Giving Life a Soundtrack
Image by Veronica Grace Wolfgang
I always say to myself unironically, ‘if the everyday, mundane routine had a soundtrack, life would be so much more interesting’. I now ask myself ‘what would that be like’? I would like to discuss the possibilities of having music follow you, no plugs or airpods required.
Why would there be any need to ask? The metaphysical, convoluted answer would be to let our daydreaming roam freely and imagine a world where background music was intrinsic to our world, and thus wonder about the subjectivity of our musical tastes, while also being aware in an omnipresent fashion that we are the very people creating that sound. The straightforward, simple answer is the one I’m interested in; imagining this impossible scenario in hopes of making things more interesting. Maybe those who are more assertive don’t struggle with this, but for me, things can become quite tedious without much effort. I find myself always wanting more out of a situation, and music is my choice of weapon to defeat the final boss known as a routine.
First order of business–what music would surround you? In my case, I enjoy many genres of music, but what I listen to varies with my mood and/or circumstance. Like I do with words, certain songs can permanently be associated with a memory and/or setting, but I will elaborate on that later. Lately, my daily tunes bounce between a carefully curated playlist of EDM tracks, Hindi-language songs, and instrumental pieces like compositions from Game of Thrones. My personal favourite at the moment is“Ego” by Syence and Gazzo. I really enjoy the lyrics, and it puts me in a good mood when I need to write. Recently, I have been listening to “Show and Tell” by Said the Sky featuring Claire Ridgely, which I find relaxing and perfect for nighttime. My struggle in a world with background music would be to properly transpose all of my music, since my preferences at any point in time can flip on a dime. Ergo, the music around me is dependent on what I do.
Second order of business–where would your music play? At home, during commutes via public transportation, Starbucks, select lounge areas or cafes around campus, the list goes on. However, it is essential for me that my music operates nomadically; I love having music to listen to when I am walking. It can be a stroll by Lake Ontario, crossing a busy intersection; it wouldn’t matter where it was as long as I am walking. Since high school, I have always prepared for the situation by keeping my headphones around my neck, seldom removing it unless there was no avoiding it, such as during an exam. And the moment I finish a task that prevents me from wearing my headphones, I go right back to listening to my music. I promise you, the TTC and GO Train are infinitely more enjoyable with music.
Third order of business–what situations and experiences prompt your music? This is a tough one, which is why I left it. I would like to think some of my experiences are entertaining, but I sometimes look back and think, “Would it be even more memorable if there was music playing?” When I think about the time I went parasailing, would it have been more interesting with some lo-fi EDM, or maybe with Satie’s “Aquarium”? On the flip side, when I draft story ideas and proofread my novel, I can only listen to certain music because of the genre and the scene I am writing. I can’t exactly write a murder mystery while listening to “Wake Me Up” by Wham!; it just doesn’t work. Thus, when I write and what I write determines what I listen to. In a situation where I wouldn’t be listening to music, like an audio-guide tour around the Colosseum, I usually imagine I would be listening to something that evokes wonder and curiosity; instrumental music is great for that. I could go on about the numerous reflections I have on this topic, but I keep in mind that we do actually have an outlet where somewhat realistic scenarios are given music, music that aims to evoke emotions and create the impact we lack in reality; the visual mediums of television and movies.
This brings me to the fourth order of business. How do movies/TV shows use music to create this impact? Take Toy Story 2 for example. One of the new characters introduced, Jessie, a cowgirl doll, has a flashback sequence showing the events leading up until this point in the narrative. When asked why she feels the way she does about humans, we are taken to the past through music.“When She Loved Me” by Sarah McLachlan plays for the duration of the flashback, and by this point, you can empathize with and understand Jessie. There is no narration for the flashback, just the song. Because the animated movie still takes place in a setting with humans, it is important to set a tone and create this impact in order for emotion to be evoked; something the Toy Story franchise is pretty good at. Jaws is another example of good music creating a strong impact, having one of the most memorable scores. When the main characters are at sea in an attempt to kill the shark terrorizing Amity Island, the music becomes more ominous and threatening the moment they are blindsided by the shark. The Jurassic Park franchise is one of my personal favourites, and the original theme from the 1993 film that plays in the credit sequence is the music I associate with dinosaurs. In 2015, when Jurassic World trailers came out, I was not only excited for the movie, but also to hear that iconic music. The key change makes it sound more threatening like the music from Jaws, but it’s the perfect way to draw someone to a movie–hit ‘em with nostalgic music.
Fifth order of business–how exactly could we control our meta-music? We live in a world where streaming services are near universal, so our ability to find, store, and compile music can be done in so many different ways on many platforms. Instantly, Spotify comes to mind. In a world where our music surrounded us, could we have setup like Spotify, and how would we know when to stop playing? See, in television, the music that tends to have the most impact would play at the end of the episode and cut to black. It is quite clear in these cases how the music is utilized; to mark the start and end of a scene. For me, Game of Thrones does this really well. While the show is crafted in a way that removes you far from reality, it makes up for its lack of metarealism with the use of score. Having a realistic setting does help, but evoking emotions from the audience still hits the right chords in order to make the scene interesting and impactful. This isn’t a spoiler, but any music associated with the dragons in the show are 1) some of my favourite compositions in music as a whole, 2) really effective in making you hyped, and 3) surprisingly good at making you attached. Films and movies do it often where you want the animals to live; but in Game of Thrones, through the music, you’re rooting for the animal’s survival. Some of the beasts and monsters in Lord of the Rings, a fantasy saga through-and-through, are both ghastly yet intriguing and to me; however, you’re not given much time to connect with the beasts that side with the heroes (and thus no particular composition is associated with said beast), compared to Game of Thrones, which lacks the abundance of fantastical creatures but really emphasizes the ones that do exist through music. Movies use a lot of the same tactics (albeit in a fixed timeframe), but it counts for a lot more in this medium. In order to be memorable, everyone needs to remain engaged, and in order for the movie to become big, there needs to be key moments in the film that, once again, strike emotional chords. Even though you don’t necessarily need music to make a situation more interesting, it would be difficult to deny that if the music wasn’t good, we would enjoy these kind of mediums a lot less.
Finally, what could we conclude from all of this? It is interesting to see where music is used as a narrative device in a way, helping to drive plots forward in movies and TV shows to unwittingly impact its viewers. Music, in all ways it is perceived, is entirely subjective, and for many, there are countless variables when considering a world where music surrounded you. What would be the best way to control the music, and would that even be possible if there’s too much variety? For me, I would really enjoy this kind of world, because there are times when I think it is better to have silence, but many other times where I would prefer some music softly following me and setting a good mood. Things become more fun that way.
By Alisha Rao