How Music Affects You Emotionally?

We all perceive one music differently, and we perceive another the same. Our emotions, associations, and mood are to blame. Let’s see how music affects our emotions.

Physically or emotionally

Music occupies an important place in our hearts, and many people do not even imagine life without it. She is able to cheer us up in difficult times and remind us of happy moments. Some people see their personal history, which immediately resonates with their souls.

The sensations that we experience when listening to music differ from each other.

If we had to answer the question of how the sound of a tuba differs from the sound of a flute, then we could say something like that: the sound of the flute is high and gentle, and the sound of the tuba is low and rough. From the point of view of musical theory, we would define these sounds as different in pitch, timbre, and loudness.

Research conducted by record companies in the 60s and 70s proved that music affects the listener in the same way from a physical point of view: for this reason, crowds of people at festivals react to the same song in the same way. However, what about emotional perception?

Musical color

Rimsky-Korsakov perceived the coloring of different tonalities in colors characteristic of various natural phenomena. About the tonality in A major, he said: “This is the tonality of youth, spring – and not early spring, with ice and puddles, but spring, when lilacs bloom, and all the meadows are strewn with flowers; this is the tonality of the morning dawn when the light is not almost dawning, the whole east is already purple and gold. “

The coloring of the key in E-flat major – “dark, gloomy, gray-bluish; tone of cities and fortresses ”. F major – “clear green, pastoral; the color of spring birches ”. A minor – “pale pink; it is like a reflection of the evening dawn on a winter, white, cold, snowy landscape. ” B major – “gloomy, dark blue, with a steel, perhaps even a grayish-lead tint, the color of ominous thunderclouds.”

G minor – “without a certain color, has an elegiac-idyllic character.” A-flat major – “grayish-violet, has a gentle, dreamy character.”

The Theory of Musical Equilibration

So how does music affect us? Bernd and Daniela Willimeck, music theorists, answer this question.

Music cannot convey any emotions, it can only evoke them if the listener has any associations with it.” This happens when watching a movie when the viewer starts to worry about the main character.

These German researchers developed the Theory of Musical Balancing (die Strebetendenz-Theorie), which provides the first viable hypothesis about the emotional effects of music, offering important contributions to psychological research. In simple terms, their theory states, for example, that a minor key does not sound sad by itself; instead, the person listening to the music identifies with a process of will which conveys the idea, “No more.” Identifying with the content of this will is what fills the minor key with a sense of sorrow.

To date, scientists have tried unsuccessfully to establish a direct connection between music and emotion. However, musical balancing theory explains the emotional impact of music as a general process in which the listener identifies himself with the content of the will encoded in the music. The theory of musical balancing creates a structure in which even complex and special processes of will can be depicted musically, based on the many variations that result from harmony, both during their reproduction and in anticipation. Other musical parameters such as tempo, timbre, and volume also play a role. The Theory explains why a minor chord played at increasing volume does not seem sad, but rather angry: it expresses the same message, “No more,” but now appears to be full of energy and aggressive. Hearing this chord at a louder volume is similar to identifying with a person loudly screaming “No more.”

To obtain statistical confirmation of the emotional impact of harmonies, the researchers conducted extensive tests with over 2,100 participants from four continents; Members of the famous Vienna Boys’ Choir and the Regensburg Cathedral Choir also took part. The tests showed an astoundingly high correlation of 86%, confirming that some harmonies are preferred over others in certain contexts, a phenomenon that is determined and explained by theory. For example, a diminished seventh movement is ultimately associated with a sense of despair, while an enhanced chord conveys a sense of surprise. In addition, Bernd and Daniela Willimeck provide many examples from the music literature that show that over the centuries composers have deliberately used these harmonies to evoke certain emotions.

In Music and Emotions – Research on the Theory of Musical Equilibration, they base their arguments on the musical repertoire itself, and their precise analytical descriptions of harmony are compelling as an accepted parameter for making music.

Anneli Haake also notes that it is important to understand the difference between how music evokes feelings and what emotions it expresses. For example, to make a person feel sad, a sad melody alone is not enough. The opposite is also true – a person will not begin to rejoice, barely listening to a cheerful melody, since he may have his own, even negative, associations with this song (for example, breaking up a relationship with a loved one).

Ethan Hein, professor of music at Montclair State University, says the perception of music depends entirely on the cultural background of the listener. There is hardly a melody that will make the same impression on everyone. As an example, Ethan recounts his story: “I really liked the Hebrew tune Der Gasn Nigun, which I thought was a funeral song. Later I found out that it was a wedding hymn. “

In Western culture, it is believed that if a song sounds in a major tonality, then it is funny, and if in minor tones, it is sad. The same goes for rhythm. A fast pace is associated with some kind of activity – running, jumping, enthusiastic dancing. A slow pace is associated with sleep, rest, or fatigue.

Also, the level of “emotionality” depends on musical intervals. Lucky intervals are the most consonant and are based on simple proportions – octaves (2:1), fifths (3:2), major thirds (5:4). However, all this, again, depends on the cultural background of the listener.

This is due to the fact that, in general, the musical tastes of different peoples of the world were formed independently of each other. “For Western listeners, Korean music sounds sad, but for Koreans themselves, it sounds festive and beautiful,” said composer Michael Sidney Timpson.

A Circumplex Model of Affect

To explain the influence of Western music on a person, the circular model of James A. Russell is well suited – this is the so-called model of emotional experience, where emotions are arranged in the following sequence: pleasure (0 °), excitement (45 °), activation (90 °), distress (135 °), displeasure (180 °), depression (225 °), drowsiness (270 °), relaxation (315 °). Check out A Circumplex Model of Affect.

Vertically – this is the scale of “emotion intensity”, horizontally – the scale of “valence”

It turns out that fast music has a high intensity, and slow music has a low intensity. As for the keys, the major key is the positive valence, and the minor keys are the negative

Music can send us on an exciting adventure and tell our own story. It can intertwine consonances and rhythmic syncopations that tell of peace and well-being, which will replace various dissonances that express a certain conflict.

Music accompanies us all our lives in sorrow and in joy. Thanks to her, people for many centuries are happy, sad, resting, or concentrating their attention on what they love.

What Does Music do to the Brain?

To the question “What is the role of music in human life?” there are many answers. Today we invite you to familiarize yourself with a number of new scientific studies that have shed light on another little-known aspect – the effect of music on the work of the brain.

Can music make us happier?

According to the American music theorist Jerrold Levinson, the musical language is a no less expressive system of communication than ordinary human language as a subject of linguistic study.

Since music carries a much more powerful emotional charge than real-life events, modern psychologists are increasingly resorting to the use of music therapy. Its positive effect on the human condition can be explained at least by the fact that the reactions of our nervous system to cheerful and sentimental musical works are completely different. For example, participants in a recent experiment, after listening to a short song, interpreted a neutral facial expression as happy or sad, depending on which melody they heard.

The emotions that arose under the influence of music can be roughly divided into two types – perceived and felt. This means that a person is able to understand the mood of a piece of music, even if he never had to experience such sensations in real life. So, with psychological disorders of a depressive nature, cheerful music only aggravates a person’s condition, while sad motives, on the contrary, return bright colors to life.

How does background noise affect creativity?

In order not to go crazy with boredom while working on some painfully familiar task – for which you, quite possibly, get a solid material reward – you put on headphones, set the desired volume, select the required playlist and press the “play” button, it is so? Be that as it may, when it comes to work that requires activation of the right hemisphere, loud music is unlikely to help.

As it turns out, the average noise level is a kind of creative catalyst. By complicating the process of processing information, background noise stimulates abstract thinking and attunes the human brain to a creative work mode. That is why public places – cafes, summer grounds, embankments, parks, etc. – so attract creative people.

With a high level of noise, the human brain is too overloaded, as it tries not only to abstract from all the distractions, but also to process information as efficiently as possible.

Is it possible to determine the character of a person, knowing his musical preferences?

The results of this study, conducted by scientists at Heriot-Watt University (HWU), proved for the first time that there is a definite relationship between a person’s preferred musical genres and his character.

In the first part of the experiment, 36,518 young people from around the world were asked to rank 104 music genres based on their personal preferences. The next stage of the study was somewhat more difficult: the participants had to pair up and try to determine the character traits of their partners, based on their list of 10 most listened to songs. Five qualities were chosen for the analysis: openness to new experience, extraversion, politeness, conscientiousness, and emotional balance.

Scientists have come to the following conclusions:

• blues fans are creative, outgoing, polite, and arrogant;
• among jazz lovers, the most common are creative, friendly people with high self-esteem;
• fans of classical music are of an introverted type of personality, but despite this, they have a high sense of dignity and outstanding creativity;
• rap fans are sociable and slightly selfish;
• opera lovers include polite, open, creative personalities;
• fans of country and western are distinguished by their hard work and ability to easily find a common language with others;
• reggae fans have high self-esteem, are creative and sociable, but hard work is definitely not about them;
• lovers of rhythmic dance music belong to the extroverted type of personality, have certain creative abilities, but do not differ in good manners;
• indie fans have low self-esteem, are not hardworking, and are often poorly educated;
• Bollywood fans (music from Indian films) are very helpful and friendly;
• very often the lovers of heavy music – heavy metal, hardcore, etc. – have low self-esteem, but they have great creative potential.

