What is the Doctor Who theme song called?
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Although widely listed in reference works, and many series soundtrack albums, under the title “Doctor Who Theme”, its official title is “Doctor Who”, although its initial sheet music release used the now-deprecated form “Dr. Who”.
What is the best Doctor Who theme tune?

Doctor Who: Our Ranking of the Best “Dooo-Wooo” Title Sequences
- Best Overall: ‘Rose’ – March 26, 2005.
- Best Audio: ‘An Unearthly Child’ – November 23, 1963.
- Best Visuals: ‘Deep Breath’ – August 23, 2014.
- Worst Overall: ‘Time and the Rani’ – September 6, 1987.
- Worst Visuals: ‘Spearhead From Space’ – January 3, 1970.
What instruments are used in the Doctor Who theme tune?
To make the Doctor Who theme, Derbyshire recorded sounds onto physical tape – including a plucked piano string, wooden blocks and clanging metal. She then cut up the tape, adjusted the tempo and spliced it together to create the eerie futuristic music.
Who composed the 2018 version of the Dr Who theme tune?
Segun Akinola
Trailblazer Delia Derbyshire swapped traditional musical instruments for electronic sounds when she arranged the theme for one of the most famous TV shows ever: Doctor Who. Segun Akinola introduces the Doctor Who theme. Segun became the composer for the show in 2018.

Who writes Doctor Who songs?
Ron Grainer
Segun Akinola (pictured below) is the composer behind the new theme tune, putting a fresh new spin on Ron Grainer and Delia Derbyshire’s original. When he was announced as the new composer he said: “Doctor Who is woven into the fabric of British culture and recognised globally.
Who played Dr Who in order?
The Doctor
- The 1st Doctor. William Hartnell.
- The 2nd Doctor. Patrick Troughton.
- The 3rd Doctor. Jon Pertwee.
- The 4th Doctor. Tom Baker.
- The 5th Doctor. Peter Davison.
- The 6th Doctor. Colin Baker.
- The 7th Doctor. Sylvester McCoy.
- The 8th Doctor. Paul McGann.
Why is the Doctor Who theme so good?
A simple tune In quite a few ways, the tune itself is very simple. The opening bassline is essentially repeating the same two notes over and over again, while the main part of the theme that everyone remembers is just three notes. That simplicity is one of the reasons why it’s so iconic. Especially in Britain.
Did Doctor Who use a theremin?
And one of the definite highlights was when Whittaker managed to display an impressive rendition of Doctor Who’s iconic theme on the theremin, playing the central melody of the famous tune after fellow guest Lady Gaga had tried it before her.
How did they make the original Doctor Who theme?
The theme’s iconic four count bass line, “swooshing” movement, and eerie, gliding melody were produced by manipulating analog tape. Derbyshire and the technicians at the Radiophonic Workshop used white noise, plucked strings, played with oscillators and “wobulators” to create the notes and sounds you hear.
Who was the first Dr Who?
William Hartnell
First Doctor: William Hartnell (1963–1966). The First Doctor appeared to be a frail old man but don’t be fooled. He played deadly games with the Celestial Toymaker, he fooled Roman emperors and French revolutionaries and foiled everything the evil Daleks could throw at him.
Who wrote the original Doctor Who?
Doctor Who | |
---|---|
Genre | Science fiction Adventure Drama |
Created by | Sydney Newman C. E. Webber Donald Wilson |
Written by | Various |
Directed by | Various |
Does the Dr Who theme use a theremin?
However, the researchers at the Graham Norton show did get one thing wrong when it came to planning this segment – because as composer Blair Mowat (who has worked before on the series and it’s spin-off Class) pointed out, the theremin wasn’t ACTUALLY used to create the original theme at all.