# What is this sound called and how is it produced?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-sound-called-and-how-is-it-produced/294375>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [March 13, 2005, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-sound-called-and-how-is-it-produced/294375 "2005-03-13T21:52:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\
**Post date:** [March 13, 2005, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-sound-called-and-how-is-it-produced/294375/1 "2005-03-13T21:52:09Z")

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Didn’t care for the program on my NPR station yesterday, so I tuned to the ‘Soft Jazz’ station offered by a billboard. Before you reach for the ‘barfy smiley’ I had a good idea of what I’d hear. You could call it the ‘Joy of Sax’ station, but that’s a rant better suited for the Pit. What struck me was that every piece seemed to employ this sound effect that could be described as a _shimmer_ as it brings to mind falling sparkly things. I can’t imagine it being produced by cymbals or other percussion instrument-guessing it’s computer generated.

Any musically savvy dopers care to enlighten?

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**Author:** ![dotchan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@dotchan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dotchan)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-sound-called-and-how-is-it-produced/294375/2 "2005-03-14T02:02:32Z")

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AFAIK, they’re created by a tiny little wind-chime-like instrument. The drummer at my church uses one for the slower songs to get a rather mystical effect.

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**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-sound-called-and-how-is-it-produced/294375/3 "2005-03-14T02:32:58Z")

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You might be referring to a [bell tree](http://www.sunlitedrum.com/drums/productpages/BellTree.htm)

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**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-sound-called-and-how-is-it-produced/294375/4 "2005-03-14T02:58:39Z")

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No, I think he’s referring to a [bar chime](http://www.indoorstorm.com/product_info.php?products_id=993) - that link has an MP3 of the sound it makes, to check.

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**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-sound-called-and-how-is-it-produced/294375/5 "2005-03-14T03:35:44Z")

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I think that effect was in “Rio”, by Duran Duran.

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**Author:** ![Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hilarity_n.suze/32/6223_2.png) [@Hilarity\_N.Suze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hilarity_N.Suze)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-sound-called-and-how-is-it-produced/294375/6 "2005-03-14T03:40:11Z")

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It is the recorded echo of a duck’s quack.