The results obtained allowed scientists to develop a unique model that reflects the relationship between musical preferences and a person’s character:

Should you listen to music while driving?

There are countless hypotheses about the amazing power of music on driving, but unfortunately, none of them provide an answer to the question of whether it is safe. The results of a recent study conducted by scientists from Ben-Gurion University (Beersheba, Israel) raised doubts about the correctness of generally accepted assumptions about the positive effect of music on driving behavior while driving a car.

Scientists have tested how drivers are influenced by their own music, the “safe” compositions proposed by the researchers, and the complete absence of any musical accompaniment. As a result, the assumptions made by the scientists before the start of the experiment were fully confirmed: the drivers made the greatest number of mistakes while driving accompanied by their chosen compositions, a little less dangerous situations arose in the absence of musical accompaniment, but the music proposed by the researchers had the most favorable effect on the drivers.

Is there a connection between music and logic?

As you know, learning to play musical instruments at an early age has a beneficial effect on the further development of the child. In 2008, Mary Forgeard, Ellen Winner, and Andrea Norton, faculty members at the University of St. Andrews, found that children who practice music for about three years outperform their peers on four indicators at once: perception of information by ear, motor skills, vocabulary, and logical thinking. Thus, the scientists came to the conclusion that long-term intensive musical practice has a positive effect not only on the interhemispheric organization of auditory and motor functions but also on the process of redistribution of mental functions between the left and right hemispheres of the brain (lateralization).

How does classical music affect stroke victims?

A small study, the results of which were published on the website of the American Association for Occupational Therapy, showed that classical music has some rehabilitative properties.

The experiment was carried out with the participation of 16 patients who had suffered a stroke in the right hemisphere of the brain. For one week, the researchers monitored how classical music, white noise, and silence affected the attentiveness and visual perception of each patient. The results were recorded by scientists using specially developed visual analog scales (VAS, usually used to determine the degree of pain intensity). As with creativity and driving, the silence did not live up to scientists ‘expectations, but classical music significantly increased patients’ attention span and improved their visual memory.

Why is eavesdropping on telephone conversations harmful?

There is a sign on the Tokyo subway warning that telephone conversations are disturbing the rest of the passengers. As it turned out, there is a scientific explanation for this.

According to a study conducted by scientists at the University of California, San Diego, if a person unwittingly witnesses such a “semi-dialogue”, then his attention is scattered more than if he heard a full-fledged conversation.

“According to the results of a social survey, 82% of people find telephone conversations downright annoying. We were curious to know what kind of mental influence passive listeners give in, because today each of us has to try on this role several times a day, ”says research leader Veronica Galvan, assistant professor of psychology.

During the experiment, 164 volunteers were asked to decipher several anagrams. During this time, the researchers themselves were actively communicating with each other or talking on the phone, while the participants did not even suspect that the inappropriate behavior of psychologists was also part of the experiment.

After finishing the assignment, those students for whom the telephone conversation served as the background admitted that this significantly reduced their speed of work and concentration of attention, while the other half of the participants with grief remembered in half what the scientists were talking about and whether they talked at all.

How can you make your workouts more productive?

Scientists have been researching the effects of music on exercise for years. For example, in 1911 the American scientist Leonard Ayres discovered that cyclists pedal much faster when listening to rhythmic music than when they ride in silence.

This is because music simply drowns out the signals of fatigue. The body, feeling physically exhausted, sends to the brain the appropriate impulses that the muscles need time to recover. Music, in turn, predetermines such signals and motivates a person to exercise longer. It should be noted that musical accompaniment is especially useful during training with low to moderate intensity since the pain that occurs during heavy exertion is almost impossible to ignore.

Musical accompaniment also helps a person manage their energy reserves in the most efficient way. A 2012 study found that cyclists listening to music while exercising consumed 7% less oxygen, even though the load remained the same.

Some psychologists have argued that humans have an innate preference for a 2-hertz rhythm, which is equivalent to 120 beats per minute (bpm is the number of quarter notes per minute that determines the speed of a song), although, for cardiovascular equipment – treadmills, ellipticals, exercise bikes, and etc. – more rhythmic music is suitable. According to the researchers, the so-called “motivational ceiling” that ensures the peak of human productivity are compositions with a frequency of 145 bpm.

How to Create a Video for YouTube Channel?

How to start creating YouTube video content yourself? Everything a beginner YouTuber needs to know.

YouTube has been in the top three most visited sites in the world for several years. It’s no surprise that video hosting has become one of the most powerful channels for promotion. Not only individuals but also entire companies come here for PR.

Video content helps to draw attention to yourself or your product, to present information in a user-friendly form.

In many cases, it is more interesting and more useful to watch a video than to read a text. For example, a clay sculpting workshop in video format is more useful than an explanation in the form of an article.

And shooting a video is sometimes much easier than writing a guide. It is easier to show how to plaster a wall than to describe the process in detail in several paragraphs.

A YouTube channel is needed not only for companies or individual bloggers. For informational sites that need traffic, video content will help not only increase the permanent audience of readers (viewers) but also get a large number of links.

If you already have a well-promoted site, it will be easier for you to get views and subscribers. And it’s completely free.

Many entrepreneurs and website owners ignore YouTube, believing that creating video content is difficult and costly. In fact, there are quite a few ways to get it, and among them, you can find simple options even for a zero budget. We will talk about this now.

If you want on YouTube, play by its rules

The main rule of YouTube is that the content must be unique. This does not mean that when you use someone else’s video you will be immediately blocked, but problems will arise sooner or later.

The biggest mistake for beginners is to use someone else’s music. You can’t just take any melody you like and insert it into your video. Without permission to use, this amounts to theft. Music should be free. Where to get it will be discussed at the end of the article.

The video sequence also cannot contain fragments of someone else’s material, since in this case a complaint may be received from the copyright holder. If quoting is necessary, try to use no more than 10 seconds of third-party video. And only in those cases when it is really necessary.

When posting, also keep in mind that the player’s aspect ratio on YouTube is 16:9. Do not take this moment into account – you will get black stripes on the sides.

In general, before starting to work with YouTube, it is useful to take a look at its Help Center.

Where to get material for video

There are several ways to create videos:

• Shooting with a camera. The availability of equipment in this case plays an important role. The user has already got used to the high-quality picture.
• Animation. It is relatively expensive. One of the most common options is video infographics, which are used, for example, to describe the operation of Internet services.
• Screen video recording. Perfect for a visual demonstration of the process (in videos from the how-to series).
• Presentations. For some it is boring, but for others it is pleasant. Not everyone likes to look at the broadcasting face. The presentation is more informative. If you need to show numbers, statistics, screenshots, etc. – she will perfectly cope with this task.
• Video sequence from a photo. Simple and fast. May be appropriate for individual cases. For example, to showcase a photographer’s portfolio or handmade ideas.
• Podcast. Some podcasters upload audio to YouTube with a static image. Such videos can also be of interest to users.

Shooting on camera

Before you start filming, decide how you will provide information. This could be:

• blog (conversational format),
• lecture (show something on the board or add text notes during editing),
• demo (product overview, how-to, city/office trip, etc.),
• interviews, etc.

The list can be continued for a long time, since the formats can be different, up to full-fledged films and programs.

It should be borne in mind that for different niches a different presentation of the material is applicable. Somewhere the video blogging format will be appropriate, somewhere it is better to submit information in a different form. Of course, you don’t have to be limited to one format. If you are an expert in a specific field, you can record both lectures and short video blogs on a specific topic. The main thing is to interest the viewer.

Shooting with a camera is expensive. The minimum set of equipment is an SLR camera, tripod, light, softbox.

Why can’t you limit yourself to a simple camera or even a mobile phone? The fact is that the viewer almost always has a choice in the form of a list of related videos in the right column. The competition on YouTube is great. Therefore, any advantages, including high-quality shooting, are suitable to stay ahead of the competition.

Screen video recording

There are quite a few programs for capturing video from a computer screen, and they practically do not differ in functionality. However, there are several problems here:

Most of the programs are paid. The trial version is either limited in time or has limited functionality (watermarking, recording no more than 5 minutes, etc.).

Camtasia (Windows, Mac)

Camtasia’s video capture interface is simple and serious. You select the capture area, whether to enable webcam and microphone inputs and click Record.

The built-in video editor is another matter. There is an exhaustive list of editing options that don’t seem overwhelming. Click and drag effects and a decent selection of standard media are located on the left side of the app, while detailed properties and settings appear on the right when you select an item in the timeline.

