Research : The Importance Of Sound In Horror Films

Music has the ability to set the tone for how a scene will play out. Horror films generally rely on music to set the mood of a scene. It does this with specific musical instruments and dynamics of sound motif; if the desired feeling is tension then low drum sounds would be used at a slow tempo that gradually speeds up to the desired point when the suspense is over.


These are techniques that often tell us how a scene will play out. Our brain naturally understand and predict what is about to take place from the way that an instrument is being played or the notes that they play.






Isolated Instruments - Often used before a key event and links the idea of vulnerability to the audience.
Long, suspenseful notes - Increases the audiences anxiety levels as the tension gradually increases (this also increases adrenaline), when long notes are contrasted with short, sharp notes, it shocks the audience.
Pitch tone changes - For instance, low, sustained strings which suddenly change to sharp, high-pitched notes - this makes the audience feel immediately tense.
Rapid sound sequence - Conveys the feeling of stress and panic. It also results in the audience being anxious.


Sound effects are also an important part as you often hear these along side the music. Effects such as a creaky door, when one is being open adds a creepy element, rather than the natural sound of a door, which might not be picked up.


Sound is especially important to horror films as these are completely dependent of creating a specific, eerie, strange, intense atmosphere and making the audience feel as though they are about to witness something awful, or they themselves actually have it happen to them.