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WATCH: How BBC news theme song has lasted for 25 years
The theme song has been heard all over the world; such is its association with news that even a person who doesn’t get their latest news from BBC knows the tune as a theme for a news programme.
BBC News theme music composer David Lowe. Picture: davidlowemusic/tiktok
The BBC’s news theme tune celebrates 25 years since its creation this year and its composer, David Lowe, has given a break-down of how he came up with it.
The theme song has been heard all over the world; such is its association with news that even a person who doesn’t get their latest news from BBC knows the tune as a theme for a news programme.
“It had to have a very identifiable sound, it could be music, it could be a sound effect. There are now thousands of different variations I’ve done over the years for BBC India, BBC Africa, BBC America…they’ve all got their particular version of it, but when you listen to it you can still identify it as being the news,” said Lowe in an interview with the news broadcaster.
The composer is taken aback by the longevity of his creation.
“25 years ago I don’t think I would’ve imagined that it would still be running 25 years later. I’m still excited about it, I’m still updating it all the time. We’re always looking at ways of doing it and at different varieties of it.”
“The brief was very specific – it was about finding a completely different sound to anything that had been heard before on the BBC or indeed any news service globally.”
“When we did it, we sort of designed it with the idea that it wouldn’t just be a piece of music, it would be a brand. It would be a sound that just carried on as the BBC news sound.”
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Effect of sound on the brain
Watching the video of the video casts a spotlight on how certain sounds affect the brain.
The ancient Greeks used music to treat mental health issues and many Middle Eastern nations erected “houses of health” where music was a key healing method.
“And we wanted a big sound for the headlines. So, we came up with this big drum and we can use that on every headline. Then I wanted some cords, cords are tricky and they’ve got to be neutral. They start at minor and go to major. It gives that sense of anxiety going to calmness,” said Lowe in the break-down video.
Researchers have linked sound to several well-being benefits.
Sound therapy may reduce stress and anxiety, change the perception of pain, support premature babies, and much more.
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