What Is The Matrix Chord?
Summary
TLDRThis video explores the unique musical theme of *The Matrix* and how it enhances the storytelling. It focuses on the unsettling, dual-reality feel created by alternating chords that mirror the conflict between the real and virtual worlds. The video explains how these chords evolve throughout the film, reflecting Neo's journey from doubt to self-realization. The analysis covers both the emotional and subconscious impact of the score, highlighting moments where the music subtly alters our perception of the story. It provides an insightful look into how sound shapes cinematic experience.
Takeaways
- 🎬 The user reminisces about seeing *The Matrix* on opening night in 1999 and feeling it was going to be a special film from the start, influenced by both visuals and music.
- 🎶 The music in *The Matrix* opening scene gave the viewer an unsettling feeling, which was different from any other film score.
- 🎹 The Matrix's musical signature consists of two simple alternating chords, which play a key role in storytelling throughout the movie.
- 🎺 These two chords are closely related and share notes, but the effect comes when they are played with some distance, creating tension.
- 🌀 The musical technique of using 'polychords' conveys the idea of crossing between two worlds, which mirrors the film’s theme of dual reality.
- 🌌 A similar use of polychords is seen in John Williams' *Star Wars: A New Hope*, signifying a crossing into the world of adventure.
- 🎼 Composer Don Davis used the idea of two clashing chords to reflect the duality of *The Matrix*—the fantasy of the machine world vs. the reality of the human world.
- 🤔 In the film’s opening, music reflects Neo’s uncertainty and the audience’s sense that something is 'off' in his world before the truth of the Matrix is revealed.
- ❤️ The musical relationship between the two chords changes as Neo’s story progresses, with tension and dissonance resolving when he embraces his role as 'The One.'
- 🧠 The score subtly influences viewers' perceptions, reinforcing themes of self-doubt, duality, and resolution, often without them being consciously aware of it.
Q & A
What was the speaker's first impression of *The Matrix* on opening night?
-The speaker felt a special connection to *The Matrix* right from the start, particularly due to the cyberpunk treatment of the Warner Brothers logo and the unsettling feeling evoked by the music.
What aspect of the music in *The Matrix* stood out to the speaker?
-The music gave the speaker an unsettled feeling, unlike anything they had experienced from a film score before. This musical theme, though simple, was distinctly recognizable and played a significant role in shaping the film's atmosphere.
What is the core musical concept behind *The Matrix* score, according to the speaker?
-The core musical concept is the use of two simple, alternating chords that are closely related. These chords, when played with some distance between them, create a sense of tension and unease, a technique called a poly chord.
How does the concept of poly chords contribute to the storytelling in *The Matrix*?
-Poly chords in the score help communicate the sense of crossing from one world into another. They reflect the dual reality of the Matrix—the fantasy world created by machines and the real world, adding tension and dissonance.
Why did Don Davis use two clashing chords in the score?
-Don Davis used two somewhat clashing chords to reflect the dual reality of the Matrix: the false world controlled by machines and the real world of human struggle. This musical contrast mirrors the duality of the narrative.
How does the music evolve throughout Neo's journey in *The Matrix*?
-The relationship between the two chords changes as Neo’s story progresses. Early in the film, the dissonance between chords reflects his confusion and uncertainty. As Neo accepts his role as 'The One,' the dissonance resolves into a single chord, symbolizing his clarity and confidence.
What inspired Don Davis's poly chord idea for the film's score?
-The shot of Trinity jumping across buildings in the film's introduction inspired Davis to use poly chords, reflecting the tension and dissonance between the two realities of the Matrix.
How does the music signal Neo's transformation into 'The One'?
-When Neo kills Agent Smith and realizes he is 'The One,' the music shifts from dissonant poly chords to a single resolved chord, symbolizing the resolution of Neo's internal conflict and his acceptance of his true identity.
How does the music help convey the noir mystery aspect of the early parts of *The Matrix*?
-The subtle dissonance in the music during the early parts of the film adds to the feeling that something is off in Thomas Anderson’s world. It complements the film's noir elements by suggesting he is being watched and that events are predetermined.
What broader role does music play in storytelling according to the speaker?
-Music in storytelling not only provides emotional context but also conveys ideas and themes on a subconscious level. It can communicate deeper narrative elements, such as character development and the crossing of existential thresholds, as seen in *The Matrix*.
