Music

Sound Terminology

• Ambient sound-The sounds of the location e.g. water noises near a river, cows mooing in a farm etc.They tell us what kind of place we are in and if we see how characters react to these sounds it tells us a lot. Noisy cars, horns, people, traffic represent a region as being busy and urban, not very homely.
• Asynchronous sound- Is where the sound is either out of sync with the visuals or is unrelated to the visuals. Sound that is just out of sync would make the viewer feel disoriented and would make the characters and scene seem strange. Sound that is unrelated to the visuals may be there for emphasising something. For example, in the Godfather film, we see a man murdering people in cold blood, but hear the sounds of a priest christening a baby. This contrast emphasises the loss of innocent life.  
• Contrapuntal sound- Sound or music that seems strange in comparison to the scene we're seeing. For example in the film the shining, during beautiful scenes of winding roads and the countryside on a sunny day, we hear scary, ominous music. 
• Dialogue-The words the characters say. Usually thoughts and feelings, however because we can hear the character, we can hear their intonation e.g. If they speak softly it implies they are weak and emotional. Dialogue also helps the audience decipher where the character is from and if they are different to the other characters. 
• Direct Address (Breaking the 4th Wall)- Where the character talks to the audience directly.  This breaks the reality for the audience, however it helps us to see that character as an equal, a friend and someone to sympathise with.  
• Diegetic sound-Sounds that the characters can hear. This includes the words the characters say, background noises like traffic and crowds and even music, if it is through a radio or at a party/ club. Diegetic sound can set the mood of the scene, and can influence a characters behaviour and emotions.
• Non Diegetic sound- Other sounds that the characters can not hear and is added in, in the editing process e.g. The musical soundtrack, a voice-over etc. Non diegetic  music sets the scene, the time period, as well  as the atmosphere. A voice-over allows the audience to hear someones thoughts and empathise with them.
• Pitch-Low pitch described a sound that is deep and low(e.g. thunder) and high pitch describes a sound that is higher and lighter (e.g. a phone ringing).
• Rhythm- Describes the beat of the music. Sound or music with a slow rhythm is often used to depict calmness and peace. Sound or music with an irregular rhythm is used to confuse the audience and make them feel uncomfortable. 
• Voice-over- The use of a voice, over images, perhaps as an introduction, a linking narrative device for or to comment on action. It allows the audience to see inside the head of a character, helping us to empathise with them. 
• Sound Bridge- A portion of sound that covers a cut, normally to link two scenes together. For example, if you were to see a woman talking about how much she missed her boyfriend, and her voice continued  as a sound bridge on top of the shot of him, even if just for a few seconds, it emphasises that he is the man she was talking about. Sound bridges are usually from diegetic sound to Non diegetic sound or the reverse, however sometimes if the sound bridge connects two scenes together, it can also stay as the same medium of sound e.g. Diegetic and Non diegetic. 
• Sound Motif- Sound that represents a certain character e.g. The jaws theme tune for the shark.
• Sound Effects- A sound accompanying an action, sometimes musical. For example in the film psycho, short sharp violin noises accompany each stab of the knife during the shower scene. This emphasises the violence of each stabbing motion and makes it more dramatic. 
• Soundtrack- Music from a soundtrack (all the sounds) or the score (Just the music) emphasises the themes and emotions of a scene or character.for example high energy dance music with loud crashing tones will emphasise someones youth,  girly soft piano music will help us see a woman as stereo-typically delicate and feminine. 
• Synchronous sound- Is sound that is in sync with the visuals and was filmed at the same time.