Being both a Whovian and musician (of sorts), and certainly a music nerd, I've noticed a whacking great big rip in time & space. Yes, we've had ' best episode' countdowns by the dozen honouring classic series Doctors, but where's the acclaim for the mysterious musique concrete- influenced inhabitants of Room 13 of the BBC's Television Centre, plus one very special mystery guest? Sounds like an episode plot in itself, you'd be forgiven for thinking. But no. I refer of course to the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, a collective of composers/sound designers so far ahead of the game they could conceivably be called the Time Lords of electronic music. Come with me into the studio, and careful with that synthesiser as I guide you through a selection of their greatest work!
11. The TARDIS Soundscape
In this case it must be said I really am spoiling you. It was there in 'An Unearthly Child' with the First Doctor & Susan, and it'll stay with us forever more. One listen to the various sounds conjured up by the greatest police box in the universe was probably what hooked so many children of the Sixties and beyond to the programme in the first place, and the fact you've read this far suggests you're one of them. And, look, wibbly-wobbly soundy-wavey stuff. From that lovely 'whoosh' as it flies through the Time Vortex to its next destination to the symphony of ' vworp-vworp' that is the de/re-materialisation noise, as dreamed up by Brian Hodgson, a piano, and a house key, it's just the best. Want to make it for yourself? Having acquired a piano, open up the lid and rub the key up and down the strings. Manipulate the results and voila, you have a TARDIS, or at least it sounds like you do. And there's one sound you hope you never hear, though you don't necessarily mind too much once it gets going. That would be the Cloister Bell. The harbinger of universal doom is so gloriously simple yet effective- but how did they do it, you may wonder? Acquire yourself a gong, take it for a dip in a pool of water and beat it to within an inch of its life. Repeat and apply a little music tech knowhow and the sound will ring clear as the proverbial bell. See, the Fourth Doctor was right, 'to the rational mind, nothing is inexplicable, only unexplained'.