The spine-chilling sounds that serve as a backbone to the atmosphere in many horror films are often produced by an intriguing and somewhat lesser-known musical instrument known as the waterphone. This eerie-sounding instrument was invented in the late 1960s by Richard Waters, and its unique acoustic properties have made it a staple in the sound design of horror and thriller genres. The waterphone is essentially an inharmonic acoustic percussion instrument, made up of a stainless steel resonator bowl with a cylindrical neck and bronze rods of different lengths and diameters around the rim.
Water is sometimes added to the resonator to give its haunting sounds a wavering, ethereal quality that shifts with the movement of the liquid. This feature is what primarily gives the waterphone its name. Players use a bow, typically made for a cello or a bass, to bow the rods, which then resonate through the water and the metal body of the instrument, producing hauntingly melodious tones and eerie echoes that seem to linger in the air. Each rod can be played by bowing or striking, offering a range of sounds from sharp, staccato alerts to longer, mournful moans that are perfectly suited for the suspense and surprise elements of movie soundtracks.
The waterphone's ability to evoke a visceral response makes it particularly effective in horror movie scenes that aim to evoke fear, suspense, or a supernatural presence. The unsettling sounds can mimic everything from otherworldly whispers to the sharp cries of unknown creatures, making it an invaluable tool in the sound designer's arsenal for pulling viewers deeper into the cinematic experience. The instrument's unsettling sonic characteristics exploit the human nervous system's natural reactions to dissonant, unfamiliar sounds, evoking a primal sense of dread or foreboding.
Beyond cinema, the waterphone has also been used in various fields such as music therapy, sound art, and theatrical productions, underscoring its versatility and ability to tap into deep emotional reservoirs. However, it is undoubtedly in the echoing halls of horror filmmaking that the waterphone finds its most iconic use, manipulating atmosphere and heightening the tension in ways that few other instruments can achieve. Its ethereal and mystifying sounds continue to contribute to its mystique, making it a symbol of fear and suspense in cultural media.
