The Effects of Film Music - Instruments, Emotions, and Perception

The influence of film scores is enormous. It can bring people to tears or bring them joy. To create this effect, various principles are used in film music to specifically affect the audience’s perception and mood.

Film music has two important tasks. On the one hand, it gives filmmakers a tool to bridge the gap between image and sound. Film music, on the other hand, is the basis for evoking an emotional response or creating a mood in the audience.

Table of Contents

Basic role of film soundtrack

Movie music triggers feelings in each of us. Joy, sadness, and even fear can be conveyed through them. Therefore, the soundtrack of a media message is a key factor in generating emotions. According to the audience’s listening habits, film music is subjectively perceived.

Personal experiences make up a large part of our musical perception. A song can evoke a memory of a first kiss, or it can be tied to a sad loss. Joy and sorrow are often closely linked here.

But in addition to all subjective influences, film composers can also use film music techniques in a targeted manner, artificially create artistic conceptions and emotions, and appeal to the basic instincts of the listeners, thereby producing a targeted impact on people’s psychology.

The effect of film music is very evident in horror films, where the listener doesn’t have to like the music at all, and the pure use of low to very harsh sounds creates a subconsciously threatening mood. The recipient is terrified.
Calm piano pieces, on the contrary, can have a relaxing effect on the listener and make them dream.
Dramatic music uses booming horns and loud drums to convey rhythm and dynamics. Tension often builds here and culminates in a climax.

The Effects of Advertising and Music in Movies

Music and emotion are closely linked. Composers use this feature to make advertising music or image films, in order to subtly use music to influence viewers.

Telling stories in television, cinema, and in new media such as online commercials or computer games (video game music) is unthinkable today without film music. The following points have a significant impact on the way music is perceived emotionally.

choice of instrument
Speed, Power, and Clarity
Composition – Harmony and Melody

Instruments and their effects

In film music, instrument selection and pitch play a key role in triggering the listener’s emotions. The musical composition itself plays less of a role here than the choice of instrument and the way it is played. In technical terms, there is also talk of emotional technology. The following is an overview of musical instruments and their effects on people.

instruments and clichés

Some tools are assigned positive or negative attributes. Here’s a rough overview:

active tool

violin
flute
piano

The friendly and cheerful qualities are attributed to the violin and flute. Additionally, these instruments can convey exuberance and love. The piano represents romance and can create a sense of happiness for the listener.

negative tool

Room
double bass
clarinet

On the other hand, some instruments have rather negative qualities. Wind instruments can represent the seriousness or loss of a landscape, conveying the meaning of parting. The double bass threatens and portends disaster.