Does anyone know what this sound effect is or where to get it?

[Ryan Elder]

I am working on a soundtrack for a movie project, and there is one musical instrument, or sound effect, that I cannot place. I have asked around and others do not know what this. The sound is at 0:23 into this clip, and it's the high squeaking sound, if anyone can tell:

Se7en (1995) title sequence - YouTube

Thank you very much for any input on this! I really appreciate it!

[Paul R Johnson]

Chamois leather on glass?

[Greg Smith]

Maybe a damp fingertip rubbed across a rubber balloon?

[Dave Baker]

Sounds a bit like a budgie chirping to me.

[Paul R Johnson]

Sorry Ryan, but this has the hallmarks of turning into one of those hundred responses posts. Three of us have answered the question, and this must have been enough. One question. With soundscape type music, it’s very rare for one pieces components to slot into another. On its own, an effect sound like this is one of thousands at your disposal, the secret is them fitting well. Composing has always been one of your weaker areas, why have you taken on a sea of pain again?

[Graham Bernard]

This is one of my favourite intros. Superbly crafted, this multi- MULTI layered soundscape, working intimately with the visuals, builds and “sews” together this truly disturbing Horror-Detective flick. Turn the visuals OFF and Start deconstructing the Soundscape using a good set of Cans.

Awesome! Thanks for reminding me of the artistry that went into crafting this aural experience.

[Paul R Johnson]

Totally agree, and the complexity is on two levels, the musical one and the other. I’m not sure in soundscapes what the other actually is called? You can’t say it’s effects, because it’s more than that. Ryan’s ‘sound’, is a good example. It doesn’t matter what it is, it fits that particular need. In fact what it is is irrelevant. It is a tiny ingredient in a wonderful meal. Used in a different recipe, it wont work.

[Ryan Elder]

Oh are you saying that it might not work in mine, even for a gritty suspense tone, cause it may only work if the whole musical piece is like the Seven title sequence for example?

[Ryan Elder]

Originally Posted by Paul R Johnson

Sorry Ryan, but this has the hallmarks of turning into one of those hundred responses posts. Three of us have answered the question, and this must have been enough. One question. With soundscape type music, it’s very rare for one pieces components to slot into another. On its own, an effect sound like this is one of thousands at your disposal, the secret is them fitting well. Composing has always been one of your weaker areas, why have you taken on a sea of pain again?

Oh well I am in a relationship with a musician and music writer now who is teaching me a lot so I think if we work together, we can perhaps pull it off hopefully. She will write the music, but she wants to know what sounds I want, and couldn't figure out where to get that one particularly.

[Ryan Elder]

Could the sound effect be a turntable and the needle, hitting and scraping the LP possibly?

[Paul R Johnson]

Yes. Does it matter Ryan - you want the end result. The origin matters little,

[Greg Miller]

It sounds like what I'd hear tuning around the ham bands with an AM or SSB receiver, and a slightly shaky hand on the tuning knob. Or perhaps a theramin. Should I offer more details, or is this a good place to stop? Votes, anyone, yea or nay?

[Paul R Johnson]

Ah, Ondes Martenot possibly. Think the Gerry Anderson composer, Barry Gray. He did some super spooky themes and beds for space 1999 and UFO, after the puppet shows.

If you write music, part of the deal is collecting sound sources, and finding them afterwards after tucking the sound away in your memory. Newcomers to composing need this knowledge.

I’ve never ever heard a sound in somebody else’s composition and wanted to transplant it. It’s a bit like Alfred hitchcock’s psycho shower sound. You cannot lift it and use it in something else. Every sound source has to be appropriate. Nicking sounds as a concept works as long as it is tweaked to fit, but I suspect in our example here, it will be a straight, inappropriate ingredient that probably wont work. Asking the question sort of proclaims the success?

[Greg Miller]

Nice obscure reference, Paul. Quite possibly. Or else an H-P 200 C/D.

[Paul R Johnson]

I have had a policy of never selling any musical instrument since I regretted it in 1978. I was in a Beach Boys tribute band for a very long time and my only no selling rule broken was ……. A theramin. It was a rather nice one but totally impossible to play in tune, on command. Spawn of the devil!