Bouncing ball
Encyclopedia
The bouncing ball is a device used in video recordings to visually indicate the rhythm
of a song
, helping audiences to sing along with live or prerecorded music. As the song's lyrics
are displayed on the screen, an animated
ball bounces across the top of the words, landing on each syllable
when it is to be sung.
for the Song Car-Tunes series of animated cartoon
s (both Max
and Dave Fleischer
later claimed to have devised the idea). It was introduced in September 1925 with the film My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
. In these earliest films using the device, the bouncing ball itself was not animated. The effect was created by filming a long stick with a luminescent ball on the tip, which was physically "bounced" across a screen of printed words by a studio employee. The movement was captured on high-contrast film that rendered the stick invisible. The ball would usually appear as white-on-black, though sometimes the ball and lyrics would be superimposed over (darkened) still drawings or photographs. Later versions of the bouncing ball have used cel animation or digital effects. Some modern video editing programs achieve the same effect as the bouncing ball by highlighting each displayed syllable as it is sung.
The bouncing ball cartoons continued production at the studio formed after Paramount ousted the Fleischer Brothers, Famous Studios
. The revived series, retitled Screen Songs, began in 1945 with Old McDonald Had A Farm, and continued into the early 1950s. An attempt was made to revive the series in 1963 with Hobo's Holiday, using a more modern folk music
style. Meanwhile, in the United States, younger generations of children continued to be familiar with the cartoons from television rebroadcasts into the 1970s.
s over the years, notably in Mitch Miller
's Sing Along with Mitch program (1961–1964), although Mitch himself denies there was a bouncing ball: "Mr. MITCH MILLER: Never was a bouncing ball. Everyone says there's a bouncing ball. We just had the lyrics (unintelligible) you had the two cameras and the stuff in black." More recently, it was used in the Disney Sing Along Songs
series of children's videos (where the "ball" is shaped like Mickey Mouse's
head) and in The Simpsons
episode "22 Short Films About Springfield
" (in which it accompanies Cletus the Slack-Jawed Yokel
's theme song).
The bouncing ball is also used in some karaoke
devices and software.
Rhythm
Rhythm may be generally defined as a "movement marked by the regulated succession of strong and weak elements, or of opposite or different conditions." This general meaning of regular recurrence or pattern in time may be applied to a wide variety of cyclical natural phenomena having a periodicity or...
of a song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
, helping audiences to sing along with live or prerecorded music. As the song's lyrics
Lyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
are displayed on the screen, an animated
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
ball bounces across the top of the words, landing on each syllable
Syllable
A syllable is a unit of organization for a sequence of speech sounds. For example, the word water is composed of two syllables: wa and ter. A syllable is typically made up of a syllable nucleus with optional initial and final margins .Syllables are often considered the phonological "building...
when it is to be sung.
History
The bouncing ball was invented at Fleischer StudiosFleischer Studios
Fleischer Studios, Inc., was an American corporation which originated as an Animation studio located at 1600 Broadway, New York City, New York...
for the Song Car-Tunes series of animated cartoon
Animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
s (both Max
Max Fleischer
Max Fleischer was an American animator. He was a pioneer in the development of the animated cartoon and served as the head of Fleischer Studios...
and Dave Fleischer
Dave Fleischer
David "Dave" Fleischer was an American animator film director and film producer, best known as a co-owner of Fleischer Studios with his two older brothers Max Fleischer and Lou Fleischer...
later claimed to have devised the idea). It was introduced in September 1925 with the film My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean
My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean
"My Bonnie Lies over the Ocean" is a traditional Scottish folk songwhich remains popular in Western culture.-History:The origin of the song is unknown, though it is often suggested that the subject of the song may be...
. In these earliest films using the device, the bouncing ball itself was not animated. The effect was created by filming a long stick with a luminescent ball on the tip, which was physically "bounced" across a screen of printed words by a studio employee. The movement was captured on high-contrast film that rendered the stick invisible. The ball would usually appear as white-on-black, though sometimes the ball and lyrics would be superimposed over (darkened) still drawings or photographs. Later versions of the bouncing ball have used cel animation or digital effects. Some modern video editing programs achieve the same effect as the bouncing ball by highlighting each displayed syllable as it is sung.
The bouncing ball cartoons continued production at the studio formed after Paramount ousted the Fleischer Brothers, Famous Studios
Famous Studios
Famous Studios was the animation division of the film studio Paramount Pictures from 1942 to 1967. Famous was founded as a successor company to Fleischer Studios, after Paramount acquired the aforementioned studio and ousted its founders, Max and Dave Fleischer, in 1941...
. The revived series, retitled Screen Songs, began in 1945 with Old McDonald Had A Farm, and continued into the early 1950s. An attempt was made to revive the series in 1963 with Hobo's Holiday, using a more modern folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
style. Meanwhile, in the United States, younger generations of children continued to be familiar with the cartoons from television rebroadcasts into the 1970s.
Use
The bouncing ball has been used in many films and television programTelevision program
A television program , also called television show, is a segment of content which is intended to be broadcast on television. It may be a one-time production or part of a periodically recurring series...
s over the years, notably in Mitch Miller
Mitch Miller
Mitchell William "Mitch" Miller was an American musician, singer, conductor, record producer, A&R man and record company executive...
's Sing Along with Mitch program (1961–1964), although Mitch himself denies there was a bouncing ball: "Mr. MITCH MILLER: Never was a bouncing ball. Everyone says there's a bouncing ball. We just had the lyrics (unintelligible) you had the two cameras and the stuff in black." More recently, it was used in the Disney Sing Along Songs
Disney Sing Along Songs
Disney Sing Along Songs is a series of videos, laserdiscs and DVDs with musical moments from various Disney films, TV shows and attractions. Lyrics for the songs are displayed on-screen with the Mickey Mouse icon as a "bouncing ball" Disney Sing Along Songs is a series of videos, laserdiscs and...
series of children's videos (where the "ball" is shaped like Mickey Mouse's
Mickey Mouse
Mickey Mouse is a cartoon character created in 1928 by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks at The Walt Disney Studio. Mickey is an anthropomorphic black mouse and typically wears red shorts, large yellow shoes, and white gloves...
head) and in The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
episode "22 Short Films About Springfield
22 Short Films about Springfield
"22 Short Films About Springfield" is the twenty-first episode of The Simpsons seventh season, which originally aired on April 14, 1996. It was written by Richard Appel, David S. Cohen, Jonathan Collier, Jennifer Crittenden, Greg Daniels, Brent Forrester, Rachel Pulido, Steve Tompkins, Josh...
" (in which it accompanies Cletus the Slack-Jawed Yokel
Cletus Spuckler
Cletus Delroy Spuckler is a recurring character in the Fox animated series, The Simpsons, and is voiced by Hank Azaria. Cletus is Springfield's resident hillbilly stereotype. He is very messy and is usually portrayed wearing a white sleeveless shirt and pair of blue jeans.- Biography :Cletus was...
's theme song).
The bouncing ball is also used in some karaoke
Karaoke
is a form of interactive entertainment or video game in which amateur singers sing along with recorded music using a microphone and public address system. The music is typically a well-known pop song minus the lead vocal. Lyrics are usually displayed on a video screen, along with a moving symbol,...
devices and software.