diff --git a/res/content/base/blocks/grass_block.json b/res/content/base/blocks/grass_block.json
index 8c3cfb14..4c7ecf7b 100644
--- a/res/content/base/blocks/grass_block.json
+++ b/res/content/base/blocks/grass_block.json
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 {
+    "material": "base:grass",
     "texture-faces": [
         "grass_side",
         "grass_side",
diff --git a/res/content/base/blocks/pane.json b/res/content/base/blocks/pane.json
index f82f9e2d..0eebec49 100644
--- a/res/content/base/blocks/pane.json
+++ b/res/content/base/blocks/pane.json
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
         "pane",
         "pane"
     ],
+    "material": "base:wood",
     "model": "aabb",
     "hitbox": [0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.2],
     "light-passing": true,
diff --git a/res/content/base/blocks/planks.json b/res/content/base/blocks/planks.json
index c3e31ff3..508fac23 100644
--- a/res/content/base/blocks/planks.json
+++ b/res/content/base/blocks/planks.json
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 {
-    "texture": "planks"
+    "texture": "planks",
+    "material": "base:wood"
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/res/content/base/blocks/wood.json b/res/content/base/blocks/wood.json
index e29d126a..db77a6bc 100644
--- a/res/content/base/blocks/wood.json
+++ b/res/content/base/blocks/wood.json
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 {
+    "material": "base:wood",
     "texture-faces": [
         "wood",
         "wood",
diff --git a/src/assets/AssetsLoader.cpp b/src/assets/AssetsLoader.cpp
index 20e9af4a..74b3d41d 100644
--- a/src/assets/AssetsLoader.cpp
+++ b/src/assets/AssetsLoader.cpp
@@ -80,7 +80,13 @@ void AssetsLoader::addDefaults(AssetsLoader& loader, const Content* content) {
         loader.add(ASSET_TEXTURE, TEXTURES_FOLDER"/misc/moon.png", "misc/moon");
         loader.add(ASSET_TEXTURE, TEXTURES_FOLDER"/misc/sun.png", "misc/sun");
         loader.add(ASSET_TEXTURE, TEXTURES_FOLDER"/gui/crosshair.png", "gui/crosshair");
+
+        // (test code)
+        // TODO: remove
         loader.add(ASSET_SOUND, SOUNDS_FOLDER"/steps/grass.ogg", "steps/grass");
+        loader.add(ASSET_SOUND, SOUNDS_FOLDER"/steps/stone.ogg", "steps/stone");
+        loader.add(ASSET_SOUND, SOUNDS_FOLDER"/steps/wood.ogg", "steps/wood");
+        loader.add(ASSET_SOUND, SOUNDS_FOLDER"/steps/ground.ogg", "steps/ground");
 
         addLayouts(0, "core", loader.getPaths()->getMainRoot()/fs::path("layouts"), loader);
         for (auto& entry : content->getPacks()) {
diff --git a/src/audio/audio.cpp b/src/audio/audio.cpp
index 9280d882..6476aeb0 100644
--- a/src/audio/audio.cpp
+++ b/src/audio/audio.cpp
@@ -249,6 +249,9 @@ speakerid_t audio::play(
     int priority,
     int channel
 ) {
+    if (sound == nullptr) {
+        return 0;
+    }
     if (!sound->variants.empty()) {
         size_t index = rand() % (sound->variants.size() + 1);
         if (index < sound->variants.size()) {
diff --git a/src/content/ContentLoader.cpp b/src/content/ContentLoader.cpp
index 951e522c..eccedf16 100644
--- a/src/content/ContentLoader.cpp
+++ b/src/content/ContentLoader.cpp
@@ -144,6 +144,8 @@ void ContentLoader::loadBlock(Block& def, std::string name, fs::path file) {
         def.model = BlockModel::none;
     }
 
+    root->str("material", def.material);
+
     // rotation profile
     std::string profile = "none";
     root->str("rotation", profile);
diff --git a/src/frontend/LevelFrontend.cpp b/src/frontend/LevelFrontend.cpp
index 9561dfb2..c406ebce 100644
--- a/src/frontend/LevelFrontend.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend/LevelFrontend.cpp
@@ -1,11 +1,17 @@
 #include "LevelFrontend.h"
 
-#include "../world/Level.h"
-#include "../assets/Assets.h"
-#include "../graphics/Atlas.h"
 #include "BlocksPreview.h"
 #include "ContentGfxCache.h"
 
