TOS Sound Effects

[Redfern]

The "whistling" of the pipes as the tank refills? Hmm, I bet some intrepid sound engineer used that "whistling" for the basis of something.

You know, I wonder how many of the iconic audio effects we love (not just Trek's) can no longer be recreated from scratch because either the "thing" that generated the "raw" sound no longer exists or we have simply forgotten how it was generated?

Sincerely,

Bill

 

[firstresident]

Very interesting stuff, guys

 

[LadyT'Anna]

Indeed!

Is this the right place to ask about the cooing of the tribbles?

 

[Green Shirt]

Indeed!

Is this the right place to ask about the cooing of the tribbles?

Sure, so go ahead and ask.

 

[LadyT'Anna]

Indeed!

Is this the right place to ask about the cooing of the tribbles?

Sure, so go ahead and ask.

Laughing, Green Shirt! I wondered whether that was coming!

Making it official . . . Were the cooings of the tribbles actually recordings of doves? They sounded that way to me, but I'm an editor, not an ornithologist.

 

[Christopher]

According to Memory Alpha, "Sound effects editor Douglas Grindstaff combined altered dove coos, screech owl cries and emptying balloons to create the tribble sounds."

 

[BeatleJWOL]

Indeed!

Is this the right place to ask about the cooing of the tribbles?

Sure, so go ahead and ask.

Laughing, Green Shirt! I wondered whether that was coming!

Making it official . . . Were the cooings of the tribbles actually recordings of doves? They sounded that way to me, but I'm an editor, not an ornithologist.

Memory Alpha states the following:

Sound effects editor Douglas Grindstaff combined altered dove coos, screech owl cries and emptying balloons to create the tribble sounds.

but there's no source.

http://en.memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/The_Trouble_with_Tribbles_(episode)

 

[LadyT'Anna]

Sure, so go ahead and ask.

Laughing, Green Shirt! I wondered whether that was coming!

Making it official . . . Were the cooings of the tribbles actually recordings of doves? They sounded that way to me, but I'm an editor, not an ornithologist.

Memory Alpha states the following:

Sound effects editor Douglas Grindstaff combined altered dove coos, screech owl cries and emptying balloons to create the tribble sounds.

but there's no source.

http://en.memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/The_Trouble_with_Tribbles_(episode)

Many thanks to all! I can imagine the emptying balloons being part of the mix, but screech owls? I'd never have guessed that one. You've given me an excellent excuse for a rewatch--I'm very much obliged!

Thank you again. Have a lovely night!

 

[BeatleJWOL]

Well, keep in mind, there's the tribble sounds, and then there's the music backing with the wacky horns; those are sped up trombones, as discussed in the TOS Soundtrack Collection liner notes. That might be part of the confusion on what sound is which.

The actual tribble "purring" sounds appear to be the manipulated dove coos.

 

[LadyT'Anna]

Well, keep in mind, there's the tribble sounds, and then there's the music backing with the wacky horns; those are sped up trombones, as discussed in the TOS Soundtrack Collection liner notes. That might be part of the confusion on what sound is which.

The actual tribble "purring" sounds appear to be the manipulated dove coos.

Thank you very kindly, BeatleJWOL. I'd been wondering about those overlaps between the coos and the bent notes, for want of a better phrase. It's good to know that there's a logical (!) explanation.

 

[Christopher]

I can imagine the emptying balloons being part of the mix, but screech owls? I'd never have guessed that one.

I would assume that's the source of the high-pitched shriek that tribbles make when they're alarmed (upon, say, being confronted by a Klingon or sat on by a starship captain).

 

[BeatleJWOL]

Sounds good to me.

You can hear the balloon sounds here in addition to the other sounds:
[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBuSuM2aIdI[/yt]

and of course the tribble reaction sound:
[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxoAd7EFRaA[/yt]

 

[LadyT'Anna]

Beautiful catch, Christopher; even after multiple viewings, I never did put that together. Now I know what to listen for.

Thank you again.

 

[FormerLurker]

The reaction sound has to be the screech owl.

 

[LadyT'Anna]

The reaction sound has to be the screech owl.

Run at perhaps ten times speed with some sort of delay or reverberation setting?

Interesting . . .

 

[gmbeatnik]

This is an interesting thread. I have been working on my on trek type game for iOS and have had trouble with the sound effects (making sure not to steal anything). I was able to get a pretty cool beam/photon type sound by stretching a slinky, anchoring it to a cigar box, and striking it with a spoon. That actually sounds pretty cool.

 

[Christopher]

I was able to get a pretty cool beam/photon type sound by stretching a slinky, anchoring it to a cigar box, and striking it with a spoon. That actually sounds pretty cool.

That's essentially how they made the photon torpedo sound in the first place, by striking a taut metal cable. I once saw a behind-the-scenes thing about Star Wars sound designer Ben Burtt, and he was shown striking a high-tension cable supporting an electrical tower to create a similar sound for blaster fire.

 

[BeatleJWOL]

I could read a book just about the sound effects of Star Trek.

Jeff Bond, are you out there?

 

[LadyT'Anna]

Interesting indeed!

I have another question for the group: How were the ambient pinging (?) sounds on the NCC-1701 bridge created? I've always been curious about them, but as you can see, I'm unfamiliar with the proper technical term to use in a search.

Any enlightenment appreciated!

 

[BeatleJWOL]

There's some info here:
http://scifi.stackexchange.com/ques...e-original-enterprise-bridge-sounds-come-from
But not all of it is sourced.