SCP-2458

Description

SCP-2458 is a cello dating back to the early 18th century, consistent with the works of luthier Giuseppe Guarneri, with expected age and wear. The instrument has been restrung within the past 40 years.

When played, SCP-2458 causes individuals within earshot to make rhythmic movements and vocalizations in tempo with the music. The movements are specific to the piece played, but typically involve head nodding, arm waving, and incoherent murmuring. The player of SCP-2458 is not affected, nor any ensemble performing with the player. Live broadcasts carry the effect, but playbacks do not. Prolonged or repeated exposure to the effect of SCP-2458 causes extreme distress in listeners, who develop melophobia and stereotypic movement disorders.

D-7294, a trained symphony cellist with psychopathic tendencies.
Listeners: D-296, D-385, D-4883, D-5019
Work: Bach Cello Suite #1
Result: Listeners demonstrate more complex movements, standing and bowing, followed by kneeling, assuming a stance common to Catholic prayer. Listeners chant "Kyrie eleison" five times during performance. Listeners afterward express further distress at loss of motor control.

Experiment 2458-G
Player: D-7294
Listeners: D-296, D-385, D-4883, D-5019
Work: Shostakovich's Cello Concerto
Result: Listeners showed considerable agitation at the start of the test. When the performance began, listeners immediately ceased resistance and tapped their foreheads in unison. At 6:17, D-7294 deviated from test protocol and played an impromptu dissonant piece. D-385 poked his own eyes while D-5019 and D-4883 strangled each other. D-296 removed his coveralls [DATA EXPUNGED]. At 15:18, D-5019, D-4883, and D-296 had expired while D-385 was blinded. Researchers instructed D-7294 to stop. D-7294 complied.

D-385 showed extreme melophobia after Experiment 2458-G, claiming the music told him to self-harm. D-7294 is retained for future testing.

Addendum 2458-2: Recovery Log" id="addendum-2458-1-experiment-log-strong-p-blockquote-pstrongexperiment-2458-a-strongbr-strongplayer-strong-d-385br-stronglisteners-strong-d-296-d-4883-d-5019br-strongwork-strong-twinkle-twinkle-little-starbr-strongresult-strong-listeners-bob-their-head-in-time-with-the-music-regular-mistakes-by-d-385-cause-listeners-to-twitch-and-break-the-effect-before-reestablishment-listeners-report-unease-at-loss-of-motor-control-p-blockquote-blockquote-pstrongexperiment-2458-d-strongbr-strongplayer-strong-a-data-scp-tooltipscp-847-hrefbasedir-object-scp-847d-7294-a-a-trained-symphony-cellist-with-psychopathic-tendenciesbr-stronglisteners-strong-d-296-d-385-d-4883-d-5019br-strongwork-strong-bach-cello-suite-1br-strongresult-strong-listeners-demonstrate-more-complex-movements-standing-and-bowing-followed-by-kneeling-assuming-a-stance-common-to-catholic-prayer-listeners-chant-quotkyrie-eleisonquot-five-times-during-performance-listeners-afterward-express-further-distress-at-loss-of-motor-control-p-blockquote-blockquote-pstrongexperiment-2458-g-strongbr-strongplayer-strong-d-7294br-stronglisteners-strong-d-296-d-385-d-4883-d-5019br-strongwork-strong-shostakovichs-cello-concertobr-strongresult-strong-listeners-showed-considerable-agitation-at-the-start-of-the-test-when-the-performance-began-listeners-immediately-ceased-resistance-and-tapped-their-foreheads-in-unison-at-617-d-7294-deviated-from-test-protocol-and-played-an-impromptu-dissonant-piece-d-385-poked-his-own-eyes-while-d-5019-and-d-4883-strangled-each-other-d-296-removed-his-coveralls-data-expunged-at-1518-d-5019-d-4883-and-d-296-had-expired-while-d-385-was-blinded-researchers-instructed-d-7294-to-stop-d-7294-complied-p-pd-385-showed-extreme-melophobia-after-experiment-2458-g-claiming-the-music-told-him-to-self-harm-d-7294-is-retained-for-future-testing-p-blockquote-pstrongaddendum-2458-2-recovery-log">Addendum 2458-1: Experiment Log