1 | ''{{Trope}}s about scores, soundtracks, {{background music}}, and their interaction with the other parts of a medium.'' |
2 | |
3 | Compare SoundFXTropes. See also MusicTropes for general music tropes and MusicAndSoundEffects for works. |
4 | ---- |
5 | !!Tropes: |
6 | [[index]] |
7 | [floatboxright: |
8 | '''Categories:''' |
9 | + AudioDiegesis |
10 | + EvilMusicIndex |
11 | + GenreMotif |
12 | + HeroicMusicIndex |
13 | + MoodMotif |
14 | + ThemeTune |
15 | ] |
16 | * AccordionToMostSailors: Instruments from the accordion family associated with seafarers. |
17 | * AfricanChant: Background music in the jungle is accompanied by chanting in an African language (usually Swahili or Zulu), or at least [[AsLongAsItSoundsForeign a mock-up thereof]]. |
18 | * AmazingFreakingGrace: The hymn "Amazing Grace" is played at funerals. |
19 | * AMFMCharacterization: A character's music they play in the car says something about their personality. |
20 | * AnachronisticSoundtrack: The movie's soundtrack includes songs that wouldn't have existed yet in the time period the movie takes place in. |
21 | * AngryMobSong: A group of angry people singing. |
22 | * AssociatedComposer: The director and the composer are buddies. |
23 | * AutobotsRockOut: Rock music plays during action scenes. |
24 | * AvianFlute: The use of flutes and piccolos in imitation of birdsong. |
25 | * SugarWiki/AwesomeMusic: A [[SugarWiki/SweetExists Sugar Wiki]] entry for talking about music you find cool. |
26 | * BackgroundMusic: Music played in the background to convey ideas and emotions. |
27 | * BadToTheBone: When a certain song is played so many times in movies, that when it's played, the audience knows what it's signifying. |
28 | * BattleThemeMusic: Music that plays during battle scenes in video games. |
29 | * BigFinaleCrowdSong: A large crowd song near the end of a work. |
30 | * BoleroEffect: A song that gets louder and louder. |
31 | * BootstrappedLeitmotif: A piece of music becomes a character, place, or thing's theme. |
32 | * BootstrappedTheme: A piece of music turns into the theme tune. |
33 | * BossRemix: The boss theme is a remix of another piece of music from the video game. |
34 | * CaptivityHarmonica: Someone in jail plays the harmonica. |
35 | * CartoonConductor: In cartoons, conductors control what music the audience plays as if by magic. |
36 | * ChaosOfTheBells: When "Carol of the Bells" is used as a soundtrack to underscore suspense, action, and/or dread. |
37 | * CherubicChoir: A kids' choir signifies victory or that the danger is over. |
38 | * CircusSynths: Circus music played with electronic instruments. |
39 | * ClimacticMusic: The music gets more dramatic during the most exciting part of the plot. |
40 | * CreditsMedley: Closing credits are scored with a playlist of different songs from the movie or game. |
41 | * CreepyChildrenSinging: A scene is made disturbing by accompanying it with children singing in a creepy manner. |
42 | * CreepyCircusMusic: Circus music played to induce fear. |
43 | * CreepyJazzMusic: Jazz music used to signify creepiness, often a particular villain. |
44 | * CrowdSong: A large group of people sing perfectly in unison. |
45 | * CultSoundtrack: When a movie becomes popular mainly because of its music. |
46 | * CyberPunkIsTechno: Electronic music signifies a gritty sci-fi setting. |
47 | * DarkReprise: A sadder or scarier version of a previously sung happy song. |
48 | * TheDayTheMusicLied: Music seems to signify something, but that something doesn't happen. |
49 | * DescentIntoDarknessSong: A song that starts out upbeat, but gets darker. |
50 | * DiegeticSoundtrackUsage: The theme song is played, whistled or hummed in-universe. |
51 | * DiegeticSwitch: A song is played in-universe, then it stops but the song keeps playing out-of-universe. |
52 | * DisneyAcidSequence: A song with trippy visuals. |
53 | * DoItYourselfThemeTune: Cast member(s) of a particular work performing to contribute for its soundtrack. |
54 | * DramaticChoirNumber: A choir joins the lead singer in singing the song. |
55 | * DramaticPause: A moment where there isn't any dialogue and there's no (or hardly any) music, played for drama. |