Camtasia provides great tutorial videos for anyone struggling with editing tools, but it took a few seconds to create amazingly professional intro and end segments and add them to our test video. The only problem was the interactive features allowing you to add tests or clickable buttons to the project. Setting up these elements was easy enough, but previewing the video and exporting the final product was noticeably more difficult after adding interactivity.

Screencastify (Chrome)

If you have a lot of short screen recordings that you want to share, but don’t need a bunch of bells and whistles to edit, you can’t go wrong with Screencastify. For example, if you provide customer support, you are probably less interested in flawless videos with long lead times than in quick and easy screenshots. Screencastify changes editing options for a concise desktop recording and video sharing interface.

Since this is a Chrome extension, you can set everything up in a minute or two. Install it, select what you want to record (Screencastify can record video outside of the browser window), enable or disable webcam and microphone capture, and click Record.

During recording, Screencastify places a toolbar in the lower-left corner of the browser that includes cursor settings (toggling the focus bubble, adding click animation, and auto-hiding the cursor when inactive), as well as a content annotation brush in the Chrome window. …

When you stop recording, Screencastify opens the video in its web player and downloads the file to your Google Drive (or stores it locally on your computer if you’ve changed the settings). You can upload to YouTube or Google Classroom if you like, or download the video. There are also some simple editing tools: crop, split, and merge.

OBS Studio (Windows, Mac, Linux)

What OBS Studio lacks in editing features is compensated for by streaming and recording options. First, the open-source application allows you to create your own “studios”, preset audio and video configurations that you can switch between while recording.

During testing, we created three studios (shown above): one for the primary display and webcam, one for the secondary display and webcam, and one for the displays and webcam. To resize and position the elements in each studio, simply click and drag and scroll through the recording session using a hotkey.

With enough preparation, these audio and video preset eliminate the hassle of fiddling with any settings when streaming live video through robust integration with OBS. There are 44 (!) Platforms in the streaming menu, from well-known sites like Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch to little-known streaming platforms like watchpeoplecode.com and Sermon Audio. Opening the settings menu and pasting the streaming key into the text box is all it takes to customize the One-Click Start Streaming button on the main toolbar. Changes you make to the studio, like audio mixing or webcam placement, are streamed live, so make sure you’re ready.

Apowersoft Unlimited (Windows, Mac, Android, iOS)

Any modern Android device or iPhone has a built-in screen recorder and some basic video editing tools. But for those looking for more functionality, Apowersoft Unlimited has a lot to offer.

It includes subscriptions to all 17 Apowersoft applications (eight of which provide video capture or editing) that can be launched from a single control panel. There is one screen recorder app for Android and another for iPhone, both of which include settings that we haven’t seen in any other app, such as resolution control, bit rate throttling, frame rate selection, and camera configurations.

If you have the Apowersoft Unlimited package, you can wirelessly transfer data from your mobile device to your computer screen and use the voice recorder to capture your computer’s webcam, microphone, sound, and mobile device at the same time. This is especially useful if you want to show someone how to use an app that has desktop and mobile versions. If there are similar functions with different interfaces, displaying them side by side will eliminate the confusion.

The video editor in the package is pretty basic, but it lets you crop segments, add text overlays, and adjust contrast, brightness, and saturation.

ScreenFlow (Mac)

Telestream’s ScreenFlow adds a wow factor to your screen recordings but requires more training than the other options on this list. While its editor looks minimal at first glance, there are many features that need to be analyzed.

By far the most valuable of these tools is the Telestream Standard Media Library, which includes over 500,000 images, sound clips, and videos (some in 4k) to give your screen recording a professional shine. Open the library in the application in the Opportunities panel, search for the keyword, then click and drag the media file onto the timeline.

Other standout features include the ability to record your desktop in retina resolution (i.e. very high resolution), as well as some impressive templating capabilities to reduce production times. Style and template tools let you group settings and video components so that they can be applied in a couple of clicks. Styles allow you to preserve audio and visual settings for specific elements, such as color filters or shadows for a video segment. Templates allow you to pre-insert, arrange, and customize groups of elements such as branded lead-ins, lead-ins, text placeholders, and background music.

Movavi Screen Recorder Studio (Windows, Mac)

Movavi Screen Recorder Studio is a great mid-range screen recording app with a built-in editor that gets the job done. But there is one thing it does exceptionally well: scheduled snapshots.

This tool allows you to record webinars or live broadcasts when you are away from your workplace. You will find this feature in the settings under the “Scheduler” section. You can set a time limit for the next recording, or specify the start and end times of the recording. You can even set it up so that your computer shuts down or goes to sleep after the capturing is complete.

It’s convenient and unambiguous thanks to Movavi resolution settings above average. If you need to record a webinar at an inconvenient time to share with others, you need to make it look good.

Bandicam (Windows)

With the rise in popularity of esports, most modern screen capture software includes in-game streaming functionality. It’s useless for productivity-minded workers, but HD video capture – such as available from Bandicam – works wonders for creative people.

Whether you’re preparing a Photoshop tutorial or webinar on web design, 144 fps at 4K will make your content stand out from the rest. Bandicam needs top-notch equipment to record this high quality, but most people in the creative field should have no problem.

While you might expect a complex interface from an app that pays so much attention to video quality, this app has a sparse configuration window. This is a very simple application that only lacks a built-in editor.

FlashBack Pro (Windows)

FlashBack Pro’s screen recording interface looks a bit dated and the editor is just a couple of steps above average, but it comes with invaluable audio editing tools.

Recording your voice while capturing your desktop creates a lot of minor problems. The proximity of keystrokes to the microphone makes them sound like a jackhammer, unwanted noises from across the room are difficult to prevent, and the system sound often has a completely different volume than your microphone. Most editors can help you minimize these problems, but none are as detailed and easy to navigate as Flashback Pro.

For example, decreasing the volume of the system audio track is as simple as highlighting it in the timeline, right-clicking it, and choosing Change Selection Volume. You can also remove background noise by applying a filter, or normalize the microphone and PC sound to match the volume.

The app also has several new video editing features, such as automatically highlighting inactive areas on the screen for deletion and rewriting the mouse cursor without changing anything else in the video.

CloudApp (Windows, Mac, Chrome, iOS)

CloudApp, as the name suggests, automatically uploads every recording you make to the cloud. This makes it a handy tool for quickly recording and sharing information. It also offers Zapier integration, which means you can automatically send these recordings to other apps if you want.

You can start recording using the notification area icon or menu bar, or with a custom keyboard shortcut. Record the entire screen, or choose which part of the screen you want to record. There are a few basic image editing features – cropping and cropping – but the focus is on quickly uploading your recording to the cloud.

There are several restrictions. For example, you cannot record system sound, and there is no way to add annotations to your recordings. But that doesn’t matter if you just need to demonstrate something quickly, and this is where CloudApp thrives.

The main reason we chose this app is its integration capabilities. By connecting it to Zapier, you can create automated workflows that do things like posting to Trello, Google Sheets, or Slack for ease of use.

Zappy (Mac)

Sometimes you just want to quickly take a recording and send it to someone, without having to edit or fiddle with a bunch of settings. Zappy is perfect for this. This application is launched using a keyboard shortcut or icon in the menu bar. Choose which part of the screen you want to record, press the camcorder button, and then press Stop when done. Optionally, you can record a voiceover using a microphone.

If you are a paid Zapier user, the entry will be uploaded to the cloud and the link copied to your clipboard. If not, you can get the video file locally and share it however you want. You won’t find many customization and editing options, but you can add arrows, fields, body text, and obfuscation during recording (or after the fact for a screenshot). It’s just a quick way to share something.

Cards on the table: this is our application. We built Zappy for internal use mainly because we couldn’t find a tool that worked the way we wanted. We thought people would find it useful, so we posted it.

Presentations

A PowerPoint presentation can be turned into a decent video sequence by moving away from the familiar templates used by the program.

For example, in most cases slide backgrounds are not needed at all. Minimalism is encouraged – text and pictures (tables, diagrams). And forget about old-fashioned bulk fonts. And also about the special effects for the “cool” appearance of slides such as checkers or rotation.

An example of a simple and attractive presentation design:

As you can see, there is nothing superfluous: text and images. You can call up picture slides or icons, but only if absolutely necessary. For example, if the slide is boring and just got a cool image of the topic. There are presentation templates that you can use so you don’t have to create them from scratch.

We will not dwell on the process of creating PowerPoint presentations. Any student with this sign. Let us dwell on just a few important points.

The first step is to set the resolution to 16:9 (4:3 by default) in the Design tab. This must be done in such a way that there are no black bars when displaying a video on the site.

Avoid common mistakes – consider the resolution provided by the video hosting.
It is important to dilute the boring text of the presentation with pictures, diagrams, and other visual materials. On YouTube, you can find videos that periodically cause dissatisfaction with viewers.

