# What type of instrument makes this sound?



## alanfarwell

So I'm not entirely sure what family this instrument belongs to but I assume it's percussion because it's used in a percussive way. It almost sounds like multiple sticks snapping and clacking at once. Generally used in tense or suspenseful scenes in movies and TV shows. It was used in Hans Werner Henze's "Fantasia For Strings" and Krzysztof Penderecki's "Polymorphia", which were both used in the movie "The Exorcist". I also believe it was used in the X Files but can't remember a specific scene. Here are some examples of where it can be heard:

right in the beginning: 




at 0:24:


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## Art Rock

According to Wiki, Penderecki's "Polymorphia" is for string instruments only. no percussion. "Techniques in this section include strings struck with the palm of the hand, taps on the sound board with fingertips, and strikes on the stand with the bow or the chair with the nut (stands and chairs at the time were made of wood)." That may be what you're hearing.


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## NoCoPilot

The sound at the beginning of the "Gotham" clip is simply violins (& cellos) with the bows being bounced on the strings. That sort of thing occurs frequently in Penderecki and his contemporaries.


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## adriesba

NoCoPilot said:


> The sound at the beginning of the "Gotham" clip is simply violins (& cellos) with the bows being bounced on the strings. That sort of thing occurs frequently in Penderecki and his contemporaries.


Yes, I believe it's specifically the wooden part of the bow (col legno). It can also be heard at the beginning of Mars from Holst's _The Planets_. Isn't there also a certain playing style that bounces the hair of the bow on the strings?


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## elgar's ghost

^
^
Ricochet, maybe?


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## adriesba

elgars ghost said:


> ^
> ^
> Ricochet, maybe?


Could be.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violin_technique

Under "Bowing techniques" there is "Jeté" (aka ricochet). That seems to fit.


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