While horror scores often lean on orchestration or synth design to generate tension, some composers push further by experimenting with found objects or unconventional techniques.Recent standouts include Colin Stetson’s Hereditary and Mark Korven’s The Witch, both of which used unusual sound sources to heighten unease.For Gravitas Ventures’ The Demon Detective, composer Barry J. Neely took a different path—treating voices as instruments. “The route I did go was ‘haunted,’ and I heard that as voices,” Barry recalls. “I texted my friend Morla Gorrondona, who’s not only a professional voice actor but always up for vocal experimentation. She recorded some scratch takes on her iPhone, and I sampled and played with those. When she later sent me a cleaner version, I realized I actually preferred the rough iPhone recordings—their limited frequency range fit the mix in a way that was even creepier.”The result is a score that feels both technically inventive and deeply unsettling, proving how the human voice, when manipulated, can redefine the language of horror scoring. Barry discusses this topic and much more in the conversation below.Barry’s The Demon Detective score is now available digitally. - YouTubewww.youtube.comNo Film School: First off, what led you into the composing world?Barry J. Neely: I always played and wrote music, even from an early age. I played in bands and various ensembles in high school, and was also part of an amazing, local music conservatory. But I really enjoyed being at home, alone, writing these long, drawn-out, solo piano pieces. And to me, these...
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Yesterday