Follow Us on Tumblr

∇
troperville

∇
tools

∇
toys

SubpagesMain
SugarWiki
main index

Narrative

Genre

Media

Topical Tropes

Other Categories

TV Tropes Org
new edits
workshops
reviews
YKTTW
tweets
random
to do
pm
add watch
drop watch
watchlist
profile
Sugar Wiki: Most Wonderful Sound
"Oh, I love that sound. [It's] the sound of us getting out of here in one piece."
—Darman, Hard Contact

The complete polar opposite of the Most Annoying Sound, this is for a sound/visual cue/etc - usually in a video game (but not always), that may or may not come up often, but is so satisfying to hear that sometimes you just want to reset the game/rewind the video and hear it again. Whereas Most Annoying Sound is universally caused by the sound itself, the Most Wonderful Sound can either be caused by the sound itself (perhaps it's a particularly catchy jingle, is an iconic sound, or is a quote that's just that Badass), or because hearing means that something really good just happened or is about to happen.

The most wonderful part of these wonderful sounds, of course, is figuring out how to spell them.

Compare Awesome Music. Contrast Hell Is That Noise.

    open/close all folders 

    Anime 

    Comic Books 
  • X-Men has the sound effects we know and love: Nightcrawler's "Bamf," Wolverine's "Snikt," and the "Zakt/Zapt" of Cyclops' Eye Beams.
    • "Snikt" has a dozen different versions: Unsheathing is "snikt", re-sheathing is "snakt", when X-23 does it it's "shikt" and "shakt", and when he had the bone claws, it was "schlikt" (sp?) and "schlakt". Some writers forget and use "snikt"/"snakt" for all versions, though.
    • When Storm gets mad...really mad...the sound effect "Skara-KOOM!" (or some variant thereof) shows up. Raw elemental awesome will usually ensue.
  • Dreamwave Comics' Transformers series had "SPOOM!" It was a wonderfully Narmy sound for the explosion of someone getting a hole blasted in his gut, and fans loved it. Simon Furman, not so much, and he didn't use it for very long despite - or perhaps because of - delighted fans begging him to use it more.
    • On the flipside, "SHEAAAAGGGGH!" and variations tend to be poked at.
  • Don Martin of "MAD Magazine" was the master of wonderful onomatapoeia.
  • In Howard Chaykin's American Flagg, the Sonambutol guns (which shot tranquilizers at rioting crowds) when "Papapapapapa" when the trigger was pulled back, "OOOOO" as they shot and "mow mow" when the Sonambutol capsules burst and released the drug.
  • Thor and Hercules tend to have wonderful sound effects: "Ska-crack!" "DOOM!" and so forth.
  • There's something to be said for Spider-Man's "Thwipp". Though it takes three more steps towards Crazy Awesome with Marvel 1602 where the sound effect is changed to... wait for it... "Thwippe".
  • "Hurm"
    • Ronch ronch ronch
    • RRRRRAAAARRRLL
  • "Snicker-Snack!"
  • For fans of a certain maniacal Monster Clown, "AAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!". Spells doom for his victims, but spells awesome for his fans.
  • The old Captain Mar-Vell from, well, Marvel comics, when he switched places with Rick Jones to become the Cap: K-TANG!
  • Two words: AVENGERS ASSEMBLE! Bonus points if it's Captain America who gets to call that out.

