Roar Origins

[Wrinkledlion X]

We've all heard of how Godzilla's roar was originally created, but is there anything written on how other Showa roars were created? (I'm posting this in Showa, as a lot of Heisei and Millennium roars are simply pitch-shifted versions of older roars, or animal growls.)

I just stumbled upon this video, which seems to indicate that Anguirus' roar used a trumpet as its base, though I'm not sure what its source is. Now it's got me started wondering about Ghidorah, Rodan, Gigan, and Hedorah—there were a lot of very distinctive roars in the Showa era. Great sound design all around.

[GotengoXGodzilla]

I know this is off-topic, but I gotta say it...

...Looking at the screenshot of Godzilla on that video, and then hearing the noise that the video is making, makes me hate Godzilla Raids Again even more. Dear god, GRA is an ugly movie.

[godzilla98rules]

We've all heard of how Godzilla's roar was originally created, but is there anything written on how other Showa roars were created? (I'm posting this in Showa, as a lot of Heisei and Millennium roars are simply pitch-shifted versions of older roars, or animal growls.)

I just stumbled upon this video, which seems to indicate that Anguirus' roar used a trumpet as its base, though I'm not sure what its source is. Now it's got me started wondering about Ghidorah, Rodan, Gigan, and Hedorah—there were a lot of very distinctive roars in the Showa era. Great sound design all around.

Actually Wrinkledlion X, I believe they were using a saxophone instead of a trumpet. Overall it is interesting to know how Anguirus' roar was made.

[Dr. Nishiyama]

I read in Damon Foster's fanzine Oriental Cinema that Titanosaurus's roar is an elephant's played backwards.

[Breakdown]

Manda's grunts are from a lion. Minilla uses donkey noises and cat squeals. Varan's roar is a recycled and modified version of Godzilla's roar, while Baragon, DAM Gorosaurus, and Megalon all use an even further modified version, and I'm pretty sure Gaira uses an even further modified version.

Those are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head. I've long suspected that Rodan's is a heavily modified chicken or turkey call, but but I have no proof of that.

Actually both Gaira and Sanda use a modified King Kong '62 roar, though theirs ishigher pitched and lower pitched respectivly. King Ceasar uses this roar as well.

[Goji]

You know, this would be an interesting time to look at how many different variations of Godzilla's roar actually exist.

There seems to be quite a few, and I'll do my best to identify them here.

Roar #1-G 54'/'55. Godzilla '55 also had a "grunting" sound which was only heard in GODZILLA RAIDS AGAIN. It was never used in any other films.

Roar #2-G '62. Yes, believe it or not, Godzilla's roar is in fact different in this film than it was in the rest of the Showa films. Toho's "HOWL" CD album, which contains all Toho monster roars up to 1992 has the King-Goji's roar as a separate track from the others. Samples from this roar where used occasionally throughout the remainder of the Showa series.

Roar #3-G'64-'75-This roar was also modified slightly, and used from '92-'95.

Roar #4-G'84

Roar #5 '89/'91-Very similar to the '84 roar, with some minor modifications, including not being quite as "deep" sounding.

Roar #6-'99-'04 (except GMK)-The first "new" Godzilla roar in years. The U.S. version of GODZILLA 2000 seemed to alter the roar somewhat, and it sounds a little bit like GINO in a few scenes.

Roar #7-'01-Not too different from the last roar, but the Godzilla in GMK sported different variations of the Godzilla roar compared to what was used in the other Millennium films. It seems that an elephant cry was sampled for parts of Godzilla's roar in a couple of scenes (notably when Baragon is defeated).

