family background music
Being Scared in a Music Soundtrack
The most effective and frightening soundtrack example I can think of is from Alfred Hitchcock’s movie Psycho. Famed soundtrack composer, Bernard Herrmann, created a chilling effect using piercing and screeching violins played in their highest registers. As the film progresses, when you hear that sound cue repeated, you know something really bad is going to happen. Another famous cue that works in a similar way is the 3-note phrase in the low string orchestra that announces the presence of the killer shark in the first Jaws film.
Soundtracks moments like the one in Psycho are great for portraying outright evil and horror but underscoring the feeling of fear can be done in subtler ways too.
Ordinary Actions Become Extraordinary
Sometimes the soundtrack notifies the audience that what they are seeing has a darker meaning. The movie Michael Clayton, which I saw this past weekend, does this a lot. The on-screen events are quite ordinary – a women is getting dressed for work – yet she is accompanied by a chilling soundtrack.
The music acts against the scene, contrary to it. It is telling us that these events are not ordinary and have importance beyond their actions. In fact, the music is telling us that these normal events are somehow scary. Something terrible is going to happen.
The Audience Knows a Secret
Sometimes the audience is let in on a secret, maybe a dark secret, that the central characters in the story don’t yet know about. You watch as events unfold and you see them getting further and further into trouble. Here again, a dark or suspenseful underscore can work wonders by building the tension against what is happening on screen.
The Inner Struggle
Lets say, in your story, your main character, a salesman, is boarding an airplane but we in the audience already know he has a terrible fear of flying. The flight attendants are welcoming families and other travelers on board the plane. The airplane cabin is filled with rather innocuous, but pleasant background music. Then we cut to the main character boarding the plane. Now the music changes to full-on frightening, horror soundtrack. The music portrays his inner psychology – his feelings of fear.
News Event/World Crisis
If you create documentaries or news programming, then you may need, at times, to show painful footage from current world events. This is another time where dark underscore works well. It sets the underlying emotional atmosphere for the accompanying footage.
Part of every media producer’s soundtrack arsenal includes the ability to underscore fright, fear, and events that are difficult or harrowing. Horror music tracks are like the dark colors, the dark shades in your soundtrack toolkit. Using them paints a chilly or terrifying picture.
About the Author
John Bickerton is the Creative Director for UniqueTracks.com, a royalty free music provider offering classical, background and production music, royalty free.
Livingston Taylor – The Taylor Family Background (2 of 10)
|
|
Camera Scrapbook Stickers Featuring vivid, picture-perfect realism, Paper House 2″ Wide Stickers are incredibly versatile. In fact theyre perfect for envelope seals, school projects, good behavior rewards, party favors… and thats just the beginning of their uses…. |
|
|
Elvis Cardstock Stickers … |
|
|
Elvis Scrapbook Stickers Featuring vivid, picture-perfect realism, Paper House 2″ Wide Stickers are incredibly versatile. In fact they’re perfect for envelope seals, school projects, good behavior rewards, party favors… and that’s just the beginning of their uses…. |
|
|
Victor Borge Live! $4.35 Audio CD; Sony Masterworks catalog #MDK 48482; total playing time 74:22; 1992. Delightful selections including “Comedy in Music” to enjoy this master of entertainment!… |
|
|
Victor Borge: Caught in the Act $9.39 … |
|
|
It Still Remains $4.75 It Still Remains contains 10 songs, all original material ranging in variety and style that will find favor with Contemporary Christian, Gospel, and Praise & Worship music listeners. The music and vocal arrangements will capture the attention of young people of all cultures and backgrounds. The cross-culture appeal of this project is evident in the selection (Jesus Is Coming Soon) in which they tr… |
|
|
Mega Bloks MagNext 29305 MagNext iCoaster with 18 Sleek Tracks, 20 Background Musics, 2 Light-Up Sensors, 5 Magnetic Balls, 10 Adjustable Towers and 7 Hyper Stunts $40.00 With an amazing new magnetic stunt, tracks that connect and lock into place, the MagNext iCoaster is an impressive, buildable, state-of-the-art rollercoaster. A revolutionary experience in creative construction, the iCoaster combines sight, sound and speed with extreme magnetism, high-tech design and some ultra-cool physics. Build 10 suggested extreme coaster configurations or apply your own creat… |
|
|
Amsterdam city sites travel guide $9.99 Amsterdam travel guide.Background to AmsterdamAmsterdam is the capital city of the Netherlands. It is known throughout the world as one of the greatest small cities in the world. It lies on the banks of two rivers, the Amstel and IJ, and from its canals to the world famous museums and historical sights, Amsterdam has long been considered as one of the most romantic and wonderful cities in the whol… |
|
|
How to Dress Dancers: Costuming Techniques for Dance $13.22 Geared for costuming dancers, this book includes more than 400 line drawings that demonstrate how to make a costume from a sketch rather than a pattern. Detailed instructions for making classical and romantic tutus, bodices, blouses, costumes for men, tights, leotards and skirts are presented, along with designs for character, national, and period costumes. Directions for headdresses, props, decor… |
|
|
HP Pavilion P6367C Intel Core 2 Quad 2.5 GHz Desktop Computer (Refurbished) $569.99 This HP computer is decked out with a lightning quick Intel Core 2 Quad 2.5 GHz processor and 8 GB or DDR3 RAM. The computer is also loaded with a 1 TB SATA hard drive which provides plenty of space for music, movies, documents, games and programs. |
|
|
The Bartley Brothers – Hit the Road [8/24] $14.23 Disc 1:Loneliness Moved InCold Dark GroundLong Hard LifeGod`s Family TreeHit the RoadShe`S There At the BarromJust Call On HimLittle GirlShe`s GoneTravelin` PreacherDarlin` Say You`l… |
|
|
Dredd Foole – Kissing The Contemporary Bliss * $18.98 Disc 1:DISC 1:Dog Star WaltzAbove Ground FriendI Wuz BornLay Lady Lay (Be)Walk Right InLipsOnce I Was NotRaga Moderne #1Disc 2:DISC 2:Light At The Ditch Of A Sp… |
|
|
Enya – Amarantine $13.08 Second only to U2 as the most successful Irish recording artist of all time, Enya`s blend of folk melodies, synthesized backdrops and classical motifs has attracted a worldwide fan base. This matching folio contains all 12 songs from the 2005 release A… |
|
|
Comprehensive Review of Headache Medicines $36.83 Headache Medicine has recently become an official medical subspecialty. Practitioners who specialize in the field come from many different backgrounds including neurology, internal medicine, anesthesiology, rehabilitation medicine, family medicine, ps… |