Superheroes

Music is very important in superhero movies and cartoons. Often there is a melody or musical idea that is associated with the main character. Here are some famous ones. Take a listen!

The idea of having a melody to describe a particular character was first used by the French composer Hector Berlioz in Symphonie Fantastique, composed in 1830. In this case, the composer imagines a young musician in love and the melody represents the woman he was in love with. The theme appears throughout the four movements.

Next there is an activity for you to create your own superhero music!

Please send any music you create to learning@bcmg.org.uk 

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Your turn!

Design a superhero and give them a name. Superheroes tend to have names that include animals, insects and weather as well as descriptive words. Batman, Spiderman, Black Lightening, Wonder Woman, Superman....

• What is their superpower?
• What do they look like?
• How do they move?
• Where do they live?

Think about how your superhero might move. Become your superhero and move around the room - what sort of rhythms or shapes does your moving make? Can you make sounds on an instrument to match the movements you make? This could be:

1. A melody, A good idea when making a melody is to limit yourself to using a small number of notes - ones you feel confident playing. 
2. A rhythmic pattern 
3. A sound effect (the superpower sound)

Once you have found some ideas you like, organise them in an order to make a longer piece. Try different ways of doing this before deciding on your final composition.