Choosing a musical composition is an essential part of your podcast. You want music to support your story emotionally. You also want to select songs that will keep your listeners interested until the end without having to increase playback speed.
Create a Listener Persona
Creating a listener persona for your podcast can help you identify your target audience. The goal of creating personas is to make sense of familiarity with your audience. Your persona should be realistic, but it should also be based on the listener’s actual life. For example, you may have a podcast aimed at helping women in particular. Your ideal listener would be a retired teacher in this instance.
To create a listener persona, ask yourself some questions. What motivates your listener to listen? What are their challenges when listening to your podcast What makes it appealing to listeners?
Communicate with A Composer
To become a better podcast composer or music maker, you need to communicate with a composer and understand their style. Music should reflect the mood and style of the podcast. A show like “Girls” might require a music score that resembles a ’90s girl band or grunge band. A podcast like S-Town requires a music soundtrack that evokes Southern Gothic humor and themes. A well-matched soundtrack will give your story momentum.
Although hiring a composer can be a great option for your project, there are other ways you can communicate with them. For example, if you’re a podcaster, you can use music libraries to source music. Podcast music should not be the show’s main focus but rather serve the story. For example, Zach Davis, a producer on “Dark Tech,” worked with a composer to get the right tone and music.
Ask Permission from A Musician
It is a crucial step in becoming a better podcast producer or composer. There are many types of permissions that you can get depending on the type and style of your production. You might need the synchronization right, which allows you to use a written or recording composition for your podcast. You may also require the master rights, enabling you to use the music perpetually. These rights are important if you want your podcast to be distributed worldwide.
Royalties are a common requirement for musicians who want to use their music for commercial purposes. These payments are an ongoing residual fee that is related to how many downloads and streams the piece has received. These fees can be costly and take a lot of time. Luckily, the podcasting community is full of experts who can help you get the permission you need.
Make a Music Profile for Your Podcast
One of the most critical aspects of creating a podcast is the intro music. Choose music that complements the theme and story of your show. This will keep your audience listening until the end of the episode and won’t have them wishing they could speed up the playback.
It is essential to create a profile for your podcast to help you become a better music producer or podcast composer. Creating a profile for your show will help you make better decisions about what kind of music will be appropriate for the show. Whether you’re composing for a comedy podcast, an adult podcast, or a science-fiction show, you should take the time to consider your show’s musical style and mood.
Recording in A Garage
One way to improve your podcast composition and music production skills is to record your episodes in your garage. Garage recording software allows you to add multiple audio tracks. GarageBand can record your entire podcast, or you can use GarageBand to create individual recordings.
Microphones can pick up household noises, so it is important to find a quiet place. Fortunately, recording equipment has become much smaller, which makes it easier to find the best acoustic environment. To make the sound as neutral as possible, you can use acoustic foam to absorb any hard or reflective surfaces. You should also be aware of other noise sources like fans or furnaces.
Getting Money from Your Podcast
If you’re a composer or music producer, you can get paid for the songs used in your podcast. Contacting the podcaster is the first step. Most podcasters are happy to be praised for their work, so try starting your email with a compliment about the podcast and reference specific episodes or moments in the show. Include a link to your music.
Next, you need permission to use the song you have written to make money with your podcast. Some music libraries charge a one-time fee for each piece used, while others charge per-usage. A one-time fee will be fine if you only use the song once. However, if you use it multiple times, you will need to pay a licensing fee each time you create a new episode. This can quickly become expensive.
