Music for recipe videos:warm, not sleepy

Recipe videos have a particular rhythm: chop, stir, wait, reveal. The music has to be relaxed enough to feel homely and lively enough that the waiting parts do not feel slow.

What "warm" actually sounds like

Warmth in music usually comes from acoustic, slightly rounded sounds: brushed drums, upright bass, soft keys, a little brass. Those sounds are friendly without being childish, and they leave room for the sizzle and chop sounds that make cooking videos satisfying.

• Morning in the Kitchen on the Kitchen & Lifestyle shelf

Morning in the Kitchen suits exactly this: warm and homely, with enough bounce to keep an ingredient montage moving.

Leave room for the food

The sounds of cooking are part of the appeal. Keep the music lower than you would for a travel montage, and let a crack of an egg or a pan sizzle come through. If you record a voice-over, duck the music further while you talk.

Match cuts to the groove

Ingredient shots look great cut on the beat. Longer process shots, like a slow stir or dough resting, look better held across a full bar. Alternating the two gives a recipe video a pleasant, unhurried pace.

One track or many?

For a short recipe, one track looped is plenty. For a long video, switch between two tracks from the same niche for different stages: prep, cook, plate. Moving between two tracks explains how to do that without a jolt.

Find more cosy, lifestyle-friendly tracks on the Kitchen & Lifestyle shelf.