Paranormal TV background music

[fran123]

I'm sure most users of this site watch many paranormal programmes on television, whether as believers or sceptics. The one thing I feel that spoils virtually all of these programmes is the constant background music. Why do they do it? It would be far more realistic if we, as viewers, could experience the same conditions as they do, walking through properties where there would normally be complete silence. How many times do they say, "did you hear that?" and the viewers can't due to the orchestras constantly playing in the background.

It's getting to the stage that I'm seriously thinking of not watching them any more. What do you think?

[+Desertrat56]

54 minutes ago, fran123 said:

I'm sure most users of this site watch many paranormal programmes on television, whether as believers or sceptics. The one thing I feel that spoils virtually all of these programmes is the constant background music. Why do they do it? It would be far more realistic if we, as viewers, could experience the same conditions as they do, walking through properties where there would normally be complete silence. How many times do they say, "did you hear that?" and the viewers can't due to the orchestras constantly playing in the background.

It's getting to the stage that I'm seriously thinking of not watching them any more. What do you think?

Music is used to evoke emotion if the person editing the program knows what they are doing.  Often they don't.  It annoys me too, especially when nothing happened but they want you to feel like something did.  It is used in true crime shows too.  And some of the murder mysteries I like sometimes make the music louder than the dialogue which is quite annoying.

[acute]

I've never noticed any background music, but we may be watching different shows.

On the ones I watch, it's all low and high droning sounds, bangs, clangs, and whooshing noises, to crank up the tension.  As Desertrat said, it's to alert you to something that hasn't happened. 

[ParanormalConfidante]

2 hours ago, fran123 said:

I'm sure most users of this site watch many paranormal programmes on television, whether as believers or sceptics. The one thing I feel that spoils virtually all of these programmes is the constant background music. Why do they do it? It would be far more realistic if we, as viewers, could experience the same conditions as they do, walking through properties where there would normally be complete silence. How many times do they say, "did you hear that?" and the viewers can't due to the orchestras constantly playing in the background.

It's getting to the stage that I'm seriously thinking of not watching them any more. What do you think?

They try to build the tension as a cover up of having "zero proof" to what they are looking for. I find most of these shows ridiculous (except Hellier because it is really different) because it feels so idiotic to say "hey let's go to this place today and check if we will get some EVP or stickmen". No. You will find nothing there like this.

And the use of really annoying tools... there's no shortcuts to catch something guys.

Without spending enough time to observe, you will definitely get nothing. I watch them only to hear the background story. 

[fran123]

6 minutes ago, ParanormalConfidante said:

They try to build the tension as a cover up of having "zero proof" to what they are looking for. I find most of these shows ridiculous (except Hellier because it is really different) because it feels so idiotic to say "hey let's go to this place today and check if we will get some EVP or stickmen". No. You will find nothing there like this.

And the use of really annoying tools... there's no shortcuts to catch something guys.

Without spending enough time to observe, you will definitely get nothing. I watch them only to hear the background story. 

Agree. I don't know why they can't leave unattended camera and audio equipment running for days if not weeks, changing the batteries when required. That way they may at least have an opportunity to catch something if there is actually something there.

[ParanormalConfidante]

8 minutes ago, fran123 said:

Agree. I don't know why they can't leave unattended camera and audio equipment running for days if not weeks, changing the batteries when required. That way they may at least have an opportunity to catch something if there is actually something there.

I think paranormal events do not happen in high frequency as they are believed or told to be. This type of phenomenon requires accumulated energy (residue of energy that slowly buid up to come out like explosions of gas in  coal mines. They don't make continuous performances like musical theatre.

To make you feel excited and expect more, they make it bigger than it is by adding too much bla bla to the story to keep you hanging.

These things, I believe, happen once or twice, and the rest is told by people who needs to create sensation and craves for attention.

[Stiff]

I've never actually watched any of them but seen clips bandied about here and there (usually here) so I know the dreadful soundtracks of which we're discussing.

Yes, it should be silent so you can hear exactly what they hear. Then, possibly, you might get to hear "Mary loves dick". 

[MissJatti]

I stopped watch these programmes as soon has I started watching them.

[TashaMarie]

On 5/21/2020 at 8:53 PM, Stiff said:

I've never actually watched any of them but seen clips bandied about here and there (usually here) so I know the dreadful soundtracks of which we're discussing.

Yes, it should be silent so you can hear exactly what they hear. Then, possibly, you might get to hear "Mary loves dick". 

To be fair Mary seemed to really love Dick.

[Stiff]

7 hours ago, TashaMarie said:

To be fair Mary seemed to really love Dick.

Don't they all 

[_Only]

On 5/21/2020 at 9:27 AM, Desertrat56 said:

Music is used to evoke emotion if the person editing the program knows what they are doing.  

And it is an extremely effective tool for this use.

[_Only]

On 5/21/2020 at 10:19 AM, acute said:

I've never noticed any background music, but we may be watching different shows.

On the ones I watch, it's all low and high droning sounds, bangs, clangs, and whooshing noises, to crank up the tension.  As Desertrat said, it's to alert you to something that hasn't happened. 

Here's a typical example:

Sounds like what you describe possibly may be same we hear in this video, which actually is background 'music', but very atmospheric, which is perfect for creating tension/suspense/building fear, and tends to be more subliminal than outright melodic music.

Edited June 23, 2020 by _Only

[rashore]

Music added to paranormal investigating annoys the crap out of me. And a lot of shows and youtube vids do it. Often, constant chattering and such is annoying too... if ghosts are supposed to be barely able to whatever, then shush and let ghosts do their ghost stuff... stop adding sounds in or making a bunch of noise while filming.