ALL: Suspense Music

[psychofan]

I absolutely love the "suspense" music in soaps. It really adds to the moment usually. I wish I had soundbytes of some of the best, but I don't.

I really love the music that DAYS uses sometimes. They use it every now and then and they used it all the time during the SSK story-- but there was this loud burst of music that would like sink down (okay, it's hard to explain).

I also love the OLTL music that they use now (and used ALL the time for Margaret) with very soft whisper-like music and then high-pitched screams in between.

[DruRocks]

I love Y&R and GH suspense music. When it comes to music as a whole I think Y&R, then GH has the rest beat. I also loved the music when Luke pushed Lily down the stairs on ATWT. I think that really heightened the situation.

[mateo22]

I totally agree. GH does a kick ass job when it comes to their music!

Days does have this one piece that I like, they seem to be using it more often. Last time I heard it was with Nick/Billie over at the Brady Pub...love it!

[Dan]

I actually think that shows today underestimate the value of SILENCE. Take a look at some of the classic moments in daytime--Ed and Maureen's final confrontation, Karen Wolek on the stand--you don't hear anything except for the dialouge and I think that is far more powerful than anything any synthesiser can create. We all know it's supposed to be suspenseful, why do we need music to tell us how to feel?

In terms of actual scores, there is this one score on GL that they used during the Annie story. Annie was stalking Reva outside her house with a pair of gardening sheers and there was this eerie music that I love. The last time I heard it was in 2002 briefly during the Tory storyline. I also LOVED whenever GL would use the theme song "Hold on to Love" to score important scenes.

[KLN]

Y&R is tops... their music enhances a scene like no other. You can hear it, without it drowning out the actors. It's there, but you don't realize it. Dramatic, but not cheesy.

From the bits I've seen of ATWT, they have really good suspense music, as well.

Silence is really overrated -- it's golden. I saw 'em giving examples on SoapNet of what scenes look like with background music and without, and in most cases, I actually preferred the scenes WITHOUT the cheesy music. If the writing and the acting is there, it'll sell itself.

The rest, I either can't remember enough to comment or they suck.

Days has really gone down the shitter when it comes to musical scores. In the 90's, all the music was good -- from the suspense themes to the romantic themes. Who remembers the creepy "flute" sound from the possession music? Nowadays, the music sounds like something from a Disney cartoon soundtrack... like it doesn't take itself seriously. It almost feels chastising, like the show is poking fun at itself through the music despite the fact that the STORIES are taking themselves seriously now. It's a really conflicting contrast. It's also way too loud, and used way too often. There's only one 'suspense' theme that I currently like, and even that one is losing its effect.

Anyone remember the creepy "Nursery Rhyme" tune that would play on GL during the Nursery Rhyme Stalker storyline? Looooved that.

[Roman]

When it comes to scores, Days had great music from 1981 to 1990. When something drmatic happened, you could always count on the music to be top notch, and on point. Y&R's music is the only other that comes to mind, but now it doesn't get used anymore, especially at the end of every episode, because the ending credits have been removed and it just fades to black.

Y&R had a piece of music that sounded so gothic that they would use when something very dire would happenat the end of one of their episodes, and it's a shamethat this and other pieces of music are no longer used.

[juppiter]

I really do not like it. I think it's "soapy" and that if the soaps shut off the BGM a little more often (like ATWT in the 80s) it would be a lot more like primetime. To me it gives off a cheesy soap vibe that probably turns off non-soapies. If I were an EP one of my first acts would be to significantly reduce the BGM track.

[winterguy125]

Y&R's is the best, second I would have to say B&B. ATWT does not have any drama so there really is no need for dramatic music

[Chris B]

Y&R of course is the best, but AMC and OLTl are the absolute worst. On OLTL it's very heavy handed and cheesy. I remember how obnoxious it sounded during Todd's execution and just made everything seem like a parody. Then AMC's music (and sets, waredrobe, etc.) just seem so cheap. It's like they don't even try.

I know this will be unpopular, but I do like DAYS' music. It's different, but I think it's a perfect fit for the show. I also like the fade out at the end...

[WTGH]

ATWT has a great suspense song which is RARELY used.

[billyjill]

ITA.

Loved the music back then, I just hate Days' music now, it's utter crap. Including the suspense stuff, I often find myself wishing, as indicated above, that they'd just leave it silent, because the crap music they put on only makes me laugh or cry, alternately, depending on whether or not I have it in me that day to make light of a crappy situation.

[alwaysAMC]

I liked AMC's suspense music last year during Janet's reign of terror....it was sorta Halloween-ish and pretty haunting.

[Actor87]

I think I know what you're talkin' about but referesh my memory, WTGH.

[bellcurve]

I like a lot of the background music from today's soaps.

LOVE Reilly DAYS I era music. That added so much suspense to the show. The Aremid cues were fun and creepy too.

Unpopular, but I like PASSIONS's background music with the exception of a few pieces. My favorite PASSIONS cue is the one that they play with the little guitar beats in it during "scheming" scenes.

GH/PC used to have really good cues until JFP took over. They still have good music cues, but they aren't nearly as good when Martin Davich was working with them(does he still work for GH now?).

B&B's musical cues are so outdated, but I enjoy them anyway.

[Brandeis]

OLTL had some great suspense music for a time. It was very "film noir-ish" (Mitch Period)

Love pretty much all of Y&R's music and Passions used to do well with the supernatural stuff.

DAYS has it's moments too, better lately but great in the 80's and 90's. I miss AW. Sometimes its music would make my heart race because it was so well suited to the story no matter how bad.