In horror movies, what is that jittery, high pitched, creepy sound?

Hello.

Usually, I don't ask questions like this, but I'm just curious. I was listening to the Lost World: Jurrassic Park soundtrack recently, and in several sections, such as the "The Island Prologue" or the"The compy's dine," John Williams utilizes this tantalizing technique that sounds like a million tiny little animals chattering. That's perhaps the best I can describe it. Another example of this technique can be found in several horror movies, as well as in action adventure films and even video games - I've noticed in Age of Mythology, one of the tracks, though I don't know its name, uses that technique.

I don't know if this is the same technique, but a more direct example I guess would be in the musical Into the Woods, when the Wolf eats the Grandmother. That I know is a really high pitched string sound, but what about the rest.

I'm looking for very eery, modern types of orchestral sounds.

anybody lol?

Not sure exactly what you mean. Does it sound like it could be violins sul ponticello?

who came up with the description of sul ponticello as being like "rats walking on broken glass" anyway?!

if it's what I think you are referring to, it's the violin section, playing aleatorically (non-notated), very high range. basically it's carefully controlled, improvized cacophony.

Sounds to me like he was describing string players playing quick and in a high register, only with the frog of the bow. It creates a very creepy and highly scratchy sound that I'm sure has been used countless times in trite horror-movie fashion.

...playing on the frog of the bow: the part of the strings that is right next to the hand, right up against where the string stops and the black part you hold is. You know...the strings are especially tight there, hence the lack of vibration, hence the lack of pitch.

that's exactly what I meant. Thanks.

Using a violin bow on a vibraphone or cymbal also produces a pretty creepy sound. :shifty:

Using a violin bow on a vibraphone or cymbal also produces a pretty creepy sound. :D

I prefer the violin bow + cowbell.

Using a violin bow on a vibraphone or cymbal also produces a pretty creepy sound.

*shudders* Why do I get the feeling that that would sound very much like nails on a chalkboard? lol

If you're looking for creepy sounding instruments, look up the THeremin.

You MIGHT be thinking of piccolo in the extreme high register. If you write a busy line in the piccolo over a brass tutti you can get a pretty massive sound.

i know what you are talking about i have the soundtrack, basically, its a bunch of glissandos on the upper half of the violin E strings going up and down spontaneously and atonally. Its not notated, every player in the section just goes crazy up there for however many bars, usually notated as a little note like, spontaneous havoc or glissandos in high register, and will have a little squiggly line continuing through the score untill the composer wants it to end. But to get that sound, everyone has to do their own thing way up there.

To get that sound, you would NOT play at the frog of the bow, rather at the tip, becasue usually its very quiet, but if you wanted it to be loud, you would use the middle to upper half of the bow, you wouldn't be going down to the frog for such quick notes.

violin bow... cowbell..?

Are you serious?

violin bow... cowbell..?

Are you serious?

Quite. We used it in a song to replicate the creaking of a boat.

Shweet. now we need a pitched violin cowbell thing. It shall be called the dying cow and will make music history.

maybe i should add a large and distracting picture to my signature too. I feel left out.

I unno, I laugh every time i read your signature :innocent:

I was too lazy to read this whole thread but it sounds like you could be talking about a Theremin... it's an electronic instrument with antenas and all sorts of gizmos that makes sounds you would here in a sci-fi movie... look it up and check it out because I know they use those a lot in movies.