The newest member of our CH family Elliott is a big drum and bass music fan. But he also loves a good film score so let’s get his lowdown on the importance of scores and soundtracks! Setting the Tone Music plays a crucial role in video content, from grand cinematic scores to ambience on the silver screen that you’re almost not meant to notice. The effect of soundtracks and musical choices is massive. The right piece of music can hugely elevate the mood of a scene, build intensity, enhance emotion and add context to plot points and relationships between characters. A great swell of orchestral strings may push the tension its absolute peak, whilst a haunting piano may well bring you to tears in a way that even the most poetic dialogue alone can’t do. Montages set to music can be a cliche in film and TV, but they can also be iconic. A good reason for their prolific use is to create compelling storytelling without use of heavy narrative exposition, even without any dialogue at all. Completing a Video Sometimes the biggest benefit of a score is simply tying the piece together into a ‘whole’. As an example, if you watched a classic or well-loved scene without the music, you’ll notice how much empty space there is. Often, conversations in film and TV shows don’t feel realistic but a non-diegetic track (basically any sound that doesn't originate from the world of the film) can help the audience gloss over a weird line or overly dramatic monologue that might otherwise break the immersion.