Lochlainn Harte

As a podcast editor, my world revolves around sound. Every waveform, every cut, every layer of audio is a brushstroke in the larger picture of a story. While much of our focus is on refining dialogue and mastering sound effects, the true magic often happens when music enters the mix. It’s here, in the intricate dance between spoken word and score, that a podcast transcends mere information and becomes an immersive experience.

The Unseen Cadence of Storytelling

There’s an undeniable, almost innate, cadence to editing voice that I strive for – a natural rhythm that makes dialogue flow effortlessly. It’s hard to teach, but if you’ve spent enough time immersed in films and their soundtracks, you start to feel it. The pacing of a tense scene that jumps between voices, the lingering emotional recall, or the tender rhythm of a love scene – these moments aren’t just about the words; they’re about the emotional backdrop the music provides. Sometimes, when I’m auditioning music over a scene, it just slots into place. The music’s rhythm and emotional tone perfectly align with the spoken word, creating an organic, natural flow.

The Editor’s Dilemma: Music That Doesn’t Quite Fit

But let’s be real: this ideal scenario isn’t always the norm. As editors, we’ve all wrestled with the challenges of finding music that truly serves the narrative without drawing undue attention to itself. Standard music libraries, while often full of well-produced tracks, can be a minefield. You might find tracks that sound great on their own but become clunky when mixed with dialogue. Or you get stems that don’t quite fit, loops that stretch on too long, poor edit points that jar the listener, or simply music that doesn’t adapt to the subtle emotional shifts within a scene. For a long time, the only real solution felt like commissioning custom scores, which isn’t feasible for every project or budget.

Enter Thrumm Audio: A System Built for Narrative

This is precisely where Thrumm Audio has become an indispensable tool in my editing toolkit. Thrumm isn’t just another production music library; it’s a carefully considered system, built from the ground up by folks who understand the “trenches of podcast production”. What sets it apart is its unique approach: music is organized not by genre, but by narrative function: Action, Exposition, Resolution, and Tension. This intuitive categorization makes it incredibly easy to find the right emotional backdrop for any part of your story, saving precious editing time.

The real power for an editor lies in Thrumm’s seamless integration capabilities. Every piece in their collection is designed to be a potential collaborator, composed in harmonious keys and tempos. This means you can layer, crossfade, and sculpt your soundscape with precision and artfulness. Instead of just a single exposition theme, you often have a myriad of versions, allowing you to match the tone as a section moves along, from building building tension to resolving it.

The “Extras” Album: Your Secret Weapon for Seamless Transitions

And then there’s Thrumm’s “Extras” album – truly a game-changer for quick, impactful edits. These are short transitional pieces built to get you in and out of different moods. They include “Hits, Rises, Falls and Transitions”, all designed to bridge gaps and create tension or resolutions exactly where you see fit. The genius? They’re all in key and in the same BPM, allowing for incredible flexibility without struggling with clashing sounds. I honestly can’t think of another music library that offers this level of cohesive utility for dynamic audio storytelling. These are perfect for subtly starting a track, bridging to a new cue, ending a certain mood, or using as interstitials.

Hear the Difference: My Thrumm Experience

To truly appreciate what I’m talking about, take a listen for yourself. Tune into Episode 5 of “The God Hook” – see if you can spot how the music subtly works to convey motion and carry the narrative along: https://open.spotify.com/episode/03ecDKTorn0iFLxQJPmoSZ?si=224a853e259c4da8

Pay close attention to how it supports emotional shifts. Then, go a step further and explore the music album directly on Thrumm’s platform here:
https://thrumm.sourceaudio.com/album/11031274.

You’ll quickly understand how their system allows for that seamless, narrative-driven sound design we, as editors, constantly strive for.

Thrumm isn’t just a music library; it’s a meticulously crafted system that anticipates an editor’s needs, freeing us to focus on what we do best: storytelling. It helps us edit faster, produce smarter, and ultimately, create more impactful audio experiences.