what do you fear?
Music
Music is all around us in our lives and is in perfect harmony with nature. Our brains are unique in that we hear sounds differently than other animals, and this allows us to recognize music. We have associated certain intervals and scales with different moods of music, whether it be happy, sad, or neutral. Simple songs like 'Mary Had a Little Lamb' remain in a major key, with no dissonant tones. This leads to a soothing song, but becomes boring and expected. Through the years, composers have found ways to incorporate alter the standard chords of music to create more modern music. One specific example of how music is altered to fulfill a specific task is within horror movies. A film with no music will not give off the sense of fear effectively. A gory scene is just gruesome with no sound, but when accompanied by music, the scene becomes terrifying. One way to describe the role of the picture Composers of soundtracks for movies are tasked with creating songs that complement the movie in which it is being played. The instrumentation, key, and rhythm are all factors that affect the mood of a composition.
One of the most recognizable theme songs of all time is Jaws, and it is also one of the simplest. The minor 2nd is the interval we hear in this song and it radiates dread and anxiety. Whenever the song is played, viewers know that the shark is approaching. Other horror films, like Halloween and Friday the 13th have melodies that are always played when the killer appears. The most well known sounds within horror movies are that of a full orchestra. Composers write music to fit the movie perfectly, and the pace of the music often mimics that of the movie. Cues are written into the orchestration, such as the musical build up of strings/horns as the character approaches a door. Loud hits occur when the door opens, and even if nothing is there the viewers' hearts begin to race. The job of a composer for horror films is to maintain a strong presence with the soundtrack, but not to overshadow or take away from the film. Viewers should be loosely aware of the music, but not completely focusing on it. 'Micky-Mousing' is a type of composition that is more common in older films. Pioneered by Walt Disney, the music is directly related to the events on screen. Movements of the characters are heard within the orchestra, and isn't all too common in horror films. One example in which it is used is King Kong. As King Kong climbs the skyscraper, the music matches his movements, whether he falls or is climbing up. Another part of horror films is ambient music. This music is generally looped, and includes sounds like wind, rain, and thunder. Its purpose is to serve as background music, but helps to set the mood for viewers. When the music we have associated with 'scary' is playing, we know something is about to happen. Similarly to movies, video games also feature spectacular music at important points. Intense music correlates to the action in the game and if you hear this music and there is no one in front of you, chances are you're being followed.
http://www.eng.umu.se/monster/john/sound_music.htm
One of the most recognizable theme songs of all time is Jaws, and it is also one of the simplest. The minor 2nd is the interval we hear in this song and it radiates dread and anxiety. Whenever the song is played, viewers know that the shark is approaching. Other horror films, like Halloween and Friday the 13th have melodies that are always played when the killer appears. The most well known sounds within horror movies are that of a full orchestra. Composers write music to fit the movie perfectly, and the pace of the music often mimics that of the movie. Cues are written into the orchestration, such as the musical build up of strings/horns as the character approaches a door. Loud hits occur when the door opens, and even if nothing is there the viewers' hearts begin to race. The job of a composer for horror films is to maintain a strong presence with the soundtrack, but not to overshadow or take away from the film. Viewers should be loosely aware of the music, but not completely focusing on it. 'Micky-Mousing' is a type of composition that is more common in older films. Pioneered by Walt Disney, the music is directly related to the events on screen. Movements of the characters are heard within the orchestra, and isn't all too common in horror films. One example in which it is used is King Kong. As King Kong climbs the skyscraper, the music matches his movements, whether he falls or is climbing up. Another part of horror films is ambient music. This music is generally looped, and includes sounds like wind, rain, and thunder. Its purpose is to serve as background music, but helps to set the mood for viewers. When the music we have associated with 'scary' is playing, we know something is about to happen. Similarly to movies, video games also feature spectacular music at important points. Intense music correlates to the action in the game and if you hear this music and there is no one in front of you, chances are you're being followed.
http://www.eng.umu.se/monster/john/sound_music.htm
