With podcasts being an audio format, music is a key ingredient in your podcast’s quality. The right music will set a mood and evoke the perfect emotional reaction in your audience, drawing people in and preparing them for what’s to come.
So how do you make sure you nail this important part of your podcast? Here are our best tips:
Where to find your music
Using music that is not originally yours is a big ‘no-no’ and can open the door to legal issues and a big fine.
So that’s where royalty free music comes into play. The good news is that there are lots of online options to choose royalty-free music from. Here are a few of our faves:
How to choose your music
Choosing your music can be the ultimate Bermuda Triangle. With so many options out there, it’s easy to get overwhelmed and spend way too much time finding the perfect track.
Follow these tips to find the right tune, quickly:
- To help narrow the focus, write down 3 words to describe how you want your listener to feel. These will help you find music – simply search your music archives for these words.
- When you find a song, think about whether it captures the mood of your podcast.
- Don’t overthink it. You can always change your music later if you find something more appropriate.
- Remember, you only need a short section of music for your podcast i.e. you won’t be using the entire piece.
Tip — when editing your music into an episode, remember to fade it out so that it doesn’t compete with the interview. Nothing grates a listener’s ears more than having to strain to hear the host over the backing track.
Where to include your music
You should select music for the opening and end of your podcast; a tune that your listeners will instantly recognise as belonging to your show. We recommend 10 – 30 seconds of music at most.
Good luck with nailing the soundtrack for your podcast!
