By Joseph Kuenzle, jkuenzle@lessitermedia.com
Audio Visual Manager, Lessiter Media
In the past I've shared some tips on how to leverage podcasts and videos to be a part of your overall marketing plan. Both of these tools share a common component that can be critical their success — music.
Music holds a special place in our world, having the power to bring joy or cause dread over the choice of a handful of notes. The pairing of music along with video or narration then seems like a no brainer, as it is able to elevate both mediums. A simple scene of runners on a beach can become a triumphant moment thanks to the titular track of Chariots of Fire by Vangelis; or how the daunting, slow build of the theme from Jaws by John Williams can cause unease as it becomes more menacing.
Simply put, the right music can transform an adequate experience into an exceptional one.
Determining the correct music for your video or podcast is a very personal decision. There is no one-size-fits-all music section. Each piece of media is unique and therefore needs special care in finding the right music.
Your first step should be determining the purpose the music will play in your production. Once you know what you hope to accomplish, you’ll need to determine the genre or style of music. This should help to narrow the scope of your search when hunting for the perfect track.
Once you settle on the direction you want to go with your music section, the challenge remains of finding a track that best fits your vision. If you have a specific need, the most straightforward route would be to either compose and record the music yourself, or commission a musician to create your track — both of which can be costly and time consuming.
Alternatively, you can scour the internet for an existing track that best aligns with your needs. I've put together a few resources below — both paid and free — that can help you quickly locate the perfect music for your videos and podcasts.
Music Resources to Help Take Your Video and Podcast Projects to the Next Level
Soundstripe
Soundstripe is a royalty free music subscription website founded by three professional musicians in 2016. For podcast creators, Soundstripe curates podcast playlists filled with tracks that are vetted by award-winning producers so that finding intro, background and outro music is convenient and fast.
Epidemic Sound
Providing a library of over 35,000 soundtrack music and 90,000 sound effects for a subscription to artists and also providing the background music to public spaces, restaurants, hotels, shopping malls and car parks. The company shares half of the music streaming revenue with composers and retains the exclusive rights to their songs.
Adobe Stock
The right stock music tracks can underscore a mood or add a new energy level to your video productions, podcasts, and other creative projects. Browse royalty-free music on Adobe Stock today.
Free Music Archive
The Free Music Archive is an interactive library of high-quality, legal audio downloads. The Free Music Archive is directed by WFMU, the most renowned freeform radio station in America. Radio has always offered the public free access to new music. The Free Music Archive is a continuation of that purpose, designed for the age of the internet.
Pixabay
Pixabay is a free stock photography and royalty-free stock media website. It is used for sharing photos, illustrations, vector graphics, film footage, and music, exclusively under the custom Pixabay license, which generally allows the free use of the material with some restrictions.
Fiverr.
Should you choose to hire someone to create your desired music, Fiverr is a direct way to find a musician that best suits your needs, with a price starting as $5 for services.
