The tone moves the viewer from scene to scene, jumping forward in time with all the importance and immediacy of a judge's gavel – which is exactly what Post was aiming for when he created it. While reminiscent of a jail door slamming, it is actually an of "six or seven" sounds, including the sound made by 500 Japanese men walking across a hardwood floor. The sound has become so associated with the "Law & Order" brand that it was also carried over to other series of the franchise.