NBC Chimes

NBC TV chimes logo used during color broadcasts (1954–1959).

WCSHchimes — The original J.C. Deagan hand chimes from WCSH were once used to play the station's signature three-note tune.

The NBC Chimes are a musical motif used as an audio logo by the National Broadcasting Company (NBC). Comprising three notes, specifically G-E-C, the chimes have become an iconic element of NBC's brand identity.

History[]

The NBC Chimes were introduced in 1927, created by composer John W. Bratton as a three-note motif (G-E-C). They became standardized in 1931, serving as a key audio signature for the network. With the advent of television, the chimes were adapted for TV broadcasts and, in 1954, a "color" version was introduced to celebrate NBC's transition to color programming. The chimes remain an iconic part of NBC's branding, recognized widely in popular culture.

Musical Composition[]

Musical notation for the NBC Chimes Sequence: G3, E4, C4.

The chimes consist of three pitches: G (the first note), E (the second note), and C (the third note). This simple yet memorable sequence has allowed the chimes to be easily recognized by audiences. Various arrangements and renditions of the chimes have been produced over the years, adapting to different formats and technologies.

Cultural Impact[]

711fifthavenue — NBC, 711 Fifth Avenue, New York City.

The NBC Chimes are one of the earliest examples of a musical audio logo in broadcasting. Their distinctive sound has been featured in numerous shows, commercials, and even pop culture references. The chimes are often associated with the network's branding and have contributed to NBC's identity over the decades.

Usage[]

"This is NBC, the National Broadcasting Company, Bong Bong Bong."

The chimes are commonly played at the beginning and end of NBC programs, as well as during significant network announcements. The audio logo has been utilized in various forms, including orchestral arrangements and digital reproductions.

Legacy[]

The NBC Chimes have remained a lasting symbol of the network and are recognized by audiences around the world. They are an integral part of broadcasting history, representing the evolution of audio branding in media.

References[]

This sequence consists of a succession of three distinct pitches: G₃, E₄ and C₄ (middle C), sounded in that order, creating an arpeggiated C-major chord in the second inversion, within about two seconds time, and reverberating for another two or three seconds. The intervals of this progression are up a major sixth from G₃ to E₄ and down a major third from E₄ to C₄.
^ Jump up to:^a ^b "NBC Chimes sound trademark", Serial No. 72349496, Registration No. 0916522 (trademarks.justia.com)
^ "Statement of Robert C. Wright, President and Chief Executive Officer, National Broadcasting Company, Inc.", Television Network Mergers Hearings before the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Finance of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, House of Representatives, One hundredth Congress, first session, April 28, 29, and 30, 1987, Volume 4, page 180.
^ "This Report Comes to You by Way of San Francisco" by Jack Van Wart, Broadcast Engineers' Journal, August 1945, page 16. (americanradiohistory.com) The author claimed that "The correct information is that they are G E C which were originally intended to stand for General Electric Co."
^ "Three Famous Notes of Broadcasting History - The NBC Chimes" by Bill Harris, 1996 (radioremembered.org)
^ Microphone Memoirs by Credo Fifth Harris, 1937, pages 79-80.
^ "Voices You Have Heard", Wireless Age, September 1923, page 22.
^ "New Tone Signals Replace N. B. C. Chimes", Washington (D.C.) Star, September 18, 1932, Part 2, page 4.
^ Jump up to:^a ^b "Chimes of NBC to Change Tone by Electrical Device", (Portland) Oregonian, September 18, 1932, Section 4, page 2.
^ "General Order No. 8: Plan to Check Frequencies" (adopted May 5, 1927), Annual Report of the Federal Radio Commission For the Fiscal Year 1927, General Orders Adopted, page 14.
^ "FCC Scans NBC Program Coverage", Broadcasting, December 15, 1938, page 57.
^ "NBC Chimes Documents, 1950-1978" (eyesofageneration.com)
^ "The Sound of the Silvertown Chimes" by Golda M. Goldman, Radio in the Home, June 1925, pages 5-6, 30-31 (lib.uchicago.edu)
^ Jump up to:^a ^b "The NBC Chimes", NBC Transmitter, January 1942, page 14.
^ "The NBC Chimes: Part 1" Archived 2017-08-02 at the Wayback Machine by Bobby Ellerbee (eyesofageneration.com)
^
^ According to the "NBC Chimes: First Use of the famous NBC Chimes" memo, the four-note sequence was actually G-G-G-E.
^ "The Fourth Chime: Why NBC's Familiar Signal Changed on D-Day", June 6, 2014 (nbcnews.com)
^ "Origin and Evolution of the NBC Chimes" by Michael Shoshani (nbcchimes.info)
^ "Practical Effect of Proposed Rules", Broadcasting, May 19, 1941, page 24.
^ "Plan Theater Dates for Blue Net Sustainers", The Billboard, March 7, 1942, page 7.
^ "No More Bells For Blue", The Billboard, December 5, 1942, page 6.
^ "WSB Atlanta—Precursor to the NBC Chimes?" by Michael Shoshani (nbcchimes.info)
^ Ibid.
^ Today's Radio Programs" by Robert S. Stephen, Cleveland Plain Dealer, August 1, 1932, page 12.
^ "The NBC Network Chimes" by Robert M. Morris, The Oldtimer's Bulletin, June 1979, pages 12-13.
^ "NBC's Chimeless Chimes", Electronics, October 1932, page 321. (americanradiohistory.com)
^ Michael Shoshani, at his site "The NBC Chimes Museum", contends that the notes produced by the manual chimes were generally "C-F-A" rather than "G-E-C", and it was only after the switch to the Rangertone devices that the NBC chimes became "G-E-C".
^ "The NBC Chimes Machine" by John Schneider, 1999 (bayarearadio.org)
^ "Correspondence from Rick Greenhut (February 3, 2013)" "The NBC Chimes Machine" (theradiohistorian.org)
^ The Fourth Chime, National Broadcasting Company, 1944, page 9.
^ Op. cit., page 138.
^ Jump up to:^a ^b Sounds (and Sights) of the NBC Chimes (nbcchimes.info)
^ Included in the NBC archive at the Library of Congress is a June 12, 1964 memo reviewing the history of the NBC chimes. At some point someone added a handwritten comment that the last use of the "fourth chime" was in 1985 "when GE announced its merger with RCA". However there is no documentation that this actually happened. "NBC Chimes Documents, 1950-1978"
^ "Trade-marks Published for Opposition (Act of 1946): Service Marks", Patent Office Official Gazette, January 17, 1950, page 655. Application by the National Broadcasting Company, Inc., serial no. 541,873, filed November 20, 1947, categorized as "class 104 (communications)".
^ "Trade-mark Registrations Granted (Act of 1946): Principal Register: Service Marks", Patent Office Official Gazette, April 4, 1950, page 72. Serial no. 523,616.
^ "NBC's Chime-Like Notes Patented Trade Mark", Pittsburgh Press, June 11, 1950, page 5-A.
^ Trademark 'Sound Mark' Examples", United States Patent and Trade Office (uspto.gov)
^ "Famous Chimes Now 'Official'", Radio Age, April 1950, page 29.
^ "NBC to Trim Radio Chimes", The Billboard, December 26, 1953, page 3.
^
^
^ [1], DZRH chimes at 8:50
^ Say It With Chimes!^{[circular reference]}
^ "Promotional Sets of NBC Chimes" (nbcchimes.info)
^ "NBC chimes" (advertisement), Life, October 3, 1938, "Listen" (RCA Supplement), page 3.
^
^ "Salute to the Three Chimes of NBC" (radiogoldindex.com)