-- sound is string, see entity definition
-	-- makes an entity play sound, or does nothing if not defined 
+	-- makes an entity play sound, or does nothing if not defined
+	--returns sound handle
 	
 function mobkit.go_forward_horizontal(self,speed)
 	-- sets an entity's horizontal velocity in yaw direction. Vertical velocity unaffected.