Customer Reviews

Star Trek: Sound Effects From The Original TV Soundtrack

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If you are a Star Trek fan or love sound effects - this CD is for YOU! It is quite interesting after all these years since 1966, when this series made its debut on the small screens in America, the sounds you hear on this album are unforgettable. You know in an instant what particular sound, whether it be action, adventure or drama the sound effect department is creating for the viewer.

The final result is a unique library of brilliantly futuristic sound effects that were created by some of the best sound editors of that time. On this album are sixty-nine never to be forgotten sounds that made this series entertaining and somewhat believable, which we now find is not at all that impossible. This is not a relaxing listening CD, but the way we remember those sounds from the "Enterprise" during the '60s when the cast and crew were flying high and protecting this vast galaxy of ours.

Total Time: 40:23 on 69 Tracks/ GNP-Crescendo - GNPD 8010 (1988)

For old-time Trekkers, this CD is an evocative walk down Memory Lane. The effects are well-mixed for disc, and are quite impressive, considering the time period (there were few synthesizers to help the sound engineers, so they experimented with sped-up and backwards tapes, much like rock groups of the time). Because the sounds are out of context on the CD, they unintentionally sound rather eerie and vacant, somewhat like a Brian Eno ambient recording--a fascinating effect.

I listened to tracks 4,5,7,8,13, and 14.

Tracks 4,5,7, and 8 are DEFINITELY from the pilot episode
"The Menagerie" with Jeffrey Hunter (Captain Pike).

The long, drawn out transporter sequences on tracks 4 and 5
are easily recognizable from "The Menagerie", as is track 7
the Alien Planet Surface, and track 8 the Communicator Beeps
(it's the uncharacteristic "long beep" from "The Menagerie").

Track 14 the Warp Drive is a longish sequence and again sounds
suspiciously like the one heard on "The Menagerie".
As such, these sound tracks are not very representative of the
series, as the device sounds changed subtly but definitely
when NBC picked up the show with Shatner, Nimoy, et al, in 1966.

On the other hand, it's very nice for an old fan like me to have
access to these old, familiar sounds of a great T.V. show.
Thanks.

Since I was about 4 or 5 years old I've been a Star Trek fanatic. And since I was 7, I've been collecting sound effects. I used to make my own "radio show" type recordings, usually Star Trek oriented -- in essence, they were audio-only episodes made in the style of the original TV show. This sound effects disc was vital to me during those years -- I own three copies in fact, because the first two got scratched and marred to the point of wothlessness from so much use. If you are a Star Trek fan who loves those old sound effects, or want to make your own video or audio adventures as I have done, this CD is a must-have. My only gripe was that the bridge button sounds from the first and second season were not included, only the cheesy sounding ones from the third season. However, with some digitizing and clever noise reduction, one can isolate the missing sounds from the TV series and burn them back onto your own disc. Granted, there's no music here, but that's not what this disc is for! :)

I got the CD as a replacement for my LP copy of the same. It's quite a delight to play the bridge sound effects while driving around in my car. It's a shame that the CD is only a different format recording of the original LP and not a bit more. Reviewers mention sound effects from The Cage, and there are some effects from the pilot I would have loved to have heard on this CD that are not present. The laser cannon used on Talos 4 would have been a nice addition along with the very different transporter room sound effects with the heavy buzzing generators and longer cycle time before the very different beaming sounds kick in. Another nice addition would be to include separate tracks for the bridge effects used in The Cage as well as Where No Man Has Gone Before which are also different from the rest of the series.

For the bridge sequences, the stereo separation is very good which is most noticeable while playing the disc in my car. While not perfect, overall, this CD is a must have for any original series Star Trek fan. Some sound effects are so specific that the individual episodes they were designed for instantly spring to mind.

This applies to CD No. GNDP 8010.

The tracks below are each shorther than 30 seconds except as noted.

