How Do You Make Spooky Sounding Music?
As Halloween approaches, many musicians are curious about how to make spooky sounding music. While most musicians are familiar with major and minor scales, these traditional scales tend to produce sounds that are more consonant and harmonious, which isn’t ideal for creating that eerie, unsettling feeling often associated with spooky music. So, how do you achieve a truly spooky sound?
Step Outside the Major Scale
A minor scale gets you closer to spooky music than a major scale, but since it’s just a mode of the major scale, it may not be dissonant enough. To create a more eerie or unsettling atmosphere, you need to venture beyond the major scale system and explore other tonalities.
One effective way to make spooky sounding music is by using the diminished scale. This 8-note scale alternates between half steps and whole steps, which creates an unsettling, dissonant sound. The diminished scale is unique because it is made up of two fully diminished 7th chords, giving it a distinct tension that works well in spooky music.
Explore Dissonant Intervals
Another approach is to modify existing scales. For example, you can create a variation of the Lydian Dominant scale, adding a b2 (flat second) note to increase the dissonance. The pattern for this scale is: 1, b2, 3, #4, 5, 6, b7.
This scale introduces even more tension and unusual intervals, perfect for spooky music. When played as single notes or harmonized in thirds and fifths, this scale can sound eerie and unsettling.
Use Chords and Harmony
Beyond scales, consider experimenting with the harmony itself. Harmonizing notes in diminished 7ths or using dissonant intervals like tritones can heighten the sense of unease in your music. When looking at how to make spooky sounding music, it’s not just about scales; the way you arrange your chords and harmonies also plays a significant role in shaping the atmosphere.
Conclusion: How Do You Make Spooky Sounding Music?
In summary, how do you make spooky sounding music? Start by exploring dissonant scales like the diminished scale or variations like the Lydian Dominant with a b2. Experiment with intervals and harmonies that create tension and unease. With these tools, you can create music that evokes the perfect spooky atmosphere, just in time for Halloween! Check out our attached Sheet Music and PDF Scale and Chord Spelling Guide files for more examples and tips on how to get started.
by Henry Bahrou – Guitarist, Music Theorist, Music Academy Director