From “music to listen to” to “music to feel”
Text: mmr｜Theme: Recording, playback, and experience of film music
Film music is “a movie that you watch with your ears”
Film music consists of musical accompaniment (background score) and It is ``another script’’ that is used to guide human emotions along with visual images such as insert songs.
While film music is part of the film itself, it is also an independent work of art that can be experienced on its own.In this article, we will unravel over time how this film music was recorded, distributed, recorded, and preserved.
History of film music and the origins of recording
● Silent film period (~1920s)
A pianist and an orchestra provided live music at the movie theater.Therefore, ``recorded film music media’’ did not exist in this era.Film music scores have been in circulation, but there are no records of them being used as media.
● The advent of talkie films and sound recordings (1927~)
Starting with [``The Jazz Singer’’ (1927)] (https://amzn.to/3Wn4CTH), Optical Sound was introduced, and we entered an era in which audio information (scores) were recorded on video film.
Around this time, the meaning of ``soundtrack = movie audio material’’ became clear.
●Major media for film music: technological changes in recording and playback
■Recording on the film itself (sound on film)
- Optical recording method (Optical Soundtrack)
Popularized between the 1930s and 1950s.
Sound is recorded as a “waveform image” on the side of the screen and played back as audio when projected.
- Magnetic Soundtrack
Appeared in the 1950s and 1960s.Enables stereo recording and improved dynamic range.
■Record (Vinyl LP/EP)
It flourished from the 1950s to the 1980s as a medium for general distribution of film music.
Contains only movie highlights and representative songs.Due to physical constraints, there are many excerpts.
■Cassette tape / 8 track
It became popular as a home playback device in the 1970s and 1980s.
A new way to carry movie music with your car audio or portable device.
■CD (compact disc)
Since the 1980s, it has become popular as a format with high sound quality, long duration, and high flexibility in song order.
It became possible to record full scores, creating a golden age for movie music appreciation.
Labels specializing in soundtracks (La-La Land Records, Intrada, Varese Sarabande, etc.) also appear.
■DVD/Blu-ray: Video + Music
A medium for ``re-experiencing’’ soundtracks in video works.
The spatial expression of music has greatly evolved with stereophonic technology such as 5.1ch/DTS.
■Digital sound source (MP3/WAV/FLAC/AAC)
Music source sales on iTunes and Amazon MP3.
Independent film composers are also featured on platforms such as Bandcamp.
Full scores, unreleased songs, and alternate takes can be delivered in high resolution.
■Subscription (Spotify / Apple Music, etc.)
We are now in an era where we listen to soundtracks.
Create playlists for movie mood'' andBGM’’ instead of albums.
The boundary between “functionality” and “artistic” in film music is once again being questioned.
Difference between movie music “soundtrack” and “score”
| Item | Soundtrack (OST) | Score (Original Score) |
|---|---|---|
| Included sound sources | All songs used in the movie (including pre-made songs) | Only accompanying music by composer |
| Format | Compilation-like | Recorded by orchestra or synth |
| Example | Trainspotting OST (a lot of 90's UK music) | The Dark Knight Score (Hans Zimmer) |
Collectors culture and limited edition market
Film music is also a popular collector’s item, with the following media being particularly prized:
- CD version of unreleased scores (Expanded Editions)
Example: Aliens - Complete Motion Picture Score (Intrada)
- Reprint of analog version/color version
Death Waltz and Waxwork Records release horror movie music like works of art.
- Film score publishing
Scores are published for the purpose of film music performance and research.
Changes in the medium from a composer’s perspective
● John Williams generation (analog to CD)
Analog master for orchestral recording → digitization
● Hans Zimmer generation (digital native)
Complete composition, recording, and mixing using a DAW base.
A score designed with media development in mind.
● Contemporary composer (distribution-driven)
Compatible with YouTube, games, and streaming movies (Netflix).
Mixes based on Dolby Atmos and spatial audio are also on the rise.
“Separation” and “reunification” of music and images
The medium of film music is not simply a means of delivering sound; it is a device that can be separated from the image and appreciated on its own, or reconnected with the image to enable re-experience.
Scores that give you new discoveries when you listen to them on CD (e.g. Thomas Newman’s music)
A soundtrack that “evokes memories” by being separated from the images
The emergence of next-generation media that is reintegrated with images, such as game music and VR
How are sound memories stored?
Movie music remains in our hearts as “time” in a way that is different from stories and images.And those memories are preserved through the ``media’’ of LPs, CDs, MP3s, and streaming, and are sometimes played back and sometimes forgotten.
The sound that flows on the screen returns to us through the speakers.The medium is a vessel for memory and another device for reproducing the story.
List
| Artist/Arranger | Title | Age/Works | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jerry Goldsmith | A Patch Of Blue | 1965 movie score (reissued in 1978) | Cassette |
| VA | Tank Girl | 1995 movie soundtrack | CD |
| Adam Clayton & Larry Mullen | Theme From Mission: Impossible | 1996 movie theme | Cassette |
| Ennio Morricone | Nuovo Cinema Paradiso | 1989 movie soundtrack | CD |
