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Music Production/Composition
The Benefits of Custom Made Music:
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The use of custom-made music offers a multitude of advantages that can significantly enhance a campaign's effectiveness. First and foremost, custom music allows for unparalleled brand alignment. It enables advertisers to craft a sonic identity that perfectly resonates with their brand's values, message, and target audience, fostering a deeper and more memorable connection with consumers. Custom music is inherently unique, ensuring that the advertising content stands out in a cluttered media landscape, distinguishing it from competitors and creating a lasting impression. Moreover, custom compositions can be tailored to fit the specific emotional tone and pacing required for each project, enhancing the overall impact and persuasiveness of the message. Overall, custom-made music not only elevates the quality of advertising but also strengthens brand recognition and engagement, ultimately leading to increased consumer trust and loyalty.
Working with McCANN 1886 to compose custom music for a campaign for South African mobile network company Cell C:
The Brief:
Create a 60 second track, with a happy tone, that embodies summer. The track needs to fit multiple environments / moments; outdoors; dance videos and club scene.
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The Backtrack:
With the brief in mind we created a unique beat that is constantly evolving, with multiple builds and breaks to adapt to the environmental and intensity changes of the visuals.
The Vocals:
To take the music to the next level, we used a vocal sample to add a catchy top level layer to the main segments of the music.
And with the help of a great vocalist, we wrote a catchy chorus to match the vibe of the music and the vocal sample. To correspond with the evolution of the music, we edited and resampled that chorus.
The Outcome:
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Sound Design
Why is sound design important?
Sound design is the art and practice of creating sounds for various needs such as sound recording, filmmaking, products, apps, video game development, radio, and post production. Good sound design makes for an engaging user journey and enhances the product and brand experience.
Why custom-made sound design?
Sound design plays a pivotal role in both the music and advertising industries, shaping the auditory experience that audiences encounter. In music, it's the art of creating immersive sonic landscapes that evoke emotions, set moods, and enhance storytelling. From film scores to electronic compositions, sound design adds depth, texture, and character to music, making it a powerful storytelling tool. In advertising, sound design can transform a simple message into a memorable and persuasive narrative. The right sound effects, ambiances, and sonic branding can captivate audiences, drive emotional connections, and reinforce brand identity. In both industries, sound design elevates the overall quality and impact of the content, ensuring that what is heard is as compelling as what is seen. It's the invisible thread that weaves through every auditory aspect, enhancing engagement, brand recognition, and the power of storytelling.
Working with VISIONARISTS to create custom Sound design and music for an ad for the CXN:
The Brief:
Create a 60 second track with an overall Reggaeton vibe, but also needs to have slight genre variations. The track needs to have a good base of SFX/Sound design to correspond with the visuals.
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The Backtrack:
We created a custom beat, inter-grating some of the SFX/Sound design into the base of the track. We also used the variation of genres to highlight and accentuate the builds and breaks, to enhance the story of the visuals.
The Sound design:
To maximise the impact of the project, we used SFX and ambiences to enhance the builds and breaks of the track, as well as match the environment and glitch effects used for the visuals. This process creates a great cohesion between visuals and audio, amplifying the audiences experience.
The Outcome:
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Mixing, Mastering & Final Mixing
The Benefits of Mixing, Mastering & Final Mixing::
Mixing and mastering are pivotal stages in both the music and advertising industries, serving as the sonic gatekeepers that can make or break a production's impact. In music, the careful balance and enhancement of individual audio elements during mixing and the meticulous fine-tuning of the overall sound during mastering are what bring a composition to life. The right mix and master can elevate a song from good to unforgettable, ensuring that every note, instrument, and vocal shines while maintaining sonic cohesion. Similarly, in advertising, where first impressions are everything, impeccable audio quality is essential. It can make a commercial/project unforgettable or give a brand's message the impact it needs to resonate with the audience. In both industries, mixing and mastering are the final touches that transform raw audio into a polished, professional, and emotionally engaging end product. They are the keys to delivering an exceptional auditory experience that leaves a lasting impression.
Final mixing is the crucial stage where all the sonic elements come together in perfect harmony. It ensures that the audio elements, from voiceovers to sound effects and music, are precisely balanced and polished to deliver a cohesive and impactful auditory experience. In the competitive world of Film, TV & Advertising, where grabbing and holding audience attention is paramount, final mixing is the secret sauce that makes a project stand out. It ensures clarity, maintains emotional resonance, and maximises the effectiveness of the message. In this way, final mixing transforms a collection of audio assets into a compelling and memorable advertisement that can leave a lasting impression on the audience, ultimately driving brand recognition and consumer engagement.
Working with VCG doing the Mixing & Final mixing for a season of 'Yo Mtv Raps':
The Brief:
Mix & Final Mix 9 episodes of a TV production, which includes a live musical performance, for 1 season.
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The Outcome:
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Audio Identities (Mnemonics)
The Benefits of Audio Identities (Mnemonics)::
Audio identities, often referred to as mnemonics or sonic logos, hold immense importance in the advertising industry. They are the auditory symbols that encapsulate a brand's essence, values, and personality in a brief, memorable soundbite. Just as a visual logo is instantly recognisable, an audio identity serves as a sonic signature, allowing consumers to connect with a brand on a deeper level. In the age of short attention spans and overwhelming media clutter, audio identities cut through the noise, providing immediate brand recall and forging a strong emotional bond with the audience. They evoke familiarity and trust, making them a potent tool for reinforcing brand loyalty. When strategically designed and deployed, audio identities become powerful assets in brand marketing, leaving an indelible mark in consumers' minds and ensuring that the brand is never far from their thoughts.
Working with VCG on the mnemonic for Trace Africa's "Stand up n' Shine" campaign:
The Brief:
Create a catchy and memorable mnemonic, that embodies the brand, to end the Stand Up n' Shine ad to associate the audience with the brand & campaign.
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The Process:
To ensure a smooth cohesion between the ad and the mnemonic, we used a vocal element from the ad. To fit with the campaign we used the melody of the campaign's slogan "Trace... Stand Up n' Shine" to create a catchy lead instrument. FinaIly we used African percussions to drive the brand's identity.
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The Outcome:
