Is there a name given to the specific practice used to make music for movie trailers these days? I don't know how to describe it, but a song is taken, not always relevant to the movie, slowed down a bit, and a booming sound is played over it like an entire electronic orchestra pressing all the buttons on their keyboards. I heard it for the first time in Star Wars: RoS I believe and now it's in every damn trailer. It feels pretty lazy and almost automated.
A link to an example of this would be really helpful.
I know a lot of dramatic scenes, especially in trailers, get a low frequency sweep that uses the subwoofer, but that doesn't sound like the same thing at all.
I checked a Rise of Skywalker trailer and what I heard sort of matches your description but I can't be sure. It sounds like mostly strings and I didn't think of it as booming.
3
duman82Mar 23, 2026
+6
Sorry yes examples makes perfect sense. I'm pretty sure i botched the description because it's not always just synth but also loud wardrums over the song. I went to see Hoppers this weekend, here are some trailers I saw JUST for that movie and the timestamps of the pattern I'm referring to:
* **Toy Story 5** (marked at when "you've got a friend in me" kicks in with the thing I mentioned): [https://youtu.be/c51ND9Hdbw0?t=101](https://youtu.be/c51ND9Hdbw0?t=101)
* **Super Mario Galaxy** (this one uses the mario theme but similar synth/orch hit practice): [https://youtu.be/FdL2GorGdKc?t=80](https://youtu.be/FdL2GorGdKc?t=80)
* **Project Hail Mary** (Sign of the times, similar technique used at this time stamp): [https://youtu.be/m08TxIsFTRI?t=86](https://youtu.be/m08TxIsFTRI?t=86)
I think sharing this many links of official movie posts is against the rules of the subreddit but for the sake of examples, I'll leave it at this and hope it doesn't get removed.
Honestly it feels like almost every trailer for a big budget movie has this thing and it's driving me nuts that I can't call it out because I don't know the name of the technique. "Boom-washing" a song is the only idea I have for a name if it doesn't exist.
6
BrainFluidExplosionMar 23, 2026
+3
You have a good ear since a lot of sound-design like this usually passes subconsciously through viewers. No need to overthink it though, what you are hearing is just extra sound-design (in this case called 'Hits', 'Slams', or 'Booms') that is placed on top of the song to give the trailer/music an extra boost. It emphasizes the important cards (like 'From Disney & Pixar' or 'Academy Award Nominee') and makes the trailer/movie feel more epic to get someone excited to buy tickets.
3
halfdeadmoonMar 23, 2026
+1
I see what you mean now, and I would expect closed captioning to say something like \[soaring orchestral theme\]
The intent is to manufacture drama and excitement, and it does seem overdone.
Back in the 60's Phil Spector revolutionized rock and roll production with his [Wall of Sound](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wall_of_Sound) approach. [Example](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2nA_9D-mMs)
This seems to be a similar concept.
1
ColumnMissingMar 24, 2026
+2
Completely agreed, this c*** drives me crazy. Especially if it's an otherwise-cheerful song (usually from the 80s or 90s to try to go for nostalgia) that's shifted to a minor key, slowed down, and filled with booms.
I didn't mind it at first, but now it's everywhere.
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