The Role Of Background Music In Films
Music, as we have all known and heard, is an expression of human emotions. Sometimes, these emotions are joyful, leading to a jumping ballad, and sometimes, these emotions have a touch of melancholy, encouraging the use of sadder musical scales and keys. In all cases, music holds the power to impact our energies, influence our emotions, and set the tone for events around us.
Background music in films has been doing this for nearly ten decades. But is it a necessity? Or could movies keep performing even without background music?
Role of Music in Films: Does Background Music Help?
At some point in time, we have all found ourselves glued to a movie or TV show with great background music. Whether it’s the iconic rock guitar played between different shots in the TV show FRIENDS, or a spooky track on the back of a horror movie, it all adds to the film.
Background Music Sets the Tone
Ever wondered how sometimes listening to music can trigger great thoughts, actions, or ideas in our minds? All of this happens because the music around us sets an environment for us to think around.
For example, listening to meditation music may help calm the mind, enabling us to go deeper into meditation, headbanging to punk rock can make the listeners feel a sudden pump of energy, the background track in a horror movie can give us chills, and if you are a musician, music of many kinds may give rise to solo or improv-ideas in your mind.
Similarly, background music in movies sets a tone, and helps convey the emotions being played on the screen.
It Improves the Recall
Iconic background tracks used in many movies and TV shows can help improve the recall for the audience.
Whether it’s the title track used in the show Money Heist, or the one used in Breaking Bad, the music associated with these (and hundreds of other productions) enables viewers to remember the film whenever they hear the music again.
Also, in a way, this background music can kindle excitement in the audience, as they revisit their favorite movie or TV show. As the background music starts building up, they can instantly recall one of the iconic scenes in the film.
It Presents Contrary Thoughts
Oftentimes, using a background track contrary to the scene can help present different perspectives to the audience. This technique can help better showcase certain plot twists.
For example, professor Snape actually turned out to be a pro-hero character in the Harry Potter movie series. The background music conveys a partly sad scenery where Snape is actually the good guy, who has mostly been misunderstood.
Apart from this, background music can also help establish a character’s qualities, which are contrary to what the audience may perceive from the first look.
It Drives Development through Scenes
Whether it’s the thematic development of the film, or the character development of a character (of course), suitable background music can build a platform where the subtle changes can commence from.
Many teenage Hollywood movies coming out in the early 2000s used to represent summer through happy guitar chord progressions and shiny bright afternoons.
In fact, the idea was communicated in a way that such music can make us imagine a sunny, happy spring afternoon, and vice versa.
It Conveys A Time Period and Culture
Whether it’s the track played during the entry scene of Admiral General Aladeen in the US (movie: The Dictator), or the spanish guitar sequences found in many Hollywood movies representing Mexico, certain musical genres are used to signify cultures and time periods in movies.
Where to Find Movie Background Music for Free?
If you are a filmmaker looking for story background music for your upcoming project(s), Beatoven is the place for you.
Beatoven.ai is an AI based tool that enables creators across the globe to create music suited for scenic and creative purposes in a few clicks, and lets them download it for free (thirty minutes a month or a professional plan).
From picking a genre to trimming your track, changing the mood and choosing the tempo, Beatoven lets you do everything, except for the hard work of creating musical beats from scratch.
Visit the website and create unique background music today.
