Narrative-Driven Design
In storytelling, finding the right music can be challenging.
There’s an abundance of well-produced, ear-catching, front-and-center music libraries—but music that draws attention to itself is often the last thing your narrative needs. For years, we’ve wrestled with this problem, finding it’s sometimes faster and more successful to compose our own music. But that’s not an option for everyone.
That’s why we’ve created Thrumm.
Thrumm isn’t just another production music library. It’s a carefully considered system, born from countless hours of podcast production and music composition. We’ve distilled our experience into a collection of thousands of tracks organized not by genre, but by narrative function: Action, Exposition, Resolution, and Tension.
This approach is simple, yet powerful. It allows you to intuitively match music to your story’s emotional arc, saving time and enhancing your narrative. Additionally, every piece in the Thrumm library is composed in complementary keys and tempos, allowing for seamless transitions and layering.
It’s like a Lego kit of music.
Thrumm’s subscription service provides flexible licensing and pricing tiered for every level of creator. For those seeking the most control, our Professional tier offers custom commissions, limited exclusivity, and the ability to request modifications to existing tracks. These tools are there if you need them, ready to support your most ambitious projects.
We’ve put a lot of care into crafting this library, and we hope it proves valuable in your storytelling journey.
FAQ
What makes Thrumm different?
Thrumm is uniquely designed for narrative content creators. Our music is categorized by narrative function rather than genre, composed in complementary keys and tempos for easy mixing, and curated specifically for use behind dialogue.
What is 'narrative function'?
We organize our tracks into four main categories: Action, Exposition, Resolution, and Tension. These align with common storytelling needs, making it easier to find the right music for each part of your narrative.
What are stems, and how can I use them?
Stems are individual instrument tracks that make up a full composition. They allow you to customize tracks by adjusting or removing specific elements to better fit your project.
What is the 'Extras' album?
Extras are short transitional pieces built to get you in and out of different moods. We’ve included Hits, Rises, Falls and Transitions. They’re perfect for subtly starting a track, bridging to a new cue, ending a certain mood, or use as interstitials.
Is new music added to the library?
We add new albums every 2-3 weeks, each containing 200-300 main and stem files with a common theme and aesthetic.
How does licensing work?
We have license agreements to cover your use of any track in the Thrumm library, in any way and for any purpose.
We offer three subscription tiers: Personal, Independent, and Professional. Your project’s budget determines which tier you qualify for and grants access to our full library. Subscriptions can be paid monthly, or annually at a discount.
For use in an ongoing podcast, radio program, YouTube channel, or social media account, subscribe at the appropriate tier while producing and publishing. If your project comes to an end, you may stop or pause your subscription—you are only required to keep it active while you are publishing new material.
One subscription covers one project (e.g. one podcast, one YouTube channel). Publishers with more than one project can inquire about discounted multi-project licenses.
You can view a sample license agreement here.
What tier should I choose?
The three subscription tiers are based on overall monthly project budget, which should include all expenses like staff salaries and ‘sweat equity.’ A hobbyist making a podcast on the weekends for fun should likely choose the Personal tier. An established YouTuber making a living off their channel might choose the Independent tier. An enterprise publisher should choose the Professional tier.
- Personal: total monthly budget of less than $500
- Independent: total monthly budget between $501 and $5,000
- Professional: total monthly budget above $5,000
If you’re unsure which tier you belong in, feel free to discuss it with us.
What are the benefits to the Professional tier?
The Professional tier is for those wanting white-glove service and support. Whenever feasible, we’ll honor customization requests like producing new alternate mixes or additional variations of existing ques. If there’s enough time, we can even create entire albums to subscribers’ specifications, and provide an exclusivity period before that album becomes part of the public library.
If you’d like to explore more benefits of the Professional tier, get in touch.
What about licensing for TV or film?
For larger budget productions like TV shows or films, please contact us directly. We’ll work with you to create a custom licensing agreement.
Can I keep the music I use in my projects?
Your license allows you to use our music in your projects as long as your subscription is active. If you cancel your subscription, you retain the right to use the music in any projects published during your subscription period.
Do I need to credit Thrumm in my projects?
While not required, we appreciate credit. A simple “Music by Thrumm” in your end credits or show notes is always welcome.
What is 'Source Audio'?
Source Audio (sourceaudio.com) is the music library management software provider we’ve partnered with to bring Thrumm to life. Many experienced sound editors will know and recognize the Source Audio interface, but if you’d like a quick tutorial and some tips on how to navigate a few of Source Audio’s peculiarities, take a peek at this video.
Who are you?
Thrumm was founded by podcast host, producer and composer Lindsay Graham (no, not that one). The idea for Thrumm started years ago in his own work on the podcasts ‘American History Tellers’ and ‘American Scandal,’ when he realized searching for music in libraries was frustrating and custom composing was exhausting.
Slowly, the system behind Thrumm was conceived: compose music specifically for narrative use, and make the tracks flexible enough to be reused, remixed and reimagined in project after project, episode after episode.
As more podcasts came along, the idea continued to take shape. In 2022, Lindsay hired composer James Henderson full time, and the real work of building the Thrumm library began. Two years later, Thrumm launched at Podcast Movement on August 20, 2024.