[skuzzy-punk-kid]

Questions and observations I'd like to contribute to this poll:

Observations:
-Godzilla's roar in the Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah was heard thrice in Godzilla: King of the Monsters, once during the electric barrier scene, the second during the tower scene, and the final time during the Oxygen Destroyer scene.
-Godzilla's deeper roar during this same scene is also heard during Godzilla's first raid in King Kong vs. Godzilla (the very first roar as he's approaching the military base from the sea), and it is also heard during the Oxygen Destroyer scene.
-There are 3 or 4 different types of roars used in King Kong vs. Godzilla (the trademark one, a lower key one, the same lower key with a sustain, and one that begins as the trademark roar but finishes off differently). Beyond 1969, the 1st one is the only one that makes it [intact]into the 70's (the third has the sustain taken off, and pitched up to match the 1st; making it sound almost muted in Godzilla vs. Gigan.
-Godzilla seemed to have only 1 roar in Godzilla vs. King Ghidorah (although I could be mistaken).
-The Millennium Godzilla's roar has been worked to have the same key throughout, and drawn out.

Since we were on the topic of roar origins, I'd like to post one question:
-How was Gigan's roar created?

[skuzzy-punk-kid]

Since we were on the topic of roar origins, I'd like to post one question:
-How was Gigan's roar created?

Gigan's and Spacegodzilla's roars are an eagle screech. Gigan's is sped up while Spacegodzilla's is slowed down.

Eagle screech? O wait, you meant to say a Red-Tailed Hawk screech?

Now it makes sense...

[Rody]

Gigan's and Spacegodzilla's roars are an eagle screech. Gigan's is sped up while Spacegodzilla's is slowed down.

Cool, so THAT'S where they got it! I wonder if there were any other tweaks they did.

Here's a question of my own: how did they do Kong's roar?

[skuzzy-punk-kid]

Gigan's and Spacegodzilla's roars are an eagle screech. Gigan's is sped up while Spacegodzilla's is slowed down.

Cool, so THAT'S where they got it! I wonder if there were any other tweaks they did.

Here's a question of my own: how did they do Kong's roar?

The shorter roar to me sounds like a tiger's roar. The longer, deafening one (on the other hand) is harder to make out. Hopefully, someone out there could clarify.

[Goji]

Nice observations on Godzilla's roars, skuzzy!

[skuzzy-punk-kid]

Nice observations on Godzilla's roars, skuzzy!

Thanks:). Although there are still more Toho Daikaiju stuff for me to learn; one's knowledge is never complete. There are still more Godzilla films for me to watch (and I'm still working on getting opportunities to watch the lesser known ones).

Oh, by the way; how did you post a pic on the forum? Is there a protocol I need to learn in order to post a pic?

[TokyoVigilante]

Gigan's and Spacegodzilla's roars are an eagle screech. Gigan's is sped up while Spacegodzilla's is slowed down.

Cool, so THAT'S where they got it! I wonder if there were any other tweaks they did.

Here's a question of my own: how did they do Kong's roar?

The shorter roar to me sounds like a tiger's roar. The longer, deafening one (on the other hand) is harder to make out. Hopefully, someone out there could clarify.

I've read that his grunt/secondary roar is the sound of a walrus backwards.

Also, you need a certain number of posts (50, I think? I'm embarrassed to admit that I don't know off hand) in order to post images. It's just to keep trouble makers from joining and spamming unsavory images.

[skuzzy-punk-kid]

Hey, thanks for the info about the pic posting policy. It's better that I know now than figure that out later.

The walrus thing sounds kind of sketchy to me; I always imagined walrus sounds to be on the lower end of the sound frequency, something similar to the elephant's growl (something like infrasound). But, I'll go with walrus until more information comes up.

[godzilla98rules]

I am not entirely sure, but isn't Mothra's roar a heavily altered and sped up version of Anguirus's roar?

[Breakdown]

^ Wow now that I think of it, you're right. The roars do sound similar.

[Rody]

I wonder if anyone has done a book or something about this....

[skuzzy-punk-kid]

I am not entirely sure, but isn't Mothra's roar a heavily altered and sped up version of Anguirus's roar?

I didn't even know that. It's sort of ironic; as much attention I put into details, I actually overlooked that one. I learned something new today!:)

[ZillaMaster91]

While Mothra's cry is definitely a sped up version of Anguirus', you hardly notice it in both the Showa and Millennium series, however in the Heisei Series, you definitely can pinpoint various Anguirus-like howls when Mothra emits a low toned roar.

[skuzzy-punk-kid]

Since nobody asked this one yet, I figured I'd give this one a shot:
How was Rodan's roar created?