When we’re looking for music for our videos, podcasts and apps we usually describe what we’re looking for as either exciting or relaxing. The only problem with using this description when searching for music is that almost all music is either exciting or relaxing and recognizing what makes a song exciting or relaxing can go a long way to help you find the right music for your content faster. Because when you think about it what do we say to ourselves when looking for an exciting piece of music? “I’ll know it when I hear it.” Right? We’ve all said it but what if you could bypass this step and know exactly what you’re looking for so that others on your team or someone in a production music company can help you better? Knowing what makes a song exciting or relaxing can help you do just that. When we think of music as being exciting or relaxing usually it has to do with the tempo of the song. A faster tempo means that the song is probably more exciting than a song at a slower tempo. But this the case much of the time but not always. There are plenty of slower songs that can be just as exciting or intense as a faster tempo tune. Fast arpeggios within a slower tempo song can make it much more intense and exciting. The rise and fall of individual notes in a chord is often used in contemporary film scores to convey excitement or intense situations. It’s used so often that I bet every movie you’ve seen recently takes advantage of this to create the feeling of excitement. These arpeggios are exciting because of their rhythm. They create a sense of movement just like percussion can do in these songs. In relaxing, calmer songs, there is less movement which is why we consider it relaxing. Notes are held longer and there is less focus on percussion. Percussion and a focus on rhythm is what helps create that movement so when you focus less on it or get rid of it altogether, you have a piece of music that is more free and more relaxing. But what else determines whether or not a song is exciting or relaxing? Well the type of instrument being played and how it is being played makes a huge difference. A part being played pianiassimo, or very soft, will be more relaxing than a part that is being played forte, or loud. Also, tremolando may be used on string instruments to increase excitement and suspense. Tremolando is when a performer plays one note but strikes it many times rapidly. On a violin or other bowed instrument this means that a note is bowed in rapid repetition. Here’s a midi recreation of that sound: And on other stringed instruments like a mandolin or hammer dulcimer it means that the note is picked or struck in rapid repetition, like so: This again creates movement which adds to the excitement of a piece of music. So really what you’re looking for when searching for exciting music is the movement in the rhythm of the piece and when you’re searching for relaxing pieces of music you’re actually looking for a freedom from that movement and rhythm. Remember that when you’re searching for the perfect track for your video, podcast or app and your search will go a lot faster.