    Film 
  • Film examples don't start without THE sound to end all sounds. Let's hear it in THX.
  • Similarly, the Universal Logo. There's just something about that fanfare...
  • To many a Batman fan who'd been skeptical of Heath Ledger as The Joker and really wanted to be proven wrong, his Evil Laugh at the end of the first The Dark Knight teaser filled their hearts with warmth as a chill traveled down their spine.
  • A lightsaber igniting is a movie sound Star Wars fans love.
    • No, every sound a lightsaber makes.
    • Similarly, Darth Vader's breath mask. Even the prequels and the worst Big "NO!" in the series couldn't take away from the chill when Darth Vader takes his first tech-assisted breath.
    • That "powering up" sound when Han pulls on the levers and makes the Falcon jump to lightspeed never fails to send a thrill down my spine.
    • If you're playing the Empire in Empire at War FoC. "Death Star ready to fire" means an enemy capital ship, or their planet is about to die.
    • The unique roar of TIE fighter engines.
      • Which is the reversed sound of any giant lizard in a sixties 'Lost World' movie.
      • According to the source, it's traffic on a rain-slick highway mixed with the trumpeting of an elephant.
    • Lasers from TIE and Rebel ships.
    • "Seismic Charge... Standby!... Standby!..." ———— "TWAAAAAANGGGGGG!!!!!!!"
    • BO SHUDA!
      • Ben Burtt makes Most Wonderful Sounds for a living. And he is really good at his job.
    • The low descending note, BWOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooo if you will, just prior to the Death Star's main laser firing.
    • Roger roger.
    • How is it nobody has mentioned R2-D2's beeping?
  • Nearly every sound effect in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, given that they originated in classic video games.
  • In the Lord of the Rings films the Ringwraith scream is one of the most chilling, coolest sounds ever. It's actually a slightly pitched-up recording of a shriek delivered by Peter Jackson's LOTR co-writer/co-producer and wife Fran Walsh. As PJ tells it, he asked her if she'd like to try, and when she did, the sound guy almost fell out of his chair.
    • Alternately, the car-stalling glub noise the Nazgul-steed makes in its death throes.
      • The very voice of the Ringwraiths, especially when interrogating that farmer: "Ssshhhhiiiiire...Baaaaaggginnnnssss...."
  • The roar of Godzilla.
    • The first sound recorded for the Big G was a bird-like chirping; used later for other monsters. Gojira's original roar is a double-bass's strings being rubbed with a cloth covered in rosin. Slowed down and re-recorded. It has been modified to sound like speech, notably in Son of Godzilla.
    • The sound it makes when "charging up" its energy breath.
  • Honk honk.
  • That metallic clang Cap's shield makes whenever he hits somebody is the harbinger of righteous, AMERICAN, asswhupping.
  • The Wilhelm Scream.
    • And the YEEAAAARRGGGHHH scream.
  • The raptors and the T-Rex roar in Jurassic Park
  • That horrible (yet awesome) mechanical "GROOOOAAAAN" noise that plays when a Terminator is doing something... Terminator-y.
  • The sound of the Ghost Busters' proton packs charging.
    Peter Venkman: "Doeeeee..."
    Ray Stanz: "Rayyyyyyy..."
    Egon Spengler: "Egonnnnn!" The Take. Fascinating Eyebrow.
    • And by extension, any time this effect is used on other instruments of doom powering up.
      • Ecto One's siren.
      • MRAOOOOW! MRAOOOOOW!!! MRAOWWWWWWW!!!
  • Chi-chi-chi-ha-ha-ha
  • Everything Doug Bradley says as Pinhead.
  • That sort of shriek that happens in Highlander...and the occasional bits of vocalisation from Freddie Mercury in the background. I can't really write them down, but they really add to the atmosphere.
