If you recently saw a horror movie, either in the theatre or on your iPad, chances are, other than the jump scares and overall unpredictability of the atmosphere, you were also scared by its score.
Good music, whether in an opera house or on the screen crescendoing a nail-biting scene, has the power to move your emotions and make you feel a certain type of way.
What a good horror movie needs then, aside from an obviously bone-chilling story and an uneasy premise, is a darned good score that helps the audience connect to the predicament of the characters.
Naturally, music composition is a great tool to create a sense of horror as it pumps up your viewers' adrenaline throughout the suspense-filled tones, giving them a spine-chilling experience.
But just like how everyone can’t emulate the Ramsay brothers when it comes to churning out an exceptional horror movie that becomes a cultural talking point for ages to come, every single music producer can also not be expected to create the perfect horror movie score.
So, what goes into composing the perfect horror score that definitively tells your audience that this is the movie that’ll give them nightmares? We let you in on the secrets below!
What are the Top 5 Essential Sound Effects for the Horror Genre?
While there are no cut-and-dried rules regarding the musical instruments that should be used when scoring horror movies, there are a few sounds that blend in naturally with the genre.
Here’s a range of scary sound effects that can give a gruesome experience to your audience.
Breathing
From nervous breathing to a nightmarish sinister breath, breathing sounds, when properly used, are one of the most powerful tools in the arsenal of horror composers. We all remember watching the Slenderman as kids and being glued to the screens in nervous awe every time the characters would run frantically or try to hide in an excessively eerie, dense forest, breathing heavily. Similarly, when your film's character is taking their last breaths, the actor or the sound designer can enhance their breathing sound effects to create a heart-wrenching impact.
Monster Vocalizations
Breathing sound effects can be your belle-of-the-ball if you plan to create a monster-themed horror film. However, you should also consider using other non-verbal vocalizations such as hisses, roars, or bawling/crying-out sounds to imitate monsters. One remembers The Shining, where Stanley Kubrick experimented with children’s cries and an eerie silence to knock a sense of looming danger into the audiences’ minds.
Footsteps
Nothing beats the sense of tension created by the sound of footsteps, regardless of the context of the scene. It is hard not to close your eyes in sheer horror or resigned anticipation when the MC is being chased down the hall by a serial killer, and all you can hear is their footsteps. Make this sound effect your best friend to add volume and character to footsteps. You can add delay, reverb, and other variations to the audio mix to elevate the tension of the chase sequence and create a sense of sonic complexity.
Ghost Sound Effects
There are different ghost sound effects, including indistinct vocalizations, whooshing sounds, and a strange ambiance abstract. Think a distorted sound every time the leading characters in a horror movie experience a “ghostly” presence, or the quiet sounds of wind flowing, when the filmmaker wants to convey a certain sense of ominous foreboding before a critical revelation.
An experienced horror sound designer will have the technical know-how to create an other-wordly vibe when it comes to ghost sound effects for your film.
Slashing, Stabbing, and Other Flesh Wound Sounds
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre wouldn’t be the movie it is today without the sounds of impaling, slashing, stabbing, or other mortal flesh wounds. Words of wisdom — you know the sound of gore. Another thing, it is actually easier to create ‘true gore’ sound effects as they rely on raw vocalizations and heavy sound, as compared to other horror sound effects!
What are the Sound Design Techniques for the Horror Genre?
Read on to find out some critical sound techniques and strategies that’ll come in handy if you are planning to create a horror score.
Negative Space
Negative sound relates to the art of creating space between sounds. Most top-notch filmmakers appreciate the importance of negative space to create terror and tension amongst their audience.
You can also hire a professional horror sound designer to create negative space during the scenes where a character is hiding or creeping.
Experiment with Sonic Textures
Why limit yourself to traditional sound effects and instruments when you can easily go beyond? Experiment with a totally new sound, or warp the existing sounds to generate strange, sonic textures in your horror score. This is an excellent way to ensure uniqueness in your sound strategies.
Sampling and Synthesis
Another great way to leverage the potential of sonic textures is by using sampling and synthesizers. You can ask your sound designer to experiment with various electronic instruments to produce varied horror sounds that each have their own merit in unsettling your audiences.
Foley Sound
If you are new to the sound industry or contemplating how to create foley sound for your horror film, it is recommended to hire an expert. Foley artists have the required experience and technical know-how to use different tools and materials to create unique scores for various genres of movies, horror included.
How Does Horror Sound Scare Us?
Watching horror scenes might not scare your audience quickly, but with apt scary sounds timed just right, your work is already half done! You have our biology to thank for that. Horror films are mainly created with loads of non-linear sounds that aim to leave a lasting impact on their audience. These non-linear sounds, like an animal cry or a human scream, create a sense of tension because these go beyond the natural capacity of vocal cords. The human brain is capable of understanding the abnormalities of these sounds. Hence, horror sounds are your best bet to create a gory, suspenseful mood and give your audience a bone-chilling, anxious experience while watching your horror movie.
About us
At Sencit, we live and breathe music. We hold significant experience in sound design for theatrical advertising and take pride in complying with our clients' expectations. From composition to supervision, our years of experience and understanding of our craft allow us to deliver full-scope music and sound solutions of the highest quality.
Reach out to us at +1.310.774.0123 or write to us at [email protected]. You can also connect with us by forwarding your queries on our contact form.
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