Videos have become a popular tool for people to share their content. Nowadays it’s become a creative outlet for many – a means of expressing their thoughts, informing, instructing, or advertising.
The most important aspect of creating a good video is the ability to choose a topic that the audience will find interesting or instructive. Another one is preparing quality content and the ability to present it in a clear and concise way. A final, though not much less important element of a skillfully crafted video is choosing the right music to go along with it.
If you are confident that you got the first two right, it’s finally time to turn your attention to selecting music. Though this may seem an easy task to do, there are several pitfalls that your need to avoid in order to have that perfect video.
The Role of Music
Music isn’t just background noise. It is something that can emphasize the message you are trying to convey and heighten the mood of your video. Despite the fact that music for videos may not necessarily be as important as that in moving picture, sloppily chosen music can pretty much turn your video into a flop.
That said, here are some important aspects to consider when selecting music for your video.
Mood
As mentioned above, music has the ability to emphasize a certain mood. Bright music suggests something positive, energetic music indicates some kind of action, and melancholic music is associated with sadness, apathy, or pain. There are many more emotions and moods that can be aroused simply by music.
What’s important is that the mood of your video corresponds to the mood of the music you have picked out for. Imagine combining your auto-mechanic tutorial with serene music or an informative one with rock music that actually prevents people from hearing what you have to say. That would simply not do.
Therefore, the first thing to do before you decide what music to use is to identify the mood of your video. Bear in mind that mismatching the mood of your video and that of the music will confuse your audience as to the message you are trying to send.
Genre
Genre is usually what determines the mood of the music. If you have decided to use one of the many music libraries available online, like free stock music libraries, you will discover that you can filter the music according to its genre. This is why it’s important that you carefully watch your video and try to figure out which type of music would go best with your content. It will not only save you valuable time but also make your search more efficient and much less frustrating.
Instrumental vs. Vocal Music
You should not automatically eliminate all vocal music as a possibility, but you need to be very careful when choosing it. Listening to the lyrics first is a must. Are they offensive, opinionated, or have absolutely nothing in common with your content? This aspect is especially important if the music is in the foreground rather than in the background of your video. If you expect your audience will hear the lyrics well, be careful to choose something that is in line with the message of your video.
Choosing the Music You Like
Opting for certain music just because you like it can be a tricky thing and most frequently not the right way to go. First of all, your favorite tune may not communicate the mood of your video. Secondly, it may contain unsuitable lyrics that obstruct rather than support your message. Finally, if you have opted for a popular piece by a well-known artist, you might get into hot water due to copyright infringement.
A Final Word of Advice
Though the video you have made is an expression of yourself, you have not made it for yourself to watch. You want as many people as possible to see it – but have you given any thought to who your audience might be? This is a fairly important question to answer and one that will make your choice of music much more effective.
Chances are you have put a lot of thought and effort into making your video. You have invested time and money into it and you wish to share it with the world. Selecting the best possible music to go with it is one of the final but almost as important components as the content itself. Finding appropriate music for your video will take time, but ultimately, it will definitely be worth your while.