Film Music Basics
Music written or selected to enhance a movie’s story, emotions, and atmosphere.
What is Film Music?
This composer often uses a recurring musical theme, or leitmotif, to represent a character or idea, such as in Star Wars.
Who is John Williams?
The three main purposes of music in film are known by this name.
What is the Triple E?
This is the name for temporary music placed into a movie during editing.
What is Temp Music?
A director wants a scene in a haunted house to feel scary without showing a monster. What type of music or sound could you use to build suspense?
What is eerie sounds, low notes, dissonance, or suspenseful background music?
This type of film music is original instrumental music written specifically for a movie.
What is a Score?
This composer is known for creating dark, quirky, and playful music for movies
Who is Danny Elfman?
Music that creates the atmosphere of a location, such as ocean waves, serves this purpose.
What is Establishing a setting?
Why might a director use temp music instead of leaving a scene silent during editing?
What is to test the mood, pacing, rhythm, or emotional impact of the scene?
You are scoring a science-fiction movie. How could you use instruments or technology to make the music sound futuristic and different from a traditional orchestral score?
What is using synthesizers, electronic effects, processed instruments, unusual timbres, or a combination of electronic and orchestral sounds.
This type of film music includes songs used in a movie, whether original or pre-existing
What is a Soundtrack?
This composer uses massive orchestral sounds, electronic synthesizers, and driving rhythms in movies
Music that changes to match a character’s mood or actions serves this purpose
A director loves a temporary song, but the studio cannot afford to license it. What must the composer do?
What is Write new, original music that serves the scene?
A director wants the audience to recognize a villain whenever they appear. What compositional technique could you use to give that character a recognizable musical identity? (Hint: John Williams)
What is a leitmotif?
What is the main difference between Non-Diegetic and Diegetic Music?
What is the music someone can hear?
Diegetic Music they CAN hear and Non-Diegetic a character can NOT hear
This composer is known for using unusual combinations of instruments, including a bass recorder
Who is Ludwig Göransson?
A song’s lyrics explain a character’s secret plan, giving the audience information they would not otherwise know. Which of the Triple E purposes is this?
What is Enforce the Storyline?
This problem occurs when a director becomes so attached to a temporary song that they want the composer’s new music to sound just like it.
What is Temp Love?
You are composing music for a scene set in Ireland. Explain how you could use music to establish the setting, enforce the storyline, and express emotion.
Establish the Setting: Use traditional Irish instruments, such as the fiddle, tin whistle, or Celtic harp, to help the audience recognize the Irish setting.
Enforce the Storyline: Use lyrics in a song to explain a character’s plans, reveal a secret, or tell the audience about an important event.
Express Emotion: Use a slow, gentle Irish melody to express sadness or a lively jig to express excitement and happiness.
Give TWO examples of Diegetic Music and Non-Diegetic Music
Diegetic Music - Music a character can hear
Non-Diegetic Music - Music a character CAN NOT hear
Name 3 composers use large orchestra in their film scores while also using different techniques.
Who is John Williams, Hans Zimmer, and Howard Shore?
John Williams: Reoccurring leitmotifs and bold orchestral melodies
Hans Zimmer: Electronic sounds with powerful orchestral music
Howard Shore: Uses regional folk instruments alongside a large orchestra
Give one example of each of the Triple E purposes of music in film for a spooky movie: Establish a Setting, Enforce the Storyline, and Express Emotion.
Establish a Setting: Eerie music with creaking sounds plays as the camera shows an abandoned, haunted house.
Enforce the Storyline: A character sings or hears lyrics that reveal a ghost’s identity or explain a secret about the house.
Express Emotion: Fast, intense music plays as a character runs away from a monster, making the audience feel scared and anxious.
An editor cuts every action in a scene to match the beats of a temporary song. What is one challenge this creates when the temp track is replaced?
What is the new music may not match the original timing, rhythm, or edits.
You are scoring a chase scene. The director wants the music to become more intense as the chase continues. Describe two musical changes you could make.
What is increase the tempo, build dynamics, add instruments, intensify the rhythm, or use higher tension in the harmony?