Montage layering multiple recognizable melodies or song snippets simultaneously or in rapid succession — creates comedic or surreal effect. Rare technique, mostly in comedy or experimental work.
In editing, the quodlibet functions like controlled chaos — several well-known melodies or song fragments are layered on top of each other or cut together so rapidly that they interrupt, overwrite, or absurdly blend into each other. The result is almost always comical or disturbing, sometimes both simultaneously. The technique originates from Baroque music (Quodlibet = "what pleases"), but only came to cinema later, where it primarily unfolds its effect in comedies and avant-garde films.
Practically on set and in editing: You work with sound and image synchronously. Classically, you need several well-known melodies — a folk song, a jingle, a classic, anything the audience immediately recognizes. In the editing suite, you layer them on top of each other so that two, three, or more tracks play simultaneously. Or you cut very quickly back and forth between them, so that each melody only has half a second of space before the next erupts. The effect: complete acoustic confusion, which can be visually enhanced by rapid cuts or absurd image combinations. A classic use is the montage of a chaotic scene — a wedding party escalates, multiple bands play over each other, the editing speed becomes a weapon of confusion.
Practical tip: Quodlibet only works if the audience knows the melodies. Unfamiliar pieces only create noise, not meaning. The comedic tension arises from the conflict between recognition and irritation — the viewer waits for the familiar melody, but it is immediately interrupted. In the editing decision process, you must know in advance which melodies are intended to carry your scene and inform the sound editor in a timely manner.
A rare technique, yes — because it quickly becomes intrusive and, if overused, wears down the film rather than amusing it. Comedies of the 1960s and 70s experimented with it; contemporary works tend to resort to remix techniques rather than the classic quodlibet. If you try it: short, precise, with a clear visual counterpoint. Otherwise, the sound will tear you apart.