Hello everyone.

How are you today? I hope you're feeling really good.

I'm so pleased that you're here.

My name is Ms. Afzal, and I'll be your teacher for this lesson.

I'm feeling very pleased about that, because today we are looking at music in early movies.

I wonder if you've seen early movies before, I wonder if you've heard the music that accompanies these early movies.

Whether you have or not, we're gonna be getting right into it, and I hope you'll find that really interesting.

Our lesson is called, Action In Early Movies, and it comes from the unit of work, Film Music.

So if you're ready with some focus, energy and enthusiasm, we'll begin our lesson.

The outcome for today's lesson is, I can explain how music was used in early movies, and can create music for a typical chase scene in a silent movie.

We have some keywords in our lesson.

Let's go through them.

Silent movie, chase scene and scalic.

What do these words mean? Silent movie is a film that has no recorded sound, common between the 1890s and 1920s.

A chase scene, a scene in which a character is chased.

And scalic, a melody that uses segments of a scale.

These are our keywords, silent movie, chase scene and scalic.

Let's look and listen out for them, they'll be coming up in our lesson today.

Our lesson is called, Action in Early Movies, and it has two learning cycles.

First of all, music in early movies, and then, action music in silent movies.

Let's begin by exploring music in early movies.

Early movies were very different from movies as we know them today.

Between the 1890s and 1920s, the technology to record sound or films did not exist, as a result this was the era of silent movies, films with no recorded sound.

Watch this clip from a silent movie.

(no audio) We can't hear the speech, so filmmakers have to communicate messages in two ways, one, through action and body language.

Two, through written words.

Music was often performed live in the theater as the film was being shown, either with a solo performer, piano or organ player, or in some large theaters by an orchestra.

Solo performers tended to improvise along with the film, trying to match the action and mood in each scene.

Watch the same clip with music that is typical of a silent movie.

(gentle piano music) (gentle music continues) (gentle music continues) The music often exaggerates moods to ensure the audiences experience the correct emotions.

Let's analyze a few different scenes.

How does this music match the calm, positive mood of this romantic scene? (gentle music) (gentle music continues) Let's hear from Aisha, "The major tonality and the choice of timbres, strings and woodwind, create a feeling of warmth and love.

The slow tempo, legato articulation, and slow rhythms create a peaceful, calm mood." How does the music suit the silliness of the action in this comedy scene? Let's watch the video.

(playful music) (playful music continues) So let's gather some responses.

Here's Jun, "The melody uses lots of chromatic notes and a long trill that sounds comedic." And Sofia, "The accented notes and sudden changes in dynamics sound exaggerated and silly." It uses repeated phrases to show repeated actions in slightly different ways.

This scene is full of action and drama.

What features of the music make it effective here? Let's watch the video.

(dramatic music) (dramatic music continues) And now let's gather some responses.

Here's Sam, "The fast tempo and fast repeating rhythms create a sense of action.

The minor tonality and dramatic accented chords create a feeling of drama.

The thick texture, powerful instruments, brass and loud dynamics add to the feeling of action and excitement." I wonder if you noticed as well that the bass line sounds a bit like the motion of a train and the brass sounds a bit like a train horn.

Let's have a check for understanding.

When was the era of silent movies? Was it A, 1870s to 1900s.

B, 1890s to 1920s.

C, 1910s to 1940s.

Or D, 1930s to 1960s.

Pause here while you decide, when was the era of silent movies.

Well done if you selected answer B.

Indeed, the era of silent movies was from the 1890s to the 1920s.

Let's have another check for understanding.

Why were movies silent in that period? Is it A, filmmakers didn't want to use sound.

B, it was cheaper to not use sound.

C, speakers to play back sound didn't exist.

Or D, technology to record sound didn't exist.

Pause here while you decide why were movie silent in that period.

Well done if you selected answer D, indeed, it's because technology to record sound didn't exist that movies were silent in that period.

Let's have another check for understanding.

Which statement is not true about music in silent movies.

Is it A, it was usually performed live in the theater.

B, it was recorded and played through speakers.

C, orchestras sometimes performed.

D, it was usually a solo piano player.

Pause here while you decide which of these statements is not true about music in silent movies.

