Sync Strategy & Creative Standards

🎯 Sync Strategy & Creative Standards

What Makes Music Syncable — and How We Curate with Intention

At Astronic Media, we don’t just submit tracks. We craft stories. Sync success comes from understanding what a scene feels like — and delivering music that amplifies that feeling. Every selection we pitch should be intentional, emotionally resonant, and technically clean.

🔑 What Makes a Track Syncable?

Here’s what we look for when reviewing or selecting tracks:

✅ Strong Openings

• Tracks should grab attention within the first 10–15 seconds

• Avoid long intros unless they build tension deliberately

• No dead air — even ambient tracks need forward motion

✅ Emotional Arc

• Builds, drops, tension, resolution — moments that editors can cut to

• Instrumental changes that match narrative pacing

• Think in “sync points” (e.g., where dialogue stops, camera cuts, product reveals)

✅ Clear Moods & Dynamics

• Does the track evoke a specific feeling (hopeful, tense, rebellious, intimate)?

• Can it shift or grow without losing cohesion?

• Can it be described in 1–2 keywords quickly?

✅ Flexible Structure

• Easily loopable or editable

• Has sections that can be isolated for transitions

• Includes alternate versions (instrumental, 30-sec cutdown, stems)

✅ Quality Production

• Clean mix, no clipping or distortion

• Commercial-level loudness and clarity

• Vocals (if present) are clean and understandable — unless they’re meant to be abstract

✅ No Clearance Risks

• No uncleared samples, random collaborators, or rights issues

• Must be one-stop or pre-cleared with full metadata

⚠️ Common Red Flags

• Overly complex or experimental structure (hard to edit)

• Lyrical content that’s too specific, violent, or limiting

• Overused clichés (unless that’s what the brief asks for)

• Generic stock sounds without identity

• Long intros with no payoff

• Incomplete metadata or unclear rights ownership

🎨 Curating with Intention

When selecting tracks for a brief:

• Think emotion first: What does the scene need to feel like?

• Prioritize mood matches, not just genre

• Use DISCO tags and playlists to quickly explore themes

• If you’re unsure — test it. Watch the scene, mute the original, and play the track over it.

🛠 Example Scenarios

Brief TypeIdeal Track FeaturesSports PromoBig drums, fast pace, confident energy, cut points every 4–8 barsRomantic DramaSwelling textures, emotional arc, slow build, organic elementsTikTok AdShort hook, bounce, playful or trendy feel, under 30 sec readyThriller FilmDrones, tension builds, percussive layers, unresolved endings

🧠 Reminder: Sync is Emotional Storytelling

Don’t just ask: “Is this track good?”
Ask: “Could this help tell a visual story — and how?”

Every pitch is a chance to place a feeling in front of an audience. We don’t just choose music that sounds good — we choose music that feels right.