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Step 1
Consider whether it is appropriate to use music. There is a temptation to use music in emotional and tragic stories to amplify the impact. This is often a bad idea. The tone you intend to communicate with the music can be misinterpreted. You could be accused of exploiting a tragedy or not taking it seriously enough. Different people interpret music differently. If you are doing a powder keg of a story, consider the choice of music very carefully.
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Step 2
Decide what you are trying to say with the music. Do you want viewers to feel energized or sad? In general, fast music is uplifting while slow music conveys subdued emotions. Play the music for several people not involved with your story. Ask them how it made them feel. If you get answers other than what you are trying to convey, then pick something else.
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Step 3
Find out who owns the music. Most popular songs are copyrighted. They will expect royalties if you broadcast any portion of it. It does not matter if it is only a short clip or if you credit the musicians. If you use copyrighted music, you must contact the performing rights organization and publisher of the song. There is plenty of non-copyrighted music out there you can use for free (see Resources below).
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Step 4
Choose whether you want the song noticed by the viewer. If you are trying to say something overtly with the music, you can blast it at full volume at the start of the story, then bring it down to a background level. You could even bring the music back to full volume later in the story. If you are trying to be subtle, sneak the music under your voice track. People may not be listening to the music, but it will set a subconscious tone.
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Step 5
Watch those levels. Nothing is more distracting than music blaring so loud that you can't hear anything else in the story. Music should augment the story, not overpower it. Be sure that you can hear the reporter track and sound bites while the music is playing. It's a good idea to play the story to random people before it airs to see if they are distracted by the music.
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Step 6
Blend the music into your story by gradually bringing the volume up and down. It is jarring for music to suddenly appear or disappear. A gentle turn of the volume dial eases viewers into and out of the song. It's a good idea to take the music away during sound bites. It's like picking a soundtrack for another person--it could make you appear to be biased.
Comments
angelaford said
on 7/24/2008 really? you can't use copyright music? i didn't know that, excellent, thanks!