  • The gun sounds in Blade Runner: The Final Cut are just amazing.
  • While THE SOUND can never really be matched, the more complex transformation sounds in the Transformers movies are a wonderful symphony of mechanisms, with special mention being given to the "whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrRRRRRR" of Optimus Prime's wheels spinning into place in robot mode.
    • However, why do the transformers have to vocalize things like excertion, getting hit or falling down? It sounds like the sounds a boy makes when he plays with transformer toys. This troper does not approve.
      • One has to remember that they are living machines with something resembling biological processes, and as such what we would vocalize for, such as the above, are the things they'll vocalize for as well. Just because they're stronger than us and can take bigger hits doesn't mean they aren't feeling it.
    • Arrival to Earth.
  • THIS! IS! SPARTA!!
    • *HWOMPHF*
      • GWAAAAH!
  • The lightcycles from TRON
  • The title character in Black Dynamite is accompanied by a funky musical sting whenever he appears or does something cool: "DY-NO-MITE! DY-NO-MITE!" was practically made to become a ringtone.
  • This Troper loves the sound of the Alien Mothership starting up towards the end of District 9.
  • The dude with glasses getting hit with the hammer on the original The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
  • DAH-DAH! DAAAAAHHHH! DAH-DAH! DAAAAAHHHH! DAH-DAH DA DAH DAH!!
  • The roar of the tripods from War of the Worlds. It's somehow both the scariest and most exciting sound this troper has ever heard in a movie.
  • That wonderful swishing whoosh noise that accompanies each rush of the credits toward you at the beginning of Superman.
  • Its not even done being shown in theaters, but the BWONG! sound from Inception is already becoming both a Most Wonderful Sound and an EarWorm for audience members, if the Youtube comments are anything to go by.
  • Oo-ee-oo-ee-oo!
    • Dew, dew, DEWW.
  • In the first Tomb Raider movie, the first time Lara lights a flare, it makes the EXACT noise it makes in the game, and this troper just went crazy with squee.
  • **WHIRR** **CHUNK** **WHIRR** **CHUNK** **WHIRR** **CHUNK**....Get away from her, you BITCH!
  • The Morse code beeping during the RKO logo.
  • The War of the Worlds (1953). The sounds made by the Martian war machines' weapons: the Skeleton Beam's firing and the Heat Ray's warm-up sequence and firing.
  • The little machine that goes "BING!" in Monty Python's The Meaning of Life.
  • AAAAA-AOA-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-OAO-AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
  • The sound The Iron Giant makes when he's rebuilding himself, especially after the ending.
  • *silence* . . . . . scrrrreeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE EEEEEEEEEEE - "NIGHT FURY!" "GET DOWN!" - EEEEEEEEE fhwoooaph BOOM!
  • Lily's One-Woman Wail from Harry Potter. Luna Avril could listen to it all day.
  • BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH. BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH. BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH.
  • The 20th Century Fox fanfare. Need I say more?
  • The Click/Blip sound of the motion tracker in Aliens is both this and the scariest thing imaginable.
    • And the sound of the common pulse rifle the marines use.
  • Predator chirring.
  • Every time a pump-action shotgun is cocked in a movie.
    • Hell, every time any weapon is cocked in a movie. And when a minigun is spinning up.
  • In the new Red Tails movie, the roar of the Rolls-Royce and Allison engines used by the American fighters, or the Daimler-Benz engines used in the German Me-109s.
  • The Disney logo. The little bit of music...brings back memories.

