Today a producer called me into a booth to ask a question about the documentary he was working on. He wanted to know about the placement of music.

I listened to the little bit that he wanted me to hear, which was essentially a guy talking, and then some music, and then a guy talking. The talking was interesting and well edited, and the music well chosen. But it didn’t work as well together as it could have.

He wanted to know my opinion, so I gave it to him, ’cause I spent twenty years doing this kind of work, and I love it.

First, find the post in the music (the part of the music where it becomes so pronounced that you’re better off not talking over it… often there’s more than one possible post). Place the post directly after the end of the talking and bring the level of the music up. All the music before that point should sit nicely underneath the talk.

The reason you do it this way is to create a little tension, like in many other kinds of art. You want to make the listener (or reader, or viewer, depending on the kind of art) want to know what’s coming next. He hears the music underscoring the words, suggesting a change in tone, and he wants to know what it means, so he sticks around until he finds out. It’s also more aesthetically pleasing to the ear, suggesting that this is something well put together, some thought has gone into it, so perhaps its worth sticking around.

It’s not rocket science this kind of stuff, but a little bit goes a long way toward giving a production a certain sheen.

How do you know when it’s right?

When you listen back and you get a little shiver running up and down your spine.