This is a pretty far reaching concept, because documentaries, culture and art can be of pretty much anything at all, but we've tried to put music in this area that you would expect to hear in documentaries about real world issues, as well as art and culture. The music in this area will be -background- music; music that is meant to just stay in the background, almost unnoticed, to provide a subtle atmosphere while the viewer concentrates on the matter discussed. Often used behind voiceover / narration and interviews, this music will not have any outstanding, loud, or attention grabbing melodies or effects. The music you find here should also go well with historical and cultural subjects.
Mysterious, dark and ethereal soundscapes with a hypnotic, tribal influenced, repetitive drum beat. Dark / Eerie / Mystical. [Tempo: Slow / 0 BPM]
A medieval music / song and accompanying dance, originating in Provence, popular between the 12th and 14th centuries in France, Italy, England, and Spain. Performed live in studio by Fleurdelis, featuring traditional percussion, renaissance recorders, Lyre and Hurdy Gurdy. [Tempo: Medium, Fast / 79 BPM]
Dark, scary and mysterious Cinematic music track with deep and gloomy vibe. Great for trailers, films and documentaries in Drama and Sci-Fi genres. [Tempo: Slow / 55 BPM]
A Khaligy style track that brings a fusion mode between world music, and khaligy (emirates, saudi, kuwait, Bahrain) it has a dynamic chorus, then it goes back to to a reflective ambient dream. [Tempo: Medium / 110 BPM]
The very famous and universally loved The Blue Danube waltz, also known as An der schnen blauen Donau, by Johann Strauss II. Recorded exclusively for Shockwave-Sound.com by D Hamilton. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 0 BPM]
Ambient bells chime in fractal patterns. Relaxing and therapeutic. [Tempo: Very slow, Slow / 0 BPM]
An exuberant, mystical, orchestral piece that relies on its own unpredictability and, after a wild tumult, finds itself in tranquil strings. [Tempo: Slow, Medium, Fast / 80 BPM]
Relaxed, exotic and mysterious African track with traditional instrumentation and cinematic strings. Suitable for movies and documentaries. [Tempo: Medium / 89 BPM]
Violin, Mandolin, Trombone all feature in this macabre song that has an edgy folk twist. The rhythm is driving and the melody is sung with a frustrating powerful male vocal part. [Tempo: Medium / 0 BPM]
An easy-going and charming track featuring acoustic guitar and ethnic sounding drums. It has a world feel to it, perhaps tropical islands with their exotic plants and ocean life, rainforests, wild animals, tribal culture and local people. This music would work well with travel, underwater, and nature documentaries. [Tempo: Medium / 110 BPM]
A set of Irish jigs on solo fiddle. Lively and authentic. This track has two titles because this is traditionally how many Irish pub tunes are performed, as a double set of short tunes, the first leading directly into the second. [Tempo: Fast, Very fast / 200 BPM]
An original piece of music, stylized as a Scandinavian song of medieval music times. Performed live in studio by the Fleurdelis ensemble featuring percussion instruments of the time, Bouzouki and Rabab Kashgar (a long-necked Lute instrument). Excited and energetic, playing in an odd time signature. [Tempo: Fast / 117 BPM]
A worldly percussion groove, featuring a mysterious pan flute solo and darkly harmonized strings. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 82 BPM]
(Maurice Ravel) Valses Nobles et Sentimentales, Valse in G Minor, M.61, II. Assez lent, avec une expression intense. Performed and recorded by Abigail Mettry exclusively for Lynne Publishing. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 0 BPM]
This track has a very middle eastern feel and features a wide range of instruments and voices. The orchestral strings add a grand scale to the music while percussion and brass help to thicken the texture as the music develops. Journey / Travel / Documentary Music. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 90 BPM]
This orchestral, neo-classical piece, reminiscent of the Baroque era, is driven by a clear rhythm supported by a harpsichord and enhanced by strings. As an alternative version, there is a loop-compatible rendition. [Tempo: Medium, Fast / 115 BPM]
African world fusion music using traditional african instruments and an electric bass guitar. Light and uplifting, great for documentaries and travel shows. [Tempo: Medium, Fast / 122 BPM]
A pan flute soloist dances over a steady percussion groove in this Japanese styled piece. [Tempo: Medium / 101 BPM]
Intense an up-beat trance-like track, with a middle-eastern flavor, this track is the perfect mix between modern and timeless. Suitable for productions that require a vibrant, fresh, and at the same time recognizable feel, such as movies, TV shows, and commercials. [Tempo: Fast / 126 BPM]
A dark Irish lament on solo fiddle. Authentic Ireland. [Tempo: Slow / 0 BPM]
Gabriel Urbain Fauré - Pavane in F-sharp minor, Op. 50. Arranged and recorded with real live orchestra, exclusively for Shockwave-Sound.com. [Tempo: Slow / 0 BPM]
Jules Massenet - Thais - Act II. Meditation. Arranged and recorded with real live orchestra, exclusively for Shockwave-Sound.com. [Tempo: Slow / 0 BPM]
Händel - Water Music Suite no. 1, F major, HWV348: 6. Air. Recorded exclusively for Shockwave-Sound.com by Y Sazonoff. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 0 BPM]
This track features lyrical saxophone melody and a drone played by bass and drums to evoke a peaceful, serene atmosphere. [Tempo: Slow / 0 BPM]
Jean-Joseph Mouret - Fanfares Suite 1. Fanfares pour des Trompettes, Timbales, Violons et Hautbois. Première Suitte, Rondeau in D Major. Also often referred to simply as the "Rondeau by Mouret" or the "Mouret Rondo". 100% live string quintet performance - no computers, no samples. Arranged and recorded exclusively for Lynne Publishing. [Tempo: Medium, Fast / 0 BPM]
