1970's Educational Film Background Music

November 5, 2005 3:08 PM

Background music for a 1970's-style educational filmstrip?

I'm looking for something upbeat and instrumental, with a good even tempo. I have created a 30 second commercial in the form of an educational filmstrip and I just don't know where to find this type of music. I don't mind buying a song if necessary.

posted by still to media & arts (7 comments total)

Dude, anything by Boards of Canada.

My pick? Try to find 'Pete Standing Alone'.
posted by mikeybidness at 3:47 PM on November 5, 2005

I encourage you to explore the works of Raymond Scott, particularly the 2-disc "Manhattan Research, Inc." set (which I've had a hard time removing from the CD player lately). Much of this stuff was specifically invented for commercial purposes, and it sounds fresh but dated in that weird way that early electronica does.
posted by Dr. Wu at 3:56 PM on November 5, 2005

Try Percy Faith, possibly "Theme From A Summer Place". You can listen to a sample here.
posted by soiled cowboy at 4:47 PM on November 5, 2005

optiganally yours.

I think you could sample a nice little 30 second spot out of much of their stuff.
posted by carsonb at 7:03 PM on November 5, 2005

sorry, should mention that most of OY is not instrumental.
posted by carsonb at 7:06 PM on November 5, 2005

sorry, should mention that most of OY is not instrumental. but still, check the intros/outros

also look into samba/bossa. carl henry brueggen or celso fonseca or caetano veloso have some good instrumental cuts.
posted by carsonb at 7:08 PM on November 5, 2005

Raymond Scott would be absolutely perfect for something more in the '50s or '60s vein, as much of his work was designed for purposes such as this, but I don't think it would fit in with a 1970s vibe.
Boards of Canada do indeed take much of their sonic cues from the '70s filmstrip sound, but their more recent material has grown rather more lush and three-dimensional, so you'd likely want to limit your investigations to the album Music Has The Right To Children. They are also prone to throwing sonic monkey-wrenches into their 1970s pastiches, which can add a distracting and/or unsettling element (if that's something you want).
If you want something a bit more neutral, production-wise, but still in that mellow 1970s arranging style, try the French electronic group Air's EP Premieres Symptomes, especially "Casanova 70" and "Les Professionels."
posted by mykescipark at 10:40 PM on November 6, 2005 [1 favorite has favorites]