Audio is a crucial element of any video, as it can enhance the mood and message of your visuals. But how do you select the perfect audio for your video? This article will share some tips to help you find and use the best soundtracks, sound effects, and voice-overs for your video projects.
Before you start browsing for audio, have a clear idea of who your target audience is and what they expect from your video. Different genres, formats, and platforms require different types of audio to suit the preferences of your viewers. For example, a corporate video might need a professional and upbeat soundtrack, while a horror film might need a creepy and suspenseful one. Think about the demographics, interests, and emotions of your audience, and choose audio that matches their tastes and expectations.
When you look for what an audience is curious about or like, you often take too many time to find the perfect match. One thing that could sound cheesy but is real is this : If you like one type of soundtrack on a certain part of a video, it's a nice first indicator about what you must look for. Don't hesitate to get inspired with movies, video music videos or video games for exemple that were loved by the public in the same style you'll work on. It can helps you have a nice base on wich you'll can add your originality in the editing process without copying it.
When selecting audio for your video, it’s important to make sure it fits the theme and pace of your video. Genre determines the tone of your audio. For example, a comedy video needs a light-hearted and humorous soundtrack, while a drama video needs a dramatic and emotional one. The theme of your video reflects the main idea you want to convey. A video about environmental issues would require a soundtrack that makes people think of nature and urgency, while a video about romance would need one that evokes love and passion. The pace of your video affects the tempo and rhythm of your audio. A fast-paced video needs a fast and energetic soundtrack, while a slow-paced video needs a slow and relaxing one.
How do you know your audience? There’s a lot of discussion here about this topic. But… How do you find out?? 1. Empathy, is the first key. You have to identify with the deliverable through the lens of the target market/client. 2. Research, to collect information and source material. 3. Keep an open mind. Your designing or creating something for an intended market. This is not for your school project. 4. It is hard to view the world not through our own perspectives/influences, race gender, sexuality etc.. Be aware of your own ethos and how that might impact the message you were hired to deliver. 5. Don’t take it personally. Pros not Joes, this is for money not for love. 6. Sound is everything!!! Know your audience ???????
The quality of your audio can make or break your video, so you don't want to ruin your visuals with poor or distorted sound. To ensure your audio is high-quality, it is important to consider the source, format, and level. When creating your own audio, use professional equipment and software to record and edit it. If you use existing audio, make sure to check the license and terms of use, and give proper credit to the original creators. The format of your audio should be compatible with your video editing software and distribution platform; common formats are MP3, WAV, and AAC. MP3 is a compressed format that reduces file size, but also quality. WAV is uncompressed and preserves quality, but also file size. AAC offers a balanced format with good quality and reasonable file size. Lastly, adjust the level of your audio to match the volume of your video and avoid clipping or distortion by using tools like meters, normalizers, and compressors.
In my experience, choosing to use high quality audio beats most shortcuts to a final piece out of the options I've seen. A high quality audio as described above in the article can become many different types of files including better versions of when it was first uploaded like with an additive of the other options like recording voice, voiceovers and sound effects etc.
Can't stress this enough: take the time to record quality audio. It's the hardest thing to fix in post-production. While tools like Adobe's AI can help, nothing beats getting it right at the source. Poor audio can undermine even the best visuals.
Add variety and creativity by using sound effects, voice-overs, and transitions. Sound effects enhance the visuals, with examples including footsteps, door slams, explosions, or animal noises. Voice-overs provide narration, commentary, or instruction. And audio transitions can help supplement your visual transitions between scenes. By using these techniques, you can create a unique and captivating video that will stand out.
Adding variety and creativity through sound effects and voice-overs is great advice. However, there's a fine line between variety and inconsistency. Using too many types of sounds or music could risk making the project feel disjointed or even unprofessional. It's all about maintaining a cohesive audio style to complement the visuals.
Consider that any recognizable sound or song will carry it's own connotations and messages for the audience. A popular song that you think is perfectly aligned to your message may instead invite your audience to think about other things: the first time the heard it, a friend who used to love it, a high school dance, that time when...