Commonly known for the film Halloween, John Carpenter discovered that he could create a scary effect through using electronic music. Using the money that he had, Carpenter improvised the music without the help of an orchestra or film composer. Instead, he traveled to an LA studio to meet up with Dan Wyman and they used synthesizers to recreate scary sounds for the film on a low budget. Manually, the crew had to time out when to play and stop the recordings without the film because the technology would not allow it at the time. They used a stopwatch and their ears to determine what would be played next. Mr. Carpenter’s inspiration for Halloween were fellow composers Ennio Morricone and Bernard Hermann. Also notable in his composition of Halloween is the appearance of a 5/4 time signature. It was used by his father when he learned the bongos at a young age, and he passed it down to this film. Carrying the time signature 5/4, the main theme of Halloween is relatively simple but its beautiful harmony is disrupted by dissonance and the syncopation from the time signature (3,3,2,2 groupings making for unsteady and a pushy feeling).
Essentially there is a certain hymn that is played when Judith and Laurie, main characters in the film, that increases the intensity along with the visuals. There are some specific music theory techniques that John Carpenter incorporated in the film’s musical composition to make it spooky. The importance of bringing this theme to life is to create suspense for the viewer that is simple to remember and easily recognized. Carpenter also includes pauses, changes in volume, and electronics to enhance the experience for the viewer.
Halloween is getting close and spooky music is coming along with it. Music has power in the film industry and in creating a more intense atmosphere for any film. The Jerry Evans School of Music accommodates for its students so that they learn the music that they love! Come join us today by calling 630-359-7725 or email admin@jeschoolofmusic.com to start lessons.
