If you’ve ever felt your pulse quicken to an endless ascending sound in a film or tv scene, you’ve likely encountered a Shepard tone — one of the most fascinating auditory illusions in modern sound design. And few composers have mastered it quite like Hans Zimmer, with one of the prime examples being heard in 2017's Dunkirk to create a relentless feeling of tension and urgency.Dunkirk (2017) © Warner Bros., under fair use for commentary. What is the Shepard Tone?The Shepard tone is an auditor...

If you’ve ever felt your pulse quicken to an endless ascending sound in a film or tv scene, you’ve likely encountered a Shepard tone — one of the most fascinating auditory illusions in modern sound design. And few composers have mastered it quite like Hans Zimmer, with one of the prime examples being heard in 2017's Dunkirk to create a relentless feeling of tension and urgency.Dunkirk (2017) © Warner Bros., under fair use for commentary. What is the Shepard Tone?The Shepard tone is an auditor...