Not all background music is equally suitable for the same scene.
Choosing background music is difficult for a number of reasons. First, picking the "best" music for a situation is an inherently subjective process. One person's preference may be different from another's. Second, the sheer amount of music to choose from makes the selection process tedious and potentially time-consuming. Third, depending on your purpose for the music, it may or may not be available for use depending on the relevant copyright and licensing provisions of the music. Nonetheless, there is a simple process to follow for choosing background music successfully.
Instructions
1. Choose the forum for the background music. For example, if you are making a for-profit motion picture, then you will need to contact the owner of the music (or record company) and request a right to use the music. In this instance, you would either need to pay an upfront fee for the song and/or a royalty fee. However, if you are making a non-profit project that is not distributed (e.g. school project, play or presentation), then licensing the music will not be a concern for you.
2. Choose the genre of music most appropriate for the scene. For example, cartoons frequently rely on classical music to establish the tempo for a scene. Plays typically rely on the performers to sing a song, while the background music provides the instrumental backdrop. By contrast, scenes in movies where there is little dialogue may use fuller background music (i.e. instruments and singing--a full song), and the genre of the music will depend on the type of scene (e.g. love scene, chase scene, etc.). Review the background music used in scenes similar to the one you seek to create as a template for the genres of music that would be most appropriate for your scene.
3. Search for the music of your choice. Either acquire the sheet music, if you want to use a classical or contemporary piece and have musicians that can perform the background music for you, or acquire the actual music digitally. SheetMusicPlus.com, MusicNotes.com, and PrimaMusic.com are three locations where you can acquire sheet music. The iTunes Store, Amazon.com, and StockMusicStore.com are three locations that provide background digital music.
4. Test the music with the scene you want it for. Ask others for comments on the appropriateness, volume, and tempo of the music for the particular scene. Adjust your music choice as necessary until you are satisfied.
Tags: background music, acquire sheet, acquire sheet music, genre music, most appropriate, music will
