Music, an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony and colour (Dictionary.com, 2015). Music in it’s purest form transcends language barriers and borders. A melody can alter our emotions, soothe us, rile us, and make us wonder. The power of music cannot be understated in it’s ability to shape ones emotions and to change how we are meant to think, this is nowhere more apparent than film. Music adds energy to stories and characters, it elevates a films sense of reality and enables us as the viewer to better connect with the visuals we see (Rona, 2000).
Film is a visual medium that has been shaped by the soundtracks that adorn them. Since the days of silent films music has been the driving force when it comes to story, pace and the building of tension. The latter being particularly true when it came to silent movies, owing to the era in which many of these movies were made special effects were at a …show more content…
Yet, as Robyn Stilwell has pointed out about film sound in general, we can’t cover our ears with the same certain of muting the unwanted sounds as we can avert our gaze to stop seeing something” (Lerner, 2010). When it came to film music, horror films allowed for greater experimentation in regards to harmony and instrumentation. Due to the nature of horror films where the intention is to scare and make one feel uneasy it wasn’t uncommon for soundtracks to be effects laden or to have sudden stinger chord. Horrors films were noted in playing music and visual against each other where the most tonal and non eventful of soundtracks took new meaning when put over gruesome scenes, it was this oxymoron that would cause the unease in the viewer (Lerner,
Film is a visual medium that has been shaped by the soundtracks that adorn them. Since the days of silent films music has been the driving force when it comes to story, pace and the building of tension. The latter being particularly true when it came to silent movies, owing to the era in which many of these movies were made special effects were at a …show more content…
Yet, as Robyn Stilwell has pointed out about film sound in general, we can’t cover our ears with the same certain of muting the unwanted sounds as we can avert our gaze to stop seeing something” (Lerner, 2010). When it came to film music, horror films allowed for greater experimentation in regards to harmony and instrumentation. Due to the nature of horror films where the intention is to scare and make one feel uneasy it wasn’t uncommon for soundtracks to be effects laden or to have sudden stinger chord. Horrors films were noted in playing music and visual against each other where the most tonal and non eventful of soundtracks took new meaning when put over gruesome scenes, it was this oxymoron that would cause the unease in the viewer (Lerner,