Is there a name for this musical theme?

July 4, 2014 1:40 PM

Is there a musical term for a very quick burst of strings in a song? Popular/dance music mainly, sounds very 80s. A couple of examples inside.

Such as at 2:50 here, or at 1:16 here.

posted by derbs to Media & Arts (7 answers total)

Best answer: I'd call it a stab.
posted by mynameisluka at 1:50 PM on July 4, 2014 [2 favorites]

Best answer: On synthesizers, the sound is called Orch Hit
posted by moonmilk at 1:52 PM on July 4, 2014 [4 favorites]

Best answer: The second one might be ORCH5, given that Propaganda were a ZTT band, so there were Fairlights a go-go.
posted by scruss at 1:52 PM on July 4, 2014 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Wow... I've been wondering about this for a while now. Didn't even think there was a word for it. Answered in 10 minutes!
posted by derbs at 2:21 PM on July 4, 2014

Orchestra "Hits" is what I have always heard that called, I'll concur.
posted by spitbull at 3:07 PM on July 4, 2014

Stab or hit are both fine.
posted by ageispolis at 6:50 PM on July 4, 2014

As heard in Owner of a Lonely Heart, Rage Hard, Tony Hawk Pro Skater and countless Art of Noise songs? Orchestra Hit.
posted by ostranenie at 5:15 PM on July 5, 2014