This time, I would like to make a short note about the option of creating custom background music with generative AI for introduction videos.
Lyrics with Inside Jokes or Local Phrases
One advantage of creating custom BGM with generative AI is that it is relatively easy to include small inside jokes, local phrases, or words that are specific to the people involved.For example, if you want to include the name of a school, a club, a local area, or an event in a song, asking a professional composer or vocalist to create it would usually require a certain amount of money and discussion.
With generative AI, however, it is possible to create a rough prototype in a short amount of time.
Instead of using an existing song or a generic BGM track from a video editing software library, adding words that belong specifically to that school, club, or local community may make the video more memorable to the people who watch it.
The Strength of Inside Jokes
When I used to work in a battery development department, I once made Hatsune Miku sing a short two-bar phrase: “Mr. XX’s current collector.”“Mr. XX” was the name of my boss at the time, and “current collector” was the name of a component used in batteries.
For people outside the department, the phrase would probably not mean much.
However, for the members of that team, it was immediately understandable, and they found it very funny.
That experience made me realize that simply including a phrase that only the people involved can understand can completely change how a piece of music is received.
A polished existing song may sound better in a general sense, but a slightly awkward piece of music that includes words familiar to the people involved can sometimes leave a much stronger impression.
For example, you could try a prompt such as:
“Please create a bright rockabilly-style PR song that repeatedly uses the phrase ‘Anyway, it’s really easy to live here.’”
With this kind of instruction, it may be possible to generate a song that has a suitable atmosphere for a short introduction video or a social media PR video.
Trying this first with a tool such as Gemini may be a good starting point.
Notes of Caution
On YouTube, background music used in uploaded videos may be automatically detected by a system called Content ID.Even if the music is generated by AI, it is not possible to say that it will never be detected by an automated system.
If schools, municipalities, or other organizations use AI-generated music in public videos, I recommend keeping records of the service used, the generation date, the prompt, and the terms of use that were checked at the time.
It is also better not to directly specify existing artist names or song titles in the prompt.
Instead, it is safer and often more original to describe the tempo, mood, instrumentation, and intended use of the music.
A Small Creative Step
Recently, when registering music with copyright-related systems such as Content ID or The MLC through distribution services, I have seen warnings that tracks using royalty-free or stock-material-like elements may not be eligible for registration.In the past, I also used some royalty-free vocal materials.
However, I no longer use them now. Instead, I try to think of other ways to create the sound I need.
Combining ready-made materials can make it easier to reach a finished result quickly.
However, taking a little more time to think about what would make the video feel more specific, and what kinds of words would resonate with the intended audience, can change the impression of the work.
In particular, it is not easy to find a vocalist who can naturally sing a vocal line containing local phrases or inside jokes.
In that sense, generative AI can be used not simply as a replacement for existing music, but as a tool for thinking about music made specifically for that video.
By taking a little time to consider what kind of phrase would feel natural, and what kind of wording might be enjoyable for the people involved,
the result may become more memorable than a video that simply uses an existing song.