The Music is Pure Garbage

[Bob in Savannah]

Are people finding that while watching these awesome videos they are constantly annoyed by the horrible, terribly generic and devoid-of-talent background music in people's work?

The videos and the editing people do can shine with brilliance all the while having to turn down too loud and/or distracting crappy music They're either too loud or don't fit in my opinion with what I'm watching or just plain reek with amateur nonsense.

This is a poll but please comment or enlighten me how to find (at least) average background music or how you fwel about this.

Maybe the answer is to actually add the ambient outdoor sounds instead of "music" altogether? All I know is the "audio" I hear in about 99.9% of these videos really twists me up . lol

 

[FLDave]

What videos and what music? Specifics?

 

[Jagerbomb52]

A lot has to do with what people like for music. If I pick a song for my video does not mean your going to like it. lol
We all have different taste for music.

 

[Eagle Eye 62]

While I agree that music tastes differ by person, I also argue that a lot of music in these videos has one or many of these 4 problems:

1) it doesn't fit the visual content
2) it features fast paced and repetitive rythms and simplistic melody (again seldom matching the visuals and edit pace, etc.)
3) it is way too loud to begin with because the levels were ignored in the editing process.
4) it is poor quality.

Finally, if you want to make videos "legally", you should not use copyrighted music, period. There are plenty of low cost music libraries available that offer goof quality, royalty free music in just about any genre.

 

[Bob in Savannah]

While I agree that music tastes differ by person, I also argue that a lot of music in these videos has one or many of these 4 problems:

1) it doesn't fit the visual content
2) it features fast paced and repetitive rythms and simplistic melody (again seldom matching the visuals and edit pace, etc.)
3) it is way too loud to begin with because the levels were ignored in the editing process.
4) it is poor quality.

Finally, if you want to make videos "legally", you should not use copyrighted music, period. There are plenty of low cost music libraries available that offer goof quality, royalty free music in just about any genre.

^^ This is what I mean. Not taste of music, which is arguable (does it even qualify as music?) since this stuff is quite amateur and in NO way like its MODEL, Copywritten protected music. This is the problem. The music I am ALLOWED to use is lackluster and without depth. Frankly, it sux.

 

[RUFFSTUFF]

Are people finding that while watching these awesome videos they are constantly annoyed by the horrible, terribly generic and devoid-of-talent background music in people's work?

The videos and the editing people do can shine with brilliance all the while having to turn down too loud and/or distracting crappy music They're either too loud or don't fit in my opinion with what I'm watching or just plain reek with amateur nonsense.

This is a poll but please comment or enlighten me how to find (at least) average background music or how you fwel about this.

Maybe the answer is to actually add the ambient outdoor sounds instead of "music" altogether? All I know is the "audio" I hear in about 99.9% of these videos really twists me up . lol

Imagine the day when technology has advanced to were the end user can adjust their own volume. It will be glorious!

 

[Bob in Savannah]

Imagine the day when technology has advanced to were the end user can adjust their own volume. It will be glorious!

Your cynicism cuts through like a dull blade. The irony of your comment is your inability to understand the post as you stumble through it like a bull in a china shop. How's that for a rebuttal?

I'm guessing you didn't read all five comments before deciding to hit the keyboard.

 

[SkyeHigh]

You’re quite right. Choosing and using appropriate music/audio is as much a skill as video editing. Too many people try and edit to the music/beat which is the wrong way around. The visual image is the primary one with the audio supporting it.

A feature film tells a story and in almost all cases music is specifically composed for it. It’s what makes the production unique. Existing copyright music is used where appropriate and in all cases the choice of music adds to the overall story and experience.

And that’s where we as drone fliers have an issue. You wouldn’t want the sound of the motors/propellers if you were filming a landscape. But you may if you were, perhaps, to film a flying drone.

We cannot and should never use copyright music if our video is in the public domain. Finding appropriate music through royalty free music services is easy enough but how many choose music the helps support the visual image you have shot?

How many shoot the video and then try and find music to go with it?

The choice of music/audio should be part of the pre-planning stage of what you want the final video to portray. The really superb videos that we aspire to are thought out and not a case of shooting something you find interesting and then trying to fill the audio hole without sufficient thought.

 

[RUFFSTUFF]

Your cynicism cuts through like a dull blade. The irony of your comment is your inability to understand the post as you stumble through it like a bull in a china shop. How's that for a rebuttal?

