You know what it’s like when you’re watching a movie and the music for a scene is wrong? That guitar driven death metal track might go well in a fight scene but not so well for a retrospective of the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Bagpipes over shots of Scottish countryside might be cool, but it might be weird in documentary about the breading habits of pygmy giraffes.
Music shouldn’t be an afterthought. Poorly chosen music can take you out of the moment and leave you wondering exactly whats going on, am I watching a drama movie or a comedy? Matching your video to your music sets the tone, the emotional content, how you want people to feel and react to whats on the screen. It can effect the story you’re trying to tell and If you’re selling something it can effect how your product or businesses is perceived.
When your on the lookout for music make notes about the feeling you want to create for a scene. Ask yourself some questions, do I want people to sympathize with my story about pygmy giraffes, do I need music that makes people feel sorry for them and their stumpy little legs? Maybe I want people to feel inspired at the way these creatures have overcome their inherent shortness and have risen up to be giants in their miniature world. maybe you want people to sympathize by feeling angry that they have to purchase ladders to reach the branches of trees. Depending on how you answer will give you more focus on what music to chose and how to get your true intentions across to your audience.
Here’s a funny video showing the difference music can make to video.