A track's shape

Have you ever wondered why tracks on production music sites tend to have similar structures? Well, put yourself in the shoes of a stressed TV editor. They’re hours from the deadline for a show and it needs music to really push its emotional power. They’ve found a couple of tracks that should help, but they don’t need the whole track, just a few short sections.

One track sounds great, but has a continuous flow of music all the way through, and all he has is the full mix. The editor chops up the sound file and pieces it together against the show, but the edit points are obvious and it doesn’t work. He can’t use it. The other track is in clear sections, with a short break between each section. And each section gradually builds – the first section is fairly subdued, the second section is quite dynamic and the final section is really intense. The track works as a whole, but also gives the editor choices about how he can use it in the programme, and the breaks between each section gives options for how to end the music.

Not only that, but because the editor has the “stems” for the track - groups of individual instruments that make up the whole – he has even more choices and can create a version of the track that really enhances the viewing experience. He can bring out the heartfelt strings, or get rid of the distracting piano part. The familiar format of the track allows him to work quickly and piece together a great show.

That’s why.

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