Active music refers to music with sound sources on the screen. Passive music refers to music that cannot provide sound source basis in film and television works, and belongs to off-screen music. Most of the music in today's movies and TV series is passive music, because passive music can better express the subjective color of the creator.

In active music, the sound source is generally present within the picture, but it may also appear outside the picture. In short, it can make people perceive the existence of the sound source. In the early days of talkies, all sounds were sourced, such as dialogue and singing.

Extended information

Part of the music in film and television works is sound source music that participates in the storyline. The sound emitter can be found in the picture, or it is consistent with the narrative content of the story; Part of it is silent music that does not participate in the storyline. It mainly plays the role of exaggerating emotions, highlighting themes, and portraying characters.

In film and television works, film and television music does not exist as a self-contained system, but as a component element, serving the shaping and development of film themes, characters, and plots. Therefore, film and television music cannot compete with the picture for the audience with complete interpretations, complex orchestration and strong sound, but should support the picture in an unobtrusive but powerful way, just like the American film theorist Ringo Len said, “The best film music is inaudible.