October is Spooky Music Month

Music History in the music lab has a different theme every month. October is a perfect time to look at the history of spooky music.

What is it that makes music spooky? There isn’t one simple thing that someone can point to that makes something scary. Music uses several different effects to make an audience on edge or waiting for something to happen, even if they don’t know what it is or when it will come.

One of the effects that music is attempting to emulate is a human scream. The scream is a sound that warns us someone needs our help- and bringing that into the score will definitely get everyone’s attention. That’s not the only effect that is used, but musicians have learned that using higher pitches and dissonant chords and even different instruments to get the desired creepy effect from listeners.

Check out music history in the lab to learn more about the many different musical techniques used to keep an audience waiting and listening for that next big moment. There are even specific instruments used only when creating spooky music!