How was the rattling Kodama sound made originally?
Kodama are forest spirits depicted in the movie Princess Mononoke. Their heads act and sound somewhat like a rattle when they're rotated, as displayed in this movie clip.
I'm interested in how this rattling sound effect was made. All I could find during my research was discussions about the mythological background of Kodama, but nothing about the actual recording of their sounds.
It doesn't sound like a hollow object with some beads inside, like a maraca-style instrument.
It's also not very similar to a ratchet sound.
The closest thing I could find is a Vibraslap, but that sounds much more metallic and artificial. In contrast, the rattling sound Kodama make in the movie sound like it was produced by natural materials like bones or maybe hard wood or nut shells.
Is there any source that explains how the sound artists of the movie created the distinctive Kodama sound?
Best Answer
The following blog post explores some of the sound effects of the movie:
https://flying-fantasy-garden.blogspot.com/2016/09/blog-post_22.html?m=1
The blog post mentions that the book "Princess Mononoke Roman Album" contains an anecdote about the instrument used for the Kodama sounds:
https://www.amazon.co.jp/exec/obidos/ASIN/4197200269/flyingfantasygarden-22/ref=nosim/
According to that anecdote, they used castanets they found in a Chinatown.
Pictures about "How was the rattling Kodama sound made originally?"
What do Kodama sound like?
Kodama are forest spirits depicted in the movie Princess Mononoke. Their heads act and sound somewhat like a rattle when they're rotated, as displayed in this movie clip.Are Koroks based on Kodama?
The various races found in forest regions of The Legend of Zelda franchise, such as the Kokiri from Ocarina of Time and the Korok from The Wind Waker, are widely regarded as interpretations of kodama.What are the Kodama in Princess Mononoke?
Kodama. The kodama are the mountain and tree spirits of Japanese folklore and some are even considered gods and worshiped as such with tiny shrines built at the bottom of trees. In Princess Mononoke the kodama are a direct representation of their historical basis.What are the little forest creatures from Princess Mononoke?
The Kodama are unnamed creatures from Princess Mononoke. They are a sign that the forest is healthy.Kodama rattle
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