Non Diegetic Music In Film Analysis

Music in films play a crucial role in setting a scene to deliver the desired mood and expression of emotions. The apparent context of a scene can completely change just based on the music playing. There are different types of music that can be performed, each delivered in different ways. The two main types of music in films are diegetic and non-diegetic music, which will be further elaborated in the next paragraph. Two films which have powerful narrations thanks to accompanying music are “Interstellar” and “Star Wars: A New Hope”.

Diegetic music comes from an internal source (with respect to the film) such as a radio, speakers, live musicians, etc. Whether or not the source is visible is irrelevant. As long as we understand that the music is

The tempo of the music complements the tone of the setting and current situation well. For example, the scene with the cornfield chase of the drone. The music is uplifting and fast paced, complemented by quick cuts to different points of view of the speeding truck through the cornfield. One recurring theme of non-diegetic music in “Interstellar” is where the music overwhelms the dialogue, creating a disorientating feel. The loud music often happens during an intense moment. This volume change can affect the way viewers interact with the film and in turn create a disorientating affect much like the one the characters are experiencing, effectively drawing the viewer farther into the fictional world(in the case of Sci-Fi

In particular, ‘A New Hope’ uses non-diegetic music well. During battle scenes as the music reaches a crescendo, the viewer is lost completely in the action of the scene. During the opening scene as the Imperial troopers break into the Rebel ship, the iconic music dies away for the first time as the sound of the door being burst open with lasers becomes the sole source of sound. It seems as if the music is holding its breath and the audience does likewise, instantly knowing that the characters associated with these sounds are part of the force opposing the relative good. Yet even though sound effects take over the opening sequence, music can still be heard in the background and it seems to echo the firing of the guns and snare drum roles that give a militaristic undercurrent. In this scene and in others music is constantly in the background, intertwined with the sound effects and ready to direct emotion at any moment. The cantina scene is an excellent example of diegetic music. There are a few reasons it is so effective. Firstly, there isn’t a lot of diegetic music in the film and it isn’t readily apparent what the music’s source is until the camera pans onto the musicians. This helps to provide us with a relatable experience in an otherwise relatively un-relatable world. The music stops during the fight with Obi-wan after having been