    Live Action TV 
  • Hearing the TARDIS on Doctor Who arrive has made most characters who understand the significance flip out with joy. (And it probably would do the same for most people familiar with the sound, were it to happen in Real Life.) The sound in question (the "rrrnt!—rrrnt!—rrrnt!") — official onomatopoeia for the TARDIS is VWORP-VWORP — is one of the BBC recording techs taking a house key and scraping it down the bass string of a piano at varying speeds. This almost 50-year old sound effect is still being used in the current series. Why mess with perfection?
    • In the episode "Love & Monsters", Elton describes the 'vworp' as "the most beautiful sound in the universe."
    • The Doctor himself obviously loves it: In "The Time of Angels", River Song claims that the TARDIS makes that sound because he keeps leaving the brakes on. The Doctor's response?
      Doctor: Yeah, well, it's a brilliant noise. I love that noise.
      • So do the other renegade Time Lords — in the classic series, the Master's TARDIS and the Rani's TARDIS both have the "vworp" sound.
    • Captain Jack Harkness' eyes spoke for us all at the end of Series 1 of Torchwood.
    • When the good Doctor throws the switch to start the TARDIS, there's a deep 'clunnnggg!' sound that starts the whole dematerialisation sequence. Depending on how the episode has gone, this can sound like the end of the world, notably in 'Fires of Pompeii'.
    • The TARDIS also has its cloister bell alarm, the sound of which indicates something has gone very wrong with the fabric of time and space. Hearing it usually means something truly epic is about to go down.
      • A recording. Apparently it was achieved by striking a gong under water, and the result is hauntingly beautiful.
    • "EX-TER-MI-NATE!" Awesome for viewers. For characters? Not so much.
    • This is shocking. How can it be that no-one has mentioned the Master's drumbeat yet? That sound sends shivers down every spine in hearing range.
  • The Reichenbach Ballad from Sherlock. Tears will fall.
  • Similarly, the CTU ringtone (bip-bip, BEEP boop) works the same way with 24 fans.
  • "Boop-bipbip, boop-bipbip"...
  • In Babylon 5, the human security forces were armed with a space age version of the Walther PPK that had to charge a capacitor before firing. That faint 'Buhwaaaah' meant 'action scene next'.
    • The sound of the Hyperspace Gate powering up.
    • The Shadow ships.
  • K.I.T.T. had its unique engine sound and of course the scanner SFX.
  • Airwolf and its famous roar/howling of superacceleration jets.
  • Many a classic Monty Python's Flying Circus skit, when performed for an audience, will provoke a mild ovation just with the first line.
    • "Good evening ladies and gentlemen; here's a little number I tossed off recently in the Caribbean."
      • Then, of course, there's the old guy at the start of most of the shows: "IT'S...."
      • Well, by that extent, it'd be the foot stomping shit with that classic farting sound.
      • "And now for something completely different."
      • What? All this and no mention of the opening theme?
      • In all fairness, John Philip Sousa's "Liberty Bell March" long predated the show (just like the "Colonel Bogey March" long predated Bridge on the River Kwai), and so it's not really a theme and isn't automatically connected to Monty Python.
      • Says you.
  • In a similar vein, in SNL's first season, the sound of crashing as Chevy Chase falls over and then breaks character: "Live from New York! It's Saturday Night!"
  • Every Kamen Rider has a specific sound associated with their pose. Many an older fan would like the ability to produce this sound on-cue, as it tends to work as an Let's Get Dangerous cue. Example: The Shocker Monster of the Week is winning! Tokyo is doomed! Nothing can save us n- *Rider Sound*.
    Kamen Rider: "Ridaa~...Henshin!"
  • Everyone knows who Ultraman is, right? The sounds made as they transform signal the main battle scene, as well as the horrible situation everyone is in on-screen? It's gonna get better, starting right now. *henshin sound* *Ultraman appears* *victory is basically assured*
  • "Kawoosh", anyone?
    • All the noises in a Milky Way dialing sequence: The "bwa-AWAH" as it starts up, the low rumble as the ring turns and the "Clunk-shunk" noise of the symbols locking give even the Trope Namer for Engaging Chevrons a sense of awesome power, building up to the final "Whirrr-Kawoosh" and the awesome vortex effect.
      • Any sound the Stargate makes. ALL of them. The Pegasus gates, the SGU gates, the Supergate, all of them. Except for that one sound that sounds like static that means the wormhole is unstable. That just means nothing but bad news. And even the Destiny powering it's FTL engines just before it enters FTL, or drops out. Hard not to love 'em!