The main rule when creating presentations for YouTube is not to get bored and move on to themed videos. And there are always a lot of them.

How to turn an article into a video using PowerPoint

An informational website or blog is a great source of video content ideas. Any article you write can be turned into a video. Here are some guidelines:

1. Plan your article. Identify important points to be noted on the slides. You don’t need to put a lot of text on your slides. Write down thoughts in a thesis. Leave the explanations behind the scenes – voice them with your voice.
2. Place the title on the first slide. Make the font large. Do a little styling. You can add a picture.
3. Format your text. Highlight the important in bold. Label the headings (if any) and style them nicely. It is advisable to use a style without shadows and volume – limit yourself to the type of font and color. Add lists as needed.
4. Add illustrations to the slides. These can be photos, screenshots, diagrams, graphs, tables – everything that is needed for clarity. Icons and vector images are great for designing slides.
5. Use simple shapes to decorate your slides when appropriate — lines, arrows, rectangles, and more. If you use them well, you can add some variety to a boring design.
6. Don’t get carried away with animation. It is needed to a minimum. The best option for transitions is fade, cut, shift, or twist. These are the most neutral and non-distracting effects. Avoid effects in which a black background is visible (as in “checkers”, for example).

Video from photo

And now the simplest thing is to create a video from several photos. What is available to everyone. Selections of photographs, for example, are great for showcasing creative ideas.

There are many ways to create videos from photos, but here are some of them:

Google Photos

1. Visit photos.google.com.
2. Sign in to your Google Account.
3. Select the Assistant option, and then click the Movie option.
4. Select a movie theme.
5. Click Get started.
6. Select the photos you need.
7. Click Done.

Android Users Make a Video with Pictures

Android users also can use the Google Photos app to create videos with photos.

The steps are:

• Open the Google Photos app on your Android phone or tablet.
• Sign in to your Google Account.
• Select the Assistant option at the bottom.
• Select Movie at the top.
• Select photos that you want in the movie. (If you like, you also can select videos to create your own movie.)
• Now, press the Create button at the top-right.
• Then, type Play to watch your movie.
• Select the Untitled to add a title to your movie.

iPhone and iPad Users Make a Video with Pictures

iPhone or iPad users can try the following steps to convert image to video with music by using the Google Photos app.

• Open the Google Photos app.
• Sign in to Google Account.
• Select Assistant > Movie.
• Select the photos (or videos) that you want to use to create your cool video.
• Select Create and then click Save to save your created video.

Convert Photo to Video Online

Want to make a video with pictures online? Photo to video online converters can help you. For instance, you can try the following steps to make a video with pictures online.

1. Visit Animoto and select Make A Video.
2. Sign in to your account.
3. Select a template to tell your story.
4. Upload your pictures to convert photo to video online.
5. Drag and drop these photos to replace all simple content.
6. Edit your video if you like.
7. Preview the video and then save this video.

Thus, you have finished converting photos to videos online.

Adobe Premiere Pro (Windows, Mac)

If you are a professional, you might need to turn to some professional photo video maker tools. A study shows that industry professionals always select Adobe Premiere Pro because of its great interface, learning resources, and high-power tools.

Adobe Premiere Pro is used by Hollywood filmmakers, TV editors, YouTubers, videographers, and others.

Adobe Premiere Pro make a video from pictures
The above window is the main interface of this professional photo slideshow maker. This tool indeed can help you create a wonderful video with pictures as its powerful functions.

However, you have to spend time learning this tool. And, you can’t purchase the software outright – you must subscribe to Creative Cloud.

Video files used

Along with photo stocks, there are also video stocks where you can choose suitable frames for videos. Videos are short frames or animations for editing. For example, if you have a video of a conversation, you can use related video clips or just abstract animated images as backgrounds.

For quality footage, video creators go to Place it by Envato, Filmpac, Envato Elements, Pond5, VideoHive, Shutterstock, and other services, but finding good free footage is real. Here are some good promotions for video bloggers on a budget:

• Pexels Videos. A large selection of videos on various topics. No attribution required can be used for any purpose.
• Videvo. In addition to the footage, you can download motion graphics (including effects on a transparent background), music, and sound effects for videos. All the most “juicy” for the money, but there are also many good files.
• Free HD Stock Footage. A group on video hosting Vimeo, where they post good free footage.
• IgniteMotion. A very meager selection of background videos, but you can download quickly and without registration.
• Free video materials. There is only 3D animation here, mostly not of the best quality.
• Clipcanvas. The free footage section currently only shows 172 files, but the quality is very decent. Registration is required to download.

Fragments from other people’s videos: how to use them correctly

Sometimes you may need to take a fragment from someone else’s video for your video. And here you need to be careful.

You can find out more about the rules for using other people’s content in the YouTube help itself. In short, it all comes down to the principle of fair use. For example, using someone else’s content to illustrate your point of view can be considered fair. Therefore, the producers of films, TV series, broadcasts, videos are not offenders – they use a fragment to visually show.

But the problem is that such fair use is very blurry, and according to YouTube itself, even if done correctly, it can get in trouble. In the case of litigation, various factors are taken into account.

Therefore, be careful with third-party content and only use it when necessary. If you displease someone very much, in court copyright infringement will be a strong argument against you.

There is also a version that there will be no problems if you use fragments less than 10 seconds, however, even for such inserts, you can get a strike.

Video editing

Video editing is always necessary, no matter whether you are filming or recording video from a laptop screen. In any case, after recording, something will need to be cut out, somewhere to tweak, add or remove sound, etc. But for these purposes it is not necessary to acquire a set of programs, it is enough to install one, and which one you can choose after reading this article. I personally recommend exploring Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe After Effects. These are the main tools that have proven themselves in the market over the years. Editing a video is a rather laborious process; to talk about it in general terms, it needs to be trained. You can find many training courses on the Internet where a beginner will gain the necessary knowledge.

Preparing audio for videos

We figured out the video sequence. Let’s move on to audio.

Sound is a very important part of a video. If the visual range can be presented using a presentation and somewhat simplify the task, then audio recording must be approached with all seriousness. Often it is the bad sound that causes the video to close at the very beginning.

The audio track of the video can be presented in several versions:

• recording your own voice on a microphone/dictaphone,
• using someone else’s voice (for example, freelance announcer services),
• background music,
  lack of sound.
• With the recording on the microphone, everything seems to be clear. Not really, though.

Which microphone to choose

A previous blog post has already provided examples of good microphones for recording podcasts.

The listed models are professional equipment, so they will be expensive. There are options for a more modest wallet.

Cheap microphones are a roulette game. You never know what will fall out. Although if you buy an external sound card and carry out a number of manipulations, then everything can work out.

Getting a good microphone is clearly a good idea if you plan to shoot videos regularly and use your own voice. If a few years ago it was possible to keep the viewer’s attention with any quality, now the viewer has a choice.

Where to get music for videos

As mentioned, YouTube is very strict about copyright, and you can use ‘Royalty Free Music’ or ‘No Copyright Music’ in your videos.

Where to find background music, read this article.

How to Make My Own Music?

So you’ve decided it’s time to record some music, but you don’t know where to start or what you need to do.

First of all, it should be noted that you will need, first of all, knowledge and practice of playing a musical instrument, preferably keyboards, because this is perhaps the main instrument of a sound engineer. Knowledge and experience can be gained at music schools or by hiring a private teacher. At a minimum, you need to master the basics of solfeggio theory and master the basic skills of playing a musical instrument. This can take from 2 months to several years, it all depends on your erudition and ability to learn. If you are a genius, perhaps even less.

In addition, you must be a confident (preferably advanced) computer and Internet user. To use a DAW (discussed below), you need knowledge and skills. You will also need sound engineering skills. To be a good sound engineer, you must have the knowledge and skills of mixing and mastering. In this case, you can find the Internet-specific training courses for the DAW of your choice and engineering skills. Get ready for the fact that if you embark on the path of a sound engineer, you will have to constantly learn to keep your services and work relevant and in demand.

This article explains what you need to create music at home.

What you need to write music on your computer

Several decades ago, in order to record your work, you had to go to a professional studio. The high-quality sound was available only to those who had money. Thanks to advances in technology, making music has become much more accessible today: with the help of a computer, we can create great tracks without leaving home.

To organize a home studio, you will need:

• A computer;
• Music recording software (DAW);
• Sound card;
• Headphones.

These four components are the minimum to start with. Of course, in addition to this, a MIDI keyboard and studio monitors will not interfere, but at first, you can do without them. Below, we’ll take a quick look at each item on our list.

A computer

Any modern computer is suitable for sound recording. Whether it’s Mac or PC, it doesn’t matter, both platforms offer the same experience for the musician. The two main criteria here are the performance and processing power of the processor.

