Symphony of Terror: How Strings Inspire Fear in Audiences

For many of us, half of what makes a movie scary is how it makes us feel. The soundtrack is an important part of the movie experience because it guides the audience's emotional state as they watch the events unfold. Think back to the moments in film history that we all remember:Indiana Jones' heroic journey across the desert in Raiders of the Lost Ark, The Lord of the Rings》The mysterious theme of the One Ring in the movie, or the iconic"Star Wars"Suite. Not only does each moment serve as the core of the narrative, but the music remains culturally significant to generations of filmgoers. From string quartets to orchestras and even electronically simulated violins, strings have been synonymous with horror music since the dawn of cinema. In this article, we’ll take a brief look at why strings and horror movies go so well together, and discuss some of the techniques that make this pairing so enduring. 

At the beginning of the twentieth century, going to the cinema to watch movies was very popular, but many people thought it was just a fad that would eventually fade. Of course, we know this was not the case - movies have become an art form alongside theater. The silent film era fascinated the world, but it needed to surprise, excite and enchant audiences without built-in sound. One of the factors that gave movies more artistic reputation was the creation of original soundtracks. Technical limitations at the time meant that sound and image could not be synced on film, so dialogue boards appeared on the screen after the characters spoke, and the soundtrack played in the theater during the film. Basically, if you went to the movies in the 1920s, you were also experiencing an orchestral concert at the same time.

One of the earliest horror films to hit the silver screen, and also the first to have a live score, was 1922'sNosferatuThe German-made film is known for its iconic imagery and the effect it has on audiences. Although the film is an unauthorized adaptation of Bram Stoker's 1987 novelDracula, but it was an incredible success when it premiered in Berlin. Max Schreck's Nosferatu is unforgettable even a hundred years later, from his terrifying fangs to his spindly fingers, bald head and bat-like ears. Composer Hans Erdmann is responsible for the iconic dissonant score, which incorporates heavy piano, cello, bassoon and exaggerated brass. (You won'tDiscoverUse of JS Bach's "Toccata and Fugue in D minor",This piece actually appeared in 1931The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. HydeUnfortunately, the film's true original score has been lost - and since then, many composers have tried to piece together what audiences might have heard as they were frightened out of their wits in the theater. Today, if you were to see a version of Nosferatu, the score you hear is what historians and composers have tried to recreate. You can listen to the theme song here.

Ironically, silent films set the precedent for the sound effects of modern horror films. By the 1930s, Hollywood had become a mature industry and “talkies” were all the rage – sound could finally be added to films. The 30s also saw a slew of monster movies. Universal Pictures’ horror monster movies – The Mummy, The Invisible Man, Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, and Dracula – had a huge impact on audiences throughout the decade. Drawing heavily from Gothic literature, these films were even more spooky than their predecessors. The greater the audience interest, the higher the production values became, so hiring an orchestra to record in a studio became the norm. The challenge, of course, was matching a memorable storyline with equally memorable sounds.

Some of the most popular techniques for creating a spooky atmosphere in horror movies can be heard in certain works by many famous composers, such as Camille Saint-Saëns, Beethoven, Claude Debussy, and Béla Bartók. These techniques can also be found in some of the best horror movie songs.Psycho,The Shiningand HellraiserClassic works such asThe Babadook,The Conjuring, A Quiet Place》、《EscapeModern hits such as The Last Witch and The Last Witch. String instruments such as violins, violas, cellos, basses and even guitars are perfect for horror movies because they can create a sense of unease through single notes or chord progressions. String instruments such as violins can make a note last longer and can create a unique way of sounding when the bow hits the string. They can also perfectly capture theBreakThe effect can be quietly unsettling or loud and terrifying (think of the shower sequence in Psycho). String instruments are great for creating dissonant scores, dissonant melodies, and evoking a sense of suspense.

One common technique you'll hear used to incite fear in an audience is to useportamentoThe technique involves sliding your finger up and down the fretboard without changing the articulation of the bow. This creates a change in pitch from low to high or high to low. The higher the pitch, the more unsettling it makes the audience feel. The speed of this technique is also important because it can cause anxiety or fear whether you play it faster or slower. Check out this really cool (and creepy!) slide technique called "It Hears You" from A Quiet Place by Marco Beltrami..The double bass glissando really helps to inspire feelings of fear, while the staccato of the violin heightens the anxiety, essentially approximating our fight or flight response.

vibratoVibrato is another technique that helps create a sense of unease in horror films. This is also a technique unique to string instruments as it incorporates the repetition of a single note to create a trembling effect. This technique is great for building texture in a score and helps create tension. Depending on the key or harmony being played, the use of vibrato can be nostalgic, tender, melancholic, or help build to a climax. A famous film score that uses vibrato effectively is The Dark Knight Rises.godfather". When combined with the glissando technique, it's almost guaranteed to send chills down your spine.

Creating dissonance is a priority in almost every horror film, and the last technique we're going to discuss here isSul Ponticellosul ponticello technique. This is a very interesting technique because it creates an unpleasant sound, which is achieved by bringing the bow closer to the bridge of the instrument. The reason it sounds weird to us as listeners is because the vibrations of the strings create higher harmonics that sound haunting or unnatural. Watch this video to see how this sound is achieved on the cello, and discuss Beethoven's String Quartet No. 14, Op. 131, which is a great example of a classical piece played using the sul ponticello technique.

Horror movies, and the orchestral and string instruments that give them their unique sense of unease, are so culturally important to us that it makes sense that we take a moment to think about how the soundtrack is created. The soundtrack to many a cold October night isn't actually supernatural at all - it's our own unique creation. Because really, what could be scarier than a man-made being stalking us in the dark? 

Do you use any of these techniques when you play, or which ones do you like to practice? What songs do you like to play during Spooky Season? Let us know in the comments.