What should you consider when composing music for a TV commercial?
Suggestions
- Is the music memorable?
- Does the music create the right atmosphere?
- Will the music appeal to the target audience?
- Does the music convey the appropriate mood (humour / drama)?
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Suggestions
EXTRACT 1
EXTRACT 2
EXTRACT 3
Airline commercial
Fast pace
Laptop commercial
Gradual crescendo
Loud dynamics
Syncopated melody
Singing in harmony
Unison singing
Bank commercial
Challenging
Intermediate
Further listening
Differentiation
Check
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You will hear three pieces used in television commercials.
Listen to the three extracts, then drag the descriptions to the correct box.
Further listening
- Fortuna from ‘Carmina Burana’ – Carl Orff, (Old Spice)
- Flight of the Bumble Bee – Rimsky Korsakov, (Black and Decker)
- Playful Pizzicato – Benjamin Britten, (Royal Bank of Scotland)
- The Clapping Song – Shirley Ellis, (Volkswagen 2012 Beetle)
- Crazy Train – Ozzy Osbourne, (Honda Pilot)
- Party Rock Anthem – LMFAO, (Kia)
LNF 9.OL1
- What other interesting musical characteristics (features) do you notice?
- Which piece is your favourite? Give two musical reasons.
Commercial 1
Commercial 2
Commercial 3
How does the music fit the product?
What makes it effective?
Search the internet or television for three TV commercials that use a soundtrack.
Watch the commercials and listen to the soundtrack.
How does the music fit the product?
What makes it effective?
LNF 9.OL1
- Which is the most successful commercial? Give two musical reasons.
- Can you think of other successful or less successful examples of music used in commercials?
