We are on the eve of Halloween and it is worth taking a look at one of the instruments that have characterized horror movies: the Waterphone. It's no secret that a good part of the horror movie experience comes from the music and sound effects. Just do an experiment: choose any scene from a random horror movie and watch it on mute. Disappointing, right? In reality, behind a horror movie, there is usually a team of experts who prepare the sounds, the effects, the editing, and, above all, the music. At Enhanced Media, we know that it is pivotal to know very well the right music style to create a disturbing and frightening atmosphere. For example, stochastic music, which is atonal and erratic, and conveys a deep sense of horror.

To create such sounds, special instruments are needed, such as the theremin, crystal harmonica, a giant gong, or a Waterphone, among others. Let's talk a little about the latter.

The Waterphone is an acoustic percussion instrument. Its main feature consists of a resonator bowl made of stainless steel with a cylindrical brass neck, connected to several rods of different sizes and diameters all around the rim of the bowl. This resonator can hold a small amount of water, and, for this reason, bears the name of Waterphone. This curious and peculiar instrument was invented and developed by British musician and composer Richard Waters in the early 1960s. Waters relied on the resonance of steel and water to generate an eerie sound.

Today, there are several varieties in sizes and designs of this instrument. In fact, it is not usually played in a resting position. Most commonly, the musicians who use it lean a little to generate more sound effects. Thanks to this, it is possible to create the peculiar resonances in the cup and rods in combination with the water inside. For this reason, the mysterious sound of the Waterphone is often used to stimulate fear and suspense. By means of a mallet, this instrument can be played by taking advantage of the vibrations produced by friction and blows on the rods. Many people relate it to the Tibetan water drum, although with certain differences, such as round and flattened sheet. In reality, the waterhone is almost like a drum, but with an opening in the upper center area. 

Richard Waters did become acquainted with the Tibetan Water Drum and modified its design somewhat. The Tibetan drum also contains water inside, is slightly flattened, is made of bronze, and has an opening in the top center area. The design of this instrument allows for some rocking each time its surface is struck with the hands, thus moving the small amount of water inside, which creates a series of spooky echoes. But in 1968, Waters also heard the sound of another peculiar instrument: the Kalimba, a small West African piano played with the thumbs, and this new knowledge brought him new ideas. After several attempts he ended up assembling car rim resonators and enameled salad bowls, modifying the technique of this African instrument to be played with a mallet. Thus, by mixing both concepts, the Tibetan water drum and the kalimba, the waterphone came into existence.

It was at this time that he and a musician friend poured a small amount of water into the resonator surrounded by rods and began experimenting. This was the first Waterphone from which Richard Waters began the whole process of patenting his invention. After experimenting with the sounds produced by this instrument in a band called Gravity Adjusters Expansion Band, Waters made his unusual instrument known, and some musicians became interested in it, so he made some and sold them. In the 1980s, eleven years later, he began mass-producing them using durable materials, such as stainless steel, with round plates resembling metal pans or trays of different diameters. These plates provide more volume, resulting in a higher quality sound with very little distortion.

Richard Waters relates this musical instrument as if it were a fingernail violin, which also comes to use a resonator like rods and can be struck or played like a stringed instrument, plus it can be bowed. This instrument uses resonance by means of wet steel and light blows to the rods, to generate an effect similar to the sound of the violin. However, the bronze rods produce enveloping sounds and suspenseful harmonies.

The main feature of the Waterphone is to emit more bass sounds, with a large number of harmonic sounds. The water inside is moved when trying to change the direction and with the impact on the diaphragm, so it produces a particular dark sound. This type of sound is due to the fact that the water interacts in two different ways: it can bend the tones due to the weight of the water, which can emit sounds with lower frequencies and with lower tones. But, when the Waterphone is in a vertical position, the water no longer possesses the resistance of the diaphragm, and, for this reason, it is able to emit a much higher-pitched sound.

It’s really quite frightening. Happy Halloween!

*The images used on this post are taken from Pexels.com