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Film scoring/Other moods from delicate rhythm

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Interesting examples by FIREborn: Fear.ogg ---- Sad.ogg ---- Tired.ogg ---- Surprise.ogg ---- Joy.ogg ---- Fast like the wind.ogg.
This school is:
Narrative film production - Wikiversity Film School and School of Music - Wikiversity Film School
This course is:
Film scoring
The pages in the course is:
Introduction to film scoring
Create the sound of fear from a single note
Create other moods from a single note
Create the sound of joy using a delicate rhythm
Create other moods from delicate rhythms You are here!
Quiz: Music which tells a story
Create a mood with a melody
Create a story with a melody
Quiz: The Spy Story - Who is who?
DVD-Video: Scoring your first scene - The Promotion
Create four motifs - Mama, papa, baby, and Goldie
Create continuity with a single motif
Foreground / Background music - soft vs. loud
Quiz: Watch a short movie - George Lucas In Love
DVD-Video: What is a "Spotting Session"? - Only A Dream
DVD-Video: Write two musical cues for Home Wrecker
More musical theory
Butchering Midi - The starwars theme
DVD-Video: How would you score Green Tea Smoothie ?
DVD-Video: Write a film score for Blindman's Bluff
Write a film score for Seduced by the Dark Side!


Moods created from delicate rhythms

Analysis of this exercise

This seems trivial
Creating the sound of joy and other sounds with delicate rhythms might seem very simple, almost trivial. But it is very important.
The secret is this kind of music can be played softly in the background of a conversation without interfering with the conversation. There is very little music that can be played during a conversation. This is one of the few kinds; single notes being the other.
When played softly, this music brings an energy to the spoken words... without being obvious or distracting.
It is just a simple trick. But it a very useful trick.
Try some more
So now, try creating more moods with delicate rhythms!
Additional moods from delicate rhythms

Other delicate rhythms for extra credit

Can you think of other moods that can be created with very delicate, repeating rhythms?
  • Moving fast like the wind
  • Falling from great heights
  • Floating along with the wind or down the river
  • Almost anything with a long and steady movement

3 to 6 seconds!


Earn more points
So earn more points by creating more moods with very delicate rhythms.
Which is more important? Delicate rhythms with transition music?

Do the math!

Transitions vs. delicate rhythms
Transitions are another kind of music in movies. Many people think that transitions are more important than delicate background rhythms. Wrong!
Let's look a the math.
30 to 1 ratio
The average scene in a motion picture is 3 minutes long.
The longest edit in a motion pictures is usually 6 seconds.
That means the mood can change 30 times each scene.
That means you can create moods with single notes or delicate rhythms 30 times each scene.
There is only one (1) transition per scene. That is a 30 to 1 ratio in favor of delicate rhythms and single notes.
Conclusion
Therefore, transitions are not much help creating the mood for a scene.

Examples of delicate rhythms sounds which create a mood for the course on film scoring for musicians


Orsanct has completed this assignment. July 22, 2007




TBOL3 has completed this assignment. August 27, 2007




Blueygh2 has completed this assignment. September 3, 2007





Joe Mac has completed part of this assignment. This is played by hand on midi controller, using GarageBand synth texture "skye breath." Master setting: ambient basic. September 16, 2007

  • The sound of Falling (leaves in the wind, money out the window, etc.) is a rapidly repeating rhythm which played softly can be placed behind dialog. clicking here to listen. 10 points.




FIREborn has completed part of this assignment using Propellerheads Reason 3.0 - November 05, 2007

  • The sound of Fast like the wind is a rapidly repeating rhythm which played softly can be placed behind dialog. Clicking here to listen. 10 points.
  • The sound of Born in orbit is a rapidly repeating rhythm which played really softly can be placed behind dialog. Clicking here to listen. 10 points.




Sowens has completed part of this assignment using Finale with the Garritan personal orchestra. - November 7, 2007




Tiego Louis Zontag (Zon) has completed part of this assignment using Finale with the Garritan personal orchestra. - December 13, 2007

  • The sound of Picolo Discord is a rapidly repeating rhythm which played really softly can be placed behind dialog. Clicking here to listen. 10 points.




Ben Henderson (Cubinoid) has created the sound of stardust using celesta. - February 23, 2008

I used Logic Pro, and Vienna.
I used track automation to provide a fade into the sound, and out again and panned the celesta from one side to the other. I used a stereo reverb to make the give the sound a chance to appear in a stereo space.




Robert Hall) has completed part of this assignment using Sibelius 4. - March 4, 2008


May 17, 2008
Magic harp.


Have fun with a pop quiz

The next page

Soon, you will see how moods can be create with simple melodies. But before you do, take this funny pop quiz about music which tells a story.

Contact your instructor

Your instructor for this course is Robert Elliott. You can send me a quick email by clicking here.





NOTE: To submit assignments
To submit assignments, attach your completed assignments to an email and send it to me at "r_elliott innercite.com".