What Is The Matrix Chord?

Summary

This 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

00:00

🎬 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.

05:02

🎵 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.

Keywords

💡Poly chord

A poly chord is a musical technique that combines two or more chords played together. In the context of the video, it’s used to create tension and a sense of duality, mirroring the dual reality in *The Matrix*—the virtual world and the real world. The dissonance between the chords highlights the confusion and sense of something being 'off,' which reflects Neo's experience in the movie.

💡Dissonance

Dissonance refers to a lack of harmony among musical notes, creating a sense of tension or unease. In the video, dissonant chords symbolize the conflict and uncertainty within Neo as he transitions from his ordinary life to realizing he is 'The One.' The music uses dissonance to reflect the emotional and psychological dissonance Neo experiences.

💡Dual reality

Dual reality in *The Matrix* refers to the contrast between the simulated world controlled by machines and the actual dystopian reality. The music composed by Don Davis mirrors this concept, using contrasting chords to represent the tension between these two worlds. The duality is at the heart of the film's narrative and is sonically expressed through the film's score.

💡Subtle filmmaking techniques

Subtle filmmaking techniques refer to the understated, often unnoticed methods used by filmmakers to convey deeper meanings or emotions. In the video, these techniques, such as camera angles and music, create a sense that something is wrong in Neo's world. The music plays a crucial role in enhancing this feeling, helping to build the sense of disorientation that Neo feels.

💡Theme music

Theme music is a recurring piece of music that represents the overall tone or message of a film. In the case of *The Matrix*, the recurring musical theme involving two alternating chords helps to underscore the tension and unease present throughout the movie. This theme becomes particularly noticeable in moments of high tension, reflecting Neo’s journey toward self-realization.

💡Emotional context

Emotional context in film music refers to how music enhances the audience’s emotional connection to the scene. In *The Matrix*, the score helps to amplify Neo's emotional journey, from confusion and doubt to self-acceptance. The alternating chords, initially dissonant, provide this emotional context by evolving as Neo grows more certain of his identity as 'The One.'

💡Musical storytelling

Musical storytelling is the use of music to convey elements of the plot or character development. In *The Matrix*, the music tells part of Neo's story, with the dissonant chords reflecting his uncertainty and the eventual resolution of these chords signifying his acceptance of his destiny. The music becomes a narrative tool, guiding the audience through the film’s emotional beats.

💡Orchestration

Orchestration refers to the arrangement of music for an orchestra or ensemble. In *The Matrix*, the alternating chords are orchestrated with swelling horns and trumpets, adding depth and drama to the scenes. This orchestration elevates the tension and dissonance between the two realities, making the viewer feel the emotional weight of Neo's journey.

💡Tension and release

Tension and release is a musical technique used to build up stress or unease and then resolve it, providing relief. In *The Matrix*, this technique is used during key moments, such as when Neo doubts his abilities, with the tension resolving musically when he accepts his role as 'The One.' The shifting chords in the score reflect this journey from tension to resolution.

💡Neo's character arc

Neo’s character arc in *The Matrix* represents his transformation from an uncertain hacker to a confident hero. The music mirrors this development, with dissonant, clashing chords at the beginning reflecting his inner conflict and confusion. As Neo's confidence grows and he embraces his identity, the music shifts to more harmonious and resolved chords, symbolizing his personal growth.

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