Confessions of a church-trained editor

Why You Shouldn’t Add Music Until the Story Works Without It

Some of my biggest lessons were learned after I'd already been filmmaking for over a decade, and I believe there are many more to come. When I first came across this idea, that you should finish the edit before touching music, I felt a bit called out, tbh. Not because it didn’t make sense. But because it made too much sense… and I had been doing the exact opposite for over a decade.

Editing to Music Was in My Blood

I didn’t just default to editing with music, I was wired for it.

I studied music. It shaped how I thought, how I worked, how I felt rhythm and flow. So when I got into video, it was natural to build every edit around a track. Music was the foundation.

My second video job was at a church, where we produced a new ad every single week. The formula was always the same:

1. Record a voiceover

2. Choose a music bed

3. Cut to the beat

4. Add a hook, event details, and an end screen

It was fast and efficient. That church trained me in the rhythms of production, but it also taught me to lean on music early. As I took on client work, I carried that habit with me. It became my default.

And I never questioned it… until much later.

Music is Powerful - But That’s the Problem

Music carries emotion. It sets tone. It adds momentum. It also hides flaws.

It’s like seasoning a dish before tasting it, you don’t really know if it works until you try it plain.

If your edit only feels good because of the music, you don’t have a solid story, you have a crutch. Music can cover awkward pacing, lifeless visuals, or clunky transitions. And that’s exactly why it’s dangerous when used too early.

The Story Needs to Sing First

Here’s the epiphany: a good edit already has rhythm. It already has emotion. It breathes. It builds. It communicates tension and release, even in silence.

Before you lay down a track, your edit should already show:

• A clear emotional arc

• Pacing that feels intentional

• Transitions that flow visually

• Dialogue that connects

• Moments that land, even without sound

If a client watched it with the volume muted, would they still feel something?

If yes, now you’re ready to bring in music.

When to Bring in Music (And How to Use It)

Here’s what I do now:

1. Cut the story first. Lay out the dialogue, interviews, or primary footage

2. Lock the picture timing, at least for the key beats

3. Watch it clean. No music. Just visuals, performance, pacing

4. Then explore music, once the cut is emotionally coherent

And when choosing music:

• Find something that supports the emotion, not controls it

• Avoid using temp tracks too early (they can trap you)

• Let silence carry part of the weight

• Use music as a layer, not a foundation

Silence Is Underrated

Silence isn’t empty. It’s space. It’s tension. It’s intimacy.

If you fill every second with music, you rob your edit of breath. You lose the contrast that makes music meaningful.

Let silence do some of the storytelling. Let viewers sit in the moment. Then, when the music comes in, it matters.

A Note for Client Edits

One thing I’ve learned the hard way: show music too soon, and the client falls in love with the “vibe.”

Even if the structure is off, they’ll latch onto the feel. Then, when you try to refine the edit, every change feels like a step backwards to them.

Now, I try to set expectations:

“This version has temp music to give it rhythm, but the real focus is still the story.”

Or better: I send a clean cut first and let the story speak before dressing it up.

Does This Apply to Every Kind of Edit?

Nope. Definitely not.

This music-last approach is for narrative and story-driven work, brand films, testimonials, case studies, short documentaries.

It doesn’t apply to:

• Music videos

• Live performances or multicam concert edits

• Choreography-led work

• Trailer-style cuts where music drives the concept

In those cases, music isn’t a layer, it’s the backbone. But for story-first pieces, you have to let the visuals carry the weight.

Final Thought: Music is a Finishing Tool, Not a Fixing Tool

As someone with a deep love for music, it’s still tough for me to hold off. But I’ve learned that the best edits don’t rely on a soundtrack to work they rely on rhythm, emotion, and intent.

Music should enhance your story, not disguise its weaknesses.

The silence is where you find the soul. Let the story breathe first, and let the music arrive like a gift.