+#include "../audio/audio.h"
+#include "../world/Level.h"
+#include "../voxels/Block.h"
+#include "../assets/Assets.h"
+#include "../graphics/Atlas.h"
+
+#include "../logic/LevelController.h"
+#include "../logic/PlayerController.h"
+
 LevelFrontend::LevelFrontend(Level* level, Assets* assets) 
 : level(level),
   assets(assets),
@@ -13,6 +19,29 @@ LevelFrontend::LevelFrontend(Level* level, Assets* assets)
   blocksAtlas(BlocksPreview::build(contentCache.get(), assets, level->content)) {
 }
 
+void LevelFrontend::observe(LevelController* controller) {
+    controller->getPlayerController()->listenBlockInteraction(
+        [=](Player*, glm::ivec3 pos, const Block* def, BlockInteraction type) {
+            if (type != BlockInteraction::step) {
+                return;
+            }
+            // (test code)
+            // TODO: replace with BlockMaterial properties access
+            auto sound = assets->getSound("steps/"+def->material.substr(def->material.find(':')+1));
+            audio::play(
+                sound, 
+                glm::vec3(), 
+                true, 
+                0.333f, 
+                1.0f, 
+                false,
+                audio::PRIORITY_LOW,
+                audio::get_channel_index("regular")
+            );
+        }
+    );
+}
+
 LevelFrontend::~LevelFrontend() {
 }
 
diff --git a/src/frontend/LevelFrontend.h b/src/frontend/LevelFrontend.h
index 772c5309..ea8cbe33 100644
--- a/src/frontend/LevelFrontend.h
+++ b/src/frontend/LevelFrontend.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ class Level;
 class Assets;
 class BlocksPreview;
 class ContentGfxCache;
+class LevelController;
 
 class LevelFrontend {
     Level* level;
@@ -18,6 +19,8 @@ public:
     LevelFrontend(Level* level, Assets* assets);
     ~LevelFrontend();
 
+    void observe(LevelController* controller);
+
     Level* getLevel() const;
     Assets* getAssets() const;
     ContentGfxCache* getContentGfxCache() const;
diff --git a/src/frontend/screens.cpp b/src/frontend/screens.cpp
index fb057c5a..c127e2a7 100644
--- a/src/frontend/screens.cpp
+++ b/src/frontend/screens.cpp
@@ -100,24 +100,7 @@ LevelScreen::LevelScreen(Engine* engine, Level* level) : Screen(engine) {
     worldRenderer = std::make_unique<WorldRenderer>(engine, frontend.get(), controller->getPlayer());
     hud = std::make_unique<Hud>(engine, frontend.get(), controller->getPlayer());
 
-    controller->getPlayerController()->listenBlockInteraction(
-        [=](Player*, glm::ivec3 pos, const Block* def, BlockInteraction type) {
-            if (type != BlockInteraction::step) {
-                return;
-            }
-            auto sound = assets->getSound("steps/grass");
-            audio::play(
-                sound, 
-                glm::vec3(), 
-                true, 
-                1.0f, 
-                1.0f, 
-                false,
-                audio::PRIORITY_LOW,
-                audio::get_channel_index("regular")
-            );
-        }
-    );
+    frontend->observe(controller.get());
 
     backlight = settings.graphics.backlight;
 
diff --git a/src/voxels/Block.h b/src/voxels/Block.h
index 8d941d00..698d29d9 100644
--- a/src/voxels/Block.h
+++ b/src/voxels/Block.h
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ inline constexpr uint FACE_PZ = 5;
 
 inline constexpr uint BLOCK_AABB_GRID = 16;
 
+inline std::string DEFAULT_MATERIAL = "base:stone";
+
 struct block_funcs_set {
 	bool init: 1;
 	bool update: 1;
@@ -96,6 +98,8 @@ public:
 	std::vector<glm::vec3> modelExtraPoints = {}; //initially made for tetragons
 	std::vector<UVRegion> modelUVs = {}; // boxes' tex-UVs also there
 
+    std::string material = DEFAULT_MATERIAL;
+
 	/// @brief Light emission R, G, B, S (sky lights: sun, moon, radioactive clouds)
 	uint8_t emission[4] {0, 0, 0, 0};
 	/// @brief Influences visible block sides for transparent blocks