How the Sound and Frequency of the ‘THX’ Deep Note Heightened the Anxiety of the Audience
The music and audio channel Mixed Signals, which previously looked at the famous “Wilhelm Scream” and the Goofy Holler, explored the history of the THX Deep Note.
The THX sound (officially known as the Deep Note) has been blasting our ears for over 40 years now, and many people find the sound to be super loud and even scary. But what is it that makes people feel this way?
The narrator also examined the characteristics of the auditory experience, noting how the increasingly loud, random notes heightened the anxiety of audience members, likening it to the soundtrack of a horror film.
The thick layers of sliding notes with no discernible harmony and seemingly no end really throws off our sense of stability and rhythm. It feels like something is getting closer and you’re just waiting for it to get you. This has also been burnt into our brains from decades of horror movie scores in which high pitch strings are used to convey fear.