RAM is responsible for the speed of the computer in the studio. Your computer should have at least 8 GB of it, but more is better 16-32 GB. Replacing a conventional hard drive with a high-speed solid-state SSD will further improve performance.

The operating system and music software rely on the CPU for plugins, sound effects, and virtual instruments. It is rather difficult to indicate the exact power required for comfortable work: the processor should work without unnecessary problems with a large number of plug-ins. The more he can digest, the better. The recommended minimum here is an Intel Core i5-level quad-core processor, but the more cores and threads you have at your disposal, the more comfortable your work will be.

Music recording software (DAW)

DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) – digital workstation or sequencer. Is special software for recording music. This is what turns an ordinary computer into a powerful tool and the center of a home studio.

Such software is available for both PC and Mac and is both free and paid. All DAWs offer similar capabilities and differ in essence only in the approach to organizing the workflow.

Sound card

Sound cards built into computers are only suitable for listening to music. To fully record yourself, you need a special audio interface that can record the audio signal with high quality.

In most cases, an audio interface with 2-4 input channels and phantom power will suffice – enough for recording 1-2 guitars (even simultaneous), keyboards, and vocals when you get a microphone.

Headphones

The created material needs to be listened to somehow, so the studio headphones will be the least important component of the required minimum. Unlike consumer headphones, which embellish sound in specific frequency ranges, the isolated sound of studio headphones delivers greater detail and fidelity. In addition, headphones will allow you to work at any time of day.

It is worth choosing headphones based on budget, frequency response, and usability. Everything is clear with the budget – make a list of models that fit into the amount that you are willing to spend on your ears. As for the amplitude-frequency characteristic, it should be as flat as possible. The issue of convenience is individual, but headphones should not cause discomfort during prolonged use.

Headphones are more than enough for a start. Later, if your music practice becomes more serious, it is worth getting a pair of good near-field studio monitors.

Which program is better to work with?

There are over 20 different DAWs on the market, but choosing software for recording music is easier than you might think. Firstly, you shouldn’t bother too much in this matter – DAW is nothing more than a technical tool with which you interact. This is where skills decide, not the program itself. Secondly, the choice of a DAW is a matter of taste, convenience, and personal preference, so you still need to choose what is more convenient for you to work with.

If you’re a Mac user, you already have GarageBand DAW installed on your system. In fact, GarageBand is a simplified version of Logic Pro X: its capabilities are not so rich and advanced, but this is enough to get started – the program records audio without problems, works with plug-ins, and virtual instruments. Plus, iOS device owners can download the mobile version of this DAW to create projects on a smartphone or tablet and transfer them to a desktop for further work.

Gradually, the functionality of GarageBand will cease to be enough: you will need more advanced audio editing, automation, high-quality and productive synthesizers. And here you have two options:

Switch to Logic Pro X. In this case, the transition will be painless: the principles of operation of Logic Pro and GarageBand are largely the same (you won’t have to get used to a new environment for a long time), and projects created in GarageBand can be easily opened in Logic Pro and continue working;
Switch to some other DAW, but in this case, you will have to recreate all projects.
GarageBand is a good starting point for exploring the world of recording and music production, but it shouldn’t be considered a mainstream program. The main advantages of the garage are that it’s free and easy to learn, but the pain of moving projects to another DAW isn’t worth it.

It is a little easier for PC users, as the choice of programs is much larger. If you are a beginner and have no idea how a DAW works, then acquaintance with sound recording can start with the free Magix Music Maker, Ardor, or Podium Free. As in the case of GarageBand, it is not worth working in these programs all the time, since the problems are still the same – lack of functionality and the inability to quickly and easily transfer already created projects to another DAW.

Virtually every serious DAW has a time-limited, fully functional demo to give you a try. Usually, such demos work for a month – this is quite enough to understand how the DAW works, how convenient it is, and what it has to offer. If you don’t want to mess with free software and want to start studying the features of music production right away in a serious program, download the demo on the developers’ sites.

It is also worth remembering when choosing a DAW that there is no best software in this environment – they all have their pros and cons. You need to choose here based on the popularity (prevalence) of the program and how comfortable it is for you to work in it. The more popular the DAW is, the more likely you will be able to work with your projects in any studio. The prevalence of the program will also allow you to exchange your ideas and work on music with friends and fellow musicians, without worrying about whether they can open a project in their studio.

Check out the following DAWs:

Avid Pro Tools (PC, Mac)

Pro Tools is considered the standard in the recording industry. Thanks to this, you can easily send your projects to studios all over the world and be sure that there will be no problems opening them – Pro Tools is everywhere.

Choosing Pro Tools, you need to be ready for two things: a long study of the interface due to its some confusion and complexity for beginners, and also working only with AAX plugins. If the first is not a problem, then the second may become critical – not all external processing exists in this format.

Logic Pro X (Mac)

The big brother of GarageBand and another very popular DAW, which is now found in all studios built around the Mac. Logic features a simple and intuitive interface and a large library of plugins, virtual instruments, loops, and samples for 70+ GB.

Logic’s main problem is that it only exists on the Mac. This can be a problem if everyone around you is not using Apple computers.

Ableton Live (PC, Mac)

Compared to other DAWs, Ableton was created with an eye to living sessions and performances. You can record any music into the program without any restrictions, but DJs and concert musicians appreciate Ableton precisely for its ease of use on stage. For example, you can run various samples and audio clips, as well as create new loops in a couple of clicks and look like a real man-orchestra.

FL Studio (PC, Mac)

There is a popular belief among musicians that FL Studio is a program for beginners. Such a judgment is not true: DAW is actively used by such musicians as Deadmau5, Mike Oldfield, Martin Garrix, and Afrojack, one cannot call it a beginner.

FL Studio’s approach to work is different from what you might see in other DAWs – making music is like working with a step sequencer. FL Studio doesn’t any better or worse, the program is just a little different. Nevertheless, the line-up has everything to make electronic music, and it is quite easy to learn how to work with “fruits”.

Cockos Reaper (PC, Mac)

Cockos Reaper has been around for over 10 years, but only now it has become more or less heard by musicians. The creators claim that the commercial caller worries them a lot less about the quality of work, and it’s true: the Reaper costs only $ 60, but it can do everything that the more expensive and well-known DAWs do.

In addition to the price, it is worth highlighting the rich set of programs, along with a set of excellent plugins and effects. The disadvantages of Reaper include the lack of virtual instruments in the delivery (you will have to look outside), as well as some confusion and complexity of the interface for a novice musician.

Steinberg Cubase (PC, Mac)

The old-timer Cubase is rightfully considered one of the most popular DAWs, which is not least due to the cross-platform nature of the program and its prevalence in recording studios.

Cubase comes in three editions, each offering musicians easy audio and MIDI experience, a set of instruments and samples, built-in autotune, and more. Among the minuses – too bright and overloaded interface, which on the Internet was called “window madness”.

These programs are popular among musicians, and around them have gathered their own community of users. This makes learning DAW easier: there are thousands of learning materials on the Internet and on YouTube, and answers to your questions can be easily found in music communities on social networks and forums.

What about Adobe Audition?

When it comes to recording music, many people immediately think of Adobe Audition. Despite its popularity, Audition has always been and remains an audio editor, and is poorly suited for serious studio tasks.

Audition is handy for multitrack or voice recording, but it ends there. For example, the editor can work with VST effects (compressors, equalizers), but does not support VST instruments. In addition, Audition is not familiar with MIDI – loading a virtual piano or drum kit and recording their part simply won’t work.

Against this background, the audio editor from Adobe loses even to the free Magix Music Maker. A home studio without virtual instruments simply does not exist so it makes no sense to consider Audition as the center of the studio.

Can I create music online?

As it turned out, now you can create music not only in a DAW program but also on some online resources, which are equipped with samples and loops. Of course, this will not allow you to create a full-fledged track and work it out thoroughly, but making notes or drafts (especially on the road) is very good!

1. Soundation.com
   Scoring is a powerful online studio with professional features (such as recording, virtual instruments/synthesizers, built-in effects, and over 700 samples and loops). Basic features are available for free, while more advanced features require a monthly subscription!
2. Audiotool.com
   Audiotool is a complete DAW program right in your browser. Everything is done with a great love for detail. Created tracks, samples, and presets are stored on Audiotool servers and are accessible from any browser. Allows you to publish (“share”) a track directly to SoundCloud, Youtube, or Facebook.
3. Soundtrap.com
   A complete program in your browser. It adapts to both a PC and a tablet/phone. You can create music with friends in real-time over the Internet (there is an internal top chat of the created tracks). Unlimited project creation + 780 samples and loops + 190 virtual instruments for free.
4. Looplabs.com
   Looplabs is a collaborative cloud-based music studio that lets you, regardless of skill or ability, create professional music anywhere, with anyone, with anyone.
5. AudioSauna.com
   AudioSauna turns your browser into a fast and flexible music production studio with built-in synthesizers and live effects. These are the best platforms for online music production at the moment. It is difficult to single out the features of each site due to the fact that they offer approximately the same functions and effects. Choose the most convenient service for creating quick notes!

