There was a time when audio edits needed to be seamless to create a ‘perfect’ audio environment but now it’s gone completely the other way.
A good harsh audio edit, perfectly placed, can create a sense of surprise and help clients’ key messages standout. A great example of this can be heard in the NPR podcast Radiolab. The podcast championed the weird surprising edit to give their show a uniqueness that sets it apart from the rest.
Right from the intro you can hear odd cuts that create interesting rhythms to set the scene for a show that is completely unique. For the right client this same technique can be applied to productions to create a brief moment of chaos before a stopdown. The other way to make the most of interesting audio edits is to use music that uses this technique. Synkio receives a lot of briefs for ‘interesting - different’ music and Tune-Yards are a great example of an artist that play directly into this space:
The next time you get a chance, experiment with edits or soundtracks that help your spots jump out and if you need any advice you know where to go:
