Task 3 – Psycho

Task 3 – String

Report

My objective was to add emotion to the characters through the music, using a scene from Psycho. I chose 3 main visuals elements from this piece; I decided to trace the officer’s footsteps once he leaves the car at 0.31”, as well as every time he asks a question, with pizzicato. The women’s emergence from her sleep at 0.47” is important, so it has been overstated and the tension of when she is emptying the money from the bag onto the car seat at 2.06”.
I have been influenced by George Crumb’s Black Angels (1990) by the use of the whole instrument that the string quartet uses and also by Clint Mansell’s score for Requiem For a Dream (2000), especially the way he sets the mood with long notes and counter melodies. I have learned a lot more about using the timbre of the instruments and to create the sounds I have been after, instead of trying to only use melody. This is an example of practice as research as I have tried to use similar techniques to the Black Angels I, Departure (1990), trying to add tension by using the whole body of the stringed instrument and trying to use the influence of Clint Mansell to give the piece a bit more depth. I would give myself about 50% for this because I could have researched more into other composers and tried to use a wider variety of techniques.

References

George Crumb, (1990). Black Angels I, Departure [CD]. New York: Nonesuch Records. 5 mins.

Clint Mansell, (2010). La Guere Froide [CD]. LA: Varese Sarabande. 2 mins.

Clint Mansell, (2000). Lux Aeterna [CD]. New York: Nonesuch Records. 4 mins.

Advertisement