The ONE Chord That Made The Batman A Masterpiece

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[WreakingHavoc]

Gotta love that he always goes back to Star Wars to give great music examples

[sydposting]

Fun fact: the Joker's motif for The Dark Knight (composed by Hans Zimmer) is composed of only two "defined" notes - D and C. For DC Comics. Because it wouldn't be the Joker without that hint of terrifying meta-awareness. Zimmer himself referred to the long sliding whine from D to C that opens the track "Why So Serious" as just *The Note* when writing about that score. It's SO cool.

[MarkyD.Ingram]

I can't help, but hear Chopin's funeral march when you play the Batman theme.

[ShredmasterScott]

Even lord Chopin used this progression in his Funeral March

[olgak.]

The latest Batman main music theme is The Imperial March ' just unfinished! Plus, Michael Giacchino is the composer of Rogue 1 a Star Wars Story!

[thevfxwizard]

I really love how each composer for Batman focuses on one really interesting chord change that really solidifies the identity of the movie.
Michael Giacchino, The Batman: i -> bVI
Hans Zimmer, Dark Knight Trilogy: i -> VII
Danny Elfman, Batman 1989: bvii -> I
Each of these two chords are instantly recognizable and give each movie a dark, yet heroic feel.

[KieranBlade]

"Sonata in Darkness, " which plays through the credits, is absolutely masterful. It takes the vibe of the main theme and fully expresses it.

[henryturner]

Can you analyse John Powell’s scores for the “How to train your Dragon” series. It is very well known for its amazing scores.

[harrylane]

I loved all 2 notes of the Batman score

[deyama]

Another example of that i-IVb from the same movie but a different "composer" is Nirvana's "Something in the Way". The song is literally just these two chords. I'm curious whether Michael Giacchino came up with his score before or after the song came into play, meaning was it a coincidence or did the song serve as an inspiration

[sbrileytx]

That flat 6 reminds me of The Phantom of the Opera theme. Not a superhero, but definitely epic.

[Noah-gpml]

The imperial March uses this too!
And Vader has a very similar vibe to Batman too.

[Punz]

Giacchino's score was probably my favorite part of that film. His motif that he uses for batman (first thing played in the video, particularly the left hand) invokes Beethoven's 5th, Chopin funeral march, and Mars Bringer of War. I need to find the original sheet music to "Sonata in Darkness" to play it. Arguably Giacchino's best work.

[RyanChenMusic]

I thought when he mentioned Star Wars he was going to compare it to the opening of Imperial March…they’re pretty similar, and darth vader and Batman are both scary dudes after all

[davidhoffman]

I love Giacchino's Batman score, especially the use of the flat 6 chord referencing the melody of Danny Elfman's iconic Batman theme.

[Ryan_Perrin]

I think it is important to mention that this harmony is also exactly inspired by Something in the Way. It is the same movement between minor I and major VI

[thoyo]

@Charles Cornell Textually, yes the chord progression is the same, however, contextually, they're very different. In both pieces, the 1 -> flat6 feels like it is conveying a sense of something lying beneath the surface. The difference is that in The Batman theme, it's that same 1 -> flat6 on repeat, conjuring this image sonically similar to Chopin's Marche Funebre. The repetition drives home this feeling that beneath a thin veneer, this moribund, seedy, gothic noir hellscape never changes. Nor will Batman, he was baptized in this hell (i.e. the death of his parents), it has become him, they are one and the same, evidenced by his theme song sounding as hopeless as the constant state of his city.
For The Avengers, that 1 -> flat6 also conveys a sense of something lying beneath the surface, but directly after those chords comes this highly recognizable brass chord progression that is synonymous with the heroic in western culture. It feels like it's a celebration of the heroic, the uncertainty of the first chords gives rise to comfort that these titans will save the day. While, in Gotham, unfortunately, Batman is just a single man fighting his inner demons as well as those who disturb the city's peace.

[sdw-hvko]

The chords for Something in the Way by Nirvana (which is used in the film a couple times) contain a similar i-bVI motion, which I think he was drawing from when he made the score

[SamLee-tmjn]

I absolutely lost it when you busted out the Harry Potter trailer with the Voldemort giggle 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[vinshoken]

I just wanna mention how cool the way you frame your videos is—the piano at the bottom flush with the edge of the screen and extending off to either side, it gives a subconscious vibe of the limitless opportunities of music and I just consciously realized why I sensed that vibe and had to comment