A quick peek into the world of
Hollywood shows us all sorts of different kinds of movie soundtracks.
Every genre of film needs its own style of accompanying music, and
with film composers looking to constantly push the boundaries, we
have seen some weird and wonderful instruments used in film scores
over the last 50 years or so. Here, we explore some of the strangest
sounds ever to grace the silver screen.
The Ondes Martenot
One of the earliest electronic
instruments ever invented, the Ondes Martenot first came on the scene
in 1928. It's eerie sounds come from oscillating tubes, which are
played with a strange metal ring around a musician's finger. The
instrument is very rare and changes hands for huge amounts of money
as its production was stopped in 1988. Most commonly known for its
use in the soundtracks of 'Amelie', 'There Will Be Blood' and of
course (how could I forget), 'Ghostbusters'.
The Theremin
Similar in Sound to the Ondes Martenot,
the Theremin is another electronic instrument from the days of yonder
which has become iconic in the world of cinema. Played without being
touched, the Theremin senses the movement of the player's hands with
its antenna before amplifying the sound we hear. It's use in movie
soundtracks is extensive due to its very 'sci fi' sound. Hear it in
the background of 'The Day The Earth Stood Still', 'Hellboy' and 'The
Machinist'. For an idea of what the Theremin sounds like, you just
need to listen to The Beach Boys' 'Good Vibrations', which is famous
for using the instrument.
The Waterphone
The first acoustic instrument
mentioned. The Waterphone is a strange set of stainless steel rods
attached to a metal bowl which resonates as the rods are bowed to
give a truly strange sound which has crept into cinemas everywhere
through films such as 'Star Trek', 'The Matrix', 'Let The Right One
In' and many more.
The Cristal Baschet
known as the 'Crystal Organ', the
Cristal Baschet is similar in appearance to a bent xylophone. It's
'keys', made out of glass rods, are played by rubbing with moistened
fingers. The Cristal Baschet has been used by many experimental
musicians, and was brought into the mainstream of film by former Red
Hot Chili Peppers drummer turned film composer extraordinaire Cliff
Martinez, who has used it on almost all of his movie soundtracks
including 'Drive', 'Solaris' and 'The
Lincoln Lawyer'.
About the Author: Ben is an
Entrepreneur and Writer from the United Kingdom with a love for all
things music. Check out his website and online resource for
information on Film
Soundtracks.
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