What Are Musical Elements?
In the world
of broadcasting and audio promotion, the term "Musical Elements" is
defined as
production elements that include a short musical melody, a brief
musical chord sequence (also known as a "riff" or a
"lick"), or the sound of a recognizable musical instrument being
played without accompaniment.
These short clips of music and instrumentation are often used to introduce the
beginning of a presentation or bring it to a close. They are also used to
provide backdrops to a voiceover or as transitions from one section to another
of a broadcast, a feature film, or any other kind of audio-visual presentation
or promo.
What Forms Can Musical Elements Take?
Musical Elements can take many forms, such as:
- fanfares
& intros - used to announce or introduce the beginning of a presentation or
promo - these can be traditional (trumpet calls or drum rolls), or not (a
screaming rock guitar riff). CDs like
Fanfares & Stabs fit into this category.
- beds,
bumpers, pads & stagers - used to provide a background to an announcement -
this music is usually built as a seamless loop to provide a constant musical
underscore that can continue playing for as long as required. CDs like
Stagers & Stingers fit into this category.
- IDs, logos
& tags - used as a musical signature to specifically identify a recurring
event - common for broadcasts, where the identifying signature tells the
audience that a familiar sequence is going to be presented next ("Call in
now to win!"). CDs like
Logos & IDs fit into this category.
- bridges,
dissolves & segues - used to move from one segment of a production to
another - these elements are often built with a swell at the beginning and a
fade at the finish in order to facilitate the transition. CDs like
Transitions fit into this category.
- accents
& stingers - used to provide audio punctuation and grab the audience's
attention - these elements can be simple - like a single triangle
"ting", or they can be take the form of a full strength layered
musical composition - but with just a short duration. Many of the Music CDs on StockMusic.com feature Stinger Length (or very short) musical tracks like
Retro Rock Jingles,
Gentle Romantic Jingles and
Child's Play Jingles.