What plugins do I need?

In principle, none. Most DAWs are equipped with everything you need to produce music. In a set with almost any program, you will find a large number of equalizers, compressors, reverbs, and other effects, the capabilities of which will be enough to record and mix a project.

The need for third-party development will appear only in two cases:

If something is not included with the program. We are talking about some specific processing or virtual instruments. Usually, developers equip DAWs only with the most necessary tools (if it’s not Reaper), but if you know that your music will not do without something specific (for example, gusli), then you will have to look for all this on the side;
If you are not satisfied with the sound quality of stock effects or instruments. Usually, the stumbling block here is the virtual instruments, which sound passable, but not great.
Whether you need third-party plugins and whether you should immediately look for additional tools is an individual question. First, you should study your program in detail. Perhaps what you are looking for is already included.

The most adequate solution here would be to start working with what you already have and gradually make a list of what you are missing. Plugins will not run away from you – you can buy what is missing at any time. The main thing here is to know what and why you need it. This understanding comes only with experience and after exploring the possibilities of DAW.

When it comes to the plug-in format, it all depends on the DAW and what plug-ins it can work with (this is usually indicated in the program description). There are only six formats – VST, AU, AAX, RTAS, DXi, ReFill, but for the end-user, there is no difference between them. You won’t get any benefit from using VST or AU: plugins work the same regardless of format.

The only difficulty you can face is the lack of the required plugin in the right form. Before buying anything, check what format the plugin comes in and if it supports DAWs.

Can I write music on my tablet or smartphone?

You can, but it won’t be very convenient – screen sizes impose significant restrictions on the interface. Smartphone displays cannot be compared in areas with a conventional monitor – there will be little information on the screen. In addition, working with regulators sometimes requires high accuracy of manipulation, and with this, smartphones have problems.

Things are better on tablets, but another problem will appear here – software limitations. Mobile DAW features are not comparable to desktop DAWs due to platform differences. For example, mobile DAWs don’t have this wealth of plugins and virtual instruments, even if we’re only talking about stock content. Many functions (the same automation and audio editing) exist in a simplified form.

You won’t be able to mix a project on a tablet or smartphone, so far it’s a utopia. Of course, the developers are actively developing the capabilities of music software and increasing its productivity, but the situation is still far from choosing a portable device as the basis of the studio.

Consider a tablet or smartphone as a complement to a studio computer. For example, you can download a mobile DAW to link it to a desktop and use it as a notebook to write down new ideas: they came up with a beat, recorded it on a smartphone, sent the project to your computer, and continued working with the project on the desktop. Sounds great, but keep in mind that not all large DAWs exist in a pocket version: only Cubase (Cubasis for iOS), Logic Pro X (GarageBand for iOS) and FL Studio (FL Studio Mobile for Android and iOS) have mobile versions.

Another scenario for effectively complementing a studio is to use a smartphone or tablet as a virtual instrument or effects processor. For example, for iOS and Android, there are high-quality synthesizers and drum machines from Korg, Moog, Propellerhead, and a number of other developers – these applications sound great and will definitely come in handy in the studio. By connecting your tablet to a computer running a DAW, you can use the application as a regular virtual instrument.

Well, for guitarists, portable devices can replace a pedalboard. On iOS, there are mobile versions of Positive Grid BIAS FX Mobile and AmpliTube guitar amp and effects emulators. By connecting a tablet or smartphone to a computer and connecting a guitar, will allow you to switch effects and control your sound from the device screen without being distracted by the mouse or running to the computer to change the sound.

Do you need additional music production software or not?

Modern DAWs are ready for all stages of music production and there is nothing they cannot handle. The same rule applies here as for plugins: everything that you are missing can be purchased later (when you get comfortable and understand what is really missing).

If the question is whether you need additional software for music mastering, then most likely not. First, as stated, DAWs are ready for all aspects of production. Secondly, mastering is a separate and rather voluminous topic, which is worth taking on with some experience in working with sound.

Of course, we want our music to sound cool and professional – that’s natural. The problem is that high-quality music is not cool software but your ideas and arrangements. The path from draft to the mastering of the finished music is long, and it is possible that by that time you will have learned to work so skillfully in a DAW that you simply won’t need external software.

As you can see, the process of creating music is not as simple as it might seem at first glance. You need to have some knowledge and skills to make music. You may need some time to get used to this business. But when you master this, you can create background music for yourself and other people like you hear it, also I think you will not stop there and want to distribute it, license it, sell it, promote it and make money on it.
This article contains only basic information so that you have an idea of ​​where to start and in which direction to move.
Making music is a profession, and it is quite difficult and well paid. If this article inspired you and you began to dream about making music, take action, and move towards your goal.

How to Record a Podcast?

The podcast world is thriving. It seems like everyone is putting out podcasts now. Outside, everything is simple: I took my iPhone, sat in the kitchen with a friend, discussed new series with him, uploaded the file to Apple Podcasts, and woke up as a famous podcaster. And what is it really? For those who plan to record a podcast, but still do not understand how to approach it, I have prepared instructions: where to start, what technique to choose, where to get music for a podcast, how to edit, on which platforms to download.

What is my podcast about and for whom? What is the most fashionable genre: narrative, talk shows, interviews?

Think about why you need a podcast, not a YouTube or TikTok video. Are you sure your story is good for audio? Answer the question “why am I doing this?” You will formulate the idea better.

Try to define as accurately as possible the topic you are going to talk about. That is, you have conceived not just a “podcast about music”, but “a podcast about lute music of the 16th century, in which composers of that era talk about their work in the first person.”

Explore the competition, listen to podcasts from the top Apple Podcasts or CastBox so you understand what podcasts on a similar topic already exist and how you can differ from them (and at the same time look at the professional tricks).

Think about which format best reflects your idea: a monologue, a conversation between several hosts and guests, an interview, a narration (for example, a documentary film, only in audio format: with the author’s text, sound inserts, and heroes’ voices). This will determine, among other things, what technology needs to be used, how long it will take to prepare, record, and edit the sequence.

It is also convenient to schedule the frequency of releases in advance. How often are you going to record and publish them? Do you have the time and energy to do it regularly – daily, weekly, or monthly?

Which title to choose?

Surely, you already have several options for the title. Which one to choose? First of all, google and check if there is a podcast of the same name. The title should be original enough so that your project can be easily searched for, and at the same time not too pretentious so that listeners can remember it.

Do you need a script?

Preparation and structure are everything. Listen to your favorite podcasts: you will understand that there is a script even in conversational talk shows, where the hosts seem to just chat about different topics.

It is not necessary to write down every line and questions, but the general plan of the episode should be. Why is all this needed? First, you will spend less time recording (and editing a prepared conversation is much easier and faster), and secondly, you will quickly grab the audience’s attention. Remember how you yourself listen to podcasts: you hardly want to waste your time listening to an abstract conversation of the hosts for five to ten minutes and wait for them to finally tell you what their podcast is about.

How to choose a recording technique? Do I need to buy an expensive microphone?

Good sound deserves respect from the listener. To say “ah, everything here whistles and rattles. but the podcast is interesting, be sure to listen “- it’s like saying” oh, we have a lot of typos in the book and here and there the paint is too pale, but the novel is so interesting, be sure to read it. “

Even an iPhone can record good sound under certain conditions, but for a professional podcast, it’s better to consider additional hardware. You can buy it or rent it if in doubt.

If you do write to an iPhone, pay attention, firstly, to the acoustics of the room (more on this in the next paragraph), and secondly, to how close you are to the phone: both you and your interlocutor should be well heard. Try doing a test, write it down for a couple of minutes, listen, and determine how far from your phone you get the best sound quality.

If you are convinced that the love of podcasts is serious and enduring, then you need to understand professional technology: microphones, external sound cards, mixing consoles, port studios (God, what is this?) And headphones.

What to choose and how to connect it all?

There are several basic configurations.

• USB microphone computer. The file is written directly to the computer.
• Lavalier microphone smartphone/computer. The file is immediately written to your device.
• Studio port with built-in microphones (or you can connect additional external microphones). Sound is usually recorded on an SD card. Essentially, it is a professional digital voice recorder that can be used both in the studio and outdoors.
• Microphone mixing console / external computer sound card. Unlike the first version with a USB microphone, this configuration allows you to simultaneously connect multiple professional microphones (eg radio) and other devices (eg musical instruments). Also, remote control or an external sound card gives the microphone the necessary amplification (so that voices are recorded loudly and voluminously enough).

How to choose a microphone?

Hint: dynamic microphones for unprepared rooms are more practical than condenser microphones. Dynamic microphones are less sensitive, so less background noise gets into the recording, and condenser microphones are more sensitive, so it’s best not to take them outside the room without soundproofing.

