History Main / Sting

* ''PotterPuppetPals'': At the end of "Ron's Disease", [[spoiler:after Hagrid smacks Dumbledore with a cudgel with a [[RoboticReveal resounding clang]] and otherwise no apparent effect on Dumbledore, Harry exclaims (to a sting), "OHMYGOD, [[RidiculouslyHumanRobots he's an android]]!" Hagrid looks around in confusion, saying, "Wha-?" (to another sting). Dumbledore finally replies, "Yes, it's true, I am an android - a [[WordofGay gay]] android." What follows is a rather original LampshadeHanging of your typical Dun Dun DAAAH! sting, with the DAAH! lasting about five or six seconds.]]

Compare ScreamerTrailer. Do not confuse with TheStinger. Or with the ''musician'' [[Music/ThePolice Sting]], or the ''{{professional wrestl|ing}}er '' Wrestling/{{Sting}} or the film ''Film/TheSting''. Or that dagger used by [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings Frodo and his Uncle]], [[OverlyLongGag or the police tactic of pretending to be a customer for drug salesmen or prostitutes, or the pain, action, or body part that occurs at the back of a bee or wasp.]]

* Before his ''ComicBook/SevenSoldiers'' reboot, Klarion the Witch-Boy demanded that people refer to him as "Klarion... bum bum BUM... the Witch-Boy". He even refused to help characters who did not insert the dramatic sting. (You should not be surprised that PeterDavid came up with this.)

* ''TheElectricCompany'' had a cool collection of these to conclude skits. A few were specific to certain themes, such as for {{Western}} (trumpet sounding like a horse whinny) or medieval parodies ({{Parody}} of BaroqueMusic, with concluding {{Rimshot}}-like bell). Even Fargo North Decoder had one that parodied the opening theme for the sketch.

* ''{{Archer}}'', episode "Skorpio" has at least three such exchanges:

* ''{{Birdz}}'' had a dissonant four-note synth riff that basically served as the equivalent of "Wah wah wah" horns.

* Similar to the ''Series/DoctorWho'' example above, both ''EastEnders'' and ''Series/TheBill'' have had very distinctive "drumbeat" stings, which would punctuate the final scene of an episode at the point of a cliffhanger, and lead into the credits.
* ''The Saturday Night Armistice'': The ''EastEnders'' sting was parodied in a segment suggesting that there was a drummer constantly following the characters around waiting for an appropriately dramatic moment.

* ''WesternAnimation/DangerMouse'' has an episode where Colonel K is addressing DM and Penfold on a Greenback plot, with a dramatic sting in three different parts of the assignment. It turns out to be [[TheGhost Miss Boathook, Colonel K's secretary]], on her piano lessons.

* ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales'' was known to have numerous stings that played before a commercial break. One of its most notable ones was the ominous 'Dun-Dun-Dun-Dun-DUUUNNN'.

** Wait: do you mean the trumpety "[[http://www.vgmusic.com/music/console/nintendo/n64/zoot_item.mid Doo dududu ''doooooo''!]]" fanfare or the up-down "''[[http://208.53.138.111/soundtracks/zelda-1/lgiklpxsiz/05-secret.mp3 dadadada-dadadada]]''" chime when you accomplish something important?
*** Neither, think of the phrase "You got the ''thiiiing!''"
*** You got the ItemGet sound! [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mk8x-8UadnE DadadaDAAA!]]

* Before his ''SevenSoldiers'' reboot, Klarion the Witch-Boy demanded that people refer to him as "Klarion... bum bum BUM... the Witch-Boy". He even refused to help characters who did not insert the dramatic sting. (You should not be surprised that PeterDavid came up with this.)

** A ''[[Series/The X-Files X-Files]]''-esque sting was used a couple of times in "Homer vs. Patty and Selma".

* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk2KeU7AjHU&T=39s An episode]] of ''[[GarfieldAndFriends U.S. Acres]]'' had a sting coming up [[BitingTheHandHumor every time "The Network" was mentioned]] (once it was even spoken by a character!). The executive that came up to watch the show's production, Aloysius Pig, even had in [[MyCard his card]]:

* In the "Opus" sketch on ''TheWhitestKidsUKnow'', the character Rex Bosworth sings "BUM BUM BAAAAH!!" after he reveals what Freddy must do to free himself from Mt. Everest.