    • The "Dong-Zing" noise of an Asgard transport. Especially in the early seasons where it was still limited to Thor's calling card.
    • The satisfyingly deep tone of Ronon's blaster charging and firing.
      • The sound a Zat gun makes when opening up, firing, and after it's hit something.
      • The staff weapon/cannon as it is fired.
      • The sound effect of the Goa'uld Glowing Eyes of Doom.
      • The undulating sound the ribbon device makes.
      • The *thud* sound made when an unwelcome someone tries to come through the Gate when the Iris is closed. Especially if they had just been chasing our heroes. One does feel sorry for which ever airman gets to clean the back of that thing with a squeegee.
  • "Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of the Starship Enterprise..." Best Opening Narration ever.
    • "Pwsht-pwsht" of the Enterprise's automatic doors, the "eee-whrr-eee" of the transporter, and the "rrr-rrr-whoosh!" of warp drive.
    • The highly distinctive door opening sound of the original series (the "pwsht-pwsht" made by crossing a flare gun with a shoe squeaking against the ground) would be continued in later series.
    • Star Trek: The Next Generation. The warp engine powering up and "Engaging". Comfort food for the ears.
      • Incomplete without a ridiculous onomatopoeia: rrrrooooOOOOO—zzeeewwBOOOM!
      • So iconic, they used it not just once, but TWICE during the opening credits.
    • And the doors of the holodeck in TNG (also cargo bays in Voyager.) Drrrrrrrr-kachoong!
    • The deep, pulsing rumble of the Warp Core in Engineering. It just sounds like power.
    • The sound effects on the bridge (any incarnation, but TOS is probably the most distinctive). It's like a wonderful symphony of technology.
    • The "blip-blip-blip-blip blip-blip-blip" of a communicator. This Troper has it set as her text alert, and instinctively grabs her phone when she hears it while watching the show.
    • A little present to help you all sleep at night. You're welcome.
  • Battlestar Galactica has the ominous clanking of the Cylon Centurions and the soft whirring of their red laser eyes.
    • You forgot the taiko drums. The many, many taiko drums.
      • Sadly, the most badass and promising Taiko Drum sequence (1:11) comes immediately after the BSG logo during the first minutes of the pilot/mini-series, and never appears again. Still gives one hell of a rush when you start watching it again from the beginning though.
    • Also: the grinding whine when Cylons appear on-screen, and the "shhh-WHOOSH-whine" of an FTL jump.
  • The gun-powering-up sounds from Firefly. You know asses are going to be kicked.
    • And of course, the sound of Serenity herself, especially when she's the final shot of the episode.
    • The twangy little western riffs as well. This troper realized how distinctive they were when she heard them in an episode of Castle and cheered.
  • The QI klaxon. Yes, a klaxon. Everyone except for the person who triggers it does the arm-raising cheer us Brits normally do when a waitress drops a plate. Yes, even the viewers.
    • The QI theme can be this too, for people who like the show. Hearing that music from anywhere in the house always makes this Troper drop whatever she's doing and come rushing into the living room to watch it.
    • "Alan goes...!" Insert Alan Davies' gag buzzer of the week here.
  • In a juvenile way, the explosion a monster makes when it's defeated in Power Rangers is very cool and satisfying.
  • Somehow, the hatch's lockdown chime from Lost is just kind of satisfying. Mostly because it doesn't appear often but, when it does, something exciting and suspenseful is about to happen.
    • The sound of "SYSTEM FAILURE" and the subsequent sound of the electromagnet starting up brings a smile to This Troper's... ears(?), for the same reason as above: cool things are going to be happening, and they're going to be happening soon.
    • The siren of the monster is always exciting to hear.
      • And euphonic somehow, even the chilling "foghorn from hell" noise, but I especially like that sound like a chain being pulled across concrete or a rusty castle portcullis being raised. You can hear them all at this link.
      • And all of the above are made even more exciting by Michael Giacchino's score.
  • Two Words: Bomp-bom.
    • It's actually more of a "CHUNG-CHUNG" noise, but still.
      • Word Of God is that it's supposed to evoke a jail door slamming ("CHA-CHUNK").
      • If you isolate the surround channels of the 5.1 audio, you will also hear a gunshot mixed into the sound.
    • The Something Awful L&O icon is "DOINK-DOINK".
    • For the UK version my (American) closed-captions render it as "cell door slamming shut (two musical notes)". Interstingly, this is the only time "CHUNG-CHUNG" is acknowledged by the closed-captions.