Well done if you selected answer B, this statement is not true about it being recorded and played through speakers.

And now it's time for your first task.

I would like you to list two ways that filmmakers showed what actors were saying on screen.

This clip is from a comedy scene.

I would like you to name one way that the music suits this scene.

How is the instrumentation typical of silent movie music? And what is the other instrument that often accompanies silent movies? So pause now and watch this clip from a comedy scene and then answer the questions.

(playful music) (fast-paced playful music) So how did you get on with that task? Listing two ways that filmmakers showed what actors were saying on screen.

Perhaps you noted something like this, action, body language and written words.

You watch the clip from the comedy scene and then answer this question, name one way that the music suits this scene.

Perhaps you said something like this.

It uses silly sound effects, boing, use of glissando, chromatic notes, and exaggerated dynamics and articulation.

Next question.

How is the instrumentation typical of silent movie music? Perhaps you said something like this, it is an orchestra performing.

And finally, what is the other instrument that often accompanies silent movies? Perhaps you answered in this way.

A solo piano is the other instrument that often accompanies them.

Well done for having a go at this task and answering these questions.

And now we're onto our next learning cycle, action music in silent movies.

Many silent movies involved fast action scenes, in particular, the chase scene.

This was common in comedy movies where a character is chased and numerous mishaps happen along the way.

Let's watch this video.

(fast-paced playful music) (fast-paced playful music continues) Music in chase scenes use specific features to enhance the action and create a sense of excitement.

Listen to this example.

How does this music contribute to the mood of a chase scene? Listen to this audio.

(fast-paced dramatic music) (fast-paced dramatic music continues) (fast-paced dramatic music continues) Perhaps you noticed that it uses the following common features, fast tempo, fast repeated rhythms, scalic runs, arpeggios and stepwise movement.

Simple harmony using only two or three chords.

Dramatic dynamics.

Minor key.

We're now going to create some music for this chase scene.

Let's watch the video.

(no audio) So first of all, we're going to create a four beat melody.

Let's watch this video of how to do so.

<v Instructor>The first step</v> is to create a four beat melody based on some scalic runs, and I'm gonna be using the D minor scale for this.

So our D minor scale starts on D.

(playful piano music) And it's all the white notes, except for we have B flat instead of B.

(playful piano music) That's our D minor scale.

So familiarize yourself with that before you try and create a melody.

Then I'm gonna improvise some ideas to create a little short melody, four beat song that uses scalic runs.

Now remember, scalic run is where we run up and down some of the notes of the scale.

So if I've practiced that scale, I might be able to do runs like this.

(playful piano music) Or I might do shorter ones that don't use as many notes.

(playful piano music) Or if I wanted, I could try and use the whole scale, but you don't need to do that.

(playful piano music) I could even start at the top and come down.

(playful piano music) So the main thing there is I'm trying to move fast up and down the notes of the scale to create my scalic runs.

And then I want to settle on one four beat melody.

So I'm gonna do one that sounds like this.

(playful piano music) That's my melody, one, two, three, four.

(playful piano music) Starting on D, going up the scale a bit, and then coming back down.

<v ->Now we're going to add in a simple bass line.

</v> Let's watch the video.

<v Instructor>So I've got my simple melody.

</v> (playful piano music) Now I'm gonna add a bass part that's gonna be really simple, that's gonna sit underneath that.

And for the bass part, we're gonna base it on two notes, D and A.

(playful piano music) So start on D, and we're doing crotchets, D, A, D, A.

That's four beats.

(playful piano music) And what I want to try and do is I'm gonna try and put that with my four beat melody.

So to do this, I'm gonna play it really slow to start with.

(playful piano music) And as I get more confident, I can speed up to the original speed I was playing it at.

(playful piano music) So that's my four beat melody with that really simple bass line based on D and A.

<v ->Next we're moving the pattern to extend the idea.

</v> We'll watch a video now.

<v Instructor>Now I could just play</v> the pattern that I've already created over and over with my chase scene.

I could just do this.

(playful piano music) But it's gonna sound a little bit repetitive and maybe not that interesting.

But what we can do to make it more interesting is to take the same idea but move it to a different chord, a different scale.

