Royalty Free Music Library

Throughout my 15 years as a composer/producer in the production music library industry, i have often been asked to explain what our industry is and what I do.

I typically explain that “I compose music that people talk over!”  This simple fact is one of the keys to writing great and useable production music tracks.  While not all productions use music in tandem with narration, the overwhelming majority of them certainly do.  

There are many uses for production music, and commanding a solid understanding of the purpose of your music will no doubt mean more uses of your music and more money in your pocket as a composer.

Ditch the ego.  Create what they need, not what you like

Production music library composers typically fall into the easy trap of wanting their creation to be entertaining all on its own.  For most uses, if the song is so engaging and able to command your attention, then it will likely compete for attention with the copy and/or video.

I often give fellow composers the analogy of going into your favorite musical instrument store and auditioning the latest keyboard/synthesizers.  The first few patches that you pull up are thick, engaging, complex…impressive to say the least.  But what happens when you buy this instrument with incredible sounds and try to get those over-done patches to sit well in a mix?  It doesn’t work!   Those are there to impress you, but are rarely the work-horse patches that you’ll end up using.  
Production music library tracks are to support, carry and confirm the message of the production - not ‘be’ the message.
“Skillfully Subdued” is a good way to put it.

Over the years, i have heard countless editors tell me that the underscore mix of a track is typically the most usable.  Experienced editors are known for their use of both the full mix and the underscore mix - using them on 2 separate stereo tracks in their non-linear editing system at the same starting point - then swapping back and forth, using the track most appropriate according to the needed energy.

This minimalist approach is a golden rule for so many of the applications that exist out there. Many of the programs that air on national cable broadcast actually have production music running throughout the entire show.  Cable networks such as HGTV, Discovery Channel, History Channel and the like, air mostly informative programs or documentaries.  So often, this type of programming contains long segments, slow edits and much narration. Attention grabbing music in most cases is not going to be a good fit.  This type of production is similar to another large application for production music - Corporate video.

Corporate video is programming that is not intended for the public, but for internal use within a large company. This could include productions for orientation, training, new program/product roll outs, board room presentations, trade show presentations, etc..

Training videos are without a doubt, a large chunk of this market segment.  This animal has unique challenges and of course seeks music to fit those challenges.  These videos seek to inform first.  Entertain second.  Corporate video producers typically gravitate to music tracks that are less ‘moody’. Tracks that propel and move along the production with articulate 16th note action. Musical wallpaper.  It’s a way to provide musical energy without making a big statement.  Basically, something to move along those long 7+ minutes of ‘talking head’ content.

A certain exception to this rule is music used for promos and trailers. Action trailers that feature no dialog is ALL about commanding attention.  The advertiser wants you to keep your eyes glued to the big screen and forget about getting up for some popcorn.  Likewise, promo producers know that its tough to keep your attention during a commercial break. Understanding this purpose is critical to creating a successful promo or trailer track.  Promo music should have strategically placed hits, bumps and spikes to assist the editor.  A good example of this can be seen throughout the VideoHelper music library - an excellent promo library.

Another action oriented application is production music for sports.  This is where video editors seek music content that has many spikes, hits, stabs etc..  The editor will creatively work his video edits around the music track to time align a slam dunk with a cymbal crash or a QB sack with an accented upbeat strike.  Thus music composed for these applications should carefully remember these issues.

Production music should not behave like other music

There are many applications where production music tracks are used with no other audio.  On Hold productions, local cable access programming, etc.. In these cases the tracks act like features.  The vast majority of uses for production music however is in a time relation tandem with other significant content - whether audio or visual.  Thus, the biggest need that producers and editors have is for music that accurately creates and supports consistent imagery of the theme, point, mood and energy that the producer wishes to convey.  Consistent is a key word here.

During a music selection process, an editor will typically listen to the beginning, part of the body and the end of the song before they make a selection.  If a song has twists, turns and changes, it is likely unusable. 

Top 40 content and/or your favorite musical artist writes songs for a different purpose.

The traditional format of - Intro, Verse, Chorus, Verse, Chorus 2X, Bridge, Chorus 2X, End - just really doesn’t have a place in this industry. 

Key changes:  Unless very carefully crafted, key changes can cause real aggravation to editors.  Why?  Your song may be 3:15 in length, but the odds that the production segment being scored is that length is next to zero.  So, some editing is needed to get the song to fit.  If only 18 seconds of music is needed, the editor will never get the intro to fit with an ending in a different key!

Half time/Cut time changes:  This is guaranteed to derail any production.

Abrupt changes:  This really goes without saying, but if your nice technology composition has this really cool thrash metal section, you can count on your tune never getting used.  What you have here is two different songs for two different applications.

Mixing Production Music

Production music being the different animal that it is, should be mixed differently as well.  Unlike vocal music or instrumental music featuring lead or solo content, if an element of your mix stands out, it can quickly render it useless.  

Guitars and Saxophones:  These instruments are notorious for competing with narration.  Not surprisingly, the frequency ranges of the human voice are typically quite similar to these and some other instruments.  If a lead instrument is mixed like a feature track, the editor will likely have to pull the overall music track so low that the end result will leave the listener hearing narration ( the obvious priority ) and a lead or solo line - the rest of the track will be mostly unintelligible.  When mixing your production music track, if these offenders are brought uncomfortably low into the mix, the editor will have a much more pleasing and fuller result with the end product. 

When producing and mixing any music, one typically gives every component its “place” in the mix. This is true of stereo image, frequencies and of course volume levels.  Always remember that your final mix is actually not the final mix.  Odds are a new mix will be created that could incorporate narration, field audio, sound effects or imaging elements to your music library track.  Keep this in mind while you are mixing and you’ll have a much better chance the editor will say “ now THIS track works! “.

Using Loops and Samples used in Production Music

Lets admit it.  While nothing surpasses a live performance, sampling technology has made quantum leaps in the last few years.  The use of samples is widespread in all forms of commercial music, high end film scores and of course in library music. Be wise and use honest discretion.  If it sounds real - then it sounds real good. If it doesn’t sound real - you are likely to ruin your reputation as a composer.  Some instruments are so very difficult to sample well. Stay away from them.  I have yet to hear a saxophone sample that didn’t make me want to slap the composer who used it.

Additionally, there are many wonderful drum loop and rhythm tools on the market. Always be cautious in using over-produced loops that are extremely identifiable. Keep your content original by blending and altering your loop content.  Also be cautious of loops that are mixed poorly.  Many times the snare can be too hot for a good library mix.

Practice being a Music Library customer

Most of todays popular DAW software products such as Pro Tools and Logic Audio include the capability to add a digital video track.  Import a video segment, strike out the audio, add your own voice over, add an applicable music track you’ve created…and practice!  Nothing shaped my knowledge and opinions of how to compose music library tracks more than the 3 years that i operated an Audio Post facility.  Sit in the ‘user’ seat for awhile. It will teach you many wonderful things and make you better for it.