Slight OT: Forbidden Planet

[Sean Costello]

Matthew Helt wrote:
> 
> Hello again,
> 
>   Does anyone know much about the instruments used to compose the
> soundtrack for Forbidden Planet? I have looked around and wasnt able to
> find much info other than something about using a Theremin... Asides
> that, what else what used? I've been told some "telsa technology" was
> used, something about a large device that's played by striking a metal
> conducter against a series of coils...

I think that most of the sounds were made using homemade tube circuits
(oscillators and such). Often, the circuit would be recorded in the process of
self-destructing. Once recorded, the sounds would be subjected to extreme tape
manipulation - echo, slowing down by factors of 100, etc. Many of the sounds are
very similar to what I have obtained by creating feedback loops with a mixer and
various chains of effect devices (phasers, reverb, analog delays, etc.).

Sean Costello