Choosing Music When Editing Video

Music is energy and energy fuels a story.  Whether that energy is soft and soothing or quick and action packed, music can always be that final component that you need in order to take your piece to the next level.  When it comes to choosing the music for your story, it is important to take a step back and account for all of the factors that come into play.  More specifically, what genre is the client looking for?  What is the energy or vibe of the business or organization?  Who is their target audience?  All of these questions play a big role in choosing the right piece of music while editing.

My first step is always establishing the vibe.  Before you begin, speak to the client directly.  Take a look at their website and old videos if they have any.  Find that energy and chase it.  It may become obvious after you do the necessary research.  Finally, it is important to test, test and test again.  You will never know if a certain piece of music is the right fit, unless you place it in there and see for yourself.  Try the very first creative thought that comes to mind; then try the last. 

As a professional video editor and producer, this has always been one of my favorite aspects of the editing process.  There is just something about placing that audio track into your sequence and clicking play to find that it fits with you’re story seamlessly.  When that magic comes together, there is nothing more rewarding.  Well, for nerds like me at least.   If I were to give a single piece of advice, it would be to take chances.  Sometimes it is best to just keep it simple and find a simple guitar riff or piano melody that can do the job just fine, but it never hurts to take a chance and use your creativity to establish a more effective vibe.  You never know, sometimes those chances pay off and you end up with a piece of art that you did not know was possible at the beginning.  Either way, if you trust your gut and seek an outside opinion, then you will set yourself up for success. 

Nick Romary
Associate Producer/Editor
(239) 676-5722
nick@lancitdigitalmedia.com