56 | * DreadfulMusician: Someone who's horrible at playing music. |
57 | * DreamMelody: A character likes to sing or hum a certain tune that's mysterious to them. |
58 | * DroneOfDread: Droning music played as unsettling. |
59 | * TheElevatorFromIpanema: All elevators play "The Girl from Ipanema". |
60 | * EstablishingCharacterMusic: Background music establishes someone's personality. |
61 | * EtherealChoir: A choir singing in harmony to signify otherworldiness. |
62 | * EverythingIsAnInstrument: Using things besides musical instruments to make music. |
63 | * EverythingsLouderWithBagpipes: Playing the bagpipes to annoy people. |
64 | * FamiliarSoundtrackForeignLyrics: A cover of a popular song in a foreign language, used to provide a sense of familiarity, but also signify that they're in a foreign country or a character is from one. |
65 | * {{Fanfare}}: Uplifting brass instruments, used to celebrate something. |
66 | * FrenchAccordion: French settings are scored to the sounds of the accordion-based ''bal musette''. |
67 | * FollowTheBouncingBall: A ball bounces along the lyrics to a song so that the audience can sing along. |
68 | * ForeignReScore: A work gets re-scored when it's shown in a different country. |
69 | * ForgottenThemeTuneLyrics: The theme song has lyrics that aren't used. |
70 | * FutureMusic: Either characters in the future listen to different music, or works set in the future have music that has either theremins, sci-fi noises, copies of modern-day songs, or disco music. |
71 | * GospelChoirsAreJustBetter: Gospel choir music signifies "this scene is important". |
72 | * GratuitousMariachiBand: Mariachi bands pop up randomly. |
73 | * HappyBirthdayToYou: It's someone's birthday, but nobody sings "Happy Birthday" because the work was made during the time when the song was under copyright. |
74 | * HappyCircusMusic: Circus music that sets a fun mood, usually at an actual circus or similar. |
75 | * HeartbeatSoundtrack: Music meant to mimic a heartbeat, signifying that a character is going to die or is afraid. |
76 | * TheHeroSucksSong: The villain sings a song insulting the hero. |
77 | * HollywoodToneDeaf: People who can't sing well sound exaggeratedly awful. |
78 | * HolyPipeOrgan: A pipe organ means that something is sacred or religious. |
79 | * IconicSequelSong: A song that came from a later instalment but is iconic for the franchise as a whole. |
80 | * ImageSong: A song about an anime character. |
81 | * IncessantChorus: A character who sings this particular song in every scene they're in. |
82 | * IntersceneDiegetic: A character is singing, the scene changes, but you can still hear the singing. |
83 | * InUniverseSoundtrack: Background music is played in-universe. |
84 | * InvisibleBackupBand: Whenever someone in-universe plays an instrument, there will be inexplicable background vocals or instruments. |
85 | * IronicNurseryTune: A nursery rhyme used to set a creepy atmosphere. |
86 | * IsntItIronic: The work uses a song the creators assumed to be appropriate, but paying close attention to the lyrics will reveal that this song actually doesn't fit the scene it is being played in. |
87 | * IWantSong: Heroes express their ambitions or dreams through a musical number before their heroic journey. |
88 | * JungleJazz: Jazz music for scenes in the jungle. |
89 | * LastEpisodeThemeReprise: The theme song plays in the background of a climatic scene in the finale. |
90 | * LeftTheBackgroundMusicOn: The background music turns out to be coming from an in-universe source that is then turned off. |
91 | * {{Leitmotif}}: A piece of theme music associated with a specific character, group, recurring event or location. |
92 | * LeitmotifUponDeath: The character's personal musical score plays during their death. |
93 | * LettingTheAirOutOfTheBand: The background music slows to a stop upon revealing something not so good. |
94 | * Level1MusicRepresents: The first level theme music of a video game becomes iconic. |
95 | * LocalSoundtrack: The soundtrack has a connection to the story's RealLife setting. |
96 | * LocationSong: A song about a place. |
