help with writing sounds

[Guest]

I'm in the middle of a story where the home burglar alarm suddenly goes off. For effect I'd rather write the sound than describe it. But ring ring doesn't quite cut it. Anyone have ideas on how to write to pulsating, blaring sound of an alarm?

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Aaron Dazer]

Ding twang, beep, chirp, tink, jink, dewdo, dodew, wonk, whoop,

here's a good car alarm

chirp, chirp, dewdo, dodew, doe, ray, me, fa, so la, tee, tow, chirp, chip, dewdo dodew, doe, doe, weep, weep, thrup, thrup, wonk, wonk.

Help any? or you all starting to understand how much of a geek i am?

 

[Guest]

or you all starting to understand how much of a geek i am?

Yes, and you also made me think about the Do-re-mi song from the Sound of Music. Stop it.

Perdita

p.s. Excited: personally, I'd forego the sound effects, I can't imagine them sounding anything but silly, or geeky. Just my opinion.

 

[wornoutkeyboard]

Help any? or you all starting to understand how much of a geek i am?

Yes.

Yes we are.

~WOK

 

[A7inchPhildo]

Yes, and you also made me think about the Do-re-mi song from the Sound of Music. Stop it.

Perdita

p.s. Excited: personally, I'd forego the sound effects, I can't imagine them sounding anything but silly, or geeky. Just my opinion.

Some sounds can be sent with a direct effect such as the the school bell or buzzer or even chirp of a bird and to amplify the sound some use brackets or other keyboard items.
(((RING!))) *Chirp* ~>BZZZ!<~

When in most cases even with moaning and groaning the sound has more than one word or noise tone you are better off as Perdita said, "I'd forego the sound effects," and find a metaphore or similie to get the point across.
It rang a piercing noise, like a loud whirling siren from a police car.

Sorry Aaron, sounds too much like a Jimmy Durante song bouncing in my head for years now. Too distracting in the middle of an erotic story.

 

[Aaron Dazer]

well i think i made a point with out trying too. Writing Sounds is Geekish. but can be funny. So if your trying to be serious and/or erotic Take A7inchPhildo advice

 

[shereads]

My home alarm sounds like this:

<<TWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE :: bark! bark! :: TWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE>>

That thing in the middle is the dog barking at the alarm. Your story might not have that.

 

[whispering_surrender]

My home alarm IS the dog barking.....

Whisper

 

[raphy]

"Pulsating, blaring" is a good start. Think about what the sound does .. That might help.

In my NaNo, an installation gets attacked, and this is how I describe the warning siren thing:

... and that's when the sirens started, a long keening howl of ear-splitting klaxon.

Raph, not much help, sorry

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Writing sounds is difficult at best. You are far better served describing the sound or equating it with sounds people should know.

-Colly

 

[Aaron Dazer]

Are we helping at all? or you just as stupmed as before?

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Sorry Aaron, sounds too much like a Jimmy Durante song bouncing in my head for years now. Too distracting in the middle of an erotic story.

A7: IMHO, it sounds more like a Victor Borge routine.

---

I'd rather write the sound than describe it.

Excitedmind: Don't.

RF

 

[A7inchPhildo]

A7: IMHO, it sounds more like a Victor Borge routine.

---




RF

Exactly!

 

[reohoko]

well i think i made a point with out trying too. Writing Sounds is Geekish. but can be funny. So if your trying to be serious and/or erotic Take A7inchPhildo advice

Ok, here is one for you..... Whenever I tell people about my alarm clock I do not try to imitate the sound because I don't need to.. the sound immediately causes an emotional response.

Here is what I always say..

I can't stand my alarm clock, you would never understand how my husband can sleep through it if you heard it. It sounds like the damn fire alarm, only louder, and has me jumping out of bed with my heart racing ten times faster than it would take to flatline a heart machine. (I tend to exagerate a bit)

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the input everyone. I am quite convinced that I will describe the sound and reactions to it rather than trying the aburdity of writing it.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[Guest]

Wow, excited Steve's a keeper, gang. He took our advice.

nonplussed, Perdita

 

[Rumple Foreskin]

Old Steve's got a level head on his shoulders.

IMHO, that shouldn't preclude him from being an AH irregular. Every crowd probably needs at least one of those folks.

Rumple Foreskin

 

[shereads]

Now just wait a damn minute, "Steve."

If that's really your name...

I offered a perfectly acceptable, even alarming, way to spell the sound of a burglar alarm. All you had to do was delete ::bark! bark!:: and add whatever else might be happening in your venue during a shrill TWEEEEE. You could also have added or subtracted "E"s to fit your format.

I suspect you'll use my TWEEEEE sound but didn't want to buck the trend of this thread. As a person who has never submitted a story and probably never will, preferring roleplay with its complete lack of critical scrutiny, I urge you to have the courage of my convictions.

FYI, if sexual roleplay teaches us anything, it's that an orgasm with a combination of spelled sounds and described sounds gets up to 45% more views than an orgasm with described sounds only. Back at the lab, some of us are trying to formulate a spelling for the elusive silent scream. Test spellings are top secret, but suffice it to say that a recent one made dogs howl two blocks from my home and cracked a crystal champagne flute.

Try that with a description.