Despite being used across many different sectors, the importance of music within entertainment arguably remains unrivalled. Over the years, many of the most successful releases have utilised sound in various ways and, in doing so, have created unforgettable pieces of television and cinema.
While soundtracks are of real importance to attracting initial interest nowadays, we’re going to focus primarily on how music and sound are used to manipulate emotions when watching films and television shows.
Building anticipation
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Music has often been used within the entertainment industry to build anticipation. In being able to set the tone, sound is central to creating a specific atmosphere in environments where a climactic moment is set to occur. Much like locations, characters can also be recognisable through particular sounds. Typically in films, villains are given negative thematic identities which can appear in anticipation of their presence within atmospheric scenes.
Outside of the entertainment industry, the gaming industry is equally as intelligent with its use of music and sound. From fantasy to horror, each genre has its own specific tone-type with different musical motifs. Quite different from the sound that is used in film and television, here musical bursts and changes in pace and atmosphere have to trigger with every step you take through the narrative journey.
Similarly, online casino platforms have long used music to build excitement and tension within their games. For example, Starburst, a popular slot game available at NetBet, uses a cosmic arcade-style sound to build anticipation before winning, which also conjures up that feeling of nostalgia for its players. Additionally, Pirates’ Plenty The Sunken Treasure opts for an orchestra-focused approach in order to create a dramatic backdrop of sound which gives the feel of being on an old sailing ship.
Purposeful opposition
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Over the years, light-hearted titles have demonstrated how music is integral to creating a comedic effect. While its implementation may have developed from the early origins of cinema, its influence remains much the same. Selecting an appropriate sound is pivotal to creating the desired mood among viewers, and along with being used to fill a void, it can also assist in contrasting the visual tone of any given scene.
Purposeful opposition regarding setting and tone has been prevalent throughout the history of film and television. When seeking to create a sense of calm or chaos in non-matching situations, this approach is often preferred. Through selecting a sound which fails to mirror the atmosphere of a relevant scene, it helps in forming a more light-hearted feel in moments of seemingly inevitable adversity or, on the contrary, an extreme sense of discomfort when faced with this paradox of visuals and sound.
Storyline immersion
Furthermore, music is essential in immersing viewers at points of high emotion. As touched upon already, compositions have the potential to change the entire feel of a film or television series, especially in moments where character speech is minimal. Crucially, choosing the right amount of sound can be decisive to the overall success of a release, especially in scenarios where music is the favoured approach to filling a void. In contrast, the complete lack of sound can produce an equally effective cinematic moment.
Grey’s Anatomy is also a prime example of the impact of music on emotions. Throughout the show’s existence, The Fray’s ‘How to Save a Life’ has been used on numerous occasions within emotional scenes to increase immersion with their many storylines. New Girl, One Tree Hill, Scrubs and many more shows have also featured the song following its release back in 2005. It seems the song seems to hit all the right emotional notes for American sitcom creators.
Irrespective of genre, music can result in the production of iconic scenes and titles. Whether contrasting sounds are used for comedic effect or compositions seek to create emotionally charged pictures, music’s relevance to the entertainment industry shouldn’t be understated.