HOW TO USE BETTER THAN ROYALTY-FREE MUSIC FOR DOCUMENTARIES

Documentaries are powerful pieces of content. From telling intimate human stories or showing the beauty of the natural world, documentaries have the power to communicate important messages that resonate with viewers.

Music in film is often artistic and evocative. It can dramatize moods, steering the audience into resonating with certain characters and narratives. However, in documentaries, music plays a more subtle yet still crucial role, aiming to provide the viewer with a better understanding of the information presented to them. 

Why use Background Music for Documentaries

Documentaries often cover complex subjects and can be heavy on information. To keep the content engaging while still informative, documentary film music and SFX can enhance viewer retention by setting the tone, creating breaks, and allowing seamless transitions between scenes. Using claims-free music enables filmmakers to achieve this balance cost-effectively and legally.

How to communicate through auditory components

Music has become essential in nearly all visual content, and documentaries are no exception. But, to understand its significance, it's important to understand the Auditory Sensation of Film. 

The Auditory Sensation of Film utilises three auditory components: Dialogue, Noise (SFX) and Music.

These three components are key in the communication process between the filmmaker and the audience. These elements are crucial in documentaries, as filmmakers aim for clarity rather than ambiguity. This can be achieved by using fewer mystification techniques and focusing on this effective communication.

Here's how these elements work in documentaries:

• Dialogue: This is the primary way of delivering information, ensuring the audience understands the narrative and facts presented.
• Sound Effects (SFX): These provide immersion, reinforcing visuals and helping to transition between scenes, time periods, or interviews.
• Music: Used to enhance emotional reactions and guide the audience on how they should feel during certain scenes or topics. If there is less dialogue in the documentary, music can be the key element in providing emotional responses and supporting the delivery of information.

Easily and cost-effectively incorporate the auditory sensation of film into your content with a Universal Music for Creators subscription. Access over 200,000 sound effects from world-renowned recordist Rob Nokes and 50,000+ claims-free film-grade documentary soundtracks to elevate your film to professional heights.

Selecting the Right Better than Royalty-Free Background Music for Your Documentary

1. Transitional Tool: Music can be used to create smooth transitions. This can be the movement between scenes, periods, camera angles, or people interviewed. 
2. Background Setting: Music in documentaries can establish the film's cultural and emotional context from the start. The right claims-free background music can create depth by reflecting the documentary’s setting. Try using a specific genre which can relate to the characters or themes.
3. Narrative Support: Background music supports voice-overs and interviews, enhancing credibility or creating an emotional connection between the audience and the interviewee. Often, where documentaries don’t want the narrative to seem biased, they may use music to sway the audience's emotions. Want to find instrumentals? Our smart search functionality lets you easily search for your perfect background music.
4. Increasing Viewer Retention: Documentaries often contain a lot of informative content. This can lose viewers' attention. Music helps maintain engagement, ensuring the narrative and themes remain compelling.

Featured documentary background music categories

• Sports Documentary: Capture the intensity and energy of sports with our sports documentary music collection. Designed for high-action sequences, victory highlights, and emotional athlete stories, these tracks drive engagement and add a dynamic feel.
• Nature Documentary: Elevate the beauty of the natural world with our nature documentary music. This collection combines rich, organic sounds with ambient tones, ideal for wildlife footage, environmental stories, and scenic visuals. Whether showcasing vast landscapes or intimate wildlife moments, these tracks will immerse viewers in the wonders of nature.

Unlock the power of your documentary content with Universal Music for Creators today.