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I’m sure you remember in the not too distant past we’ve talked about using a musical floor in the main body of your podcast. Well, I have a very good reason for bringing it up again and there are more than a few good reasons to use a musical floor.
(For those of you that may just be joining in, that’s background music, or for some of you out there, a musical underlay. Others may even call it an underscore. They all pretty much mean the same thing)
Some good reasons for using one are:
- Setting the mood for what you are presenting or talking about.
- Enhancing or reinforcing the mood you want to set for the podcast or subject.
- Using it with video often adds mental excitement of some sort to the visual footage.
- It can also be used to add a calming effect after some sort of intensity.
Now, I want you to know those are just some of the reasons.
Here, I would like to tell you two of the main reasons I use a musical floor:
- The first is to add life or set the mood for the podcast.
- Second is to cover over a little bit of background sound that I have no way of getting rid of, (at least, not easily at the moment.)
You see, I don’t have the quietest of places to record my podcast, I just have a place that is fairly quiet. Because of this particular reason, I decided, rather than let it bother me too much, I would just, basically, make it sound as if those background sounds weren’t there or at least cover them over as best I could. Now I know that sounds as if I am cheating a bit, but trust me when I tell you, I’m not alone in choosing that method of covering some small imperfections.
Remember, this is just one good reason to use a musical floor. It gives you a bit more room for covering things that might be a distraction to you or some of your listeners.
Now, I understand there will be some that will disagree with me on this, but when the proper music is chosen for this purpose, it can do more than just cover background noise. It can cause your listeners to be more responsive to your message.
I can tell you with certainty that the music you choose for your musical floor can make a world of difference in what people take away from your presentation (what ever it may be) and what they will think of it in general. It has to do with a thing called the brain. In fact it has to do with speaking to the left side and the right side of the human brain at the same time.
Now, I am not a psychologist but I do know that this works for several reasons and just about anyone in marketing will tell you that if you can effectively relate, or link, left brain-right brain activity, the more effective and better are the chances of your message being responded to and remembered.
If you think I’m wrong, let me remind you once again, you are entitled to your opinion. I can, however, make a good argument for my case. I would merely point out to you that music can, and probably has, helped you remember twenty six somewhat unrelated items (at least if you’re from the USA). This is a classic example that many have already experienced. Yes, you’ve guessed it; It is the a-b-c’s. Surely you know the musical melody and the letters of the alphbet by now.
For another example, I’m sure you’ve already noticed, if you watch much TV or many movies, there is usually some sort of music in the background. It isn’t necessarily the same music all the time and there are times when music just doesn’t fit, but, music can make or break a message or a scene. I’m also guessing you’ve noticed most commercials, whether on TV, radio or anywhere else, have music of some sort playing in the background. (That’s right; it seems inescapable, doesn’t it?) And here’s the important thing about it. All of that music is chosen because it does what it is supposed to do. It makes the message either more memorable, or more effective.
Now, we won’t be getting into all of the nuances of music and sound effects right now, but suffice it to say, music … the right music … can make a world of difference in what you are trying to get across to your listener and what they take away from what you are saying. Music in the background … the right music in the background … can help make your message more acceptable to those listening to it. Yes, I know not all people’s taste in music is the same and I know, also, that music is not needed in every situation. Used properly, though, it can possibly make your podcast more interesting and even more exciting than it may have been without it.
Now, admittedly, the wrong music can totally distract your listener and cause them to completely miss what you want them to take away with them. It could even possibly cause them to turn off your podcast before they ever get your message. This is why you need to put a little forethought into the audience you are trying to reach. By taking the time to think about your audience — who they are what their interests are — could quite possibly make the difference in how they respond to you and your message. Not only could that make your podcast more popular, but it could possibly make it more valuable in more ways than one.
Simply choosing music you like is not the best reason for what you choose to use as a musical floor. You need to think bigger. You need to think wider or broader. You need to think about your audience and what you are trying to get across to them. Experimenting with different types will not be a waste of your time, but wise use of it. By taking the time to think about these things, you’re taking the time to make your podcast a level above the rest and, in my thinking, that is a good thing.
I’ll see you next time …
