Ragtime music for films

Music can touch your heart just as much as the voices, glances and raw emotions of the finest actors.

From a gentle touch of the keys for a candlelight dinner, to the echo of powerful, thumping chords as the wind howls through narrow streets in a thunderstorm – the piano infuses raw emotion into your story and brings your film scenes to life.

But finding songs that match the tone and pace of your film is challenging – especially for vintage productions and directors seeking a distinctive sound. After all, you don’t want your film to feel like a cheap copy of a recent blockbuster – you want a musical signature that is in perfect sync with your story.

Lion Ragtime can help you find the right notes and musical ideas to bring your vision to life. Explore our collection of ragtime music!

Why ragtime works well as film music

Ragtime music is a great choice in film because of its:

Powerful, recognisable melodies
Unique blend of classical and modern styles
And its rich sound that fills rooms like an orchestra – even when played on a single piano

Ragtime brings out charming melodies

The best movie soundtracks instantly recognised. They’re cherished for decades to come – because of their memorable melodies. But sadly, “the art of melody writing is completely lost in most pop music.”

That’s why many film makers turn to styles like ragtime, where the melody stands proudly at the centre of the piece. As a vintage style born long before synthesisers and electronic effects, ragtime continues to delight audiences with its catchy melodic lines.

Ragtime is like a full orchestra on the piano

Ragtime lends itself particularly well to film music, as the style allows you to enjoy a rich sound without sourcing a range of instruments or hiring a professional band or orchestra.

Instead, the power and depth of an ensemble are recreated directly on the piano, using multiple layers of sound – from low, single notes to midrange chords and a higher melodic line.

The piano spans the full pitch range of an orchestra, from the rumbling tuba to the flute’s delicate shimmer. In your film, this creates the illusion that multiple instruments are playing together, even though all notes come from just one instrument – the piano.

With our piano film scores, you can save hours of production time, and get a memorable sound without the complexities of hiring an orchestra.

Ragtime is right between classical and modern music

An original story needs and an original soundtrack – and film music uses a mix of classical and modern styles to provide just that.

Ragtime, which came about in a time when music was transitioning from classical to contemporary, is perfect for telling those unique stories. It combines the professionalism and grandeur of the great classic composers with the swiftness and delight to the ear that popular tunes can provide.

Ragtime complements your movie scenes

As ragtime music is mostly instrumental, you can add it to a scene without disrupting your characters’ dialogue. Our ragtime scores also work standalone soundtracks for quiet scenes – such as nature flythroughs or transitions.

As most ragtime tunes set the mood with the first few notes, they are great for foreshadowing or and can be used to complement or contradict actors’ facial expressions and location vibes for dramatic effect.

Ragtime music for vintage film scenes

Ragtime music is a perfect fit for films set in the late 19^th and early 20^th century. Imagine walking through a saloon in St. Louis, and you see the entertainer at the bar, chomping away ragtime hits on the piano.

The music from Lion Ragtime is perfect to create that nostalgic atmosphere, and bring to life the rich history of America, true to the culture and spirit of the time. Ragtime takes you back in time to experience a world that feels true to the early 20th century.

Not sure which ragtime tunes fit your vintage movie?

Modern ragtime for modern movies

Classic ragtime may ‘sound’ too old for your film, which is why we have a series of modern ragtime tunes that fit a wide variety of movies.

Memorable ragtime music for your films

Long after a film has vanished from movie theatres, its unforgettable soundtrack can echo from home pianos and living rooms. Fingers trace familiar keys, reviving memories of once-forgotten scenes.

And in these moments, the best melodies – those that touched the heart and soul of your audience – can inspire listeners to revisit your film, to relive its emotions and reconnect with your story. That is what ragtime film scores can deliver.