Why original music composition is vital for new media ?
"Without music life would be a mistake."
Friedrich W. Nietzsche
Do you remember the opening of "2001 - A Space Odissey" ?
Or "The Walkyrie" scene in "Apocalypse Now" ?
Could you sing a song from the "Pulp Fiction" soundtrack ?
Most of you will say yes at least to one of these questions. I can bet. Because music is part of our lives, because music is so powerful, expressive, emoting, meaningful. Music can be such a relief sometimes. It makes you happy, it makes you sad, it hurts, disturbs, pleases. Music emphasises your feelings.
Music is there when words are not enough.
Almost every media have understood the importance of an original music composition and its impact on people.We've never had so much music in our lives than today.
We'll have more tomorrow.
• Advertizing (radio or TV)
• Web-marketing (mini-websites, viral campaign)
• Movies
• Documentaries
• TV Shows
• Video games
• Musical branding
• Institutional commmunication
etc...
It seems that our appetite for music is never satisfied.
It is difficult to "win" a sound design casting, but I am sure of one thing.
The demand for good original music has never been so high.
But like any "comsumption goods", music has its price. That's why, custom music might seem expensive whereas non-exclusive music like royalty free music seems to be "cheap".
In fact it's not that simple I think.
An original music should fit and fulfill all your marketing audience needs.
I mean, a company (let's say a national one) has high marketing demand, and wants to be recognized and identified in the 2 first seconds of its jingle (remember the Mac or Windows sound at startup). The audio signature must hang the audience until the end, it must be easy to memorise and catchy, sometimes chocking. The message can be very simple (6 notes, and Enjoy this amazing soda).
In quick it must work !
But it's not that easy to fulfill every "branding" requirements with non exclusive music because it has not been done on this purpose.
Sometimes however it works. I mean, some very well known music composition or songs can have a very high impact on the audience for it speaks to their collective unconscious. It can make them "feel good" with the brand. In other words the music is a part of your life for you already know it, so the brand is something like "close to you", something you know, something you know well...
We don't talk here about the message, only about how you feel when you watch the ad.
Enough talk...
You see what I mean ?
It's the exact same thing for the other media.
Your message through music reaches a higher level,
it reaches your audience emotions.
Another one for the road ?
Go from music composition to royalty free music ?
Want to know what a cue sheet is ?
Return from music composition to Home ?