Outlines
🎬 The Matrix: A Special Film from the Start
The author recalls watching *The Matrix* on its opening night in 1999 and immediately sensing that it was a unique film, starting with the cyberpunk treatment of the Warner Brothers logo. However, it wasn’t the visuals that left the deepest impression, but rather the unsettling music that accompanied the logo. This music created a feeling of discomfort, unlike anything experienced before from a film score. The author highlights that this particular music is the closest *The Matrix* has to a recognizable musical theme. The video aims to explore this theme, its purpose, and its significance in telling Neo’s story.
🎵 Decoding the Matrix Chord
The video delves into the 'Matrix chord,' which consists of two simple alternating chords. In the film, these chords are enhanced with orchestral instruments like swelling horns and trumpets. Though simple, the two chords share common notes, making them closely related. The tension arises not when played together, but when played with space between them, creating a 'poly chord.' This effect helps convey the crossing between two worlds—an important storytelling tool that adds depth to the film’s narrative, especially in sequences where characters transition from one reality to another.
🎶 Music as Emotional and Narrative Force
Music in films doesn’t just evoke emotions but can also implant ideas in the audience’s mind, often subconsciously. Some composers go beyond just matching the mood of the film, crafting scores that reflect the underlying themes of the story. The composer of *The Matrix*, Don Davis, was inspired by the dual reality in the movie—the artificial Matrix world and the grim real world. The poly chord idea in the score was inspired by this duality, subtly hinting to the audience that something is off in Thomas Anderson’s world long before it’s revealed that he’s living in a simulation.
🎹 The Chords Evolve with Neo’s Journey
As the film progresses, the relationship between the two chords evolves, reflecting Neo’s journey. The dissonance between the chords intensifies in action-packed sequences, such as Trinity’s rooftop escape. By the climax, when Trinity confesses her love for Neo and revives him, the chords resolve, symbolizing Neo’s acceptance of his role as 'The One.' After he defeats Agent Smith and fully realizes his identity, the dissonant poly chord gives way to a single harmonious chord, reflecting the resolution of Neo’s internal conflict. This evolution in the music underscores the character’s transformation.
🎧 Subtle Power of Music in Storytelling
The video encourages viewers to rewatch *The Matrix* and pay attention to its musical moments, which are intricately woven throughout the film to influence perceptions and emotions in ways that aren’t always conscious. By focusing on these moments, the author highlights how music shapes our understanding of a story, going beyond mere emotional cues to embed deeper thematic elements. The video concludes with a call to subscribe for more deep dives into cinematic storytelling.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Poly chord
💡Dissonance
💡Dual reality
💡Subtle filmmaking techniques
💡Theme music
💡Emotional context
💡Musical storytelling
💡Orchestration
💡Tension and release
💡Neo's character arc
Highlights
The Warner Brothers logo in The Matrix had a cyberpunk treatment, setting the tone for the movie from the very start.
The film's music, even from the opening, creates a sense of unease, which significantly adds to its storytelling.
The music that accompanies The Matrix is its most recognizable musical signature, setting it apart from other films.
The alternating chords in The Matrix are simple but unsettling due to the distance between them, creating a sense of tension.
The use of poly chords (two incompatible chords played together) in The Matrix evokes a feeling of crossing from one world into another.
A similar technique of alternating chords is also used in John Williams' score for Star Wars: A New Hope to signify entering the world of adventure.
Music in a film doesn't just provide emotional context but can also plant ideas and reinforce story themes subconsciously.
Don Davis, the composer for The Matrix, was inspired by the dual reality of the film, represented musically by dissonant chords.
The first 30 minutes of The Matrix subtly hints through its music and filmmaking that something is wrong in Thomas Anderson's world.
The music reflects the uncertainty in Neo's world, capturing the subtle dissonance between the real and fantasy worlds.
The poly chords change throughout the film, evolving with Neo's character development.
Davis's inspiration for the poly chords came from the scene where Trinity jumps across the buildings, using dissonant chords to enhance tension.
At the film's climax, when Trinity confesses her love for Neo, the chords overlap, creating tension and reflecting Neo's internal conflict.
After Neo kills Agent Smith and embraces his role as 'The One,' the dissonant poly chord resolves into a single harmonious chord, symbolizing his transformation.
Rewatching The Matrix reveals how music is used throughout to subtly influence the viewer’s perception of the story, beyond just emotional cues.
