Sound effects have been a part of cartoon-making since the early days of cinema. Even before filmmakers could record sound to be played during a film, sound effects enhanced the images on the screen.
Some of the cartoon sounds used frequently have become so ingrained in us that it is difficult to hear them without thinking of an animated character doing something.
In this article
- History of Sound Effects in Cartoons
- Why Are Sound Effects Used?
- When Are Sound Effects Effective?
- 20 Most Popular Cartoon Sounds Effects
- Conclusion
History of Sound Effects in Cartoons
Cartoons are as old as film itself. Animated shorts would play on the screen before the movie or during intermission. There was an orchestra to play the music that went along with the mood set by the images.
The percussion section would try to enhance the cartoon by creating sounds while it played. They would knock on wood when a character would knock on a door. They would crash cymbals when someone fell.
Walt Disney released Steamboat Willie in 1928. It was the first time that recorded audio played simultaneously with the cartoon. The music and the sound effects were all there and gave the orchestra a break.
Why Are Sound Effects Used?
Sound effects enhance the enjoyment of watching a cartoon. Adding thunder to a dark story can create a scary mood. Or a comedy can be enriched by adding a few goofy sounds.
For instance, seeing a character fall off-screen down a flight of stairs is not very funny. It can be sad. But if the fall is accompanied by a loud crash of cymbals, it can be hilarious.
When Are Sound Effects Effective?
Sound effects are effective when they’re enhancing the cartoon they’re added to. If a door is opened, it should creak. If someone is blowing their nose, it should honk. These sounds make the story come to life and make it more believable.
The most effective sound effects are the ones that are out of context. A character comes to a complete stop while running. Their feet sound like tires skidding to a halt. They get hit on the head and a cuckoo clock sound plays while birds fly around them. These sounds make otherwise mundane actions more comical.
20 Most Popular Cartoon Sounds Effects
Some of the most popular sound effects in cartoons are the oldest. They are timeless and they can invoke particular moods just by hearing them. Others were created for specific shows and cannot bring certain characters to mind.
Here are the 20 most popular cartoon sound effects:
The slide whistle has been used liberally in things like Looney Tunes to convey something rapidly ascending or descending.
This sound effect is rarely used for what it is. But more often, it accentuates that something has come out of nowhere. A person stepping on a rake might make this noise when the handle hits them.
The cartoon wobble is a mixture of sounds heard after someone gets hit. A cuckoo clock, the sound of tweeting birds, and bells ringing are good ways to create it.
In old cartoons, characters could be intoxicated. When a filmmaker wanted to show someone walking after getting a little tipsy, it would not be uncommon to play long notes from a trombone or a tuba.
- Mallets
Try to imagine a Tom and Jerry cartoon without the use of mallets drumming on strings. They create different distinct sounds that can show the escalation of a fight.
If a cartoon character is dreaming, it has to be spelled out to the audience that what they’re seeing is not real. A harp sound effect while a character is falling asleep, or as they wake, acts as a buffer between the real world and dreamland.
This is an example of a sound effect that evokes images of a particular cartoon. You know it well. It is the sound that George Jetson’s car makes when flying through the air. It was created by placing the muzzle of a popper gun into a jug and pulling the trigger.
This could be the most famous sound effect in all of film. A man’s scream recorded for the film “Distant Drums” in 1951 has since been used thousands of times. You’ve heard it in Star Wars, Batman, and many cartoons. It is an effective scream for a character that has been attacked or fallen. But it is also one of Hollywood’s most well-known inside jokes.
A high fluttering of fast-paced piano keys is perfect for a character quickly blinking his eyes.
- Trombone Womp Womp
If a character has an unfortunate result, the classic womp womp sound from a trombone will convey the correct comical response.
- Running in place
Running sound effects are very popular and effective. Running in place is a tried and true gag to show characters desperate to escape the danger chasing them. When a character starts to run, a drum or other percussion simulates their speed building even though they haven’t moved. It was used a lot in Scooby-Doo and The Flintstones.
Are they cold? Are they frightened? Nothing conveys both of these things as quickly as the sound of chattering teeth.
What would a Looney Tunes cartoon be without dynamite, cannons, or shotgun blasts? The louder they are the better.
- Boing Boing
The sound of a spring is used in so many different ways in cartoons. It can be the sound of Tigger bouncing through the Hundred Acre Woods. Or it can be a kangaroo hopping along. Or it can be the cowlick on the top of someone’s head that won’t stay down.
The slide whistle was mentioned above. But many wind instruments are used to create sound effects for cartoons. If a character needs to exit the screen quickly, a high-pitched blow into a kazoo can give the right sound.
This sound is hardly ever used to indicate that an actual car is coming to a stop. It conveys that a character has stopped in their tracks. Whether they be running and get stopped by something or their attention is halted. This kind of use of out-of-context sounds was quite popular in older cartoons.
- Brain Rattle
When a cartoon character becomes disoriented or is hit with something, they shake their head and you hear the rattle of whatever is inside their skull.
A suction cup sound effect is great for when someone lays a great big smooch on another character.
Almost more than any other musical instrument, organs have been used in films and cartoons forever. They can make so many different sounds with different pitches. And they can convey so many emotions. Whether you want to show a day at the ballpark or a dark and stormy night, an organ will do the trick.
- Human Voices
No other sound effect has been more effective than the human voice. Whether it be maniacal laughter, a cheering crowd, or a crying baby, voice over artists have always been the best tool for conveying emotions and setting the mood for a story.
Conclusion
While the original version of a sound effect was made by whatever the orchestra could put together, there is real science behind it now. Animation is a viable form of movie-making. Sound engineers, musicians, and voice actors are a huge part of the team who makes cartoon SFX. They are the ones to thank when you get a chuckle watching cartoons, or you feel deep emotions watching an animated epic.
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