What other equipment do you need?

• Microphone stands. It is difficult to hold the microphone in your hands throughout the entire recording; moreover, it will create noise that cannot be removed later during editing. So add the microphone stand to your checklist.
• Windproof membrane. Foam rubber on the microphone or voice recorder will avoid spitting (as they say, when the sounds “p”, “t” or “b” seem to hit the microphone membrane, which sounds like a shot when played back), and when recording outdoors, this will slightly reduce wind noise
• Wires. XLR cables are best for connecting microphones to a studio or mixer; they usually carry a signal without distortion.

What brands should you focus on when choosing equipment?

• Popular microphone manufacturers include AKG, Audio-Technica, Behringer, Boya, Trust, Rode, Blue, Sennheiser, Shure.
• Portal studios are produced by Tascam and Zoom. External sound cards – Behringer, Zoom, Tascam, Roland, Steinberg, Native Instruments.
• The most common mixing consoles on the Russian market: Behringer, Allen & Heath, Yamaha, Mackie, Soundcraft.

Where to record a podcast? Can I write in the kitchen or do I have to go to the studio?

You can go to the studio. There, you pay for the time, and the studio is responsible for everything else: the sound engineer records your conversation and gives you the file.

But many podcast hosts work from home because you can record anywhere, even in the kitchen. The main thing is that the room is prepared.

What does it mean? Your voice bounces off the surfaces of the room, so the key is to keep these reflections to a minimum so that listeners don’t feel like you are sitting in a receiver. Bookcases, heavy curtains, carpets, and upholstered furniture all significantly reduce the volume of a room. In an emergency, a blanket will save you. Cover yourself with a blanket – and immediately studio conditions.

If you are recording interviews outdoors, use a windproof membrane. In strong winds, cover the recorder with a coat or jacket.

And be sure to wear headphones while recording to listen to the sound you get. In headphones, you will immediately understand whether you are deviating from the microphone, whether extraneous noises are included in the recording, whether the sound level is normal. Only headphones really have control over the process.

I wrote everything down, now I need to edit. How to do it?

No podcast exists without editing. Even if you did not hesitate to jot down what you thought was a smooth conversation, you should at least put a splash screen on.

To edit, you need to install a sound editor program on your computer. There are dozens of them, among the most popular are SoundForge, Audacity (this program, by the way, is free), Adobe Audition, SonyVegas, GarageBand. The principle of operation is the same for everyone: on the screen you see a diagram of a sound wave. To delete a fragment, select this time period on the diagram with the mouse and click “Delete”.

Get rid of slips of the tongue, long pauses, loud sighs, and anything else that you think is irrelevant to the podcast. Rearrange sections and create podcast drama.

Editing also adds music and effects, sound design. Mastering all the techniques will take time, so first ask for help from familiar sound engineers, read the recommendations and articles on specialized sites.

Where can I get background music?

There are a lot of nuances about using famous songs in podcasts, but the most common answer is that you can include a short portion of the song as a quote if your podcast refers to that particular song (for example, you have an episode about the history of this song), but you cannot take a track as a splash screen, beat or put it in the background to your conversation.

Where do podcast authors get their music from? Music for your show can be ordered from the composer, or you can get it on sites that have databases of tracks for podcasts and videos. On such audio stocks, you can buy music or often even take it for free on the terms set by the author. For example, there are several types of Creative Commons licenses: one of the types requires you to specify only the name of the author – then you can change, process the music and use it for commercial purposes (for example, for advertising in your podcast), and the other type allows you to use the entire track only and for non-commercial purposes only, and so on.

You can find the answer to where to find and download background music in this article.

All podcasts have trailers. What is this for?

A short audio clip is an advertisement for your podcast. A podcast trailer is basically the same as a movie trailer: it shows you what your podcast is about and why you should listen to it. These can be bright, intriguing, or just funny phrases from your episodes; or, if the episodes have not yet been recorded, a short story about what makes your project interesting; or an unusual sound picture (after all, podcasts are primarily sound).

It is also convenient to upload the trailer first to the RSS feed of your podcast so that it is published on all platforms, and by the time the first episode is released, you already have a ready-made channel that has been verified and confirmed in Apple Podcasts and other services.

What needs to be done to get the podcast to appear in apps? Everyone talks about RSS – how does it work?

If you are a video blogger, the first thing you do is go to YouTube. There is no single platform for podcasts yet, so to get the most coverage, you have to be everywhere: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, CastBox, Soundcloud. The good news is that you do not need to upload files to each site separately, you just need to create an RSS feed in one place, which will then serve your podcasts to all platforms with all the information (cover, title, text).

RSS is a special link that broadcasts regularly updated content from a server. Your files are located on one server, and other sites receive data from there via an RSS feed. When you download a new podcast, it is automatically sent to all platforms that access your RSS link.

You need to make such a link once for your podcast – and then you just need to insert it into the specially provided fields on different platforms.

How to make RSS?

• Option 1: Sign up for a podcast service like Soundcloud or Castbox, upload files there, and that service will generate an RSS link for you.
• Option 2: register with one of the paid podcast hosting providers (Lybsin, SimpleCast – read the detailed hosting comparison here), upload everything there – and the system will make the RSS itself and send it to all podcast platforms.
• Option 3 (the most difficult): start a blog (for example, on WordPress), and then insert the link to your page into the form on the Feedburner website (you need a Google account). Feedburner will also need to upload a description and cover for the podcast.

How do I post a podcast to Apple Podcasts?

Log in with your Apple account to the iTunes Connect site, select the podcasts section, and insert a link to the RSS feed in the special field. The podcast is sent for approval and usually becomes available within a few days. By the way, many other applications automatically pull all podcasts that are uploaded to Apple Podcasts into their catalogs.

What else should I know?

All of the above are just the first steps to success. Be patient, try to keep the pace, and post regularly. The audience comes in gradually, and if the first episode has worse statistics than you expected, that’s not a reason to quit. Promote your podcast: encourage listeners to rate, write comments and tell friends, and ask podcast guests to leave a link to the episode on social networks. Meet other podcast authors, negotiate cross-promotions.

And remember: sound, design, headlines are all important, but even more important is the content. Therefore, no matter what microphone you have, whether you have hired a staff of producers and sound engineers, or are working alone, the main thing is that you have something to say!

Are there any Apps that Play Music in the Background?

Many people use gadgets to listen to music, but the capabilities of the built-in player are often not enough to fully enjoy their favorite tracks. Let’s take a look at the best music services and apps today and understand their capabilities.

The advent of web radio and streaming has ushered in a new era for the music industry. The accessibility, ease of listening, and personalization of music have led to the fact that we listen to it much more often. Experts from GlobalWebIndex, together with Universal Music and Spotify, surveyed almost 57 thousand people and found that the majority of users already listen to music online – on average, 64%.

Streaming is online streaming. Streaming media refers to music, video, and information that a user receives continuously from a streaming provider. Most of the streaming market is in the esports segment, where gamers show online how they play their games. Streamers are also called video blogging authors in the genre of music, cooking, travel, unboxing, and other areas.

What happens to the music itself

Spotify and Apple Music are not only changing the way we listen, they’ve changed the music itself. Streaming services provide artists with statistics on tracks and user behavior: you can see how many times they played a song, at what second they switched to another when they increased the volume of the track as they listened. Musicians look at all these indicators and write tracks based on similar metrics. So the authors try to immediately catch the attention of the audience and, as a rule, prefer to start their tracks with a catchy beat or even a chorus.

Using machine learning technology, platforms like Spotify analyze listener behavioral data, including the number of times they listened at different times of the day. Such analytics are used to form playlists – for example, it is believed that tracks in the spirit of “Acoustic Calm” or “Nature Sounds” are logical to invite users to listen to before bed.

All this is in order for the platform to automatically promote a particular track higher in the charts. Typically, for this to be listened to for at least 30 seconds. Another life hack is to open a track with a sample already familiar to the mass listener (this can be done in the format of a conditional remix). This way he will most likely not switch over what is already familiar or causes a feeling of nostalgia. This technique was used by Katy Perry and Nicki Minaj to record the single “Swish Swish”.

Among other things, songs are getting shorter: the average track length has dropped from four minutes and thirty seconds in 2000 to three minutes and forty seconds. Initially, the restrictions were dictated by the radio market: the station’s airtime is scheduled in seconds, so a track length of three to four minutes was considered optimal. Now experts believe that songs are getting shorter due to a change in the principle of payment: platforms charge money for listening as soon as the notorious mark of 30 seconds is fixed. The need to write long songs has disappeared: a musician with five three-minute songs will earn more than one who has made three five-minute songs.

We can listen to music constantly and at any time. Albums have given way to smart playlists, in which tracks are assembled based on user preference or mood – music is becoming cheaper and more accessible than ever. Streaming services encourage listening to prefab playlists, so listeners are less tied to specific musicians.

