AS EXAM - Section A - Sound Terminology

SOUND TERMINOLOGY

Ambient sound  -  The sounds of the location eg water noises near a river, cows mooing in a farm etc.  They tell us what kind of place we are in and if we see how characters react to these sounds it tells us a lot. Noisy cars, horns, people, traffic represent a region as being busy and urban and not very homely.

Asynchronous sound –  Asynchronous sound is where the sound is either out of sync with the visuals or is unrelated to the visuals.  Sound that is just out of sync would make the viewer feel disorientated and would make the characters and scene seem strange.  Sound that is unrelated to the visuals may be there for emphasising something.  For example, in the Godfather film, we see a man murdering people in cold blood, but hear the sounds of a priest christening a baby.  This contrast emphasises the loss of innocent life.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bC1-6nDGRfc&feature=related

Contrapuntal sound – sound or music that seems strange in comparison to the scene we are seeing.  For example in the film the Shining, during beautiful scenes of winding roads and countryside on a sunny day, we hear quite scary ominous music.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rQNqFfXSt38&feature=related

Dialogue – the words the characters say.  What do the characters actually say? Do they reveal their beliefs, or their attitudes? How do they say it?  If someone’s voice sounds nervous and wobbly it tells us a lot about their character.  If they speak softly it implies they are weak or emotional.  If they have a deep booming voice it makes them seem more masculine.  Don’t forget accents as they tell us where someone is from and emphasise their differences from others.

Direct address (also known as breaking the 4^th wall) – where the character talks to the audience directly. Don’t confuse this with a point of view shot.  It is very unusual and breaks the reality for the audience, but also helps us to see that character as an equal, a friend, as someone to sympathise with.  Often seen in shows like Scrubs and Malcolm in the Middle.

Diegetic Sound: sound that you could hear if YOU were one of the characters inside the scene.  This include words the characters say, background noises like traffic and crowd noise and even music IF it is heard by the characters eg at a club, on a television etc  Diegetic sound can set the mood of the piece, influence a character’s behaviour or emotions, and help the viewer to see a scene as realistic etc

Non Diegetic Sound – Other sound that the characters in the scene could not hear .  For example, a musical soundtrack, a voice over etc.  Non diegetic music sets the scene and time period as well as atmosphere.  A voice over allows the audience to hear someone’s thoughts and empathise with them. 

Pitch – Low pitch described a sound that is deep and low (eg Thunder) and high pitch describes a sound that is higher and lighter (eg a phone ringing)

Rhythm – Describes the beat of the music, whether it is fast or slow.  Sound or music with a fast rhythm is often used to increase a sense of urgency or threat.  Sound or music with a slow rhythm is often used to depict calmness and peace.  Sound or music with an irregular rhythm is used to confuse the audience and make them feel uncomfortable.

Voice over: the use of a voice, over images, perhaps as an introduction, a linking narrative device for or to comment on action. It allows the audience to see inside the head of a character, helping us to empathise with them.

Sound bridge – a portion of sound that covers a cut, normally to link two scenes together.  For example if you were to see a woman talking about how much she missed her boyfriend, and her voice continued as a sound bridge on top of the shot of him, even if just for a few seconds, it emphasises that he is the man she is talking about.  Sound bridges are often used to try and mask cuts from the audience, making it seem more realistic. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIkpD2Nr5yI&playnext=1&list=PL011F31D3E38DBB59

Sound motif – Hard to spot in a short clip.  But this is a sound which normally represents a certain character.  For example the Da DA of the shark in the film jaws.  We associate that music with them.

Sound Effects – A sound accompanying an action, sometimes musical.  For example in the film Psycho, short sharp violin noises accompany each stab of the knife during the famous shower scene.  This emphasises the violence of each stabbing motion and makes it more dramatic.

Soundtrack: Music from a soundtrack (all the sounds) or score (just the music) emphasises the themes and emotions of a scene or character.  Think about the beat and instruments used.  For example a high energy dance track with loud crashing tones will emphasise someone’s youth.. a girly soft piano music might help us to see a woman as stereotypically delicate and feminine. 

Synchronous sound - synchronous sound is sound that is in sync with the visuals and was filmed at the same time.