      • As in "cell door slamming shut ♪♪"?
  • Mythbusters asks us: What is the sound of one cement truck exploding? The answer: AWESOME.
  • The "plonk-plonk-plonk" sound of the clock ticking down in most Bob Stewart-created game shows (most notably Pyramid), which intensifies the situation rather nicely. Of course, it's Nightmare Fuel for some (like the contestants themselves).
    • Same with the "Illegal-Clue" cuckoo.
  • The slight smooth sound of a chair sliding out in the Swedish improv comedy show Parlamentet. This is because most of the time, the competitors sit behind their desks as they make people fold double with laughter — so whenever they get up, something hilariously awesome is generally about to happen.
  • Vyo wei oh, hum va rey...
  • The Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again"... *puts on sunglasses* ...makes any one-liner awesome.
    • YEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAHHHH!
  • To fans of Heroes, the sound of two or more clocks ticking at different pitches in imperfect unison means that Sylar is about to do something EVIL and AWESOME.
  • Boom-deyada boom-deyada boom-deyada boom-deyada...
  • The Langley Productions Vanity Plate: complete with accompanying blues-rock riff
  • The One, the Only, the Classic, Star Trek: The Next Generation Theme Tune. Ba-ruppumpumpum, puppuppumpum, buppumpumppum-pum-pum-pum... Arguably even more classic and evocative than its predecessor. Doesn't it just scream Awesome Adventure?
  • In the not-too-distant future...
    Dr. Forrester: Push the button, Frank.
    Button: Chk-''WAAAAH''...
  • Another klaxon example: DING-DING-DING-WHOOP-WHOOP-WHOOOOOOP! The "jackpot" sound on The Price Is Right, whenever someone wins the top cash prize in a pricing game, in the Showcase Showdown, or wins both showcases in the Showcase Round.
    • Just about any example from [1], really.
  • "Answer there: the Daily Double." Bweedoo-bweedoo-bweedoo-bow-bow-bow!
    • And that whooshing sound before Johnny Gilbert says THIS... IS... Jeopardy!
    • The board fill sound, either the original 25-tone sound, or the modern 6-tone sound, it's surprisingly uplifting, letting you know that you are about to take part in a nice, stimulating round of trivia.
  • A more recent example from The Colbert Report is the Hilarious Arabic Chanting that made it's first appearance in Mysteries of the Ancient Unknown, and has become the stock sound for Arabian, Egyptian or Muslim-based skits.
    • Accompanied by Stephen Colbert proving he has the most versatile eyebrows in the entertainment business. And then cracking up himself. This troper would totally pay to see Stephen Colbert's Mysteries of the Ancient Unknown: King Tut's Penis: Part 2: The Res-erection.
  • "Our category for this next round is Phrase." (ding ding DING ding!) Especially if you hear the second, higher-pitched set of dings afterward, indicating that whoever solves the puzzle wins a trip.
  • The theme tune of Castle (which interestingly is alarmingly similar to the theme tune of Sherlock) always fills this troper with joy.
    • Yes! And then there's the part where Castle and Beckett walk into a bar and the piano player starts playing the theme song.
  • The Hockey Night in Canada theme, aka, the other Canadian national anthem.
  • Grr. Arrgh.
  • *PING!* *Sparkle*
  • THE CHAAAAMPIOOOONS! The full song verges on narmy, but the refrain is chillworthy-in-a-good-way in the context of the game.
  • During the theme song of Chuck, the noise when the stick figure puts it's head back on is... wonderful.
    • On that same note, this troper thinks the entire theme song itself should qualify, particularly the trumpets that play throughout it. It's just a reminder that the viewer's in for an awesome time after the theme.
  • The Countdown timer, the ending especially. Do-do-doily-do-DO!
  • Whenever Arthur says Guinevere's name on Merlin. He pronounces it as though it's the most beautiful word he's ever heard, with emphasis on the vere, and there are plenty of YouTube compliations of all the times he's said her name during the course of the series. In fact, their very first Ship Tease moment was a scene in which he lies in bed, extends his hand, and says "Guinevere" as though he's inviting her to join him. Watch it here.
  • "In 1972, a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles Underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help...and if you can find them...maybe you can hire... The A-Team" Cue gunfire and the theme song.
  • The assorted sounds from Shawn's Sherlock Scan on Psych.
  • The "green light" bell of the Omni in Voyagers!
  • Robert Stack saying "UPDATE!" in that deep voice of his. Nine times out of ten, it means a mystery is about to be solved.

