a film that has no recorded sound, common between the 1890s and 1920s

Watch this clip from a silent movie

British English CC

Same clip with music that is typical of a silent movie

Romantic scene

Comedy scene

Action and drama scene

Task A comedy scene

Chase scene

Chase scene audio

Creating music for this chase scene

1. Creating a 4-beat melody 

2. Adding a simple bass line

3. Moving the pattern to extend the idea

4. Alternating between the two patterns 

Check A

Check B

Check C

Task B feedback audio

Action in early movies

Music

How music shapes film

Tension in early movies

Scoring a silent movie

Representing characters through music

Motivic transformation

This unit explores film music and how composers use music to enhance mood, atmosphere and storytelling. Pupils study common film music techniques and themes, and apply this knowledge by composing and performing music to accompany visual scenes, developing their composition and performance skills.

Film Music

A movie that is always viewed in silence.

A movie that has live music performed with it but no speech.

A movie that has live speech performed with it but no music.

A movie that has both recorded music and speech.

it could be performed by a soloist or ensemble

it was usually for a soloist with an ensemble accompanying

Which statement is true about music in silent movies?

Which of these is a typical feature of music in chase scenes?

Which is a very common feature of melodies in chase scenes?

Which of these is not a role of film music?

a short musical idea that represents a character

something that we associate a certain musical genre or sound with (e.g. a place)

What could a leitmotif represent? (Choose all that apply)

Which of these is the term for something that we link a certain musical genre or sound with (e.g. a place)?

When a performer makes something up on the spot, we would say that they are __________.

Starter Quiz

Which of these is not a role of film music?