{{you may|List of incidental music composers|:category:incidental and theme music|n1=a list of incidental music composers|n2=specific pieces of incidental music}}
{{video|Composing music - Dr Who Confidential - BBC sci-fi|thumb|[[Murray Gold]] discusses incidental music in ''[[Doctor Who]]''.}}
'''Incidental music''' is that music which [[diegesis|cannot be heard by the characters in the narrative]]. It is used for the benefit of the audience, in order to give emotional context for a scene.
==[[Season 1]]==
''[[Doctor Who]]''{{'}}s relationship with incidental music was spotty during the [[1960s]]. Many stories did not in fact have original incidental music, instead employing accompaniments of [[special sounds]] and/or stock music. It was really only with the rise of [[Barry Letts]] as [[producer]] that [[serial]]s began to consistently utilise genuine, specially composed incidental music scores.
*[[The Sensorites (TV story)|The Sensorites]] - Norman Kay
*[[The Reign of Terror]] - [[Stanley Myers]]
==[[Season 2]]==
During the [[1970s]], incidental music was — with a few important exceptions — typically composed by [[Dudley Simpson]], and performed using acoustic instruments or with the limited addition of a synthesiser. Though the budget did not run to full [[orchestra]]s, Simpson was typically able to have at least a few live instrumentalists, such that the major sections of the orchestra were represented.
*[[Planet of Giants]] - [[Dudley Simpson]]
*[[The Dalek Invasion of Earth]] - [[Francis Chagrin]]
Upon installation, producer [[John Nathan-Turner]], however, politely fired Simpson. From ''[[The Leisure Hive (TV story)|The Leisure Hive]]'' onwards the incidental music was mainly performed on synthesisers by the [[BBC Radiophonic Workshop]], with some exceptions allowing for additional instruments such as electric ([[Paddy Kingsland]]'s work) or acoustic (''[[The Two Doctors (TV story)|The Two Doctors]]'') guitar. Later series employed freelance composers who utilised commercially available synthesisers, a practice which continued until ''[[Survival (TV story)|Survival]]''.
[[John Debney]]'s score for the [[Doctor Who (TV story)|1996 tele-movie]] made exclusive use of a virtual orchestra. When ''Doctor Who'' returned in [[2005 (production)|2005]], [[Murray Gold]] was initially only able to provide the same, supplemented by an orchestral session for the [[Doctor Who theme]] and some choral performances. A full orchestral range of sound was unavailable until the budget was increased following the success of [[Series 1 (Doctor Who 2005)|Series 1]]. From ''[[The Christmas Invasion (TV story)|The Christmas Invasion]]'' forward, ''Doctor Who'' enjoyed a fully orchestral incidental score, to the extent that the show's regular [[orchestrator]], [[Ben Foster]], became almost as recognisable as composer Murray Gold.
*[[The Power of the Daleks]] - [[Tristram Cary]]
*[[The Underwater Menace]] - [[Dudley Simpson]]
*[[The Macra Terror]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[The Evil of the Daleks]] - Dudley Simpson
==[[Season 5]]==
Modern ''Doctor Who'' has also occasionally obtained the rights to use pre-existing popular music as part of the score. Songs like "[[Englishman in New York]]", "[[Sunshine (song)|Sunshine]]", and "[[Chances]]" have been used as scene-setters.
*[[The Ice Warriors]] - [[Dudley Simpson]]
*[[Fury from the Deep]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[The Wheel in Space]] - [[Brian Hodgson]]
==[[Season 6]]==
Sometimes, rough prints of ''Doctor Who'' episodes have featured unofficial music tracks in the interim before being replaced with new orchestrated soundtracks, such as when these unfinished cuts of episodes are privately screened. In the final version of an episode, the style or mood of the music used in a scene may be changed from that of the rough print, or music may be removed from a scene entirely.
