Listening to Film Music

Placement Opening titles End credits Within the movie: Diegetic music: music comes from somewhere in the scene: a radio, a band, an instrument, etc. Underscoring: music is heard by people watching the movie only

A Few More Terms Cue Wall-to-wall music Mickey Mousing Stinger Montage Steamboat Willie (1928)

Examples of a Stinger Listen to the orchestra accent when Kong reaches down for John Driscoll (0:02) 2nd stinger as Driscoll jabs with a knife (0:07) After 3rd stinger (0:17) strings play a pitches sliding downward motive as if Kong were whining (0:19) King Kong (1933) 

Example of a Montage Quick passage of time over a few minutes Music guides the changes through time Listen to this montage from Citizen Kane (1941) where Kane’s marriage dissolves over time. Notice how the music reflects the changing mood.