Rattling under 1200 RPM

When my engine drops below 1200 RPM, I get a light, but high-pitched, rattling noise. I've heard this sound in many old cars.

I figure it's just part of the natural wear down of some engine component. My questions are: what is it that's worn out and what is the usual remedy?

Thanks for any help!

well, funny this should be posted right now, when it rattles does it sound like it is from the top of the car? or when you go under and listen under the car, is it from the bottom? If it is from the bottom, and it is hella loud, You probably just incountered what I just did, Fucking spun bearing.... It may be a couple of other things, something is hitting on something that it shouldn't check you exhaust to drive shaft, your heat shields if you have any... more of a description would be in order, is your car turbo?

Yeah, I need to put my car's spec in my sig...

I have a 1997 Base Eclipse, Standard.

The rattling sounds near the top of the engine and is pretty low (in terms of decibels). I'm very new to cars, but I figured it would be something like loose rockers or such.

does it sound like a tick...... or a knocking, or a rattiling.....

does it sound like a tick...... or a knocking, or a rattiling.....
Definitely not a ticking or knocking. It's a distinct rattling sound. Very quick and high-pitched, but not overly loud. It's tied to the RPM. The fast I rev the engine, the faster it gets, but it either goes away or becomes to quick that I no longer hear it over 1200 RPM.

Aside from the noise, I've noticed no other adverse affects in my engine.

Definitely not a ticking or knocking. It's a distinct rattling sound. Very quick and high-pitched, but not overly loud. It's tied to the RPM. The fast I rev the engine, the faster it gets, but it either goes away or becomes to quick that I no longer hear it over 1200 RPM.

Aside from the noise, I've noticed no other adverse affects in my engine.
Look for a loose bolt or something. My AC lines rattle at a certain RPM. Check the bolts on your heat shield, and exhaust too.

It is probably your exhaust rattling up against the heatshield. My current car and previous 97 eclipse both do that.

It is probably your exhaust rattling up against the heatshield. My current car and previous 97 eclipse both do that.

Would this be fixed by tightening the bolts, as loeman has recommended, or is it more complex than that?

have by chance looked under the car yourself and checked?

It is probably your exhaust rattling up against the heatshield. My current car and previous 97 eclipse both do that.

Thanks for the tip. I tightened every bolt I could lay my hands on (without having to take something else apart) and the noise is no longer present.

Thanks AbsoluteGTR, and everyone else that helped!