And for this, we're gonna move it to an A major chord on A major scale.

So let's take the right hand first.

(playful piano music) So rather than starting on D, I'm now gonna move down to start on A, and I'm gonna make sure that I'm using C Sharps in this scale as well.

(playful piano music) So I'm following the exact same rhythm, the exact same shape, but I'm just starting it down on A and using C Sharps.

(playful piano music) So I've got two ideas, the D minor one.

(playful piano music) And the A one.

(playful piano music) And I'm gonna do the same thing with the bass part.

So rather than starting on D, (playful piano music) I'm gonna start it on A and use A and E.

(playful piano music) So I'm moving that down to start on A as well.

(playful piano music) So I've now got my second version of this based on the A chord.

<v ->And finally, we're going to alternate</v> between the two patterns.

Let's watch the video.

<v Instructor>Now that I've practiced both versions,</v> the D minor version and the A major version, I'm gonna try alternating between them, one then the other to fit with the chase scene.

So I'm ready to play my film.

Here we go.

(playful piano music) (playful piano music continues) So that's my chase scene music, it's based on scalic runs, repetition of ideas moving between those two chords, and that's really typical of some of the ways that silent film composers would play along with these kind of scenes in silent movies.

<v ->I love seeing it all come together like that.

</v> Remember to create your initial four beat idea using the D minor scale.

Starting on D is very effective.

Use the notes D and A for the bass line, D, A, D, A.

Move your idea down a fourth to work round the A chord.

Base it on these notes.

Use the notes A and E for the bass line.

A, E, A, E.

We're copying the same rhythm and shape.

It's not a full A major scale, but the first five notes are the same.

It's a tool to help us extend our musical idea.

Complete your music for the scene by alternating the two different versions of your melody and bass line, and play along with the film clip.

Let's have a check for understanding.

Which two are typical features of music in silent movie chase scenes.

A, scalic runs.

B, slow tempo.

C, fast rhythms. D, complex harmony.

Pause here while you decide which two are typical features of music in silent movie chase scenes? Well done if you select answer A, scalic runs and C, fast rhythms. These are typical features of music in silent movie chase scenes.

Let's have another check for understanding.

Which of these features scalic runs? Is it A, let's listen to this clip.

(dramatic music) B, let's listen to this clip.

(fast-paced dramatic music) Or C, let's listen to this clip.

(fast-paced playful music) Pause here while you decide which of these are features of scalic runs.

Well done if you selected answer C, indeed, this one features scalic runs.

And now it's time for your task.

I would like you to create music for a chase scene in a silent movie.

How exciting.

So the steps to take.

First of all, create a four beat melody based on scalic runs in D minor.

Next, add a simple bass line in the left hand using the notes D, A.

D, A, D, A.

Next, I would like you to transpose the pattern to start on A.

Remember to use C sharp, instead of C in this version.

Play A, E, A, E in the left hand bass part.

Alternate between both patterns, fitting the music with the chase scene.

And play at a suitable tempo.

Enjoy your task of creating music for a chase scene in a silent movie.

I'll see you when you're finished, when the chase is over.

It's great to be back with you.

Well done for having a go at that task.

And now let's have some time to reflect.

How could this music for a chase scene be improved? Let's listen to this clip.

(slow dramatic music) Pause here and share with someone your ideas on how this music for a chase scene could be improved.

Perhaps you said something like this.

It could be improved by adding more scalic runs.

These would give it a more exciting feeling.

It could also be played at a faster tempo.

In our lesson, action in early movies, we've covered the following.

The silent movie era was between the 1890s and 1920s.

In this period, film music was performed live by a solo performer, often improvised, or a group.

The performers tried to capture and exaggerate the mood of scenes.

Chase scenes were common in silent movies.

The music often used a fast tempo, fast rhythms and scalic runs to create a sense of excitement.

Well, I think it's been really exciting exploring action in early movies together.

I love these films. I find them quite hilarious, especially those chase scenes.

Well done for exploring the music of this time, and for having a go at creating your own piece of music for a chase scene.

I hope you've enjoyed this lesson.

I've really enjoyed teaching you, and I'm looking forward to seeing you at another music lesson soon.

Until then, stay musical.