While listening to radio mystery dramas recently, I realized how much of a difference a well-placed musical sting makes. When someone needs to tiptoe gingerly through a forest or a haunted house, a wind ensemble underscores how delicately one's footsteps need to be. When a character suspects (s)he's about to face a precarious situation, a low bass note illustrates how foreboding the situation is. When characters are about to uncover shocking news about another character's fate, a sinister bassoon passage captures the moment of discovery perfectly.
Well-written, well-acted dialogue goes a long way toward showing how perilous a situation is. To sock it completely home, however, a fitting musical sting is advisable.
