Radio Scoring

Glass on music:

Generally the kind of music we use is more emotionally neutral. Its goal is more to keep a sense of motion, to keep things moving. And to underline the turns in feelings. I’m not against manipulating feelings. The whole job is about manipulating feelings. If you don’t get in front of that and embrace it with a big bear hug, you’re not doing your job as a radio producer. You just don’t want to be all corny about it.

I like music. When I’m looking for a piece of music to play under a radio piece, I often look to movie soundtracks.

As do many others. I hear a lot of Mark Mothersbaugh’s work from Rushmore and The Royal Tennenbaums on This American Life and (not surprisingly) Wiretap. Also, I often recognize music from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Amelie underneath CBC radio promos. Soundtrack music is so often instrumental, and because it’s usually written to play under voices, is perfect underneath radio stories.

So I was delighted today to read about the release of The Life Aquatic OST. The reviews look good so far.

Other instrumental music I like for scoring:

• Paul Haslinger’s tracks from The Girl Next Door
  • Lost in Translation
    • Desperado
      • Beastie Boys’ In Sound from Way Out!