* In ''[[Film/BackToTheFuture Back to the Future Part III]]'' Doc trips in shock after seeing Marty and falls onto his own organ, creating a dramatic, scary tone.

* Parodied in an episode of ''HarveyBirdmanAttorneyAtLaw''.

* Parodied in ''{{Freakazoid}}!'' numerous times. The most well-known example is in "The Chip", where it cuts from Dexter receives the defective chip to guest narrator Jack Valenti saying "Bum-bum-buumm!".

* One episode of ''MuppetBabies'' had Gonzo as "The Weirdo", a spoof of radio drama ''Radio/TheShadow''. Whenever his name was mentioned, Rowlf played a dramatic sting on the piano... much to Gonzo's annoyance.
* On an episode of ''BeavisAndButtHead'' Beavis tells Butt-Head that he had a nightmare "where everything sucked." Butt-Head replies "But, Beavis, everything does suck!" Dramatic sting and Beavis screams. For a while, the sting was played anytime one said "sucks".

* ''JohnnyBravo'' has an entire episode lampshade hanging this (though it's rather more of a ScareChord being lampshaded).

** In a promo for ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'' that used to air on USANetwork, Richard Belzer called it, "The gavel of the judge. Some kind of collective unconscious universal sound."

** Older Macs had fun vocals as well,for normal shutdowns. ArnoldSchwarzenegger saying "I'll be back",anyone?

** Cue Music/TheWho (if it's an [[ColdOpen opening setpiece]].) '''''[[CSIMiami YEEEEEEEEEEEEEAH!]]'''''

* In ''[[Film/BackToTheFuture Back to the Future Part III]]'' Doc trips in shock after seeing Marty and falls onto his own piano, creating a dramatic, scary tone.

* {{Soap Opera}}s on the radio used to punctuate surprising plot points with a single minor chord from an electric organ. It became such a famous cliché that it's become a StockParody.

[[folder:Professional Wrestling]]
* Wrestling/{{WWE}}'s Elimination Chamber {{gimmick match|es}} accompanies each new entrant being released into the cage with a big, dramatic music sting and flashing spotlights going across all the cages.

* ''Extremely'' common in old-time radio shows, particularly of the mystery, horror and drama/suspense varieties.

* Parodied in ''Film/JosieAndThePussycats'', after Josie has uncovered the evil plot [[spoiler:to insert subliminal advertising messages on all of her songs]]. She is [[LampshadeHanging immediately mocked]] by [[AlphaBitch Alexandra]], who parrots her discovery and punctuates it with a sarcastic "Dun dun DAH!" sting. Then, [[DoubleSubversion immediately played straight]] when she subconsciously confirms the evil plot as being true...which is followed by an actual {{Sting}}.

** In the Simpson's episode ''Rosebud'', the Simpsons come into possession of Mr. Burns long lost bear BoBo. When they first get it, the camera ominously closes in on a tag with the ScareChord that says - "100% cotton". The chord cuts off and the camera frantically searches the bear until it find a tag saying "Property Of Montgomery Burns". Cue {{Sting}}.
** And again in the episode with Mel Gibson, ''Beyond Blunderdome'', where Homer suggests a movie idea with a dog with shifty eyes being the villain. The end of the episode ends with a shifty eyed dog. Cue {{Sting}}.
** In ''Two Bad Neighbors'', the scare chord is played when Bart skateboards by the Bush's home. Later, Marge tells Homer as long as he keeps the car filled with gas she'll be happy. Homer sighs in relief, then looks shiftily about as the camera zooms in on the car. Cue {{Sting}}.

* [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vk2KeU7AjHU&T=39s An episode]] of ''[[GarfieldAndFriends U.S. Acres]]'' had a sting coming up every time "The Network" was mentioned]] (once it was even spoken by a character!). The executive that came up to watch the show's production, Aloysius Pig, even had in [[MyCard his card]]:

* ''{{Blip}}:'' [[MundaneMadeAwesome DUN! DUN!]] [[http://www.blipcomic.com/322/ DUN! DUN!]]