Uploaded January 2018 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
A Shepard’s Tone, named after Roger Shepard, is a sound consisting of a superposition of sine waves separated by octaves. When played with the bass pitch of the tone moving upward or downward, it is referred to as the Shepard scale. This creates the auditory illusion of a tone that continually ascends or descends in pitch, yet which ultimately seems to get no higher or lower.
In Dunkirk, composer Hans Zimmer crafted his soundtrack around one chilling effect — and it’s an auditory masterpiece.
A Shepard’s Tone, named after Roger Shepard, is a sound consisting of a superposition of sine waves separated by octaves. When played with the bass pitch of the tone moving upward or downward, it is referred to as the Shepard scale. This creates the auditory illusion of a tone that continually ascends or descends in pitch, yet which ultimately seems to get no higher or lower.
In Dunkirk, composer Hans Zimmer crafted his soundtrack around one chilling effect — and it’s an auditory masterpiece.
