Need comment on music

trueindie · Mar 11, 2015

Okay... so I need some comment.

I'm using a piece of music in my film, and I'm afraid that it may feel a bit too much like "bedroom music" as APE calls it. Can you guys kindly watch this 3 minute piece and let me know if the music feels cheap or if you think it goes with the visuals.

Special instructions:

The music comes on at the 2:30 minute mark, if you don't want to watch the entire piece.

OR

1. Please do not specifically listen to the music. Please watch the film, and the music should really have a background effect. What I really want to know is if it works with the story.

2. Listen to the music again by itself, if you can. If you think it sounds cheap, fine, you don't have to explain why. If it sounds cheap, it sounds cheap. If it sounds like something bought off the internet, it's fine, just let me know.

3. I'd like you guys to watch the entire piece instead of just listening to the music, because I think it's more important that way. If the music makes sense in the scene, it'll make better sense if you watch the whole thing.

Just FYI, The dialog audio has not been corrected yet.

https://vimeo.com/121859672
password: musictest

Thanks for your time

Scoopicman · Mar 11, 2015

You have it way too loud, but bring it down to a level that doesn't compete with the dialogue and I think it works well. It conveys the right mood.

Are you going to add ambient bar music? I think the scene really needs it, so it feels like a bar open for business.

trueindie · Mar 11, 2015

Scoopicman said:
You have it way too loud, but bring it down to a level that doesn't compete with the dialogue and I think it works well. It conveys the right mood.

Are you going to add ambient bar music? I think the scene really needs it, so it feels like a bar open for business.

Yes sir. I'll adjust the volumes and everything when I do the dialog edit, once the video editing is done. I'm glad you thought it conveyed the right mood. That's what I'm really looking for. Also for it not to sound too cheap. I suppose I'm happy you didn't comment on the actual music. It's probably a good sign

Regarding the ambient bar music, I think I'll have to end up adding some bg music. I still haven't figured out how to do it cheaply. But thanks for pointing that out. Something to bring out from the back of my head.

Cheers Scoopicman

mad_hatter · Mar 11, 2015

Hmmm....

My opinion:

When the music first starts, as she's getting her make-up done, it feels to me like it would be better fitting in an action film. It's quite a fest tempo, the drum beat is pretty loud. It's quite gritty sounding, although it sounds purposefully done, so it doesn't sound cheap.

Once the more melodic layer kicks in, once she's outside, it does feel well suited to the scene. It does give a nice sense of the character's mood.

Again, that's just my opinion, one which may not match the opinion of others!

trueindie · Mar 11, 2015

mad_hatter said:
Hmmm....

My opinion:

I have no quarrel with that opinion

I'm so glad you mentioned that it didn't sound cheap. That's my biggest fear really.
Cheers

Scoopicman · Mar 11, 2015

mad_hatter said:
It's quite a fest tempo, the drum beat is pretty loud.

It is fast and I felt the same way about the drums, but if it's faded in and stays under the dialogue, I think it works. The tempo reminds me of 80's teen movies, by John Hughes. In fact, the song reminds me of that era, so while it sounds like a keyboard band, it doesn't come off as cheap. It sounds like teen date music. :lol:

The quick tempo actually works for me, because the scene is segueing from discussion to motivated action (getting made up) that leads up to a key event in the young girl's life.

trueindie said:
Regarding the ambient bar music, I think I'll have to end up adding some bg music. I still haven't figured out how to do it cheaply. But thanks for pointing that out. Something to bring out from the back of my head.

Please do. To be frank, the scene could have used more "stage business," (other people working, etc.) as it seems everything stops for the conversation. I think BG music would add a lot. (also keep it low level - music should not overpower dialogue. I use keyframes to ride the music level, bringing it up in non-dialogue scenes and then way down, when there's talking.)

trueindie · Mar 11, 2015

Scoopicman said:
so while it sounds like a keyboard band, it doesn't come off as cheap. It sounds like teen date music.

Funny thing is, that I didn't even use a keyboard. Just mouse clicks

. MouseClickBand.com

(somebody is going to write "yeah? well it sure sounds that way"). I recently bought keyboard to make some music for this movie. Haven't set it up yet.

Scoopicman said:
Please do. To be frank, the scene could have used more "stage business," (other people working, etc.) as it seems everything stops for the conversation. I think BG music would add a lot. (also keep it low level - music should not overpower dialogue. I use keyframes to ride the music level, bringing it up in non-dialogue scenes and then way down, when there's talking.)

Yes. I definitely notice the general lack of activity in the bar. I'm hoping that the extras used in the other scenes at the bar will quell that problem in the viewer's mind when they see the whole movie. I can only hope. Corrections are not possible at this time unfortunately

Cheers