The water phone, an instrument invented by Richard Waters, has become a widely used sound effect in Hollywood, adding an eerie and mysterious atmosphere to countless movies and TV shows.
The unique and unsettling sound of the water phone, which goes beyond the traditional Western music scale, taps into primal fears and evokes emotions of grief, loss, and fear, making it an effective tool for creating suspenseful and chilling atmospheres in film and television.
Deep dives
The Use of Cerebral Sound Design in Movies and Reality TV
Cerebral sound design, which includes sound effects that nudge viewers emotionally, is widely used in movies and reality TV. Examples include the use of booming sounds to indicate something epic is about to happen in movie trailers, and the use of harsh symbols and hits to add drama to reality show dialogue. Another popular sound effect, used in spooky or mysterious scenes, has been haunting Hollywood for over 50 years. The podcast explores the significance and ubiquity of this sound effect, known as the water phone, which resembles a pipe with tines and is played by hitting it with a mallet or using a bow against the tines.
The Origins and Popularity of the Water Phone
The water phone was invented by artist Richard Waters in the late 1960s. The instrument consists of two metal salad bowls welded together, with tines around the sides and water in the center. It produces eerie and otherworldly sounds due to its ability to go beyond the traditional Western music scale. Despite Waters' lack of interest in commercial success, percussionist Emil Richards discovered the water phone and fell in love with its unique sound. Through word of mouth and composers' fascination, the water phone spread across Hollywood and became a staple in countless movies and TV shows.
The Psychological Impact of the Water Phone's Sound
The water phone's unsettling and creepy sound can be attributed to its departure from the familiar diatonic scale of traditional music. By venturing into atonal and dissonant territories, the water phone elicits emotions associated with grief, loss, and fear. Its sound, reminiscent of groaning and moaning, taps into deep-seated human anxieties about death, illness, and suffering. This theory suggests that the water phone's ability to evoke these primal fears contributes to its enduring popularity and effectiveness in creating suspenseful and chilling atmospheres in movies and TV shows.
For nearly half a century, one eerie sound has been showing up again and again in movies and TV shows. It’s typically used when something spooky or mysterious happens—and it can be heard in Poltergeist, The Matrix, Let the Right One In, and countless episodes of Unsolved Mysteries. So where did this strange sound come from, and how did it spread across Hollywood? This story comes from the podcast Every Little Thing.
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