xLaughingManX

Item #: SCP-xxxx

Object Class: Safe

Special Containment Procedures: Item SCP-xxxx is to be kept in a vacuum sealed case within a fully climate controlled sound proof chamber with sound dampening foam and vibration isolation dampening on every surface. Surveillance of the item is required but no audio recording equipment is to be active at any time. Under no circumstances may any personnel open the case or otherwise handle the item unless specifically ordered to do so. Any personnel entering the chamber must enter with a Class A hearing protector and keep it on at all times. Should the item need to be taken out of the case and transported outside of the chamber for any reason, the area must be sealed off and all non-essential personnel removed immediately. Personnel must communicate only through carefully coordinated hand signals and are not to speak at any time or make any sound at all if possible during transport. SCP-xxxx is to be handled when outside the case with the utmost caution. Gloves are to be worn at all times and the item must not be moved quickly or dropped. When being transported, SCP-xxxx must be contained in a specially designated mobile carrying case with the same sound and vibration dampening foam installed within it. The case will seal itself and cannot be opened by anyone except Level 4 personnel and above. It is imperative that during transport, the item never be dropped as even Class A hearing protectors may not provide full protection against its effects.

Description: SCP-xxxx is a violin of an unknown maker known to cause extremely adverse effects to anyone who hears a sound produced from it. This can range from actual playing of the instrument, to wind or an external sound causing a vibration of its strings or body. When a sound or vibration from SCP-xxxx reaches human ears, the person immediately seems to gain the ability popularly known as 'perfect pitch'. However, it appears to be skewed. Subjects who have been exposed complain of constantly hearing every single sound around them as flat(in 13% of cases sharp) in relation to some internal pitch reference system that SCP-xxxx seemed to have imparted on them. Even the smallest of exposure to simple vibrations of the instruments strings or body cause anyone within hearing distance to be imparted with this skewed pitch reference system. Initial testing showed no adverse physical effects, but during psychological exams the intense psychological trauma of the exposed became rapidly apparent. A Class D unit was brought in to test the instrument and found that no matter how it was played or tuned, every single note was always flat or sharp to the listeners. The findings of that experiment were based solely on the testimony of the test subjects as no audio recording of the instrument is permitted. It is still not known what causes these phenomena.

Physical and Psychological Evaluation by Dr. ████████ █████████ accompanied by approved acousticians:

Patient ████ ██████

4/12/08: Patient exposed to SCP-xxxx on 4/11/08 complains of every sound, be it a cough, sneeze, talking, cars, fans, etc. as sounding flat to him. He is slightly distressed but nothing serious as of yet. Further testing needed.

4/13/08: Patient complains of insomnia and requests sleeping pills. Upon further questioning, he tells me that the sound of his own breathing is affecting him. Additionally, the patient constantly modulates his voice when speaking to attempt to match a certain pitch that is satisfactory to himself to no avail.

4/15/08: Patient returns and reports that the sleeping pills had no effect. Voice modulating has gotten worse. Patient prefers total silence and writes his questions or complaints. Even the sound of a pencil on paper is causing him considerable stress. To attempt to counter the sounds, I recommend and issue Class A hearing protectors and ear plugs.

4/16/08: Patient still hasn't slept and complains that the hearing protector and plugs had little to no effect. It seems that even vibrations and sounds from within his own body such as his heartbeat affect him. Acousticians take patient to lab for further sound testing. Results show that vibrations do indeed aggravate his symptoms.

4/17/08: Patient authorizes staff to induce permanent deafness. Further psychological evaluation to follow.

4/18/08: Procedure has been successful, however the patient is now highly distressed and describes a single pitch within his head constantly ringing. He says it is the same pitch he heard when he was exposed to SCP-10023 and yet again it is also flat in relation to his internal pitch reference system. It appears to be a strange form of tinnitus. Patient had to be restrained and is administered a sedative.

4/19/08: Patient has been found dead in his hospital room. Attempts to resuscitate prove fruitless. It appears he tore through his restraints; trauma to the head and ears appear self inflicted. Cuts on arms appear to be from the restraints he tore through. Further review of security footage confirms that the patient tore out of his restraints, stabbed himself in the ears with an electrical plug and then proceeded to slam his head on a metal table until dead.