The opening sequence of Psycho establishes tension through high pitched violins and jumpy editing. Names appear on screen vertically and horizontally as the music builds anxiety in the audience. The camera then shows an aerial view of a city from a rooftop, with softer music despite the busy urban environment. It zooms into a hotel window where a arguing couple is getting dressed, with the woman wanting more respect from the man. Throughout, the sequence leaves viewers on a cliffhanger about where the plot will go, keeping them engaged in the thriller's conventions.