Why does an ATM play that short tune when it is putting the bills into the dispenser? I can whistle it by heart: doododododoodoododldodldodldodl.
What possible reason is there for ATMs to make noise anyway? And why the brief techno tune? If I whistle the tune into the ATM, will it give me free cash?
And why is something so strange as this unGoogleable?
This is making me crazy.
I’ve never heard an ATM make music. I’ve heard it make mechanical noises as it uses the machinery to count up and release the cash. Perhaps that’s what you’re hearing, a mechanical noise.
Do you mean the whirr the picker in the ATM makes when it’s pulling bills out of the cartridges and dropping them in the dispenser right before it dispenses the bills?
Could it be a mechanical sound?
There have to be a dozen companies making ATMs and dozens of institutions operating the software that drives the ATMs at the server end.
The ATM manufacturers aren’t going to all play the same “song”.
The banks/ATM networks aren’t going to choose to play the same “song”.
Do you hear these at all ATMs or just some ATMs?
Are all the ATMs you know one brand?
Are all the ATMs you know driven by the same bank or ATM network?
I work around banks all day, and I can’t imagine what you’re talking about unless it’s the machinery.
You’re sure this was an ATM and not a slot machine? 
I don’t think it’s a tune, but the mechanical components do make the same exact sound when dispensing cash, and it is somewhat melodic like a very quiet crescendo or fanfare, (or a call to charge! (it)). I don’t know why it does so, but I’ve always assumed it’s a result of the same exact process being conducted by exact same parts created by Diebold. I have used 3rd party ATM’s which didn’t seem to produce the sound, but they’re of a different style than the Bank of America ones I regularly use.
There’s the fwapfwapfwap of the bills being counted and picked, and there’s the slightly melodic sound of the gears and pulleys (which your’e probably hearing) as it lifts the currency to the opening, but I don’t think you’re hearing an intentional tune.
My favorite ATM makes that tune too. It’s the 5-note pattern played at ball games to cue people to yell “Charge”. It can be played as the notes C-E-G-E-G with the third note a beat and a half and the fourth note a half beat. It’s a cute little fanfare: “ta da DA da da . . . here’s your money”.
The ATMs I use sound like Woody Woodpecker’s laugh, or the opening tune to the show.
I’ve heard this, too. I want to say that those machines were manufactured by Interbold.
I’ve never heard of Interbold. However, I have seen Diebold ATMs.
I have never in my life heard a tune when getting money from an ATM. It would be well worth the $1.50 they gouge from me when I happen to use a non-network ATM to hear that ballpark “Charge” theme.
“Ta da DA da da . . . here’s your money!”
I like it!
[nitpick]
Isn’t the CHARGE pattern six notes, not five?
So does mine. The exact same tune.
Surely you mean seven, right?
6 notes:
(low) G - C - E - G - E - G.
To be more precise. . . the 1-3-5-3-5 note pattern played by my ATM machine is a simplified version of the “Charge!” cue. I agree with panache45 that the true call is 6 notes: (low) G - C - E - G - E - G.
Interbold was a joint venture between Diebold and IBM. Diebold captured an early market share, had a good product, and won over time. Olivetti, Inter Innovation (LeFebure), Docutel, NCR, Fujitsu, and a few others have had varying levels of success.
I’ve never heard a musical ATM before either (just ones that hawk mortgage plans while they communicate with HQ). Perhaps you could withdraw a different number of bills next time? If the “tune” changes, then it’s most likely mechanical noise as has been suggested.
Going by my (hazy) memory of drawing money from an ATM, I’ve made the tune to what I think the OP is talking about.
http://media.putfile.com/ATMnoise
It does sound a lot like the Woody Woodpecker theme. It’s the machinery whirring, I believe.
I’ve seen it mentioned somewhere else on the internet about the Diebold ATM/Woody Woodpecker-sounding machinery before, so we’re not the only ones wondering about this. Currently, their site (www.diebold.com) isn’t working for me.