Celebrating the Cinematic Synth Soundscape!

Leo Tolstoy once wrote that music “carries me off into another state of being, one that isn’t my own…under the influence of music I have the illusion of feeling things I don’t really feel, of understanding things I don’t understand, being able to do things I’m not able to do…” With good music song, whether it’s through incredible lyrics or instrumentation, it can be an experience that takes you beyond the realms of reality and brings you in touch with another plane of sensation or experiences. Probably the one instrument that gives you that otherworldly experience is a magical item known as the synthesizer.

An instrument serves as a powerful tool for setting mood, evoking emotions, and, through incredible riffs, enhancing an overall listening experience. This is much in the same ways that an excellent film score can and many great and legendary film composers have utilized this beautiful instrument, creating some of the most powerful and unique soundtracks to show for it. So let’s take a little look into some of the notable classics and modern classics that the synthesizer graced to the silver screen.

Image by Kendrick Sims

Early Days…

Synth music first began to appear slowly in the 1960s first heard in psychedelic tracks, which often gave musical tracks very out of the norm, dreamlike and almost alien sounds. The music that came from this, named as synth-pop or techno-pop, gained prominence in the 1970s and 1980s, growing more as the world became aware of the rise of electronic music and the wider availability of synthesizers. Many classic bands utilized this sound as their whole musical stance, which gave birth to such progressive rock bands as Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream and Yes to name a few. With such unique, cutting-edge sounds it became no surprise that some filmmakers would begin integrating it more into their movies, especially lower budgets, as a synthesizer practically took the place of traditional orchestra.

In the 1970s, synth music was commonly found in science-fiction and horror films, with otherworldly tones complementing the surreal visuals and haunting themes. Movies like A Clockwork Orange (1971), featuring a score by progressive musical artist Wendy Carlos, utilized a unique experimental synth score that demonstrated that almost seemed to frighten yet captivate audiences to enter a dystopian world where it was clear that everything is just slightly off kilter. With such an incredibly unique score, which led to following work for feature films such as The Shining (1980) and Tron (1982), Wendy Carlos was among the earliest composers to help set the stage for cinematic synth. And soon, many more were to follow followed…

Continuing Onward…

In the 1980s, with the synthesizer starting to become more widely available more films started utilizing it to strong results and creating increasingly influential soundtracks. Such memorable scores to come from it include the work of legendary horror director John Carpenter, who with his DIY approach to filmmaking often took on the role of composer for his features of which many of them were delivered through synthesizer. Such incredible and ominous soundtracks he would come to create through it can be found in almost every one of his movies. Such great such films outside of his mainstream debut Halloween (1978) but also in cult classics such as Escape from New York (1981) with its darkly dystopian in the back alleys of a corrupted New York or Prince of Darkness (1987) and the creeping terror slowly rising to the surface.

In the 1980s, synthesizer became even more present in features through the contributions of legendary musical artists coming from the musical scene of the 1970s. This included the likes of Italian-composer Giorgio Moroder, who had previously became known for his contributions to Electronic Disco, for such artists as Queen of Disco, Donna Summer. But with his unique sound on synthesizer he would provide incredible work for such feature films as Midnight Express (1978) (for which he won an Academy Award), along with American Gigolo (1980), Scarface (1983), and The Neverending Story (1984) and many others. Following in suit was Oscar-winning Greek composer, Vangelis, who made waves with his own incredible soundtracks such as Chariots of Fire (1981) and his incredibly haunting scores for Blade Runner (1982) among others. In addition, Vangelis would also find huge success utilizing synth technology alongside traditional orchestral accoutrements and choir, the combinations of which would serve to continue to create strong soundtracks for the most impressive and (even the most lackluster) movies ever.

Image by Kendrick Sims, edited on Canva

Modern Synth Scores…

As the course of films progressed ever onward out of the 1980s, synth is very much still present in modern day even as it slightly faded out over the course of the 90s in favour of traditional orchestra (although not without the occasional pop up). Such composers who strive to keep synthesizer still going in modern cinema include underrated musician Mica Levi’s and his avant-garde score for Jonathan Glazer’s dark sci-fi feature Under the Skin (2013), creating existential dread through dissonant melodies and eerie textures. Additional composers include such musicians making the transition to film scores such as Cliff Martinez with Drive (2011), Richard Vreelan aka Disasterpeace and the low-budget teen-horror It Follows (2014), and even Nine Inch Nail’s frontman Trent Reznor with Atticus Ross for Academy Award-winning works such as The Social Network (2010) and Soul (2020). All of these composers developed sounds from the versatile instrument that further prove to redefine the boundaries of of what scores could do.

But if there was a modern pioneer whose cinematic soundscapes still push the very limit of what synth is capable of to this day, it would be legendary German composer Hans Zimmer. With musical work that can be traced all the way back to the early synth-wave bands of the 80s (including a minor role in the classic 80s hit ‘Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles), Zimmer continues to push the limits of modern film scores utilizing synth with modern orchestras creating some of the most epic scores to truly epic films. Such excellent work and versatility in his compositions can be seen through many, many films with such notable soundtracks as Rain Man (1988), True Romance (1993), The Dark Knight (2008), Interstellar (2014) and Dune Part 1 & Part 2 (2022, 2024).

Image by Kendrick Sims

Conclusion:

In all the years of filmmaking and iconic film scores, experimental synth music has played a significant role in shaping the sonic landscape of cinema. From its early beginnings in the 1970s to its continued influence in contemporary films, the innovative use of synthesizers and electronic soundscapes for film scores and soundtracks have transformed the way we experience movies. Pushing the boundaries of traditional film scoring outside of traditional orchestras, even combining with them, synthesizers create immersive atmospheres that captivate audiences. As film scores continue to evolve with technology growing ever forward, with the old guard and the new continuing to push the limits of what they can do, we as audiences can expect to see its influence continue to grow in the years to come. And much like Tolstoy, the epic music that shape the future of music in cinema in exciting and unexpected ways will continue to carry us into those wondrous states of being and the planes of truly excellent sensations!

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