Middle eastern, Indian and Egyptian sounds are fused in this modern remix-style track, which includes fresh beats and organic sounds in fusion. [Tempo: Medium / 116 BPM]
A grand and passionate, orchestral / epic track which starts with a sombre and melancholic tone and gradually builds from there, into an emotional and soaring piece, and then reaches a climax at 2 minutes. Full orchestral sound with choir -- also available without the choir. Suitable for dramatic trailers, presentations of awe and wonderment, amazing feats and discoveries. [Tempo: Medium / 133 BPM]
Lovely elegant string quartet in a Classical setting. [Tempo: Medium / 132 BPM]
Entrance of the Queen of Sheba from Händel's "Solomon" works. Performed live by a classical chamber string quartet, with harpsichord. Arranged and recorded by the Allegro String Ensemble exclusively for Shockwave-Sound.com. Live performance. No computers, no samples. [Tempo: Medium, Fast / 0 BPM]
A driving percussion groove. [Tempo: Medium / 124 BPM]
Traditional baroque music with chamber strings and recorder, fully arranged. All instruments are played by real musicians. Originally composed by Girolamo Frescobaldi (1583-1643). [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 60 BPM]
An orchestral string section unwinds a gentle, heartfelt harmony that builds to a single note. [Tempo: Very slow, Slow / 84 BPM]
Saturn from The Planets suite by Gustav Holst. Recorded exclusively for Shockwave-Sound.com by D Hamilton. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 0 BPM]
Mysterious, exotic and delving into the unknown. An eastern theme played by Duduk and Dombra with underlying synth pads and hand percussion. Great for movies, tv, mystery, curiousity, history and documentaries. [Tempo: Very slow, Slow / 0 BPM]
Percussive, heartening, and with a touch of exoticism, this is a warm, mid-tempo jazzy track, with flutes, synths and organic percussion. Suitable for productions that require a heart-warming, yet somehow exciting backdrop. Great for commercials, features and shows with a touch of freshness and exhilaration. [Tempo: Medium / 112 BPM]
Calm and chilled music with world/ethnic flavors, featuring banjo & flute and creating an exotic sound, great for nature-themed videos, documentaries and movies. An exotic track with a sense of world, travel, exploration and discovery - but not tied to any one particular country or region. [Tempo: Slow / 84 BPM]
A set of Irish jigs on solo fiddle. Lively and authentic. This track has two titles because this is traditionally how many Irish pub tunes are performed, as a double set of short tunes, the first leading directly into the second. [Tempo: Medium, Fast / 180 BPM]
A repetitive and ominous bass starts and is joined by a sprinkling of dreamy and peaceful piano, harp and strings creating a nice contrast. Great for movies, documentaries, TV drama, corporate projects and short films. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 110 BPM]
Didgeridoos with drums and percussion creating a lively and busy sound with references to Australia but also with an overall 'Jungle' or 'Wild' feel. Available in several different mixes/versions with various instruments included or removed from the mix. [Tempo: Medium / 88 BPM]
Exotic and dark Middle East / Arabic vocal (non-verbal) ominous, foreboding, deep pads and Eastern strings combined with a dark, edgy and minimalistic Trap / Hip-Hop beat. World / Arabian / Middle Eastern with a dark and edgy urban twist. (Stem files available.) [Tempo: Medium / 95 BPM]
An elegant, minimal, modern, and sophisticated Piano and Strings track that morphs into a dynamic and building groove with modern drums. Should be a perfect fit for sophisticated advertising projects that need to make a bold impact of "cool" and "elegance". Should compliment a vo message that has confidence and swagger. The emotional feeling is powerful and hip. [Tempo: Slow / 104 BPM]
Historical Court, lordship or aristocracy. Regal, royal, honorable - played on harpsichord. [Tempo: Slow / 63 BPM]
Frederic Chopin - Prelude No. 12 in g-sharp minor, Op. 28, Presto. Performed and recorded exclusively for Lynne Publishing by Abigail Mettry. [Tempo: Medium / 0 BPM]
Pomp and Circumstance, March no. 1, by Elgar. There is also an "Alternative entry point" version which starts where the most famous melody first comes in. Recorded exclusively for Shockwave-Sound.com by D Hamilton. [Tempo: Slow, Medium, Fast / 0 BPM]
This is a haunting piece featuring 2 electric guitars. It is deliberately sparse to evoke feeling of isolation and despair. Hard to place this track in a specific "music genre". Folk? Ambient? Film score? Rock? Either way, it's an atmospheric piece, suitable for film and other media. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 100 BPM]
A mystical world / exotic music track made with atmoshperic synths, epic drums and eastern native instruments. Dark / Hot / Foreboding Music. Can be ancient Africa or Middle East. [Tempo: Slow / 80 BPM]
Antonin Dvorak: Symphony No. 9 'Z noveho sveta, From the New World' in E minor, Op. 95: 2. Largo. Classical music recorded by D Hamilton exclusively for Lynne Publishing. [Tempo: Slow, Medium / 0 BPM]
A sparse and hypnotic stock music with a trance like quaility. Features a female voice chanting in Gaelic or other World/Mystery style. Dark, somber and intense. Can be Eastern European / Balkan, Gaelic, or Eastern / Persian / Orient. [Tempo: Very slow, Slow / 50 BPM]
Spanish, mid-paced guitar duet. Dramatic, hot blooded, brooding, latino. [Tempo: Medium, Slow / 71 BPM]
A relaxing and calm new age piece, with a clear and gentle female vocalist and a Japanese flair. [Tempo: Very slow, Slow / 53 BPM]
