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| With Halloween just around the corner, I've been contemplating what makes music scary. Some of my younger readers may not know that for a couple of decades, movies were silent. In other words, the audience just read the dialogue at the bottom of the screen, and a pianist sat to the side of the screen and literally improvised whatever music seemed appropriate to what was happening on the screen. This was quite an art and just anyone couldn't do it. The musician had to be able to represent not only horror and fear but also romance, humor, religious feeling and tremendous joy. |
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Now that movies have soundtracks, the
music that has been composed for them will be among the classics of
tomorrow. The scary movies have some of the most famous themes.
Two that come to mind immediately are the themes from "Jaws" and "Psycho."
Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho is a definite classic horror film. It's
music, by Bernard Herrmann, truly evokes fear and panic. The famous shower
scene music (the screeching violins) is parodied and copied in media all
over the world. |
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Well, it happened again today! I
wasn't expecting it, I had nothing to do with it. What was it?
I opened my local newspaper this morning, the Louisville Courier-Journal,
and there in the Health and Fitness section was a small article relating a
study that just came out saying that patients who took their iPod into
surgery, and had the ear buds taped into place, required less sedation
while reporting the same level of discomfort. This is exactly what
I've been reporting for almost ten years and this finding is the basis of
my invention that I told you just a little bit about last week. The findings are based on a study of 44 women and 29 men that was presented this year at a national meeting of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. I also wanted to say a big "THANK YOU!!" to everyone who wrote in last week to congratulate me on my invention patent and for applying for the Vogt Award. I did get my application finished and in on time but now it will be at least a month before I hear if I've progressed to the next step. Stay tuned!
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My Sites |
| Of course, most of this music is in a minor key and incorporates sudden changes of dynamics (louds and softs). You might also hear unusual instruments such as a digiridoo or perhaps a sitar. The purpose is to create an atmosphere that is unfamiliar; a soundscape that disorients and confuses. Have a fun Halloween and pay attention to the music! |
Healing Music Enterprises 2518 Frankfort Ave. Louisville, KY 40206 502-419-1698 |