Film Score Terminology

Question 1

Composer

Answer 1

The individual who writes and arranges the music for a film

Question 2

Score

Answer 2

The original music written specifically to accompany a film, enhancing its mood and emotion

Question 3

Motif

Answer 3

A short, recurring musical idea or sequence associated with a particular character, setting or emtion

Question 4

Leitmotif

Answer 4

A musical theme associated with a particular person, place, idea or emotion that recurs throughout a film, evolving as the narrative progresses

Question 5

Diegetic Music

Answer 5

Music that originates within a film’s world, such as a radio playing or a character singing

Question 6

Non-diegetic Music

Answer 6

Music that doesn’t have a source within the narrative world, usually the background score

Question 7

Temp Track

Answer 7

A temporary audio track, usually consisting of pre-existing music, used as a placeholder in the editing process before the final score is added.

Question 8

Orchestration

Answer 8

The organization of music for an orchestra or ensemble performance.

Question 9

Cue

Answer 9

Specific musical segment or piece that corresponds to a particular scene or moment in the film

Question 10

Sync Point

Answer 10

A precise moment where a musical event aligns with a visual event

Question 11

Stinger

Answer 11

Short musical phrase used to accent or highlight a specific moment, often used for dramatic or shocking moments

Question 12

Underscore

Answer 12

Background music that supports the mood of a scene without drawing attention to itself

Question 13

Mickey-Mousing

Answer 13

A scoring technique where the music closely mimics the on-screen action, often used in animation

Question 14

Ambient soundtrack

Answer 14

Background score that creates an atmospheric soundscape rather than melodic themes

Question 15

Soundtrack

Answer 15

The audio component of a movie, including the score, dialogue, sound effects and any other music

Question 16

Source Music

Answer 16

= Diegetic Music, music that characters in the film can hear

Question 17

Theme

Answer 17

Central or recurring musical Idea, often representing the film’s main subject or emotion

Question 18

Overture

Answer 18

A piece of music played at the beginning of a film, usually presenting its main themes

Question 19

Incidental music

Answer 19

Music used in the background of a scene, often to create mood or atmosphere

Question 20

Texture

Answer 20

How layers of a sound are interwoven in a score - thick (many layers) or thin (few layers)

Question 21

Dynamics

Answer 21

The volume of music, used to emphasize certain scenes or moments.

Question 22

Crescendo

Answer 22

Gradual increase in loudness
≈ Fade In

Question 23

Decrecsendo

Answer 23

Gradual decrease in loudness
≈ Fade out

Question 24

Counterpoint

Answer 24

The relationship between two or more melodies played simultaneously, often creating harmonic tension

Question 25

Dissonance

Answer 25

A combination of tones that sound unstable or tense

Question 26

Consonance

Answer 26

A harmonious combination of tones

Question 27

Timbre

Answer 27

The unique character or quality of a musical sound, differentiating instruments from one another