I’m sure everybody knows this particular sound effect—when something dramatic is revealed, the music goes dunh dunh DUNH, rising on the final note, often accompanied with a zoom to closeup on a character’s shocked expression, like this (or variations thereof—this actually isn’t quite the sound I have in mind).
However, it’s mostly used for exaggerated comic effect, at least nowadays. So I was wondering, is there a clearly defined origin for this? Has it always been comedic, or was it used earnestly? Can somebody point to a non-comedic usage? Or to the origin of the music in the video?
There is a particularly British version, in strings, you hear in 40s radio shows, like “The Black Museum” and the like. I wish I could link to an example… In one episode of “The Prisoner” (“The Girl Who Was Death”) it is used for semi-comedic effect.
A more recent British convention is the drumbeat leading into the signature tune at the end of every episode of EastEnders, usually following some dramatic cliffhanger or revelation, now known as a doof-doof:
"You thought you were done with your homework… but are you?"
"You just ate the last cookie… or did you?"
"We’ll probably just stay home for spring break… or will we?"
And because I never see it worked out, it’s octaves on Eb and C, then a Gbdim7. On piano, I tend to roll the last chord, to help simulate the “splat” sound the brass makes. I also sometimes throw in a G (making it Gbdim7b9) to try and simulate that off key note.
(And, yes, I know it’s technically an A-double-flat.)