# Music Question- What's It Called When You Use An Instrument to Make a Sound Effect? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 20, 2002, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-whats-it-called-when-you-use-an-instrument-to-make-a-sound-effect/143976 "2002-12-20T04:15:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-whats-it-called-when-you-use-an-instrument-to-make-a-sound-effect/143976/1 "2002-12-20T04:15:26Z")
For example, when they play the trumpet (or trombone or whatever) to make it stand in for the voice of an adult in the Charlie Brown TV shows? Is there a technical term for that? ---
**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-whats-it-called-when-you-use-an-instrument-to-make-a-sound-effect/143976/2 "2002-12-20T17:43:33Z")
I doubt there is a technical term. I’ve never encountered one. ---
**Author:** ![alexandria2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f1d935/32.png) [@alexandria2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alexandria2000)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2002, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-whats-it-called-when-you-use-an-instrument-to-make-a-sound-effect/143976/3 "2002-12-20T21:24:55Z")
I just thought it was part of the Foley work, since they’re in charge of sound effects. ---
**Author:** ![Bimble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b2d939/32.png) [@Bimble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bimble)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-whats-it-called-when-you-use-an-instrument-to-make-a-sound-effect/143976/4 "2002-12-23T17:25:47Z")
“Sound design” should just about cover it - you take what you have to hand to make the sound that you want, be it trombone, trumpet, washboard, small fighter plane or a wet fish… :o) ---
**Author:** ![Lodrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@Lodrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lodrain)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-whats-it-called-when-you-use-an-instrument-to-make-a-sound-effect/143976/5 "2002-12-23T21:05:57Z")
I’m not a musician, but I think I played one once in a school production. I took one and a half years in middle school, on the French horn. First chair, no less. I got to the point of being able to tell between a fermata and a bass clef, but not much further than that. I think the term you’re looking for is called ‘playing’ the instrument. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-whats-it-called-when-you-use-an-instrument-to-make-a-sound-effect/143976/6 "2002-12-24T00:00:40Z")
Another vote for “Foley work” as a good catch-all. The particular sound you cited from Charlie Brown would be _muted_ brass instruments. Muted, and probably compressed like crazy. ---
**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-whats-it-called-when-you-use-an-instrument-to-make-a-sound-effect/143976/7 "2002-12-24T00:24:46Z")
I vote _against_ “Foley work”. I think the OP is referring to extended techniques on standard musical instruments. Not slapping some wet celery on a countertop. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-whats-it-called-when-you-use-an-instrument-to-make-a-sound-effect/143976/8 "2002-12-24T12:58:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jpeg Jones \* > \*\*I vote _against_ “Foley work”. I think the OP is referring to extended techniques on standard musical instruments. Not slapping some wet celery on a countertop. \*\* Yes, that’s it. Here’s another example. On the orchestral versions of _Sleigh Ride_ that I’ve heard, there’s a portion where it sounds like they’re using the trumpet(?) to sound like a horse whinnying. ---
**Author:** ![Morgainelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Morgainelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgainelf)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-whats-it-called-when-you-use-an-instrument-to-make-a-sound-effect/143976/9 "2002-12-24T18:56:40Z")
Ooh, this is triggering a dim memory from my days in music school… I think there is a term for vocalizing through an instrument. I can’t remember what it is, but I’ll start looking. I don’t recall a term specifically for using an instrument as a sound effect, though. ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-whats-it-called-when-you-use-an-instrument-to-make-a-sound-effect/143976/10 "2002-12-24T20:30:43Z")
My favorite example of this technique is in Jimi Hendrix’s version of ‘The Star Spangled Banner’. Does a very good imitation of a shell falling and then exploding by hitting a high harmonic and bringing it down in pitch with the t-bar, then pushing the t-bar so far down the strings hang loose against the pickups and rattling them. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-whats-it-called-when-you-use-an-instrument-to-make-a-sound-effect/143976/11 "2002-12-24T21:07:31Z")
… or that bluegrass tune where a fiddle sounds like a train. This [music dictionary](http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/) calls it _imitation_ (definintion 2). Seems almost too obvious, but I think we have our answer. ---
**Author:** ![jon\_cummins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/779978/32.png) [@jon\_cummins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jon_cummins)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2002, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-whats-it-called-when-you-use-an-instrument-to-make-a-sound-effect/143976/12 "2002-12-24T21:11:08Z")
Don’t remember a name for the caracterized sound, but thought I’d comment on a musician I know who’s career was formed partly on these “sound effects.” Speedy West is a legendary originator of the steel guitar’s sounds, and got plenty of work in the 40’s & 50’s doing “sound effects” for Disney an other cartoons. As I remember cartoons being full of cool sounds that could be copied as a kid. But don’t forget Spike Jones band! There was a good example of instruments making noise! ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2002, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-whats-it-called-when-you-use-an-instrument-to-make-a-sound-effect/143976/13 "2002-12-25T04:13:09Z")
Ever see Ben Folds play the inside of a piano with a melodica? It’s bad-ass. He does it on “Smoke”. How he came up with that sound I’ll never know. ---
**Author:** ![Morgainelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Morgainelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgainelf)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-whats-it-called-when-you-use-an-instrument-to-make-a-sound-effect/143976/14 "2002-12-26T14:23:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Manduck \* > \*\*… or that bluegrass tune where a fiddle sounds like a train. > > This [music dictionary](http://www.music.vt.edu/musicdictionary/) calls it _imitation_ (definintion 2). Seems almost too obvious, but I think we have our answer. \*\* That looks about as close as any you’ll find. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2002, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/music-question-whats-it-called-when-you-use-an-instrument-to-make-a-sound-effect/143976/15 "2002-12-26T14:41:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Manduck \* > \*\*… or that bluegrass tune where a fiddle sounds like a train. \*\* Yeah, man…that one. No one’s **ever** been able to duplicate **that.** 😃