Elements of a horror musical song?

Question

When composing horror music for musical drama in general, what does one need to consider as in harmony, melody and rhythm, etc.? For harmony, I am especially interested in what chords are normally used as the root, what chord progressions are common and what special chords(all types of diminished, etc.) are typically used. For melody, I am particularly interested in what scales are normally used to compose the melody (including non-traditional scales such as various pentatonic scales, etc.). Lastly, for rhythm, I am curious about whether any particular form of rhythm is common and what meter is common.

Answer 1

Here's some compositional thoughts I came up with based on your question.

Think about how "horror" presents itself through other mediums. For example, in film, we often think something is scary because its unknown to us (we never see the Blair Witch) or when something catches us by surprise (jumpscare!).

Now let's apply those two example concepts to music. To create a composition that feels "unknown," I would be drawn to an atypical compositional technique. Perhaps by composing a melody in an underutilized mode, such as Locrian, I could create a sense of unfamiliarity, especially with Locrian's 5th note being a tritone from the tonic.

The jumpscare could be created in music most obviously by using a sudden surge of dynamic, but I think you could also go deeper with it. I would consider this aspect when deciding on the overall form of my piece. Having moments of sparse instrumentation contrasted by moments of high density and tension could create a sense of unease in the listener.

At the end of the day, music is meant to connect and enhance the medium its attached to. As the composer, your job is to be a musical translator. Don't let the audience miss a beat!

Answer 2

For a slow horror song I'd suggest using a Dorian mode for parts of it - it'll evoke the same kind of felling as those medieval Latin sacred hymns. ... dissonant chords. In particular, augmented fifths, and diminished major sevenths. Try even a Lydian mode. Use odd intervals, and don't resolve anything. Unexpected progressions work great, too. And the spaced-out WHOLE TONE scale works well, also. Monotonous rhythms make for impending doom, yet syncopation keeps the heartbeat on edge. I've always told my piano students to "mush the middle and make it minor, moody & mysterious".