I'm guessing you didn't read all five comments before deciding to hit the keyboard.

No need to guess.. I don't care about the other posts... I just read one in particular... The most self-centered and childish one, of course.




Hopefully you can learn where your audio controls are and also develop the ability to change videos so that your time is not wasted watching stuff that is so far below your standards.

Do you have a sample of your work to show all interested parties WHAT EXCELLENCE LOOKS LIKE?

 

[jphoto]

Drone pilots are not necessarily filmmakers or musicians. Yes, I think some music is terrible, and too loud. Terrible...well, if someone picks a terrible piece of music, what can you say? There are good royalty free tracks out there, it doesn't have to be terrible, but that also means our drone pilot needs to know the difference. Asking a lot.

But so much modern music is mastered loud. If a pilot edits his footage then just drops a music clip in, it will likely be too loud because it's mastered that way. It would take the understanding of both audio metering, level standards, and audio production to make the correction. Or if the recognize it's wrong, at least making a good guess. Again, asking a lot. And then there's the ad hoc level "standards" for social media. What do you do if you want your soundtrack heard on Facebook, but you mastered it for another platform? This is NOT easy stuff!

I always use my volume control, and sometimes it goes all the way down. I also use the browser controls to exit a video I don't care for. They do solve the problems.

How about instead of griping about it, offer some positive pointers in scoring, mixing, editing, etc? None of those skills are on the entrance exam for buying a drone.

 

[JimSteadman]

Are people finding that while watching these awesome videos they are constantly annoyed by the horrible, terribly generic and devoid-of-talent background music in people's work?

The videos and the editing people do can shine with brilliance all the while having to turn down too loud and/or distracting crappy music They're either too loud or don't fit in my opinion with what I'm watching or just plain reek with amateur nonsense.

This is a poll but please comment or enlighten me how to find (at least) average background music or how you fwel about this.

Maybe the answer is to actually add the ambient outdoor sounds instead of "music" altogether? All I know is the "audio" I hear in about 99.9% of these videos really twists me up . lol

Agreed. A serene glide thru the countryside unfolding successive waves of beautiful scenery is not enhanced by a heavy metal band or throbbing rhythm.

 

[Dave Maine]

Overall level is entirely controlled by the user, not the creator. The creator does control the sync between imagery on the screen and the relationship with the underlying music. In the world of video and film production, sound design is the sole responsibility of the sound designer, who is responsible for creating something that works with the concept. Most editors who work on this kind of material have sensitivities in this area.

Sound is equally important, and to be successful needs to be treated that way. If it isn’t the result is terrible, as seen by the many videos where it is clear that the creator was completely disconnected from what has been created.

 

[MavicAir2Marc]

Matching music to visuals is unfortunately an under-appreciated skill. I once did photography for a friend that made a low budget horror movie back in the 80s. It was back in the days of still shooting film. The movie itself was fairly generic for the genre but another friend of his was a music composer. His music made the film 10X better than it would've been otherwise. As a result, my friend the director ended up in Hollywood making movies for HBO etc...
My point is, music can have an overwhelming value to visuals if it's done correctly. I spend a lot of time trying to find music that fits my videos but I'm still very much an amateur. Music can make an otherwise OK video much better and unfortunately most people pick a song they like and just plop it in and done.

 

[Debaser_AZ]

Without specific videos, this thread threatens to be a burning dumpster fire. Even so, I'd say it's part of the bigger picture: democratization of media/'content' creation. The drone industry is just another example, as now more people have flying cameras. Not everyone is Ansel Adams. Musical instruments and high quality recording equipment are now more affordable, at almost everyone's fingertips. That doesn't mean everyone gets a boost in talent. Royalty free music clips are not typically memorable classic albums, my edited drone videos with pirated music are not everyone's cup of tea (or legal to post). I'm still no Scorsese

 

[Jagerbomb52]

I do my best to produce a video that people would enjoy but I am also just a amateur and have been doing this for 8 years now so my skills might have improved somewhat but like the post above I'm still no Scorsese either. I do edit my video with transitions and then I look for music that would fit into my video. Perhaps I been doing it all wrong and need to rethink my work flow. Bottom line is if you don't like the music I picked out it will still be crap to you. I believe if it makes you happy that is all that counts. Anyone else can just move on to the next video as there are tons of them out there to watch.

