Definition

The Epic pattern is a set of auditory cues that indicate large objects and spaces. Humans and animals use a distinct, consistent set of acoustic features to predict the size and distance of an unseen sound source. Given that large objects are generally more dangerous than small objects, we are especially sensitive to cues indicating a large object. The more abruptly artists introduce epic cues into their music, and the more artists intensify the unique features that distinguish them, the more likely we are to experience chills.

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Mechanism

The Epic pattern works by tricking our auditory system for guessing the size of unseen objects. Humans and animals use an acoustic feature called tonal volume to estimate the size of a sound source. Tonal volume is different from loudness or decibel level; it’s a combination of resonance and pressure at certain lower frequencies. You know it when you hear it – tonal volume is the “space filling” attribute of a sound. 

Technique #1: High-tonal volume instruments

Technique #2: Many unison sound sources

The second Epic pattern technique involves many low-tonal-volume instruments sounding loudly in unison. Certain instruments blend together well when they sound in unison. This can produce exponentially higher aggregate tonal volume than just adding up the tonal volume of each player. To borrow an anecdote from frisson expert David Huron, this is why orchestras use 30 violins instead of one violinist amplified to 30x loudness.

In chills-inducing passages, the most reliable ways we see artists pull off this technique are:

• Unison string instruments: violin, viola, and cello sections, typically sounding loudly in unison directly after a quiet, low-tonal volume, solo section 

• Large vocal ensembles: classical choirs, crowd singing at live concerts, crowd-sourced projects featuring 1,000+ singers 

• “Wall of sound” production techniques: many overlaid takes or layered tracks of a single voice or instrument (e.g., Enya’s producer often layers her voice 30 times in a single track)

Technique #3: Reverb and delay

The third Epic pattern technique involves pronounced reverb. Given that faraway sounds hit more reflective surfaces as they travel toward us than close sounds, our ears associate ambient reverberations and echo effects with distant sound sources and large spaces. 

In chills-inducing passages, the most reliable ways we see artists pull off this technique are:

• Heavy reverb added to impulse sound sources: especially plucked electric guitar, drums, and piano, all of which usually decay immediately without reverb

• Staggered delays: typically applied to vocals and combined with reverb to smooth the sound, but also achieved on brass by having a second player echo an entrance on a half-beat or full-beat delay

• High-reverb instruments: especially tubular bells, humming choir, gongs, and rich synth pads

Technique #4: Suddenly filling out the frequency range

The fourth Epic pattern technique involves a large ensemble playing loud, interlocking, fast rhythms. This technique combines the first three Epic techniques, often implementing each technique in a separate part of an arrangement, to create a single, large, enveloping sound sound.  

In chills-inducing passages, the most reliable ways we see artists pull off this technique are:

• High-tonal volume instruments in lead line with many unison low-tonal instruments in supporting line: all playing fast, busy, interlocking rhythms

• Certain production techniques: mainly EQ and high-pass filters that restrict certain frequencies and are then suddenly switched off on a major climax or transition moments

• Audience applause and crowd swells: typically during live performances or recordings of live performances 

Technique #5: Large harmonic “distances”

The fifth Epic pattern technique involves shifts between chords that are “far apart” chromatically and on the circle of fifths. Unlike the four previous techniques that mimic tonal volume cues from nature, this technique takes advantage of learned associations in Western music. Artists have made a consistent creative choice to represent themes of distance, size and space as large harmonic shifts without pivot chords (which is why they are sometimes referred to as “god chords” or “space chords”). Listeners that grow up with Western music typically learn and absorb this connection.

In chills-inducing passages, the most reliable ways we see artists pull off this technique are:

• Direct modulations between certain distant chords: typically chromatic mediants (e.g. I-bIII, I-bVI), “far fifths” (e.g. i-IV), or tritone transpositions between major triads (e.g. I-bV) 

• “Valving” between distant chords: repeated undulations back and forth between two distant chords (frequently mediant and major triad relationships)  

• Extended sequences across distant chords: often featuring repeated jumps through hexatonic or octatonic scales