[Column] Media history of film music: How did sound get from the screen to the speakers?
Column en Soundtrack![[Column] Media history of film music: How did sound get from the screen to the speakers?](/../assets/images/column-soundtrack.webp)
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
● 無声映画期（〜1920年代）
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 = audio material of a movie’’ became clear.
●Major media for film music: technological changes in recording and playback
■Recording on the film itself (sound on film)
- 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.
映画のハイライトや代表曲のみ収録。物理的制約により抜粋盤が多い。
■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 a high degree of freedom in song order.
フルスコアの収録も可能となり、映画音楽鑑賞の黄金時代を形成。
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.
5.1ch / DTSなど、立体音響技術により音楽の空間表現が大きく進化。
■デジタル音源（MP3 / WAV / FLAC / AAC）
Music source sales on iTunes and Amazon MP3.
Bandcampなどのプラットフォームでの独立系映画音楽家の発信も。
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” and ““BGM” instead of albums.
映画音楽の“機能性”と“芸術性”の境界が再び問われている。
Difference between movie music “soundtrack” and “score”
| 項目 | Soundtrack (OST) | スコア（Original Score） |
|---|---|---|
| Included sound sources | All songs used in the movie (including pre-made songs) | Only accompanying music by composer |
| Format | Compilation-like | Orchestra or synth recording |
| 例 | Trainspotting OST (a lot of 90's UK music) | The Dark Knight Score (Hans Zimmer) |
コレクターズ文化と限定盤市場
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.
- フィルム・スコアの楽譜出版
Scores are published for the purpose of film music performance and research.
作曲家視点から見た媒体の変遷
● John Williams generation (analog to CD)
オーケストラ収録を前提としたアナログマスター → デジタル化
● 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 allow for a re-experience.
Scores that give you new discoveries when you listen to them on CD (e.g. Thomas Newman’s music)
映像と切り離されることで“記憶を喚起”するサウンドトラック
The emergence of next-generation media that is reintegrated with video, 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.
スクリーンに流れた音は、スピーカーを通してまた私たちの内側に帰ってくる。媒体とは、記憶の器であり、物語のもうひとつの再生装置なのだ。
List
| Artist/Arranger | Title | Age/Works | フォーマット |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jerry Goldsmith | A Patch Of Blue | 1965 movie score (reissued in 1978) | Cassette |
| VA | Tank Girl | 1995年 映画サントラ | CD |
| Adam Clayton & Larry Mullen | Theme From Mission: Impossible | 1996年 映画テーマ | Cassette |
| Ennio Morricone | Nuovo Cinema Paradiso | 1989 movie soundtrack | CD |
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