# Six Feet Under theme music - What instrument? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 22, 2001, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-feet-under-theme-music-what-instrument/77579 "2001-08-22T17:57:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Malice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/278dde/32.png) [@Malice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malice)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-feet-under-theme-music-what-instrument/77579/1 "2001-08-22T17:57:37Z")
Anyone know what high-pitched instrument that is that carries the melody? DEEduhluhDEEEEEE DEEduhluhDEEEEEE, DEEduhluhDEEEEEE-duh DEEduhluhDEEEEEE-duh ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-feet-under-theme-music-what-instrument/77579/2 "2001-08-22T18:26:09Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Malice \* > \*\*Anyone know what high-pitched instrument that is that carries the melody? > > DEEduhluhDEEEEEE > DEEduhluhDEEEEEE, > DEEduhluhDEEEEEE-duh > DEEduhluhDEEEEEE-duh \*\* Sounds like some sort of string instrument, but it could also be electronically generated. BTW, did you know the music was composed by Thomas Newman, Randy Newman’s brother? ---
**Author:** ![Saxman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@Saxman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saxman)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-feet-under-theme-music-what-instrument/77579/3 "2001-08-22T19:26:09Z")
Sounds like an oboe to me, possibly an English horn. (This is assuming we’re talking about the same “DEEduhluhDEEEEE” 🙂 .) Also worth noting, Thomas Newman did the music for “American Beauty” (which Alan Ball wrote). ---
**Author:** ![Malice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/278dde/32.png) [@Malice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malice)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-feet-under-theme-music-what-instrument/77579/4 "2001-08-22T19:44:46Z")
I was thinking oboe as well, but considering how little attention I paid in music class it could be a didgeridoo for all I know 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-feet-under-theme-music-what-instrument/77579/5 "2001-08-22T22:41:06Z")
For anyone out there who has never heard the theme (dang cretins), you can hear it [here](http://www.hbo.com/sixfeetunder/), under “Theme Music from the show” I’d have to go with oboe, though I don’t what an English horn sounds like. ---
**Author:** ![Saxman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@Saxman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saxman)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2001, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-feet-under-theme-music-what-instrument/77579/6 "2001-08-22T23:07:03Z")
On second listen to the theme, it might actually be two oboes playing simultaneously. ---
**Author:** ![the\_O-man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9f8e36/32.png) [@the\_O-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_O-man)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2001, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-feet-under-theme-music-what-instrument/77579/7 "2001-08-23T01:18:09Z")
I’ve got your answer here: > [@](#): > > Gary Calamar, a music supervisor for the show, says the lilting hook is courtesy of an “EVI” (electronic valve instrument) that sounds similar to a clarinet. [http://www.dentonrc.com/entertainment/419902\_DRC\_SixFeetUnder.html](http://www.dentonrc.com/entertainment/419902_DRC_SixFeetUnder.html) ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2001, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-feet-under-theme-music-what-instrument/77579/8 "2001-08-23T02:15:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JeffB \* > BTW, did you know the music was composed by Thomas Newman, Randy Newman’s brother? \*\* And the father of the family, Alfred Newman, wrote what I think is one of the most famous pieces of music of all time, the Fox fanfare. I guess music-writing runs in the family. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2001, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-feet-under-theme-music-what-instrument/77579/9 "2001-08-23T04:17:20Z")
[QUOTE] \*Originally posted by mobo85 \* \*\* > [@](#): > > And the father of the family, Alfred Newman, wrote what I think is one of the most famous pieces of music of all time, the Fox fanfare. I guess music-writing runs in the family. \*\* From Thomas Newman’s website, [Thomas Newman](http://www.shef.ac.uk/misc/personal/cm1jwb/tnewman.htm) ([http://www.shef.ac.uk/misc/personal/cm1jwb/tnewman.htm](http://www.shef.ac.uk/misc/personal/cm1jwb/tnewman.htm)) “Yet another member of the Newman composing dynasty, and arguably the most successful, Thomas was born on 20 October 1955 in Los Angeles: son of Alfred, nephew of Emil and Lionel, brother of David, cousin of Randy.” And the Steiner EVI can be made to sound like all sorts of wind instruments – or something not like anything at all. It’s a MIDI wind synthesizer. If you want more information or just see what one looks like, here’s the webpage of EVI’s designer: [Nyle Steiner](http://members.aol.com/Patchman1/Nyle_Steiner_Homepage.html) ([http://members.aol.com/Patchman1/Nyle\_Steiner\_Homepage.html](http://members.aol.com/Patchman1/Nyle_Steiner_Homepage.html)) I’ve always wanted one, they’re quite cool. Now of course I want one really bad. your humble TubaDiva old enough for my wants not to hurt me. ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2001, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/six-feet-under-theme-music-what-instrument/77579/10 "2001-08-24T13:40:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mobo85 \* > And the father of the family, Alfred Newman, wrote what I think is one of the most famous pieces of music of all time, the Fox fanfare. I guess music-writing runs in the family. Wow, a composer AND a [cultural icon](http://www.warnerbros.com/pages/madmagazine/index.jsp) – what a guy.