*[[The Invasion]] - [[Don Harper]]
[[fr:Musique de fond]]
*[[The Seeds of Death]] - [[Dudley Simpson]]
*[[The Space Pirates]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[The War Games]] - Dudley Simpson
==[[Season 7]]==
*[[Spearhead from Space]] - [[Dudley Simpson]]
*[[Doctor Who and the Silurians]] - [[Carey Blyton]]
*[[The Ambassadors of Death]] - [[Dudley Simpson]]
==[[Season 8]]==
*[[Terror of the Autons]] - [[Dudley Simpson]]
*[[The Mind of Evil]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[The Claws of Axos]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[Colony in Space]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[The Dæmons]] - Dudley Simpson
==[[Season 9]]==
*[[Day of the Daleks]] - [[Dudley Simpson]]
*[[The Curse of Peladon]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[The Sea Devils]] - [[Malcolm Clarke]]
*[[The Mutants]] - [[Tristram Cary]]
*[[The Time Monster]] - Dudley Simpson
==[[Season 10]]==
*[[The Three Doctors]] - [[Dudley Simpson]]
*[[Carnival of Monsters]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[Frontier in Space]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[Planet of the Daleks]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[The Green Death]] - Dudley Simpson
==[[Season 11]]==
*[[The Time Warrior]] - [[Dudley Simpson]]
*[[Invasion of the Dinosaurs]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[Death to the Daleks]] - [[Carey Blyton]]
*[[The Monster of Peladon]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[Planet of the Spiders]] - Dudley Simpson
==[[Season 12]]==
*[[Robot (TV story) |Robot]] - [[Dudley Simpson]]
*[[The Ark in Space]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[The Sontaran Experiment]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[Genesis of the Daleks]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[Revenge of the Cybermen]] - [[Carey Blyton]] and [[Peter Howell]]
==[[Season 13]]==
*[[Terror of the Zygons]] - [[Geoffrey Burgon]]
*[[Planet of Evil]] - [[Dudley Simpson]]
*[[Pyramids of Mars]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[The Android Invasion]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[The Brain of Morbius]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[The Seeds of Doom]] - Geoffrey Burgon
==[[Season 14]]==
*[[The Masque of Mandragora]] - [[Dudley Simpson]]
*[[The Hand of Fear]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[The Deadly Assassin]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[The Face of Evil]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[The Robots of Death]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[The Talons of Weng-Chiang]] - Dudley Simpson
==[[Season 15]]==
*[[Horror of Fang Rock]] - [[Dudley Simpson]]
*[[The Invisible Enemy]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[Image of the Fendahl]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[The Sun Makers]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[Underworld]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[The Invasion of Time]] - Dudley Simpson
==[[Season 16]]==
*[[The Ribos Operation]] - [[Dudley Simpson]]
*[[The Pirate Planet]] - Dudley Simpson
*[[The Stones of Blood]] - Dudley Simpson and [[Liz Parker]]
Doctor Who's relationship with incidental music was spotty during the 1960s. Many stories did not in fact have original incidental music, instead employing accompaniments of special sounds and/or stock music. It was really only with the rise of Barry Letts as producer that serials began to consistently utilise genuine, specially composed incidental music scores.
During the 1970s, incidental music was — with a few important exceptions — typically composed by Dudley Simpson, and performed using acoustic instruments or with the limited addition of a synthesiser. Though the budget did not run to full orchestras, Simpson was typically able to have at least a few live instrumentalists, such that the major sections of the orchestra were represented.
Upon installation, producer John Nathan-Turner, however, politely fired Simpson. From The Leisure Hive onwards the incidental music was mainly performed on synthesisers by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, with some exceptions allowing for additional instruments such as electric (Paddy Kingsland's work) or acoustic (The Two Doctors) guitar. Later series employed freelance composers who utilised commercially available synthesisers, a practice which continued until Survival.
John Debney's score for the 1996 tele-movie made exclusive use of a virtual orchestra. When Doctor Who returned in 2005, Murray Gold was initially only able to provide the same, supplemented by an orchestral session for the Doctor Who theme and some choral performances. A full orchestral range of sound was unavailable until the budget was increased following the success of Series 1. From The Christmas Invasion forward, Doctor Who enjoyed a fully orchestral incidental score, to the extent that the show's regular orchestrator, Ben Foster, became almost as recognisable as composer Murray Gold.
Modern Doctor Who has also occasionally obtained the rights to use pre-existing popular music as part of the score. Songs like "Englishman in New York", "Sunshine", and "Chances" have been used as scene-setters.
Sometimes, rough prints of Doctor Who episodes have featured unofficial music tracks in the interim before being replaced with new orchestrated soundtracks, such as when these unfinished cuts of episodes are privately screened. In the final version of an episode, the style or mood of the music used in a scene may be changed from that of the rough print, or music may be removed from a scene entirely.
