The Basics of Background Music
Music is inescapable in every area of our lives, from films and adverts to our supermarket aisles and high street shops. Even changing rooms provide us with aural stimuli to complement our shopping experience.
Background music floats through our gyms, diners, swimming pools and televisions. It is everywhere all at once, and some of it can solidify our memories of a particular place and time. It’s a powerful tool for brand engagement, so let’s examine why a solid soundtrack can lead to happy, loyal customers coming back for more.
Singing Your Praises
Music can set us at ease, make us angry, sad, or (most potently) nostalgic; as a business-owner, you should be chomping at the bit to inspire emotion with what you do. You can’t please everyone, so understand the demographic walking through your doors to start hitting the right notes.
Getting a playlist perfect is not easy. It actually pays to follow the same instincts that inspired your venture in the first place – if, say, you’re running a vegan café, chances are your clientele will be open to new things, willing to hear the avant-garde and the whimsical.
By contrast, a dentist’s waiting room will encounter a wider spectrum of personalities, from the very young to the very old: you should likewise acknowledge that a scratchy garage band won’t go down as well as something that soothes troubled minds.
Ultimately, it’s about you and your ethos. Be true to the vision you have for the business at large, and the right sort of listener will find you.
Waiting in the Wings
Whatever your demographic, you don’t want to be too intrusive with your musical choices. Everyone’s had the frustrating experience of merely wanting a quiet drink with friends, subsequently drowned in a Top 40 hit list catering for a dancefloor that isn’t there. Background tunes should be the salt and pepper on an evening, not the main course.
It’s no surprise that acoustic music is popular for this very reason. The gentle tones of Nick Drake or Laura Marling, for instance, are better catalysts for socialising than heavy dance tracks.
Keeping It Fresh
Varying the tempo is another key ingredient, since too much somnambulant pacing will lose its effect. Set up rules for your scheduling to create a varied playlist that avoids repetition wherever possible.
The trick is to be dynamic without bashing anyone on the head. Don’t be afraid, either, of instrumentals or classical music. Many of us don’t explore voiceless music enough; jazz, bluegrass, or baroque soundtracks can surprise people in the right setting, slipping into the background whilst creating an irresistible ambience.
Nobody wants their commercial space sounding like an empty saloon. Conversely, no business owner wants to drive clientele away with music that’s wholly misjudged or, even worse, totally forgettable.
We recommend our SAM Broadcaster Cloud System for any venture wanting to set eardrums a-buzz. This radio automation software allows you to organise an extensive library of tracks, to make striking a good key all the easier. Try it out today to create an atmosphere your customers will love.
