SIC-Disney Sound Off

Disney Sound Off

DEAR SCIENCE WORLD,

I heard you have an exhibit about Disney this summer but someone told me that it was really about the science of sound. I don’t get it. What does Disney have to do with sound?

Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah

Excellent question. “Disney” usually brings to mind cheeky cartoon animals, amusement park rides and princess toothbrushes, but perhaps not the science of sound.

This summer’s exhibition at TELUS World of Science focuses on music and how it’s used in Disney films, TV shows and so forth. And to understand music, you need to know what sound is. All sound starts with something vibrating. Vibrations are carried to our ears by vibrations of the air and our eardrums and inner ears respond by vibrating. Our brains interpret the vibrations to figure out what we’re listening to. If someone makes a sound that has similar vibrations to debris flying in a windstorm, our brains will interpret it as debris flying in a windstorm. That’s the science behind sound effects, which Disney Foley artists have used since the 1920’s to make animated and live action movies more realistic.

Turn off the sound and watch your favourite cartoon. A bit flat, isn’t it? And that’s not just because you can’t hear the voices or the slamming doors. Sound carries a lot of information to help you understand where you are. A film of a windy day without the sounds of leaves whooshing and laundry flapping wouldn’t be very convincing.

Sound, especially music, also carries a lot of emotional information. Even if we’ve never heard a particular song before, most of us will agree that certain music sounds happy or sad or spooky. When we listen to “Bare Necessities”, it’s hard to resist cheering up a bit and when we listen to “Hakuna Matata,” we seem to relax a bit in spite of ourselves. And you can’t miss the longing in “When you Wish Upon a Star.”

Disney artists have always been groundbreakers in the way they use music in their movies, TV shows, theme parks and Broadway productions. Their songs are memorable and recognisable, from “It’s a Small World” to “Bop to the Top”. Disney songs have won awards, launched careers and introduced classic singers to younger listeners.

But not only are Disney songs popular, they’re an important part of how Disney tells a story. The next time you watch a Disney movie, pay attention to the music. You might be surprised at how much it guides the story, even when no one is talking. Listen to how upbeat music plays when something exciting is happening or how scary music plays when an evil character is up to no good.

So Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah, the science of sound and music is right at the heart of Disney’s many successes. After all, can you imagine The Little Mermaid without Sebastian the calypso crab?

Resident Audiophile, Sandy Eix, Ph.D.