    New Media 

    Literature 
  • *open book* *turn page* *turn page* *turn page* (several hours later) *turn page* *turn last page* *close book* *happy sigh*
    • If you are lucky enough to own a copy of Grant's Scottish National Dictionary Volume 6, go and fetch it, and then find a nice quiet room, open it at about the middle, prepare yourself, and then close the book.
    • And if you need a little more drama in your life, slam your books shut. Better than chocolate.
  • Semi-literature, semi-Real Life example: When J. R. R. Tolkien was constructing the fictional Elven language, he composed it of all the sounds he felt were most pleasing to the ear.
    • Well, this comes from a guy who said that, ignoring the actual meaning of the words, "cellar door" sounds more beautiful than "beautiful". He had his own private theories about why certain words sounded beautiful or ugly.
    • And on the flip side of the coin, he tried to make the Black Speech as ugly as possible — lots of harsh consonant clusters, excessive use of guttural vowels, and so forth.
      • Which, for this lover of consonant-full languages (and harsh beauty in general - we need a word for that...), backfired.
  • Not exactly a sound, because...well, obvious reasons, but whenever the small caps appear in Discworld books, for the dialogue of Death and Death of Rats. squeak.

    Music 

    Professional Wrestling 

    Theme Parks 

    Theater 
  • "DUUUUNNNNNNNNNNN... DUNDUNDUNDUNDUUUUUUUUUUNNN... DUNDUNDUNDUNDUUUUUUUUUUUNNN..."
  • The opening line and musical vamp of each act of Sondheim's Into the Woods: "Once upon a time! *BA-dit, dit, dit, dit, dit...*" Try playing that vamp in a room full of theatre people. See how many pipe up with "I wish..."
  • Highly conditional, but — for the actors, the sound of one lone person reacting to something onstage is SWEEEEET. (This Troper was stage manager for a production of Hamlet once, and one night was estatic to hear two people in the audience audibly GASP in shock when Queen Gertrude drank from the poisoned flask.)
  • The "drrrrrrrrr-brum-brum-brum" before the beginning of "Der Holle Rache" from Mozart's The Magic Flute sends chills down the spine if one knows what fury and high notes are coming.
  • The ending to Les Misérables is a reprise of "Do You Hear the People Sing" and it is the very definition of a crescendo. Goosebumps every single time.

    Video Game 

    Western Animation 
  • Transformers:
    • The transformation sound. CHI-CHA-CHO-CHU-CHOO!
    • Any dialogue that Peter Cullen gets to say. His voice being the Most Wonderful Sound of the series.
  • June's adorable voice (and laugh). Hearing her sing is beautiful and really cute at the same time.
  • At the end of some Avatar: The Last Airbender episodes, we have Safe Return, a perfect way to say "for now, we're peaceful."
  • "Okay, guys, I've got a plan!"
  • "Hey Ferb, I know what we're going to do today."
  • My Little Pony Friendship Is Magic has the cheesy grin squeak, used repeatedly through the series. Fluttershy and Rarity's squeaking and squealing in general tends to be hilarious and wonderful.
    • Anytime Fluttershy opens her mouth, be it to sing or talk.
      • Rarity and Pinkie Pie's singing voices. And Pinkie Pie's laugh.
    • There's also the sound Spike's fire makes, and the little inhale he does before unleashing it.
    • In the latest two-parter, Queen Chrysalis's giggle.
  • Someone's gone and done it. They've pushed him too far. The screen zooms in on him, and a dramatic bass drum roll begins. And then, the classic line is uttered:
    Bugs Bunny: "Of course you realize, this means WAR."
    • "Eh, what's up, doc?"
  • Speed Racer: the automated jacks, followed by the landing sound. And the Mach 5's engine noise passing by.