Research has shown that streaming has increased the number of music tracks you listen to by 49% over what it was before platforms like Spotify. They also found that the number of unique artists they listened to in half a year via streaming services increased by 36%. However, listeners acknowledge that music is now less valued than it was before streaming.

Experts often call the streaming media of the future. At the same time, popular streaming platforms have already entered the set of famous tools in the digital world.

So TOP 9 applications and services for listening to music in the background:

1. Spotify

Spotify is the pioneer of music streaming, arguably the most famous. It offers a range of carefully selected music search services, including the Discover Weekly playlist, and is constantly introducing new ones such as Stations.

In the race between Spotify Premium and Apple Music, Spotify surpasses Spotify as the best music streaming service overall, thanks to its easy-to-use interface, expansive catalog, and better device compatibility. Spotify also offers our favorite tier of free tier: without paying a dime, you can still stream via Spotify Connect to multiple devices without even providing a credit card.

Spotify’s biggest selling point is its automatic playlists, tailored to your musical taste, mood, and genre. Feel free to play one of them and Spotify will cheer you up.

App in Google Play

App in App Store

2. Apple Music

It’s a sea of ​​music. Download and listen to music offline wherever you are. Create your own playlists and listen to Apple Music mixes based on the songs you listen to. Apple Music also has personalized recommendations for playlists, albums, and more. Be careful, the service and some features may not be available in all countries. The subscription renews automatically after the trial period.

App in Google Play

App in App Store

3. Amazon Music

The Amazon Music Unlimited catalog includes “tens of millions of songs,” but this is standard wording for this kind of project. The service has the music of all three major music labels: Sony, Universal, and Warner.
Especially for the new service, and Amazon also has a Prime Music service, the company has re-created software for iOS and Android. Amazon also highlights deep integration with Echo devices, and more specifically with the voice assistant Alexa. For example, a smart speaker can be asked to play the latest album of an artist, a list of the most popular songs from the last month, and so on. But that’s not all, Alexa is able to determine the composition by the part of the text that the user will speak with the smart speaker.

App in Google Play

App in App Store

4. YouTube Music

The new music streaming service, YouTube Music, will primarily appeal to those users who are more likely to consume music through YouTube. It largely repeats the good old Google Music, but now you can not only listen to songs but also watch video clips. The name itself, as it were, speaks for itself – this is musical YouTube. Now you have the opportunity to more closely follow the work of your favorite artists and bands, listen to the latest hits, watch popular videos, and discover new music.

App in Google Play

App in App Store

5. Shazam

This service has been helping people to determine what kind of music sounds next to them for several years. Previously, only mobile device owners could use the service. But after Shazam was bought by Apple, a similar application appeared for macOS and the latest versions of Windows.
The service database contains information about 11 million tracks, and this figure is constantly growing. To recognize a melody, it is enough to record a 10-second fragment of it. The program will display the name of the artist and the title of the song, as well as a link to the content store, where you can legally buy it. Information about the found track can be easily “shared” on popular social networks or simply sent to friends in the messenger.
A couple of nice additional features: Shazam can sync with other music services (for example, Spotify) and search for songs by text fragment.

App in Google Play

App in App Store

6. Deezer

Now the Deezer library has about 53 million tracks and a bunch of possibilities. First of all, I would like to note the presence of a Hi-Fi subscription, with which you can listen to music in Audio CD-quality directly from online – the sound here is of the highest quality for streaming services. Nice design and high speed of the interface are very pleasing compared to other services (such as Apple Music, for example).

There is a Flow button, when you click on it, a personal selection is launched for you with exactly the music you like. To do this, Deezer constantly monitors what you are listening to and draws conclusions about whether you like the music or not. This also works great when compiling individual playlists and artists.
As in any other similar service, you are free to download entire albums, selections, and tracks separately for offline listening. A very useful feature for me right from the first day was the availability of lyrics for tracks.

The service runs on Andriod, iOS, it has a web version, and it also supports Smart TVs, Apple TVs, popular sound systems, and even smartwatches. Deezer has automatic playlists by genre, current artists, playlists that are generated automatically depending on the music you listen to, as well as podcasts and online radio.

Deezer has a free version that cannot save music offline, as well as premium and family subscriptions.

App in Google Play

App in App Store

7. Soundcloud

Popular platform with social media features. No registration is required to listen to music on Soundcloud. Due to its simplicity, it is very popular with indie musicians who publish their recordings there.

Soundcloud does not have music from major labels such as Sony and Warner Music Group. Service users consider this a plus, as there is a lot of completely new experimental music on Soundcloud that has not yet appeared in traditional distribution channels.

App in Google Play

App in App Store

8. Pandora

Pandora, one of the most popular streaming radio services in the US. More flexible than most competitors, and Premium attracts more subscribers, even if it lags behind the competition in overall directory size. Pandora analyzes each track for 450 different attributes to make better recommendations. The sound quality is one of the lowest even with a Premium subscription (192 Kbps).

The service loses the competition and is not available outside the United States.

App in Google Play

App in App Store

9. Tidal

The service differs slightly from other music streaming services in that it is aimed at those who want higher resolution audio and therefore provide excellent audio quality.

This means you can listen to your music in full CD quality, exactly the way it was meant to be heard. It should be noted, however, that you will need better audio equipment and Wi-Fi or a wired connection to your playback device to truly enjoy the benefits that lossless audio provides.

App in Google Play

App in App Store

Music in the background. History of music that sells.

By the sound of music, you can determine which institution you are: a shopping center, train station, cafe, boutique, etc. However, only New Year’s Eve brings its own confusion, because now the music of Christmas and New Year sounds the same everywhere. What we hear in retail outlets, foyers, lounge areas, elevators, airports, and other public places has its own name: this is “background music”. The beginning of this trend was laid at the beginning of the twentieth century by the French classic Eric Satie with his “furniture music” created in the 1910s.

Erik Satie

Such works should have been reproduced as something indistinguishable from the environment.

The method of “delivering” background music to the user was invented at about the same time by Major General of the US Armed Forces George Owen Squire.

George Owen Squier

As head of the communications service during World War I, Squire developed a wired radio station (using trees as antennas) to send radiograms, and in peacetime, he patented his invention and founded Wired Radio. He later renamed the company “Muzak“.

Squire found a way to sell his “product”, offering private institutions – hotels, clubs, firms – to play background music through speakers, sometimes hidden behind large frames with then-fashionable palm trees, due to which this type of broadcast was called “music from the pot.”

At first, it was mostly instrumental classical or jazz, and then the instrumental performance of famous hits was added to this.

In America, such music was especially useful in elevators, as it distracted attention and, thus, calmed the nerves of especially visitors and customers, and this was an important point if you can imagine how many skyscrapers there are and how many floors they have.

In the 1940s, Muzak developed a kind of sound algorithm with the help of sound architects, calling it “Progressive Stimulation.”

This meant that the broadcasts were divided into 15-minute intervals, during which the volume of the sounding music steadily increased, and then fell silent for the next quarter-hour, creating a feeling of “moving forward” and thus increasing productivity.

Muzak Holdings LLC

In the late 1990s, students at Wilkes University in Pennsylvania came to the conclusion that when listening to background music for 30 minutes, the level of immunoglobulin A, which lives in the mucous membranes and repels viruses and pathogens, rises by 14.1%.

At the same time, the experimenters noticed that listening to the same amount of music on the radio, as well as other sound stimulations or just silence, did not give the same result.

Another study by professor of musical psychology Adrian North at a restaurant in Market Bosworth, England, showed that visitors spend an average of 2 pounds ($ 2.55) more if they are “processed” by classical music rather than pop.

According to scientists, one of the possible explanations for this may be that most people associate classical music with quality, and therefore, by way, the classical repertoire encourages us to make more expensive purchases.

Wilkes University

Be that as it may, such an abundance of research in this direction clearly says only one thing: marketers are more than ever worried about how to set up our sensory branding, that is, in simple words – how to encourage us to buy something?

But we, of course, understand that, although music can create complex associations, it will not work to deceive the client. And besides, so many hits for each specific product have not yet been written.

The main task of any trading company is to detain a client on its trading platform.

Let the buyers watch, choose, the main thing is not to leave them empty-handed, and the music here, of course, plays an important role: it is designed to balance the bustle of the store, create an atmosphere.

The Muzak company (which after the takeover in 2004 was named the Canadian company Mood Music) back in the 1930s and 1940s specially invited ensembles and orchestras for the instrumental recording of famous melodies.

Currently, sound engineers who deliver ready-made playlists to shops, cafes, restaurants, fitness clubs, etc., have at their disposal an extensive music library, divided mainly into two main categories – foreground music and background music. What is the difference?

Libraries of background music are divided into many small categories: mood, color (dark or light music), instrumental or vocal music, music for films, games, commercials, corporate or children’s music. All this allows you to more accurately focus on a specific target audience.