49 
3 
Download MP3 
Pre-announce tones have long been used in public address systems in stations, airports, schools and stores, where a short chime warns people to stop and listen before a spoken message begins. The two-note pattern became instantly recognisable because travellers hear it so often in daily life. Online, creators borrowed the sound as a standalone cue, using it in edits, memes and parody announcements where the chime alone implies an official message is coming, even when the following line is deliberately silly, personal or completely unexpected for comic contrast.
About this sound
A short pre announce tone sound effect, the two note chime played before a public address announcement, used to signal attention in videos and streams.
This is a clean pre-announce tone, a short two-note chime that rises and falls like the ding-dong heard before a station or airport announcement. It lasts just a couple of seconds, with a clear, bell-like electronic sound and no voice or background noise. The tone instantly tells listeners that something important is about to be said, creating a brief pause and a sense of expectation. Even without an announcement following it, the sound feels official and familiar, which is why it works so well as a comedic or dramatic cue before a reveal.
