A little mood music never hurt anybody
Watch any old Western movie, and it’s a good bet you’re gonna see a hootenanny, or a barn dance, or some other sort of soiree “˜neath the big Western sky. And the minute the music starts, folks are gonna dance their boots off. As far as I can tell, the music seemed to put everybody in a dancin’ mood. Well, some of the bad guys might get in a mood to go outside and do somethin’ ornery. But for the most part, everybody was there to have a good time. That’s what music does. It helps create moods. So, in a way, all music is mood music.
The many moods of mood music
When I used to play music every night, for a living, I had a huge repertoire of songs. If you’re one of those who heard me perform live, you know I’m not exaggerating. Matter of fact, there were many times I’d play a four hour show with no breaks. None! And during those four hours I could take the audience on a sailboat ride in the Caribbean, through the blues section of Kansas City, up the Rocky Mountains and back down, and even to a quiet, out-of-the-way jazz bar to smooth out the wrinkles.
It might sound like I’m bragging, but I’m making a moody point. Music sets a mood like nothing else. That’s why it’s so effective in business, entertainment, and day-to-day life. And you’ve got lots of moods to choose from.
You’ve probably noticed I talk a lot about sound and how music for business should be a huge part of your advertising. And you might have heard me talk about the power of audio branding with your own personalized song. But here’s another way of using that personalized song even more effectively. Different versions of it for different moods.
Not everybody is coming to your website or store or social media in the same mood.
So what some people might like about your song, others might find repulsive. That’s OK. Make different versions. Same song but with different instrumentation, a different beat, a whole different feel. Mood music that’s the same only it’s not.
See what I mean?
I’ll bet you’ve heard it done without even noticing. Or maybe nothing gets by you. Either way, lots of successful companies, some entrepreneurs and podcast publishers, sports shows, and movies have certainly reaped some big rewards. Just by adding in here”or taking out there. Or by putting the same version with (or without) vocals in different videos or scenes.
If you wanna try coming up with something on your own, start thinking about your brand. Are you trying to portray yourself as a hero for your industry? Throw some power strings and tasty brass into your audio branding. Maybe you’d like to come across as more friendly and down-to-earth. In that case, you can’t go wrong with a nice acoustic guitar, some bouncy percussion, jingling triangle, and a touch of outdoor sound effects. See how it works?
A combination of sounds becomes mood music.
And a well thought out combination of sight and sound gives you an unforgettable advantage. I’ll take that up later. Right now I want you to start thinking about sounds. Sounds that you believe will sync up nicely with your brand. Then, start thinking about how you can combine them into your own audio branding. And don’t forget to focus on what mood music will help you get across.
If you need some help, you know where to find me.
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