A COLLABORATIVE POST
WRITTEN BY BOOM BOX POST
In the past, we have published multiple blogs that list classic cartoon sound effects and the emotion they convey to the audience. Our hope is that these lists will help those stuck in their sound editorial from having to sift through their entire sound library looking for the perfect sound. We have outlined Happiness, Anger, Sadness, Humor, Fear, Disgust, Love, Boredom, Shyness, Amusement, Envy, Guilt, and Thrill. Read Part 1, Part 2, & Part 3!
In this post, we are outlining the following: Embarrassment, Fear, Anxiety, and Dizziness. Check out how our editors would approach these emotions with classic cartoon sound effects!
embarrassment
Toon Sound Effect: Saw Wobble
Katie Jackson, MPSE
Sound Effects Editor
When I think of embarrassment, I also think of nervousness or awkwardness, which leads me to the physical reaction to those emotions. If a character is nervous or embarrassed, they may shake or wobble, so I think a funny wobbly sound conveys embarrassment well. A silly, fast saw wobble paired with a rubber shake can make a good sonic representation of the feeling of embarrassment.
fear
Toon Sound Effect: Aquaphone/Waterphone or Teeth Chatter
Brad Meyer, MPSE
Supervising Sound Editor
An aquaphone is an instrument that is commonly used to create an uneasy, fearful feeling and is often used in horror scores and soundtracks. Any dissonant instrumentation tends to work well to create the sense of fear. An ascending, dissonant orchestral slide or a bowed cymbal would work well too.
There are a couple of ways to convey the feeling of fear within a character using toon effects. A classic example would be a "teeth rattling" or "bone shivering" sound illustrating that the character is literally shaking with fear. You can achieve this in a couple of different ways, including using fast rattling wood sounds or even castanets being played very quickly.
Jayson Niner
Sound Effects Editor
ANxiety
Toon Sound Effect: Tea Kettle Whistling or a Rising Tremolo
Jayson Niner
Sound Effects Editor
If your character is feeling more internal fear as opposed to an external fear, try ramping up the tension to denote the character's building anxiety. You can achieve this tension by the use of sounds increasing in both volume and pitch. Examples of this would be a tea kettle whistling or a rising tremolo played on a string instrument. Both of these examples not only help describe the characters inner growing conflict but also, due to the shrill nature of the sounds, induce a bit of anxiety within the listener.
dizziness
Toon Sound Effect: Marble Spin / Spinning Noise Maker
Vivian Williams, MPSE
Sound Effects Editor
Dizziness needs to be a looped, repetitive sound at a quick pace—something that has an oscillating aspect to it. A marble spinning can work for this effect, or a spinning noise maker. To make it sillier, you could add something higher pitched like bells, whistles, bubbles, or squeaks, also oscillating/on a loop. You could even mess around with pitch shifting to create an oscillating effect all on your own. You could use one of these sounds alone or layer them. They’re all mix-and-match-able, making the options truly endless!
What emotion would you like us to cover in the next Toon Sound Effect glossary?
If you enjoyed this blog, check out these:
LAYERING SOUND EFFECTS: HOW AND WHY?
A CRASH COURSE IN TOON SOUND DESIGN
RECREATING CLASSIC CARTOON SOUND EFFECTS