#shepard tone

Ballerina Black

Shepard Tone

What Lungs of Insects

'As cinephiles throng to the theaters for Christopher Nolan's latest cinematic marvel, Oppenheimer, there is one aspect of his storytelling that often remains shrouded in mystery — his intricate world of sound. Renowned for his grand-scale filmmaking and unconventional narrative techniques, Nolan's breathtaking visuals have earned him legendary status in cinema. However, it is the underappreciated domain of sound where another facet of his genius lies. Bold and creative, his choices in sound design have garnered both plaudits and criticism. So much so that the conversation found its way into Tom Shone's book, The Nolan Variations. In the book, Nolan expresses his surprise at people's conservatism concerning sound, emphasizing that it is not just dialogue but the entire arsenal of cinematic tools — picture and sound — that tells a story. And Nolan's films show this. Nowhere is it more evident than in his seminal work, Dunkirk, a film that even Quentin Tarantino has hailed as Nolan's "apex mountain." As he ascends to its pinnacle, one aspect of his filmmaking emerges as his ice ax: sound design.

One of Christopher Nolan's primary objectives with sound in his films is to provide viewers with a visceral experience. Just as his visuals have a point of view, so do his sounds. He seeks to place the audience in the characters' ears, allowing them to share their emotional journey firsthand. This approach is evident across Nolan's films. In Tenet, where Nolan was criticized for certain incomprehensible dialogues, he asserted that it was a deliberate creative choice. The water scene featuring The Protagonist (John David Washington) conversing with Andrei Sator (Kenneth Branagh) on a noisy boat comes to mind. In the scene, the dialogue's audibility is less crucial than the audience's immersion in the chaotic ambiance. The audience already knows that Sator is an arms dealer seeking to offload his cargo. The Protagonist is pretending to be an interested buyer but Sator doesn't trust him. The dialogue does not add much to the narrative, but Nolan intends to transport the viewer to the noisy environment experienced by the characters. This sense of immersion pervades Nolan's films, from the masked pilots' dialogues in Interstellar and Dunkirk to Bane's (Tom Hardy) stadium speech in The Dark Knight Rises. Yet, it is in Dunkirk where Nolan deeply ventures into uncharted auditory territory.

'Dunkirk' Depicts the Sounds of World War II

From its opening sequence, Dunkirk sets the sonic tone, masterfully shaping the audience's journey. As British soldiers traverse deserted streets, the sound of strewn pamphlets adds an eerie quality — akin to a ghost town. A soldier branches off to an abandoned shop, scavenging an ashtray for a cigarette butt. In the visual close-ups, the audience hears the ruffling of the cigarette butts intimately — the calm before the storm. Abruptly, another of Nolan's sound wizardry emerges — a gunshot shatters the ambiance, and we hear it with the soldier as if standing beside him. The element of surprise, a hallmark of Nolan's films, resonates throughout Dunkirk. Notably, during a scene with British soldiers inside a grounded boat on the shore, unexpected shots at the vessel surprise both the soldiers and the audience. The sound of metal striking metal, rather than typical gunshots, is a creative choice to mirror the soldiers' experience inside the boat. The visceral impact of it makes you jump out of your seat as if the entire scene is happening right where you are.

Authenticity is another pillar of Nolan's sound design philosophy. If a sound can be achieved in the field, that is the path he follows. In Oppenheimer, Nolan eschewed CGI, filming and recording everything practically to maintain authenticity. In a promotional video for the film, Nolan said that he instead used visual effects to showcase some of the microscopic elements of the nuclear explosion as well as filming ''some giant big bangs out in the desert." Likewise, in Dunkirk, the sound of the sirens on German Stuka dive bombers was recorded in the desert, striving to recreate the original sound based on first-hand accounts. With the original bombers destroyed after the war, the recorded sirens before World War II served as a foundation, enhanced with other layers and desert ambiance. To deliver the scene to the audience, Nolan uses the soldiers as his point of view. First, it's an eerie calmness at the mole. Then distant sirens of the airplanes are heard, and their sound becomes more intense as they approach. As they unleash bombs, you can hear the "Boom! Boom! Boom!" sound as it grows nearer and nearer the soldier whose point of view Nolan has decided to tell the story. The impact of this technique is a shared harrowing experience between the characters and the audience.

Christopher Nolan's Use of The Shepard Tone

But the one sound technique that crowns Nolan's filmography is his manipulation of the Shepard Tone. The Shepard Tone is an auditory illusion that creates the effect of a continually rising or falling pitch. In Dunkirk, Nolan uses this sonic illusion to create an ever-increasing sense of intensity, heightening tension masterfully. Across Nolan's films, this technique weaves its magic — whether in the final kick scene of Inception where Robert Fischer (Cillian Murphy, who also featured in Dunkirk) reconciles with his father in the dream or Arthur's gravity-defying struggles. However, Dunkirk elevates this technique to unprecedented heights. In collaboration with his trusted, renowned composer Hans Zimmer, Nolan employs the Shepard Tone to signify the soldiers' urgency. The ticking clock merged with an ominous soundtrack from the outset forebodes doom, escalating tension. Nolan's obsession with authenticity makes it even more realistic. He recorded his own ticking clock! The result is the Shepard Tone that enhances the spiral of sound in the mix, resembling an ever-rising orchestra. The outcome is palpable tension, gripping the audience and making them cling to their seats during moments like the beach attack by German aircraft or the two soldiers racing against time to deliver an injured comrade to a departing ship.

Wrecked Loops Vol.2: Shepard Tones, is a sound library that features 40 Shepard Tone Loops and 15 Bonus Tension Loops well suited for film, tv, and game composition and video productions.

Purchase Includes Two Formats:

1.Kontakt Format - Requires Kontakt 5.8.1 or Above (WILL NOT work in the free Kontakt Player)

Wrecked Loops Vol.2: Shepard Tones, is a sound library that features 40 Shepard Tone Loops and 15 Bonus Tension Loops well suited for film, tv, and game composition and video productions.

Purchase Includes Two Formats:

1.Kontakt Format - Requires Kontakt 5.8.1 or Above (WILL NOT work in the free Kontakt Player)