Have you seen at least one video without music? Obviously yes! But most of the videos still have music. Be it fragments or the duration of a whole song (not talking about music videos, I will not mention them here).
It can be concluded from this that music is an essential part of creating video products. Music enhances the necessary moments, further enhances emotional scenes, and adds drama or dynamics. And much more. It is a versatile tool for skilled video editors.
Tools (talking about editing) are created to improve the work process and diversify the possibilities. In professional hands, you can create a real masterpiece. The right choice of music will help strengthen the emotional load and better convey the purpose of the video.
Important question – “Could it be the wrong choice of music? This is a subjective thing. Two people would not choose one and the same composition.” The tastes of editors can be different, it is a fact. And each of them will choose their composition for the same video series. But the correct selection of music means choosing a composition that best matches the mood, rhythm, and emotional mood of the video. These may be different songs, but they will have the same goal. Now more details about everything.
Before proceeding with the advice, it is worth noting that high-quality sound must be listened to in high-quality headphones. To hear all the sounds, instruments, to fully feel the voices of people. Hear both the highest and lowest sound frequencies (as far as is realistic for the human ear).
Professional headphones will help the video editor to better perform all sound manipulations, including the selection of music for the video.
Purpose and goals of choosing the right music
The selection of music should begin after reviewing and selecting materials. When the script of the video is more or less formed and we know the main goal, the message that the editor must convey. There are many sources for finding music: from the most popular hits to new composers selling their music on relevant sites. So, the selection of music. What is the purpose of the video? What do you need to convey to the audience? Will there be a voiceover? Or maybe scenes with dialogues or monologues? Next, you need to understand what the rhythm will be in the video. How do you want to attract the attention of the viewer: dynamics or emotional build-up? Rapid personnel change, lots of angles, or long stretches of frames in wide panoramas? All this will help you understand what music you need to look for.
The style of the video should be coherent and clear. If the pace of the video is fast, then you need to look for appropriate music – of course, not ambient or indie, something faster and more dynamic; it is possible with the use of vocals if it will not be distracting. If, on the other hand, the slow tempo of the video the best is cinematic music with the use of a violin or piano best. You can also experiment with different combinations of classical instruments and electronic music. This can add style and recognition to your video. The mood is also determined by the tempo of the music: from dramatic or sad to crazy fun and fiery. Everything must be taken into account to find the only composition that will finish “assembling the puzzle”.
More details about everything
Now it is clear what to pay attention to: the rhythm, dynamics, mood, and message of the video that the editor wants to turn into reality. Take, for example, the following technical task for a video:
Advertising video for the bar. This is a lounge bar where you can have fun with friends or your significant other, eat delicious food, drink well, and have a great time. It is necessary to show in the video how the process of cooking food in the kitchen, making hookahs takes place. It is also necessary to show satisfied customers who came to the bar.
It is essential to show the atmosphere that prevails in the lounge bar: cheerful, pleasant, and lively.
Think about what video tempo you would choose for such a video. Pay attention to which characters are in your video, and what exactly is being prepared in the kitchen and bar. It is important what time of day the shooting took place.
Now think about the process of cooking in the kitchen. Usually, it is a few people who are constantly doing something and fussing to prepare delicious food. It is worth thinking about the dynamic editing of such frames. Hookah-making is a less dynamic process, so the dynamics will be different. And the visitors themselves. If friends are depicted in the video, then of course the atmosphere is lively and fun. Could this be a double date? Then the atmosphere changes to a more calm and romantic one.
Here are two examples of videos with this scenario: more dynamic and less dynamic. Both versions show all the processes that were described in the technical task.
Things to do during work:
– Conducting test viewings with different music options
Before choosing specific music, it is necessary to listen to dozens or even hundreds. It takes a lot of searching time. It is worth finding several options that must be tested. Put each song in the video sequence and see how it looks.
– The importance of taking breaks
After choosing a song, you need to understand whether it should be used in its entirety or only a fragment. How loud should it be and whether it is the main source of sound? Perhaps it is necessary to give music only at a certain most emotional moment and leave the rest of the video with interludes.
– Experimenting with hybrid genres for creative impact
There are projects where you can experiment and combine different genres and styles of music. The tempo of the video will also change accordingly. Such carousels can become almost a bid for success. Or to inevitable failure. Make a final decision through multiple revisions by yourself and with colleagues.
– Making adjustments based on feedback and self-reflection
After finishing the work, it is always necessary to watch the video again “with a fresh head”. It is even better when you can show it to colleagues, friends, or relatives who will be able to give an independent assessment. When collecting feedback, it may be necessary to replace the music.
No matter how much you like it yourself, you must understand that the editor creates his work primarily for the audience. And it is her opinion that will be decisive or important. In no case should the editor’s work be devalued. We are talking about the purpose and tasks of the video editor. Everyone’s tastes are important, but a professional editor will be able to put them on the back burner for a real quality product.
Important nuances
When selecting music, you should pay attention to copyright and licensing considerations. You can find compositions without copyright. These are usually unknown composers selling their compositions. Or find copyrighted music and learn the nuances of its use.
To avoid problems with copyright infringement, you need to find out exactly how you can use the composition you have chosen: use freely; indicate the author of the composition; indicate the author and link to him; you need to pay for the composition once and get the copyright for it; to pay a certain amount for a certain period of use of the copyright in music.
Conclusion
When concluding, it is necessary to remember once again all the important nuances in the selection of music:
– review all materials and determine the script of your video
– determine the main goal and send the video
– determine the pace and mood of the video
– choose several options that need to be tested
– make several test views involving people
– if necessary, shorten the song, select a certain fragment or add additional sounds
Choosing music can be time-consuming and exhausting. The editor must be flexible in terms of perception of any style and genre of music. He must be able to feel the right mood and pace of the video to choose the right music.
You also need to consider which hits are popular now and why. Having learned all the necessary information, you can better analyze your audience. Flexibility and the ability to feel the necessary mood of your video will allow you to better choose music.