Top Five

● In Marvel film music and especially in the ones they play during a character’s death, it is very

common to start off with sad piano melodies in minor third. Songs in minor thirds are usually

more emotional and darker than a song in a major key, which makes sense why it would be used

for a melancholy type song.

● Repetition of melodies and harmonies are also very common in most of these songs because it

makes the death more dramatic and when dynamics with some different harmonies on top are

added, the emotion it evokes increases depending on the feel of every section of the song.

● Long notes and chords by violin (any other string instruments) and piano are also very common.

The instruments will also start to play forte as it gets more dramatic making it extremely sad.

Occasionally there will be some cello and perhaps timpanis to make the death more dramatic and

dark.

● Ostinatos and Staccato Strings depending on the type of “sad” that the song wants you to feel,

angry sad, regretful, remembering, or anything that relates to the plot of the movie and the cause

of death.

● The slow and quiet tempo at the beginning of the song creates the mood. Fewer instruments

playing at one time. Lower overall pitch, dull and dark timbres, softer and lower sounds, and

legato dynamics.