Triad cinema gong - Help please!! (1 Viewer)

[Dirk E]

Hi folks,
since I finished my dedicated hometheater, I try to find a triad cinema gong like it has been used for decades in commercial cinemas. I plan to record it digitally and play it back before the movie starts.
Unfortunately I can`t find such a typical cinema gong. I hope you know, what kind of sound I mean. Perhaps someone on this great forum had the same idea a while ago and could send me a record in mp3 or something like this.
I would appreciate any help. Thank you in advance.
Dirk

 

[Dirk E]

Anybody?
Perhaps "gong" is not the correct term. Sorry for my bad english.
I am looking for a record of the special appliance that is/was used in commercial cinemas to show the audience that the movie starts in a few seconds. The sound of this thing consists of three declining alternating sounds.
The appliance itself consists of three little tubes, each with a pick-up like an electric guitar. This way it is connected to the soundsystem of the theater.
Hope, you know what I try to explain. I am sure somebody on HTF has this kind of record to play it in his hometheater before the show. It is unlikely that I am the first who has this idea.

 

[Mark Harrison]

Dirk,
Sorry but I have never heard of such a tone being used in movie theaters in America. Many communities have megaplexes (multi-theater buildings) that show multiple movies throughout the day (there could be 10 cinemas in one building and every hour a different movie is playing somewhere). In these large theater complexes, all of the different theaters often share the same common lobby so it would be difficult to keep notifying patrons that a movie has started since it could be starting in any number of theaters. Generally, the movie starts at the time posted and you either get there on time or you don't in which case you miss the beginning of the movie.
In live theater however, where there are actors on a stage, sometimes there is a sound or a voice telling patrons that the intermission has ended. You might have more luck looking on the web for an MP3 of a "Chime" which is a more musical sound than the gong you referred to. I found a good site for some very impressive large temple bells in Korea that you might want to use at this site:
http://www.kbs.co.kr/Expo96/today/audio/part4/
By the way your English is fine. Don't ever apologize for it again.
Auf Weidersehen

 

[Dirk E]

Hi Mark,
thank you for your reply.
Perhaps I did not explain it very well. This "chime" (thanks for the better term)was played in each auditorium of the cinema before the movie starts, not in the foyer. BTW, we have multi- and megaplexes in Germany, too. ;-)
But the theaters using this chime are very few. It is a relic from the past. That is why I want to have it in my hometheater. It is a very cool gimmick.
One big THX-theater here in Hamburg has this chime, because one of the technicians had it at home and installed it in the auditorium. No you can enjoy this rarity with 20.000 watts... Great!! Especially for a cinema-enthusiast like me. I tried to contact the theater, but they do not allow me to record it. :-(
This chime is very special. A temple bell or something like that would not fit as good into the theater atmosphere, I think. But thanks for the link.

Auf Weidersehen

Hey, your German isn`t bad either.
Best regards Dirk