Quiz: Good or Bad Background Music?

@Max: After all it is obvious....

I think starting off with an obvious "bad" example was an effective way to make the point. As other commentators have noted here, what really makes something good, though, can be a lot more subtle. The examples in this video focus on one small aspect of sonics, completely neglecting composition, style, and timing, among other musical elements that generate emotion. I also agree that the word "dynamics" is used confusingly; apparently the narrator means overall loudness rather than range of loudness.

On the upside, the comments the video provoked here have added helpful insight on the subject, which is valuable. Troll around YouTube and you'll find many examples of bad background music, so every bit of analysis helps.

After all it is obvious, that the rock music does not approach as background to a family album. In what value of a material?

@Jochen:
the pitch-bent, slightly off-beat "I'm-so-stoned-you-won't-believe-it" guitar echo loop in the fourth example almost drove me up the wall.

That's exactly the part I was referring to when I said "too loud and repetitive." I didn't want to compromise the quiz by identifying it first, though. ;-)

Ben, I think you're spot-on about the mood aspect of background music.

In that sense, I don't think the two "good" examples are such great fits for the video, either. In fact, the pitch-bent, slightly off-beat "I'm-so-stoned-you-won't-believe-it" guitar echo loop in the fourth example almost drove me up the wall.

However, I do appreciate it that the speakers did not bark at me. Thanks for that. ;)

@Ben:

It's bad because of its harsh tone (competing with upper mid-range where a lot of sibilance lies in the vocals), and because its mood so poorly matches the program material (fluffy cats).

Very good point. The examples say nothing about the emotion, and the primary role of background music is to make you feel something. Please leave a link if you find some more good and bad examples.

For all the technical introduciton they do, I'm surprised at a fundamental error in analysis: In example #1, it is stated that the music is bad because it "has too much dynamics". Actually, it was almost devoid of dynamics; it was harsh and sustained at an almost constant level. It's bad because of its harsh tone (competing with upper mid-range where a lot of sibilance lies in the vocals), and because its mood so poorly matches the program material (fluffy cats).

Overall, it was amusing, but more tedious and self-indulgent than informative.

-ben