The main theme of the film “The Ring” (The Ring) composed by Hans Zimmer which produces a sinister and disturbing aura to finally culminate in a creepy way in the original score.
The effectiveness of works related to terror is based on generating combinations that seek to make the listener uncomfortable, both in rhythm, melody, harmony and sound. To achieve this objective, the tonality and type of time signature are proposed, in this case it is Dm and the 6/8 time signature.
The work generates uncertainty since it moves from the tonal center practically every 2 bars, forcing the listener not to rest harmonically, and that inevitably produces tension. The first instability occurs when changing to the key of Bbm and to firmly establish this variant use the old Bb minor scale (Bb - C - Db - Eb - F - Gb - Ab - Bb).
Dm | % | Bm | % | x2
After repeating this idea, the listener would wait for the return to the key of Dm mas, it is here where the next tonal variant is produced and it addresses Am with the old A minor scale (A - B - C - D - E - F - G - A), then to an Em with the E harmonic minor scale (E - F # - G - A - B - C - D #) and when the repetition of this new relationship between different tones is expected, it begins to go to other keys such as Fm using its harmonic scale (F - G - Ab - Bb - C - Db - E - F) and C # m using its old minor scale (C # - D # - E - F # - G # - A - B - C #).
Am | % | Em | % | Fm | % | C # m | % |
And from this place it will go to the starting key using the C # note as the axis since it is the sensitive tonal of Dm, but so as not to be so obvious the change (as it has been throughout the work) It places a augmented chord C # (# 5) or C + that does not define any key but announces an instability in the tone using a variant of the Arabic scale (C # - D - E - E # - F ## - G ## - A # - B # - C #) , to go to A7 / C # using the scale of A Mixolídio (b9) (b6) (A - Bb - C # - D - E - F - G - A) which would be interpreted as the V of the key of Dm, and which is the return to the original key.
C # (# 5) | A7 / C # | Dm | % |
This is how this tremendous musical adventure ends, it is worth mentioning the sounds used depending on the scenes that are seen (voice that represents Samara’s song, drums during the song of the well, sound of a musical box etc etc) adds a lot to the work of Hans Zimmer.
- Dr Teenitus -
Video: Pablo Bobadilla Rider (Dr. Teenitus)
