When I recently posted the video for Father's Day, I got this very interesting question/response from Barb, an ECC Member:
Here is something that I have noticed when there are certain presentations at our church on PPT: I am not able to concentrate on the written words on the screen when there is vocal music playing as background.
Some sort of classical music, or any instrumental music that does not evoke thoughts of lyrics, would be OK. I don't know if I'm alone in this problem or not. I've never heard of anyone doing any sort of study on it, either.
Summary answer
After research and thinking about it, my conclusion on music with PowerPoint (whether or not you turn it into a video) is to select it as you would a man's tie. A great tie on a man is one that you don't really notice, but that finishes his look perfectly without drawing undue attention to it. The result is that you see a professional man, not a loud tie.
It's the same with music for PowerPoint, if you choose to use it (and not every presentation needs it any more than every occasion requires that a man wear a tie), select music that does not overwhelm your presentation, but that enhances the overall experience. The content, the message of the presentation is what is most important.
I think that is useful advice, but here is the challenge: what enhances and what does not? Especially for Christian music—the vocals can be extremely powerful and we find ourselves listening to them more than reading the words. Even if we have an instrumental of a well-known song ("Amazing Grace", for example) we will hear the words. In some instances, and this was my purpose with choosing the song I did for the Father's Day video was to add an extra layer of challenge to Dads. But honestly, I also really liked the song "Be Thou My Vision" and have gotten distracted just listening to it.
Following are other comments from the web, how to insert music clips and a free music resource.
Please add your thoughts, ideas, comments, below.
Answers from around the web:
Music should draw your audience in, not jolt them.
PowerPoint presentations often use music to enhance slides or transition from one to the next. Yet when the music starts or stops suddenly, it jars the audience, distracting them from your message. You can edit your audio clips using an external application to prevent this, but you can also use PowerPoint's own audio editing tools. These tools will fade clips in and out, blending them more naturally into your presentation. They may also fade one piece into another, if a slide contains multiple audio clips.
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/fade-music-powerpoint-39688.html
If you plan to narrate over the slide show, it is important to search for some ambient PowerPoint music that will not distract the audience from listening to whatever it is that you are saying. The main objective of the presentation if for the audience to listen to your presentation, and not to the music! The music is just an added benefit, to help the audience relax, and enjoy the presentation better. Music is very relaxing, and a smooth, relaxing tune running throughout the presentation helps the audience to relax, and thereby enjoy your presentation better!
However, if you plan to do an automatic slide show that loops continuously, without you narrating during the show, then it is better to use some energetic music, which will in fact do the talking in the presentation! The energy in the music is sure to rid the audience of any fatigue, and may also prevent anyone from sleeping through the PowerPoint presentation! Adding music to your website is a sure means of making your site stand apart from the rest of the sites and to communicate a message in the universal language of music. In fact, there are some professional creators who adamantly agree that no amount whatsoever of eye-popping graphics or animation can convey as much emotional core of the PowerPoint presentation as a well-chosen piece of music can.
How to put music into PowerPoint
Office PowerPoint allows you insert various kinds of media in your slide shows, such as videos, photos and even songs. Playing a song throughout your PowerPoint presentation can give the slide show some flare, provided your choice of music does not distract from the content and fits the presentation's theme. Use PowerPoint's insertion options to add a song to the slide show and so it plays through your presentation. Read more: How to Play a Song During a PowerPoint | eHow http://www.ehow.com/how_8226194_play-song-during-powerpoint.html#ixzz2TrIAE593
http://www.ehow.com/how_8226194_play-song-during-powerpoint.html
Resources of Free music for Power Point
http://www.brainybetty.com/soundsforpowerpoint.htm
Please let me know your thoughts or resources in the comments section below--thanks!
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