When Things Just Click

The musicians of your Calgary Philharmonic present many different musical offerings. One of the ways we present performances is by playing the soundtrack live as patrons watch a film.

Some film composers are extremely well known, and their music is instantly recognizable. These can be thrilling scores to play and the live presentation of the music really shows how integral the music is to these films.

However, the music must line up exactly with the film action, especially if there is singing or events that require musical punctuation. To accomplish this, we use what is called a ‘click track.’

A click track is an audible metronome signal or click, that is heard through headphones or an earpiece that allows us to sync with the film perfectly. It was invented in the 1930s, the Golden Age of Hollywood, by composers Max Stein and Carl Stalling (Warner Brothers’ house composer for animated cartoons).

Before each musical segment, there are preparatory beats to prepare us for the tempo. Sometimes, the first beat of every bar has an emphasis or a slightly different sound, so that we know exactly where we are in each bar. If the speed or tempo changes within a segment, we get more preparatory beats at the new pace.

It takes some getting used to for the musicians. Wearing an earpiece can detract from our ability to hear our fellow players clearly for blend, balance and tuning. We can adjust the volume of the click to our own comfort level.

For most films, every musician has a click track, but for a few films we have presented, only a few key players and the conductor had them. We usually use wired earpieces (one must walk carefully on stage so as not to trip over all the wires!) but have also experienced wireless ones.

The conductor also has a monitor with the movie playing. On that monitor, ‘streamers’ appear leading to important coordination points between the music and the visuals.

When playing with a click track, there is no room for expansive musical interpretation. It must always be the exact tempo. Interestingly enough, because the films undergo editing, there are places where the click track is unexpectedly erratic. It suddenly goes a little faster or slower. We mark these in our parts, so that we can be with the film.

When the soundtracks were originally created, the musicians recorded the music in small chunks. However, when we present a film, we are playing the entire score straight through in real time requiring increased stamina and concentration.

There are segments of the films where there is no music, and we have a timing (e.g. 1’34”) before the next segment. The conductor usually alerts us to be ready for the preparatory beats. Sometimes we may start watching the movie in the rests and suddenly realize it is time to play. Some of us sit behind the screen, so it is challenging to try to read the backwards subtitles. Others may be very close and get a neck ache from looking up.

At most conventional screenings, the audience leaves during the end credits, but that is where there is some of the most terrific (and often challenging) music. At our screenings, the appreciative audience members stay right to the end!

It is fun for the musicians to play some of the most famous movie scores in their original form, and for the audience, the power of the music in these films really comes through.