Transcripts
I was lucky enough to see The Matrix on
opening night way back in 1999 and I
still remember the moment that I knew it
was going to be a special film believe
it or not it was right from the start
the Warner Brothers logo which had this
cool cyber Punk treatment but it wasn't
the visuals that surprised me it was
this
[Music]
music I couldn't quite put my finger on
it but this music gave me a really
unsettled feeling unlike any I'd ever
gotten from a film score and this is the
close CL thing the Matrix has to theme
music being the most distinctly
recognizable musical signature in the
film so in this video I want to explore
that Musical theme what it is why it
sounds the way it does and how it helps
to tell Neo's story so let's find out
how deep the rabbit hole goes on The Art
of
Storytelling unfortunately no one can be
told what the Matrix chord is you have
to hear it for
yourself now granted on this dinky
little piano it doesn't have the same
effect but you can hear the basic
musical concept here what you're hearing
is two very simple chords which
alternate back and forth in the actual
film these chords are orchestrated with
swelling horns and
[Music]
trumpets now without getting too deep
into music theory there's something
interesting about these two particular
chords and the way they're put together
by the way a chord is just any
combination of three or more notes and
the chords you're hearing in The Matrix
are about as simple as they get now
weirdly the second chord actually has
two of the same notes as the first chord
so they're closely related
chords and in fact if you were to just
overlap them on the same spot on the
keyboard you'd just get one four note
chord and the weird thing is that when
these two chords are played close
together it sounds rather Pleasant it
doesn't sound tense or nerving it's only
when the cords are played with some
distance between them that they attain
that effect this is sometimes called a
poly cord and it's a pretty useful tool
in musical storytelling especially when
you want to communicate a sense of
Crossing from one world into another
world a classic example comes from John
Williams score of a new hope the very
last shot of the opening act shows C3PO
and R2-D2 in an escape pod headed to
tatooing it's an important moment in
which we the viewer cross the threshold
into the world of Adventure see if you
can hear the alternating
[Music]
chords and here they are just played
separately again these chords are not
especially compatible and that's why the
effect works the way it does obviously
the musical score of a movie or a play
has a huge responsibility music provides
so much of the story's emotional context
that you just can't imagine that story
being told without that music
but I think there's also another deeper
kind of influence that music has on our
experience of a story one that isn't
strictly emotional instead of merely
producing a feeling it also instills an
idea in the mind of the viewer often
subconsciously some film scorers manag
to capture the themes of the story
rather than just the mood of the film or
the tension in a particular scene the
score for the Matrix was composed by Don
Davis and he was fascinated by the Dual
reality of the Matrix the fantasy world
created by the machines and the real
world in which people are being hunted
by robot squids in underground sewers
the idea of two somewhat clashing chords
was inspired by that Duality let's
remember that for the first 30 minutes
or so of the film neither Neo nor the
viewer knows that he's living in a false
reality but one of the things the wowski
did so effectively was to suggest
through subtle film making techniques
that something is slightly wrong with
the world that Thomas Anderson inhabits
as the opening events of the film unfold
were given plenty of clues that
something is off and I don't just mean
the leather-clad superhumans doing crane
kicks or jumping across buildings I'm
talking about the more subtle Clues the
perspective of the camera giving you the
feeling that Thomas Anderson is being
watched the suggest suggestion that he
might be hallucinating or dreaming and
the fact that events seem somehow to be
predetermined this is finally spelled
out when Morpheus tells him that he
knows there's something wrong with the
world which he can't explain like a
splinter in his mind sort of like
something you're seeing or hearing but
not quite able to articulate or explain
the point is that for this section of
the film this kind of Noir mystery the
boundaries between the real world and
the fantasy world are not yet clarified
and it's that very subtle dissonance in
the viewer's perception of Thomas
Anderson's world that Davis was aiming
to capture musically this gets even more
interesting when you realize that the
chords and more importantly the
relationship between those two chords
changes as the story develops the shot
of Trinity jumping across the buildings
in the film's introduction was actually
Davis's inspiration for this polycord
idea and in that case the two chords you
hear are actually quite dissonant
[Music]
and at the film's climax when Trinity
confesses that she loves Neo proving
that he is the one and bringing him back
from the brink of death we get these
chords now get
[Music]
up notice the interesting tension that
is created by overlapping these chords
in case you weren't convinced listen to
what the music does immediately after
Neo kills agent Smith and realizes that
he is indeed the
[Music]
one that's right no more dissonant poly
chord it's just one chord which makes
sense because the dissonance in Neo's
character his doubt in himself and his
uncertainty that he is the chosen one is
at this moment
resolved so it's kind of fun to rewatch
this movie and just listen for those
little musical moments which occur
really throughout the film and it's a
really fine example of how music really
does influence our Perceptions in ways
that we're often not conscious of and
that go even deeper than emotion so
there you have it please subscribe if
you enjoy nerding out on this sort of
thing and I'll see you on the next one
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