music for car commercials

AgentA · Posted: Thu Feb 19, 2004 8:32 pm Post subject: music for car commercials

Music for car commercials.

Does anyone here create music for car commercials?
I'm especially curious about the editing process.
Any informational sites around?

I imagine who ever composes the soundtrack for a car commercial
either creates original music and / or uses pre-recorded material.

Artists such as Bill Laswell, Kit Watkins, Steve Tibbetts and others
have sample libraries for commercial use. I wonder if I hear their stuff in commercials.
Who uses these products? The lowest average price seems to be about $1000, no?

I'm curious about the science and art of this. Rules?
Besides the one of it having to last only a minute?

I'm surprised I find some of the music enjoyable.
Especially the instrumental commercials. I'm not talking about the
classic rock or world pop background tunes. I'm referring to the dark ambient,
breakbeat, dnb, and stuff that reminds me of Prodigy.

I'm nowhere near going pro, but it may be interesting to hear some
process talk and maybe how I could apply it on a lo tech scale.

Thanks for any pointer links.

Cyxeris · Joined: Oct 30, 2003 Posts: 1125 Location: Louisville, KY

I've never done a car commercial, although I have done some tv commercials and a TV show, as well as have produced all of a commercial once. All local, and all were for friend's essentially.

I like several of the car commercials I've seen. Once of my favorites was a Jaguar commercial that was big some 3 years ago that featured Hooverphonc's "Battersea." Wonderful piece of music, beautiful. Insofar as advertizements go, many of the recent trend of edgy and tasteful ads have been quite nice.

Car commercials (the ones you are talking about) are literally edited like music videos. Hell, that's all they are, really. Fast 30 second super high energy music videos, and although I am adamant about not letting my music be used in advertizements, I think it would be alost of fun to produce a car commercial. I think it is a practical subject.

Cyx

elektro80 · Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 7:36 am Post subject:

Some of the music is written for the commercial, some of it is released music.. like Moby.. ( this can be special edits too ) and some is from .. some library CD or watever. Prices vary. If you are a big star and has a demon hired as your agent you might get pretty large sums for this kind of placement/ work.

You could lok for advertisement agency portals for finding out who dod what. You will probably be able to find out whatever you want about specific commercials just by surfing various portals. THis way you might find out who made the music etc.

paul e. · Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 9:03 am Post subject:

i wonder

does the same hold true for music for porno movies Question

i guess it may be difficult to tell the difference sometimes

interesting.. 'let's boycott the RIAA , but let's make music for Ford's '

mosc · Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 10:40 am Post subject:

The best music available on the commercial media is in car commercials. I think the guys that sell cars like techno-dance electronic music because it sounds modern and high-tech, and the beats are engaging. Just the thing you want to associate with a new car. You hardly ever see a personality associated with a car ad. Nobody would buy a car that Britney Spears endorses, but they will buy a soft drink.

There was a great car commercial where the actors were sampleing the sounds that the new car made; door slams, window motors, button clicks, etc. I forget the car but remember the commercial.

I used to do music for commercials when I lived in the Bay Area, not car commercials though. You can do it both ways, edit the music to the picture, or the picture to the music. The second way always seems to produce the best results. The eye is more forgiving than the ear with respect to timing.

Here's an interesting one for you. When I started grad school at Mill College, I expected to study composition with Darius Milhaud, but unfortunately, he died shortly after I arrived. I did get some time with him, but that's another story. Anyway, I got assigned a new teacher, Robert Ashley. I had never heard of him before so I asked him what was his musical experience. He thought for a moment and said, "I used to do Cadillac commercials." Shocked

That was good enough for me. Smile

Cyxeris · Joined: Oct 30, 2003 Posts: 1125 Location: Louisville, KY

elektro80 · Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 12:17 pm Post subject:

This one is relevant: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/10.05/moby.html

Cyxeris · Joined: Oct 30, 2003 Posts: 1125 Location: Louisville, KY

This raises an insteresting notion, that as a means of survival and development, perhaps doing such work is not as integrity-defacing as we, or at least I, often maintain.

Cyx

elektro80 · Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 12:40 pm Post subject:

Same article:

AgentA · Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 4:00 pm Post subject:

Thanks for sharing some interesting info, opinions, anecdotes etc. in your replies guys. Cool

paul e. · Posted: Fri Feb 20, 2004 8:57 pm Post subject:

moby is a wanker