Horror synth (Carpenter school)

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Genre

Horror synth (Carpenter school) · John Carpenter directed his films himself and also wrote the music, partly because there was no money for a composer. For Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) and Halloween (1978) he used synthesizers and piano. The Halloween theme is in an unusual 5/4 time; Carpenter learned that time signature from his father, a music teacher. Simple ostinatos, low drones and sharp synthesizer stabs create the tension. From Escape from New York (1981) he worked with the sound designer Alan Howarth. Charles Bernstein followed the style in A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984). In Italy the band Goblin was an important forerunner of this sound.

Listening

• 
  Halloween Theme - Main Title · John Carpenter, 1978
• 
  Main Title · John Carpenter & Alan Howarth, 1981
• 
  Main Title · Charles Bernstein, 1984

In School of Rock

The chapters, maps and magazine stories of School of Rock are currently available in Dutch only.

• Film Music Map^NL Map

See also

• Disasterpeace (Rich Vreeland)
• John Carpenter & Alan Howarth
• Early synthesizer scores (Moog, Berlin School, Vangelis)
• Giallo and Italian horror
• Synthwave-revival