Music for event recap videos and aftermovies

Tracks for event recap videos

• For doors opening, badges and the first arrivals

  Pristine Corporate Motion · 6:00 · Corporate · Calm · 112 BPM

• Quiet under speaker soundbites from the main stage

  Hopeful Corporate Tech · 1:28 · Electronic · Inspiring · 92 BPM

• For the crowd, the lights and the headline set

  Energetic Violin Voyage · 2:27 · Electronic · Upbeat · 123 BPM

• Building to a launch or award on stage

  Peaceful Chillwave Journey · 2:00 · Electronic · Calm · 162 BPM

• An elegant bed for a gala dinner or evening reception

  Dreamy Trumpet Night · 0:30 · Jazz · Mysterious · 60 BPM

Library tracks are free for personal use. Commercial use needs Pro or above. More tracks like these in the music library

What an event recap is for

An event recap has two audiences. People who were there want to relive it and share it; people who were not want to feel what they missed, and maybe buy a ticket next time. The music has to serve both. It should carry the energy of the day, make the event feel bigger and busier than a phone video ever could, and leave room for the speakers, performers and crowd moments that made it special.

Most recaps follow the same arc as the day itself: arrival and setup, the main content, the highlights and the close. Music that builds across that arc makes the video feel like a story rather than a pile of clips.

Structuring the recap

Open with a few strong establishing shots: the venue, the signage, the first people arriving. Keep the music light and building here. Move into the main content with a mix of wide shots, details and people, cut on the beat. Insert two or three short soundbites from speakers or attendees, with the music dropped low underneath. Save the biggest moments, such as a keynote reveal, a headline performance, an award or a packed room, for the last third, where the music peaks.

End with a clear close: the logo, the date of the next event, a call to action. Let the music resolve on a final chord as the logo appears.

• Arrivals and setup: light, building.
• Main content: steady beat, varied shots, a few soundbites.
• Highlights: music at its fullest.
• Close: logo and next date, a clean final chord.

Soundbites and speakers

Short spoken moments give a recap credibility. A line from a keynote, an attendee saying what they learned, a founder thanking the crowd. Keep each one short, five to ten seconds, and drop the music well below the voice while it plays. Bring the music back up as soon as the soundbite ends.

The speech setting on the create page keeps dialogue in your video while the music around it is replaced. That is useful when soundbites were recorded in noisy rooms with music already playing in the background.

Crowd and room sound

Real sound from the event adds energy that music alone cannot: applause, cheering, laughter, a crowd counting down. Let a few of these moments break through the music for a second or two, especially at the peak. Layering a little crowd ambience under the music during busy montage sections also helps the video feel live.

Avoid using footage where the venue’s own music is loud and recognizable, unless you have the rights to it. It will clash with the new music and can cause problems when you publish.

Matching the event

Business conferences and summits suit confident, modern instrumentals with a steady beat and bright synths: energetic but professional. Product launches suit sleek electronic music that builds to the reveal. Music festivals and parties suit euphoric electronic music with big builds and drops. Galas, award dinners and charity evenings suit elegant piano, strings and soft jazz. Community events, markets and local festivals suit friendly acoustic pop.

Describing the event in the direction, for example a design conference in a warehouse venue, or a summer food festival by the river, gives the music a starting point that fits.

Cutting on the beat

Recaps usually move fast, with shots of one to three seconds during montage sections. Cut on the beat and let transitions land on strong hits. Use slightly longer shots for wide establishing views and for the most important moments. Speed ramps and quick whip transitions work well for festival and party recaps, less so for business events where a cleaner style feels more appropriate.

If you generate music from your finished edit, Sonilo follows the cuts and scene changes you already made, so the music lifts where your highlights are.

Several versions from one event

Events usually need more than one video: a sixty to ninety second recap for the website and social media, a fifteen to thirty second teaser for ads and Stories, and sometimes a longer three to five minute version for sponsors. Each needs its own music, because each reaches its peak at a different time. Generate music for each cut rather than trimming one track to fit them all.

Each music generation gives you two versions to choose from, which is handy when the marketing team and the event team disagree about how energetic the video should feel.

Planning the shoot for the edit

The best recaps are planned before the event starts. Make a shot list that follows the arc of the day: exterior and signage, setup and empty rooms, doors opening, the first sessions, networking, the main stage, the evening, and the close. Ask the videographer to grab plenty of short detail shots, such as hands on a lanyard, coffee being poured, a laptop with a slide, feet on a dance floor, because these are what make fast montage sections work on the beat.

Plan the soundbites too. Pick two or three people in advance and ask them a single, simple question in a quiet corner, such as what they will take home from today. Short, clear answers recorded away from the main room are far easier to place under music than a line cut from a long talk recorded through the venue speakers.

Before publishing

Check that every soundbite is clear, that the logo and dates are on screen long enough to read, and that the music ends with the video rather than cutting off. Watch it on a phone, where most people will see it. The music has its own volume control before you export. Commercial use for sponsors and paid promotion depends on your plan, as the questions below explain.

How to make music for event recap videos

1. 1

   Upload the recap

   Upload your edited recap or aftermovie with soundbites and crowd moments in place.

2. 2

   Pick a preset

   Choose Conference recap, Festival aftermovie, Product launch, Gala evening or Community day, or describe the event.

3. 3

   Generate and export

   Generate on the create page, where the credit cost is shown before anything runs, then check every soundbite is clear before exporting.

Questions before you start

Music for other kinds of video