97 | * LohengrinAndMendelssohn: If there's a wedding, the "Here Comes the Bride" song or the intro to ''Theatre/AMidsummerNightsDream'' will play. |
98 | * LonelyPianoPiece: Sad piano music that plays during sad scenes, especially when a character is alone. |
99 | * LoveTheme: When romance has its own theme. |
100 | * MassiveMultiplayerEnsembleNumber: A song that sums up the attitudes of all the main characters before a major event, sometimes with plenty of counterpoint. |
101 | * TheMelBrooksNumber: A song that sounds like a sad song, but is actually funny because the lyrics, context, or characters' behaviour is. |
102 | * MelodramaticPause: A pause to convey drama, similar to Dramatic Pause, except this time with a hammy orchestra. |
103 | * MerryInMinorKey: Songs that are primarily in minor keys, but have positive meanings or messages, defying the stereotype that "major keys are happy, minor keys are sad." |
104 | * MickeyMousing: The music illustrates the physical movements. |
105 | * MinskyPickup: A certain old-timey intro fanfare. |
106 | * MockingMusic: A character is in a bad mood, but when they try to listen to music, the song is about what put the character in the bad mood. |
107 | * MoodyTrailerCoverSong: Trailers use a cover of a pop song sung in an alto voice and with moody instruments. |
108 | * MusicalEpisode: An episode where everyone sings. |
109 | * MusicalGag: A joke in the soundtrack. |
110 | * MusicalGameplay: A video game in which the sound effects are, or contribute to, the music. |
111 | * MusicalisInterruptus: Interrupting a song. |
112 | * MusicalNod: A tune returns sometime later, usually in a video game. |
113 | * MusicalPastiche: Making an existing song darker by changing the instruments. |
114 | * MusicalSpoiler: The first sign that something is going to happen is that the score changes. |
115 | * MusicalTrigger: When a character plays a certain tune, it triggers off an event. |
116 | * MusicBoxIntervals: A song has intervals of music that sound like they came from a music box. |
117 | * MusicVideoSyndrome: A work is cut to look like a music video, even though it isn't one. |
118 | * NationalAnthem: A country's theme song. |
119 | * NearVictoryFanfare: Video game music that plays if you're close to victory. |
120 | * NostalgicMusicBox: Music box tunes used for nostalgia. |
121 | * NothingButHits: Radios only play popular songs. |
122 | * OminousLatinChanting: Latin chanting used during ominous scenes. |
123 | * OminousMusicBoxTune: A music box tune that's creepy due to sounding off or playing at an inopportune time. |
124 | * OminousPipeOrgan: A villain has organ music as their theme. |
125 | * OneManSong: Songs named after guys. |
126 | * OneWomanSong: Songs named after women. |
127 | * OneWomanWail: A woman or a child wailing melodiously used for sad scenes. |
128 | * OrchestraHitTechnoBattle: Rave music used for battles. |
129 | * OrchestralBombing: Orchestra music used for a battle, especially if it involves aerial warfare. |
130 | * OrchestralVersion: A song from a video game gets an orchestral version done. |
131 | * PlayingTheHeartStrings: String music used for dramatic, sad scenes. |
132 | * PlaylistSoundtrack: The game's soundtrack in an area or over an entire game is composed of multiple songs playing randomly one after the other like a playlist on shufffle. |
133 | * PopStarComposer: The work's composer is famous. |
134 | * PsychoStrings: Sharp notes on a string instrument signify insanity, evil, or otherworldliness. |
135 | * PublicDomainSoundtrack: The soundtrack uses music that is in the public domain. |
136 | * RearrangeTheSong: A different version of the theme song is played. |
137 | * RecordNeedleScratch: The background music stops with the sound of a record needle scratching to signify something abruptly changing or stopping. |
138 | * RecurringRiff: A series has its own theme, but it's not a theme song. |
139 | * RecycledSoundtrack: Background music from a work gets used again in another work. |
140 | * RecycledTrailerMusic: The music from the trailer comes from another work, or is a song in its own right. |
141 | * RegionalRiff: Musical instruments used to signify places. |
