Film Score Terminology Flashcards
(27 cards)
Composer
The individual who writes and arranges the music for a film
Score
The original music written specifically to accompany a film, enhancing its mood and emotion
Motif
A short, recurring musical idea or sequence associated with a particular character, setting or emtion
Leitmotif
A musical theme associated with a particular person, place, idea or emotion that recurs throughout a film, evolving as the narrative progresses
Diegetic Music
Music that originates within a film’s world, such as a radio playing or a character singing
Non-diegetic Music
Music that doesn’t have a source within the narrative world, usually the background score
Temp Track
A temporary audio track, usually consisting of pre-existing music, used as a placeholder in the editing process before the final score is added.
Orchestration
The organization of music for an orchestra or ensemble performance.
Cue
Specific musical segment or piece that corresponds to a particular scene or moment in the film
Sync Point
A precise moment where a musical event aligns with a visual event
Stinger
Short musical phrase used to accent or highlight a specific moment, often used for dramatic or shocking moments
Underscore
Background music that supports the mood of a scene without drawing attention to itself
Mickey-Mousing
A scoring technique where the music closely mimics the on-screen action, often used in animation
Ambient soundtrack
Background score that creates an atmospheric soundscape rather than melodic themes
Soundtrack
The audio component of a movie, including the score, dialogue, sound effects and any other music
Source Music
= Diegetic Music, music that characters in the film can hear
Theme
Central or recurring musical Idea, often representing the film’s main subject or emotion
Overture
A piece of music played at the beginning of a film, usually presenting its main themes
Incidental music
Music used in the background of a scene, often to create mood or atmosphere
Texture
How layers of a sound are interwoven in a score - thick (many layers) or thin (few layers)
Dynamics
The volume of music, used to emphasize certain scenes or moments.
Crescendo
Gradual increase in loudness
≈ Fade In
Decrecsendo
Gradual decrease in loudness
≈ Fade out
Counterpoint
The relationship between two or more melodies played simultaneously, often creating harmonic tension
