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COMP TRACKS IN REAL-TIME WITH OUR VIDEO PREVIEW TOOL
| | Fast - Find the right music faster by comping tracks with your video online |
| | Private - Videos load instantly and are never stored on our server! |
| | Multiple Sources - Use videos from your device or videos online! |
Learn more about our video preview tool HERE
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DownloadRoyalty Free Ambient Music
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Need Ambient Music for your Project?
Ambient music for video isn't always the most memorable, and if it is, it's often a sign that it isn't doing the job correctly.
It's music that is truly married to the visuals and doesn't sound as pleasing on its own.
Before we go too far, we should be clear that ambient music doesn't have to go with film.
There is plenty of ambient music that's great to listen to and helps you connect with yourself and your surroundings. It's not a bad idea to become familiar with some of the best-loved ambient music ever made.
But, when talking about ambient music for video, it's all about creating an atmosphere to match the screen image.
How Does Ambient Music Connect to a Scene?
We often talk about the connection between music and picture.
That connection is essential no matter what genre of film or music you are using.
Depending on the desired effect, there are various ways to make a connection between music and film.
For the most part, you aim to connect the music to something that is happening in the scene.
It could be action like a chase scene, or you could be connecting to the emotion of a character/situation. Either way, you do it to help the audience feel what they are seeing more.
Ambient music is similar in the sense that the end goal is still to make the audience feel something.
The biggest difference is that you aren't connecting to what's happening in the scene; you connect to the scene's environment.
If we think about the meaning of the word ambient, it means relating to something's immediate surroundings.
Ambient music connects with the visuals on a more simplistic level; it connects to the location and atmosphere.
While it doesn't specifically target a specific feeling, it puts the audience in the scene in a more real way; then the viewers' emotion comes more organically.
For example, if you want the viewer to feel scared, you could use music with uncomfortable tension or mimic the character's heart rate.
Alternatively, you could focus on sounds that immerse the viewer in the location, and let them decide how to feel.
In most cases, ambient music for film focuses on sounds and textures, more than melody, rhythm, or even harmony.
When to use Ambient Music
Ambient music should be used when the location is just as important (or more) as the situation.
If your scene could happen anywhere, then it's likely that your music should target the character or situation.
If it relies heavily on a specific location, ambient music is the best way to reach your audience.
Ambient music works well in scenes of wide-open spaces, which is why it's so well utilized in sci-fi movies.
It's also fantastic for any kind of dystopian or industrial setting.
Remember, it doesn't have to be dark or spooky; it can make an audience think they are lying on a picturesque beach, just as easily as in a creepy forest.
Diegetic Music
Diegetic music and sounds come from sources that are part of the scene and are heard by the characters.
Soundtracks are typically non-diegetic, not literally in the scene, and only heard by the viewer.
The movie Baby Driver is an excellent example of the creative use of diegetic music.
Since diegetic music is literally part of the scene/environment, it can loosely be thought of as ambient music.
You should always keep that in mind as a way to add another layer to your film.
Finally, as always, please take advantage of our exclusive video preview tool to find the perfect track.