Soap Opera Background Music Thread

[bellcurve]

I distinctly remember watching ATWT post-Goutman takeover and hearing an AW cue used on the show. Some suspence cue, nothing that used the AW theme.

Alot of it may also have to do with the different producers, directors, and editors. We see the difference in the way music and cues were used during LML's run on Y&R and Griffith and especially Rauch's run on the show. Nothing may have changed behind the scenes(in terms of who the music director is), but there may be a mandate from the producer as to the tone of the scenes. Alot of people automatically assume the show's main director picks which cues are used in certain scenes. That may be the case for some shows, but not for all. Unless directions are explicitly written in the script or by a director/producer, I believe the music director has free reign to use whatever cues he/she wants. Obviously, if the EP/Director or another higher up watches the said final copy and would much prefer another cue to be used that would make a scene alot less cheesy or have more dramatic impact, then they would make the music director pick a different cue.

[rangethatrover]

Paul Rauch's favorite was Score Productions- The music on OLTL in the mid to late eighties was the best background music ever. From the many suspenseful themes to the more moving ones- OLTL had my favorite music ever. It is funny to listen to the dramatic difference of the background music on OLTL in 83/84 on Youtube (old fashioned, terrible, hokey) vs. 86/87 after Paul Rauch came on. Night and day.

Also, Any score from Y&R pre 1994 or so- the 70's/80's themes especially are in a class by themselves. Movie level orchestra stuff. The best. I am glad it has been brought back (exclusively in Katherine's storyline for some reason, maybe reflecting her longevity, I do not know.)

Here is an interesting piece from OLTL (I found on Dlisted, old Blair is the "hot slut of the day" ) at the beginning of the Gottlieb era. It was Eurasian Blair's theme when she first joined. It was excellent. Mysterious, pretty... One of the last times on OLTL that a character has their own theme. I don't know why OLTL retired all of the excellent themes from the Gottlieb era. OLTL"s "music" now is really just loud clanging sound effects- Its not really music. Very horror film-ish.

http://www.dlisted.com/node/31028

Blair's theme starts around the 1 minute mark after Luna/Max's scene

Edited March 7, 2009 by rangethatrover

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Yes, OLTL's current background music is some of the most generic crap I've ever heard. A lot of the cues sound the same or use the same instrumentation, I've noticed. I think OLTL has the worst background music currently of the ABC soaps.

You could clearly tell the difference in production and music after Gottlieb left, it just wasn't the same anymore.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I liked this cue they used on GH when Carly found out that Michael "died."

It lasts like the first 2 minutes, there's a brief commercial break 30 seconds or so in, but the cue continues afterwards.

I also LOVE this cue they recently used for the Robin and Stone flashback.

It starts 4:53 in and continues to the end of the clip.

[rangethatrover]

Good example and excellent quality video of OLTL's sound in 85-86 (and the brightly lit Paul Rauch look!)

Very 80's- and Tina's theme starts when she opens Victor's letter.

This was Andrea's theme from 85-90- This same music was playing in her last scene at the airport in (I think January) of 1990.

Tina's theme did not return when Karen Witter came on (I believe)

Paul Rauch left soon after and so did all of the Score productions music. Gottlieb used some of it but it was entirely gone within 3-4 months of her arrival.

Y&RWorldTurner I agree comepletely- OLTL's music is generic garbage. GH still has some decent music, more movie like with actual melodies. OLTL has sound effects, not music.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txc7ezal1mU...feature=related

Edited March 7, 2009 by rangethatrover

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I believe Rauch also used Score Productions at GL, I notice when Rauch initially joined GL, a lot of the background music took a sensationalistic Melrose Place-esque tone. Very mid/late 90's, kind of like how the music used on his OLTL was very 80's.

Like the music from 3:00 to 3:27 in this clip:

I much prefered the music used during JFP's GL.

Edited March 7, 2009 by Y&RWorldTurner

[bellcurve]

I just found the old B&B music cue I wanted to share with you guys: Go to about 2:20 in....I love this cue. I wish they would use this again.

Edited March 8, 2009 by bellcurve

[Toups]

LOL at the "clanging sound effects"...I know what you mean....but I really like some of it. It's very dark, very gothic and I like that. And I've noticed that it's been like that since I started watching in 1998.

I'm the opposite. I think OLTL has better music than GH/AMC.

I love that piece too. And I think it's Marty's (though it could be DM's too....but it sounds more like Marty's piano).

Loved the piano piece at the beginning. The music at the end was pretty bad. WTH was that. LOL But I remember most of GL's music being very good from that period.

[Soapsuds]

Toups has posted this before somewhere...Dont recall where But love the background music...it is classic Y&R

[rangethatrover]

Ah the glory days. And watch the classic Y&R sweeping camera work at 3:16- They NEVER do camerawork like that anymore!! No soaps had that smooth as silk cinematic, excellent camerawork.

[Soapsuds]

Here is another favorite of mine. The background music is so gooood.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Somewhere in the late 90's Y&R seemed to dump a lot of cues and add new ones.

[Soapsuds]

The lead up and the ending score to Jill being shot was outstanding!

[Dan]

I've never been all that big on GL's cues during the Robyn Cutler era, but I've really taken to this one theme from 2005:

I think it starts around 2:20. It's during the final Bill/Olivia scene.

Edited March 16, 2009 by Dan

[evermore]

Loved Tina's 80s theme, RangeThatRover. thank you for posting that!

OLTL and Days both had great background music in the mid/late 80s, esp for the dramatic/perilous scenes... there was one frantic synth melody that used to play with Maria Roberts a lot that I loved. Plays from 0:28 to 1:31 in this clip

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqhGaBjh_TY...feature=related

GH had great bg music through a lot of the 80s and 90s; my all-time favorites were Heather Weber's theme when Robin Mattson took over the role in the very early 80s (haunting and kind of off-kilter and eerie all at the same time, but I can't find it on youtube anywhere; it played throughout Heather's faking catatonia & her stalking of Diana Taylor); and that haunting, kind of urgent piano music they played when Tracey withheld Edward's meds... starts around 2:52 in the video below, lasts through 4:04

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRw_Tgx0rms