Electronic music in E.T?

[Craig Evans 0]

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".

[filmmusic 1,825]

From what I know he didn't use any electronics.

The low frequency sounds you hear in Main Titles, and Elliot explores are scratches of gongs (with various mallets).

They produce exactly that sound..

[Datameister 2,041]

The celeste passages must have been done on a real celeste - they simply didn't have sufficient technology to produce that sound through electronics back then. Not sure about anything else, though.

[A24 4,330]

True, in 1982, sampling was still very much in its infancy.

Alex

[russds 8]

I've wondered about this too. Especially with the organ. I guess he really had an organ in there with the orchestra? It was '82, so like Alex said, even if there was some very rudimentary synth happening, it wouldn't be the sampled kind, that could replicate real instruments. At least that's my take on it.

[Gurkensalat 340]

I have played on an electronic organ since 1974, so I guess, Hollywood will have had access to one, too, at the time. The organ on the CD even sounds a bit similar like the one I had.

[Jilal 569]

I recall a synthesizer being used in Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Return of the Jedi.

[ymenard 54]

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.

This is more about sound design than music. All those things above were done by Ben Burtt and Charles L. Campbell for the movie, not by the music department nor John. The Skywalker sound company had dozens of synths and other toys (like the ARP 2600), large mixing and equipment.

Sampling was also not in it's infancy in 1982. It's been widely used in music in the 70's disco era and in electroacoustic since the 50's (which is closer to sound design than music)

[InTheCity 140]

I don;t recall any electrics in ET. Which part are you referring to? The opening is indeed many bowed instruments and most likely Mike Fisher.