What makes the lightsaber noise

There are, however, some universal trends in the meanings we apply to certain sounds. The idea that noises can convey specific meaning across cultures is called sound symbolism. Similarly, there are letters that lend themselves to sounds conveying movement, and letters that are more likely to be used to convey stillness.

Ultimately, though, there are myriad ways to awaken the force on the page. Because the answer to this timeless question is essentially whatever we want it to be, we asked a few Huffington Post staffers to share their light-fuelled onomatopoeias:.

News U. Politics Joe Biden Congress Extremism. Special Projects Highline. HuffPost Personal Video Horoscopes. Follow Us. Terms Privacy Policy. The Star Wars movies had not yet been shot, and all he had to rely on were a few pictures of dark images wielding sword-like weapons that held an unearthly glow within them.

Burtt used these pictures to enter the world of the Jedi and the Sith and subconsciously heard the sound the lightsabers made as they swished through the air and crashed against each other. What he remembered from the experience, among many things, was the sound the projector motors made: a consistent thrumming sound full of energy. As he worked on the lightsaber sound, this humming came back to him and he envisioned a resting lightsaber emitting this gravelly thrum of static.

Burtt puzzled over how to create this sense of drama until one day, he came upon a solution by accident. He then combined this noise with the sound of the humming projector motors, thus perfecting the basic sound of the lightsaber.

In order to create the energy-spazzed zing of clashing lightsabers, Burtt then recorded moving microphones to add a sense of motion to the sound. The fame of the Star Wars trilogy and the many more modern Star Wars movies was, not surprisingly, followed by a wake of almost-real lightsaber replicas and toys.

Naturally, these toys had to seem authentic, with real lights and, of course, the beloved energy of the lightsaber sound. Technology has advanced dramatically since the first Star Wars movies and the first toys to pop out in the market. These three work together to produce the lightsaber sound at the will of the person who wields the toy. Lightsabers have their own place in history.

Knowing the facts behind their iconic sounds gives fans another reason to love them. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. May 4 Be With You is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Read more.