142 | * ReReleaseSoundtrack: A song is changed for the movie's home release. |
143 | * SadBattleMusic: Sad music is used to add pathos to a battle scene. |
144 | * SavedByTheChurchBell: Triumph and salvation is accompanied by the sound of church bells. |
145 | * SettingOffSong: A song about going on a trip. |
146 | * SentimentalMusicCue: You can tell that the conflict is going to be resolved when sentimental music plays. |
147 | * SerendipitousSymphony: Background noises are turned into music. |
148 | * {{Sexophone}}: A saxophone solo is used to illustrate sensual or romantic scenes or characters. |
149 | * ShaveAndAHaircut: That little tune that plays at the end of songs that goes "Dun dun dun dun dun... DUN DUN!". |
150 | * SidekickSong: The good guys' sidekicks have their moments to shine with a song. |
151 | * SilentCredits: Music does not play during the end credits. |
152 | * SimpleScoreOfSadness: Sad music is slow and has few instruments. |
153 | * SinisterTangoMusic: Tango music sets a creepy atmosphere. |
154 | * SoapOperaOrganScore: A tremolo electric organ announces a soap opera, a SoapWithinAShow parody, or a soap-opera-like, comically [[{{melodrama}} melodramatic]] situation. |
155 | * SofterAndSlowerCover: A slower, quieter cover of a song. |
156 | * SoloDuet: When it sounds like a duet but the singer is actually alone. |
157 | * SongsInTheKeyOfPanic: Video game music that plays when someone is running out of time or in danger. |
158 | * SoundCodedForYourConvenience: Video game sounds that provide info. |
159 | * SoundTest: An option in a video game where you can listen to all its music. |
160 | * SoundtrackDissonance: The music does not match the tone of the scene it is accompanying. |
161 | * SoundtrackLullaby: As someone is sleeping/falling asleep, the soundtrack plays a lullaby-like tune. |
162 | * SourceMusic: Background music that is actually playing in-universe. |
163 | * StandardSnippet: Certain pieces of music commonly used. |
164 | * SteelDrumsAndSunshine: Steel drums are played for happy scenes, especially at the beach, jungle, on islands, or underwater. |
165 | * {{Sting}}: A brief bit of music played for drama or comedy. |
166 | * StockTrailerMusic: Famous songs in music trailers. |
167 | * SuddenSoundtrackStop: |
168 | * SungThroughMusical: In a musical number, dialogue is sung. |
169 | * SuspiciouslyAproposMusic: When a character plays music, it's oddly relevant to the matter at hand. |
170 | * SuspiciouslySimilarSong: A song or piece of music that sounds like a copyright-friendly version of another song or piece of music. |
171 | * ThemeAndVariationsSoundtrack: The songs are all variations on a theme. |
172 | * ThemeMusicAbandonment: The theme song goes away. |
173 | * ThemeMusicPowerUp: When a character does something amazing, their theme plays loudly. |
174 | * ThemeMusicWithholding: The theme song goes away for a few episodes, but then comes back. |
175 | * ThemeSongReveal: Elements of the plot are suggested via the theme song. |
176 | * ThisIsASong: A song that is, at least partially, about itself. |
177 | * TickTockTune: Music with a ticking motif. |
178 | * TitleThemeDrop: The title screen theme for a game shows up within the actual game. |
179 | * TriumphantReprise: A happier version of a previous song that was depressing in tone. |
180 | * UnDuet: During a breakup, characters try to duet but because the other side is a no-show, they end up with a Solo Duet instead. |
181 | * VariableMix: When game music occasionally changes. |
182 | * VictoriousChorus: A chorus signifies triumph. |
183 | * VillainSong: The villain sings about their villainy. |
184 | * TheVillainSucksSong: The hero sings a song insulting the villain. |
185 | * WalkingInRhythm: A character walks to the beat of the background music. |
186 | * WanderlustSong: A song about roaming. |
187 | * WestminsterChimes: Those "bing bong bing bong, bong bing bing bong" chimes associated with Big Ben. |
188 | * WithLyrics: An instrumental song is given lyrics. |
189 | * XylophonesForWalkingBones: Skeletons and xylophone music is associated. |
190 | [[/index]] |
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