Skip to main content

THX just remade the iconic 'Deep Note' sound you hear before movies

THX just remade the iconic 'Deep Note' sound you hear before movies

Share this story

Put some headphones on. THX just released an all-new, "rejuvenated" version of its signature Deep Note sound that plays before films at THX-certified movie theaters. It also runs before the main feature on some Blu-rays and DVDs. The new Deep Note doesn't sound drastically different from the old one — but that wasn't the goal. Instead, Dr. James "Andy" Moorer, who first composed the sound in 1982 during his time as a sound engineer at Lucasfilm, sought to remake it using modern audio technologies that allow Deep Note to be optimized for 7.1 and Dolby Atmos audio presentations; the previous version has been remastered throughout the years, but still topped out at 5.1 surround.

Moorer thinks he's stayed true to the original piece, but THX would have you believe it's a more radical change. The company describes its new Deep Note as "intensely more complex, taking the audience on an epic sensory journey unlike anything they’ve experienced before." Those are some grandiose words, especially considering we're talking about this one, ramping noise. But it's an unmistakable one, for sure. Moorer composed 30-, 45-, and 60-second versions of the new Deep Note, but for now THX is only sharing the shortest cut as part of its new "Eclipse" trailer, above. You'll start hearing it at theaters this month.

Here's the original Deep Note: