"The Wrath of Khan": Just what IS that sound effect?

[Ragitsu]

Good afternoon.

There is a sound effect in The Wrath of Khan whose origin/purpose has puzzled me to this day. Listen to the background during 0:18 in the following clip ->

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Yeah, it's that haunting wavering rippling echo. What - precisely - is it supposed to represent? You will hear it again during various points in the same film and it also returns in at least one more 80s Star Trek film. To me, it sounds like the universe...but it may just be "space sonar" (yes, yes, I know that sound doesn't transmit in a vacuum ) designed to emphasize the fact that we are witnessing a submarine battle IN SPACE!

 

[SidneyIsTheKiller]

Lol somehow I knew which sound effect it was gonna be.

 

[Tosk]

Maybe I'm hearing the wrong thing, but is it not part of the score?

 

[Ragitsu]

Maybe I'm hearing the wrong thing, but is it not part of the score?

It can be heard during multiple occasions (some of which are moments of relative silence); as a result, I doubt that possibility.

 

[Tosk]

Fair enough. The score is tremulous at this point so it seemed a reasonable guess.

If you could point out a few other specific moments it's in we might be able to pinpoint it due to common factors.

 

[SidneyIsTheKiller]

It's quieter here but it's running all throughout this clip from Star Trek IV, most audible from 00:26-40.

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I remember it also showing up in a couple parts of Star Trek VI (coincidentally or not, all the Nicholas Meyer-related movies).

In Star Trek II it's mostly on the Reliant, I think.

It's tough to come up with an onomatopoeia for it, but it's a very distinctive, reverberating high pitched but descending "holalalala holalalala" (lol!). It's something I've always associated strongly with the original Star Trek films.

 

[StarMan]

Sounds a bit like a Tribble.

"Buried alive. Buried aliiiive ..." <strokes Tribble>

 

[SidneyIsTheKiller]

Aight here we go:

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Holallala holalalaala!

 

[David cgc]

“Space sonar” seems like the winner to me, the equivalent of the rhythmic whistling that went with the lights under the view screen in TOS, and that echos in exterior shots of Starfleet ships in the JJ movies (which I think is a wonderful touch).

 

[penguin44]

Always jus thought it was part of the bridge sounds

 

[publiusr]

Quindar beep slowed down---there were two different quindar beeps.

 

[SidneyIsTheKiller]

Quindar beep slowed down---there were two different quindar beeps.

No, not the beeps, we're talking about the holallala holalalaala

 

[DonIago]

I think it's score, not bridge sound. I can't speak to what instrument might be making the sound though; it might be synthetic?

 

[Ragitsu]

..."Quindar"?

 

[publiusr]

Here you go....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quindar_tones#:~:text=Quindar tones, most often referred,the crews of the spacecraft.

Slow that down...maybe?

 

[PCz911]

Here you go....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quindar_tones#:~:text=Quindar tones, most often referred,the crews of the spacecraft.

Slow that down...maybe?

Thanks for the link. I had not heard of this before

 

[Ssosmcin]

I just thought it was new bridge background sounds. I loved when the films had their own brand new sound effects for background rather than going back to the TV series.

 

[Richard S. Ta]

I think it's score, not bridge sound. I can't speak to what instrument might be making the sound though; it might be synthetic?

It isn't the score. I listen to the score a lot and that sound isn't in it.

@Ragitsu I also knew exactly what sound you were talking about before I heard it!

 

[Haggis and tatties]

It's Khans magnetic wrist weights reaching full charge.

 

[Unnamed Caitian]

in the 60s there were the first Japanese tokusatsus like Ultraman. The space scenes had a special sound effect. I take it is tha same thing. The sound of space.

watch this beginning at 5:42

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