     Other 
  • A purring feline is possibly nature's most soothing white noise.
  • The sound of your baby's first cry immidiately after it's born.
    • The woosh-woosh sound of it's heartbeat in the womb. The first time he/she says 'mama' or 'dada' or 'I love you'.
    • Heck, a baby's laughter period.
  • Two from dogs: the rumbly, grumbling noise some dogs make when you scratch their ears (like the dog version of a purr) and their own personal percussion - a wagging tail as it hits your leg, the wall, nearby furniture, sometimes the floor...
  • "I LOVE YOU!"
  • Train whistles in the distance. Pure music.
  • That noise an old kettle makes when the water inside it starts to boil.
  • Adobe After Effects plays a very easily distinguished and very pleasing "Twingg!" sound when it reaches the end of a Render Queue, meaning the videos are finished being edited and are ready for viewing.
  • Click your mouse...YEAH! Now do it a couple more times, best sound ever.
  • The startup sound of Windows 3.1. Holy nostalgia.
  • The Mac startup noise.
  • Orgasmic.
  • The "Boooommm!" noise at the end of the Dolby Digital Countdown advertisment.
  • Clack-clockle... NATURAL 20!
  • In Girl Genius, the twisty musical notes emitted by Agatha when she's in full-on Spark mode. You can almost hear them.
  • Sports.
  • The noise in a football stadium - or a packed bar - when your team scores. Less wonderful if it's the other team scoring.
    • The silence in a packed bar when your team scores, if everyone else in the bar is supporting the other team.
  • The sound of a golf ball falling in the hole.
  • A tennis ball's little pa-thmp as it bounces off the court.
    • The big pa-thmp it makes when connecting with the racket is even better.
  • A nothing-but-net swish in basketball.
  • The sound of metal (or plastic) cleats on concrete as the team leaves the locker room. It's like a pre-game anthem for those lucky enough to hear it.
    • Hockey skates make a similar noise.
  • Goal Horns followed by your team's choice of celebratory song.
    • Hearing your favourite player/team/etc cheer after winning is always wonderful, especially since they've worked so hard on it. A particular nod towards Formula One drivers who love screaming in their helmets.
      • Speaking of Formula One and motors in general: the revving of an engine. So soothing.
      • Some find racecar engines to be annoying little weedwhackers compared to real horsepower: http://youtu.be/FGMkqfhlUd4
  • The drone of a large box fan. I can't sleep without switching one on its highest speed. "Whurrrrrrrrrr....."
  • The sound of a passenger jet taking off. That is, if you're inside the plane or standing sufficiently far enough from it to avoid ear damage.
    • In a like vein, the sound of a jet engine spooling up.
    • Or the sound of an entire group of fighter jets doing afterburner takeoffs, one after the other, each jet following right after the one before it.
  • The sound of serious gunfire. I'm not talking about the little fire cracks of an AR-15. I am referring to the mighty blast of a gun such as a Mosin-Nagant M44
  • Pump-action shotguns being cocked.
  • The four clicks of a Colt Single Action Army being cocked.
  • The sound of a well-maintained electric engine. For a layman, a barely audible hum. For an engineer? Basically a purring cat.
  • White noise can be a very relaxing sound.
  • Any Vanity Plate that is not Nightmare Fuel tends to induce nostalgia and ends up as this.
    • Especially this [4] and this [5]
  • The sound of a coffee grinder at 7 in the morning (or earlier) - any time of the day if you're a writer.
  • The various sounds of water. Rain, a trickling stream, a waterfall, the sea...
  • The sound of bubble wrap...bubbles popping.
  • The K 5 LA train horn (the ones you hear on Amtrak trains). Especially with the Doppler Effect.

Most Annoying SoundSound FX TropesNails on a Blackboard
Most Annoying SoundVideogame CultureMost Gamers Are Male
Most Annoying SoundYMMV/Home PageMST3K Mantra
Most Annoying SoundYMMVMST3K Mantra
Most Triumphant ExampleSugarWiki/Sweet ExistsVideo Game
alternative title(s): Most Wonderful Sound
new edits
workshops
edit page
view source
random
This wiki is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
Privacy Policy
152454
4