Well, why not? In a world with a constant drive for added value, could the lure of a deliberately chosen or even composed soundtrack be the decision making option when buying your latest ebook? Could it actually enhance the reading experience?
I noticed on a thread on a certain social networking site that someone commented ‘isn’t it just like putting a CD on?’. No, apparently it really isn’t.
(I’d not heard of the notion before, but a little googling revealed Booktrack.com.)
Their soundtracks are pre-chosen/composed specifically. They are synchronised to the page numbers of the story. I assume they’re programmed to cross-fade seamlessly between tracks (if not they’re seriously missing a trick here). And then there’s sound effects, atmospheres…
The same argument could be said of film – why would you need a score? Wouldn’t it be weird if you were watching all this on-screen action, and then suddenly there’s an unseen orchestra striking up some lively, rousing medley?
When I put it like that, it does seem a bit weird, to be honest.
But we accept it. It’s convention; conventional.
Just because we’re not used to having a soundtrack picked out and synchronised to our reading doesn’t mean it’s not something that (a) shouldn’t be tried, (b) won’t work, (c) add value or (d) won’t sell.
It’s all about added value. It’s the reason so much effort is put into the art and text of sleeve notes accompanying a CD purchase, why they’re printed on good-quality, special papers, rather than just a sticker on the front of the case letting us know what the contents are.
It’s the reason mp3 downloads still include that artwork in digital form.
It’s the reason multi-sensory theatre is on the rise (see everything I’ve ever worked on with Slung Low). The seeing-and-hearing we always had… but now there’s touching, walking, interacting…
It’s the reason ‘talkies’ took off, even though we already had moving pictures and radio.
One sense is good. Two or more is better. More enjoyable, more complete, more engaging, more pleasureful. Adding value.
That’s why soundtracks for ebooks maybe aren’t such a bad idea after all.
Admittedly I have a vested interest in something like this taking off…
Photo by Aliis Sinisalu on Unsplash
I would love for this idea to become more mainstream. Personally, I love books just as much (if not more) than films, and to be able to compose for both would be fantastic.
Whenever I read, I always have music going, generally a combination of soundtracks or cues I think will work well for the story. I usually end up having to change tracks a lot during reading (such as a love theme during a book action scene), but in the moments that the two fit, it’s really amazing, and drastically enhances the book.