1. Enterprise bridge sequence (6 min)
2. Enterprise doors open into corridor
3. Enterprise doors open into transporter room
4. Transporter energize
5. Dematerialization
6. Materialization
7. Alien planet surface (1 1/2 min)
8. Communicator beeps
9. Dematerialization #2
10. Materialization in trouble
11. Transporter background #2
12. Enterprise doors open into bridge (1 min)
13. Red alert klaxon
14. Warp drive
15. Spock's viewer on the bridge
16. Buttons on bridge
17. Main viewing screen (35 sec)
18. Viewing screen magnification
19. Phaser firing switch
20. Enterprise phasers firing (3 blasts)
21. Phasers striking hull
22. Photon torpedo (3 blasts)
23. Phasers striking deflector shields (35 sec)
24. Stratos torture ray bombardment
25. Food + drink synthesizer
26. Sickbay scanner
27. Sickbay scanner #2 (heartbeats) (33 sec)
28. Heartbeats
29. Spectro-analysis viewer
30. Main viewing screen (animated series)
31. Many tribbles (1 min)
32. Tribble coos
33. Tribble predator (animated series)
34. Tribble violent reaction
35. Atavacron
36. Boatswain whistle
37. Alien planet atmosphere #2 (2 min)
38. Astrogator on bridge
39. Garbled radio message
40. Romulan ship interior
41. Garbled communicator static (44 sec)
42. Bridge scanner
43. M-5 computer
44. Lab scanner
45. Garbled radio signal #2
46. Disruptor hits on hull
47. Subterranean elevator (long)
48. Subterranean elevator (short)
49. Garbled radio signal #3 (35 sec)
50. Engineering room interior
51. Comedy background FX
52. Library computer on bridge (36 sec)
53. Eminar 7 battle computer
54. Red alert klaxons (animated series)
55. Red alert klaxons #2
56. Red alert klaxons #3
57. Warp drive malfunctioning (36 sec)
58. Warp drive acceleration #2 (42 sec)
59. Warp drive acceleration & deceleration (45 sec)
60. Transporter dematerialization
61. Transporter materialization
62. Hand held medical scanner (55 sec)
63. Red alert klaxons #4
64. Bridge sequence #2 (3 min)
65. Bridge buttons #2
66. Enterprise doors
67. Hand phaser
68. Phaser bank
69. Shuttlecraft interior (32 sec)

This is a wonderful, historical recording that not only is a must for fans of the original series, but an intriguing release for Sci-Fi aficionados, those interested in the art of generating sound effects or collectors of the vast pop culture aspects of the 1960s.

The sounds generate a vision on what is being done by the actors and demonstrates a powerful aspect of the series. And there is an ambient aspect in the arrangement, comparable with an auditory experience in the avant-garde.

This is a fantastic trek to the stars...and back.

Just about every sound from the show you could want, although the tricorder sound effect and a high pitched sound when Sulu charged up the phasers are unfortunately missing-- though the latter can be heard in some of the bridge sequence mixes. I'm currently creating an animated Trek fan film, and this is an invaluable resource for putting it all together. Just got the CD from Amazon today, but originally had this on cassette many years ago.

Unfortunately for me, this CD is a disappointment overall. Having said that, because I am a fan of the original series(only), I still give it a 4. The reason I say disappointing, is because somehow... the overwhelming majority of the sound effects are from one episode only - 'The Pilot'(the very first episode) w/ Capt. Pike. Oddly... for some reason, they also decided to include some sound effects from the Star Trek cartoon(WTF?)...

While 'The Pilot' is actually one of favorite episodes and the sound effects are very familar, this CD spends way too much time on this episode IMO. I believe, at this early point in the show, the sound effects are kinda crude/"1950ish"... Thankfully, the sound effects were made better in subsequent episodes. Unfortunately, these improved sound effects don't seem to be on this CD, ehem...

Now, this CD DOES include a few sound effects(and only a few) that are from the original series w/ Kirk. For me, this is what I expected there to be alot more of...hence the word: "disappointment". I'm actually surprised that TPTB released this CD the way they did - with this particular "collection of selections"... BUT, thankfully, and as I expected, there are no effects from the other Star Trek shows. This CD contains only... 'The Pilot', the cartoon...(WTF!) and a lonely few from the original series.

So, for the Star Trek fan out there, I would still have to say...BUY IT(no exclamation point). This is a must for your collection, yada, yada, yada. Just don't expect too much.

I am not and never have been a fan of Star Trek, but these effects are nevertheless etched into my memory and are amusing to hear and to use as an in-joke for the many others who instantly recognize them.

I do remain a fan of electronic music of the '50s and '60s, which was so prominently featured in movies and TV shows of the same era. I refer in particular to track 37, "Alien Planet Atmosphere #2," which is quite obviously inspired by the 1962 Iannis Xenakis piece "Bohor."

It is funny to hear what sounds like a dot-matrix printer (track 52, "Library Computer on Bridge") in an age when printers already are practically silent.