How to Use Sad Music for YouTube Videos

No matter the subject matter of your YouTube video, royalty free sad music can evoke deep emotion from viewers and set the stage for dramatic film trailers or create nostalgic atmosphere.

There are various elements to music that contribute to its emotional effect, including musical modes and tempo. PremiumBeat’s library boasts radio-quality melancholic songs from piano to acoustic guitar that will transport listeners back in time.

1. Piano and Strings

Royalty free sad music can help create the atmosphere you need in your videos by conjuring different feelings. Used effectively, it can heighten feelings of grief and loss or inspire empathy towards those experiencing illness or hardship. Furthermore, its inclusion can add continuity between scenes while smoothing over transitions between lighthearted and darker themes.

Piano and strings are often the perfect combination for creating sorrowful music, creating feelings of melancholy, longing and loss. Such music can add the perfect emotional backdrop for documentaries, travel vlogs and wedding presentations.

These instruments evoke sounds resembling human voice, cello, violin and piano which have all been associated with sadness. Yet these sounds can also be tailored and altered through various musical techniques that include note arrangement in different keys and song tempo adjustments.

Sad music typically features low energy, with its tempo being an essential factor in its ability to elicit emotional responses. Slow tempos tend to produce an introspective or contemplative atmosphere while faster beats can be stimulating or upbeat.

When adding sad music to videos, it’s essential to consider its visual context and audience’s response. For instance, sad background music in a film trailer can instantly inform viewers they’re watching something dramatic and serious while helping them get into the appropriate mindset.

Listeners of sad songs may also be affected by their past experiences when listening to sad songs, which can have both positive and negative ramifications on their mood. While the former can bring nostalgia for past events or memories that serve as comfort; negative aspects can include depression, anxiety or stress.

PremiumBeat has all of the sad music you need for any production – be it dramatic or emotional – so that viewers tear up. Browse our collection of piano tracks and orchestral compositions to find one that best complements your video project.