Craig Evans

Although the main musical generator of the beautiful and awesome E.T The Extra-Terrestrial score is John Williams orchestra I have always wondered what sort of electronic musical instruments John Williams or other musicians used to create some of the magical/ethereal sound effects in E.T such as the whirring of E.T's Spaceship and the magical sounds of E.T's glowing finger and all of the E.Ts' heartlights. Also I have wondered whether the Celesta in E.T might have been synthesized or at least partially synthesized since on other topics such as Who Does Williams Synths there has been discussion of the Celesta in the Harry Potter film score been synthesized/partially synthesized. Also in the "Sending The Signal" scene and cue it sounds like there is a mixture of real and electronic wind effects.I think Williams at least used an electronic organ in some cues because during the "Invading Elliot's House" scene and cue the DVD subtitles say "Sombre Organ Music" and this same organ music was also used in the second half of the "Main Titles" scene and cue when we first see E.T's Spaceship and again at the start of the "Bedtime Stories" cue when Micheal notices E.T starting to talk and his health starting to deteriorate . There is also another effect that sounds like an electronic organ with low frequency feedback which appears in the first half of the "Main Titles" and "Elliot Explores The Cornfield" scenes and cues. A louder version of this effect was also used in the pipe shaft scene in "The Towering Inferno".