Music Cut
Best for: Comedy, reactions, storytimes
The hook
- Do
- Play music, then cut it off suddenly as something happens.
The first 3 seconds
- 0.0sUpbeat music, everything going well.
- 1.5sSomething unexpected happens. The music cuts to silence.
- 2.0sA beat of silence.
- 2.5sYour line or reaction. The viewer snaps to attention.
Why it works
When a sound stops unexpectedly, the brain snaps to attention to find out why.
What you need
- An upbeat song
- A surprising moment to cut it on
- A line or reaction for after the silence
Step by step
Plan
- Plan the moment that kills the music: a fail, a surprise, a reveal.
- Write the line for after the silence.
Film
- Film the happy lead-up and the surprise.
- Film your reaction or line.
Edit
- Cut the music to total silence exactly on the surprise.
- Hold the silence for about half a second, then deliver.
Use it in your niche
- CookingMusic as you flip a pancake, cut as it hits the floor
- FitnessMusic on a perfect lift, cut as your shoelace snags
- SchoolMusic as you open your grade, cut when you see it
Pro tips
- One small sound in the silence, like a cough or a cricket, is funny.
- The cut has to be sudden. No fade.
Avoid
- Fading the music out instead of cutting it.
- A surprise that isn't surprising.