 

[Dale D]

Are people finding that while watching these awesome videos they are constantly annoyed by the horrible, terribly generic and devoid-of-talent background music in people's work?

The videos and the editing people do can shine with brilliance all the while having to turn down too loud and/or distracting crappy music They're either too loud or don't fit in my opinion with what I'm watching or just plain reek with amateur nonsense.

This is a poll but please comment or enlighten me how to find (at least) average background music or how you fwel about this.

Maybe the answer is to actually add the ambient outdoor sounds instead of "music" altogether? All I know is the "audio" I hear in about 99.9% of these videos really twists me up . lol

You cannot name any memorable movie without a memorable sound track. Think Schindler's List, The Sound of Music, Dances With Wolves, etc. Of course the music makes the product much more enjoyable. The problem arises with copyrighted music and music rights that constrict us to bland generic music. In editing my videos, a considerable amount of time is placed on music selection to set the mood of the video. In videos without music I simply turn them off.
My videos not only have the natural sounds of streams, rivers, falls, etc. but also the selected music tracks.

 

[jphoto]

Overall level is entirely controlled by the user, not the creator.

This is not exactly correct. The specific audio level on the track is controlled by the creator. In some industries, film for example, there are standards and reference levels. The reference level for film is first, an acoustic level of 85dBA SPL, which is the calibration level that is set in theaters and dubbing stages (where films are mixed). It's measured with a band-limited noise signal. That same signal and level is also used for home cinema calibration, but the result is lowered in SPL by 10dB because of the smaller room.

The specific level on the track is now measured in LUFS, which is Loudness Units relative to Full Scale, which is a maximum loudness integrated over a period of time, usually 3 seconds. LUFS standards vary by use, unfortunately. The film industry uses -23LUFS as a reference for dialog, which leaves plenty of headroom for, say, a huge explosion. YouTube uses -14LUFS. Other streaming services vary the reference by a few dB. And the music industry, well, some producers throw everything out the window and master LOUD.

A sound designer must know where his content is headed. The user of course make whatever adjustment he wants for his own comfort, but content producers are trying to avoid making the user dive for his volume control when their content starts. That means the level on the track should match the standard for the end user.

….sound design is the sole responsibility of the sound designer, who is responsible for creating something that works with the concept. Most editors who work on this kind of material have sensitivities in this area.

Actually, the Sound Designer is up stream a little. It's the Re-Recording Mixer that builds the final mix, balances dialog, music, and effects, and gets everything at the right level. The final product is the responsibility of the Director, who answers to the Producer and production company. The Editor, Sound Designer, and and Mixer all work for the Director.

Each person is an expert in their field. And, our intrepid drone pilot is wearing all the hats. Is it any wonder....??

Sound is equally important, and to be successful needs to be treated that way. If it isn’t the result is terrible, as seen by the many videos where it is clear that the creator was completely disconnected from what has been created.

George Lucas is famously quoted (or likely misquoted) as saying "The sound and music are 50% of the entertainment in a movie." In practice, the importance of each is likely more or less on a momentary basis.

 

[Lister]

... Maybe the answer is to actually add the ambient outdoor sounds instead of "music" altogether? All I know is the "audio" I hear in about 99.9% of these videos really twists me up . lol

Why not try it? Next time you have an edit completed, say a nature-oriented aerial show, put some birdsong in there, or the wind rustling in the trees. Post your results.

 

[RUFFSTUFF]

Post your results.

Unfortunately, no one is going to do that. They are all going to complain about the "amateurs" and try to show off their audio expertise with big words and catch-phrases copied from the second result in a Google search, but not a single one is going to post their own creation for critique...

Prove me wrong.

 

[Bob in Savannah]

Unfortunately, no one is going to do that. They are all going to complain about the "amateurs" and try to show off their audio expertise with big words and catch-phrases copied from the second result in a Google search, but not a single one is going to post their own creation for critique...

Prove me wrong.

That wasn't the point of this thread, bully. It was to point out that both MINE and YOUR audio selections SUCK because of the copywritten protections, computer generated sounds, and lack of a complete knowledge of video editing. I didn't say anywhere that I could do better. I want the GD examples, too, you blowhard! jebus. QUIT being such a know-it-all. It's really unbecoming of you.