Interview podcasts:keep music out of the conversation

In a narrative podcast, music is part of the storytelling. In an interview or conversation show, music under the talking usually gets in the way. Two voices with natural pauses and cross-talk are already demanding to follow.

Where music belongs

• The intro. Your recurring theme and a short welcome.
• Guest introduction. A short bed under the host's introduction of the guest, faded out before the guest speaks.
• Segment changes. Stingers between topics or rounds. See Stingers and transitions.
• The outro. Credits, calls to action, next episode.

Where it does not

Under the conversation itself. Even quiet music competes with the voices, and it makes edits in the conversation more obvious, since the music jumps at every cut.

If you must have a bed

Some shows like a subtle bed throughout. If you do:

• Choose something very steady, with no melody and no changes.
• Keep it far lower than you would for a narrator.
• Loop a steady section of the track so edits in the conversation do not create jumps in the music.

Keep your music warm

Interview shows are about people. Warm, friendly music suits them better than tense or epic cues.

• Morning in the Kitchen on the Kitchen & Lifestyle shelf

Morning in the Kitchen has the right friendly, homely character for a conversation show's intro and outro.

Video versions

Many interview shows are now filmed too. The same rules apply on video: music for structure, not under the talking. Video podcasts covers the differences.