Over the course of the six years that "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" graced our television screens, we were treated to a variety of music that was diagetic and non-diagetic. This blog entry is going to hopefully be the first in a series about the usage of the music in the show and how it was used to accentuate character's emotions, as well as the audiences.
The first music score I would like to write about is the theme, by Nerf Herder. To give a little background on it, it was actually Alyson Hannigan who suggested the band to Joss Whedon (according to Whedon on the "Welcome to the Hellmouth" DVD commentary). Even if one has never seen an episode of "Buffy" before, they will most likely recognise the theme. So what makes it so memorable from an audio standpoint? First of all, it's an instrumental piece but with sound affects used throughout (particularly in the slightly lower and more gravelly version used for seasons one and two). It begins with a wolf howl along with some notes played on an organ. It plays on popular culture in horror straight away which relates to the character of Buffy herself being a typical horror film trope turned on its head. However, the theme quickly changes to an upbeat, grungy piece of music played on an electric guitar. This relates to the series being about young people and it captures the grunge music scene of the 90s.
I mentioned that for the version used for seasons one and two, there are more sound effects used. These include a scream and a bubbling cauldron. Again, these sounds add to the blatant use of typical horror tropes by Joss Whedon.
The first music score I would like to write about is the theme, by Nerf Herder. To give a little background on it, it was actually Alyson Hannigan who suggested the band to Joss Whedon (according to Whedon on the "Welcome to the Hellmouth" DVD commentary). Even if one has never seen an episode of "Buffy" before, they will most likely recognise the theme. So what makes it so memorable from an audio standpoint? First of all, it's an instrumental piece but with sound affects used throughout (particularly in the slightly lower and more gravelly version used for seasons one and two). It begins with a wolf howl along with some notes played on an organ. It plays on popular culture in horror straight away which relates to the character of Buffy herself being a typical horror film trope turned on its head. However, the theme quickly changes to an upbeat, grungy piece of music played on an electric guitar. This relates to the series being about young people and it captures the grunge music scene of the 90s.
I mentioned that for the version used for seasons one and two, there are more sound effects used. These include a scream and a bubbling cauldron. Again, these sounds add to the blatant use of typical horror tropes by Joss Whedon.
To me, the theme represents exactly what the basic premise of Buffy's character design was meant to be; a Hollywood trope turned on its head. Throughout the years, the "Buffy" theme has always stuck with me, it's truly unforgettable and iconic.
What are your thoughts on the theme? Which piece of music do you think I should write about next? Let me know!
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What are your thoughts on the theme? Which piece of music do you think I should write about next? Let me know!
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