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MUSIC
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Los Angeles-based music consultant for the hospitality industry Brad Pressman reveals what tunes to play in your hotel — when, where and why
hat to play When choosing the right music for your hotel, it is important to match the music to your brand and even localise the sound. An example here would be a brand like the Four Seasons which has consistency to their sound but also local flavour in areas such as Africa. You’ll hear light classical or chill-out music in their lobbies, but when you step into their properties in Africa, the sound you hear will have African beats and influences. When to play it Unless you have a quiet room like many of the Silicon Valley’s high-tech companies in California, music is generally expected in most areas. In-room music should play upon the guest’s arrival, but must be easy to turn off. If a short loop playlist is used in a smaller common area, staff may complain about songs being repeated, which can be demotivating for them and annoying for returning guests. This can be easily fixed by purchasing music on flash or hard drives from a company that can offer a variety of musical styles. There are systems available which can separate channels for each area of the hotel and have them play during a certain time of the day. A typical hotel day carries anywhere from 300 to 350 songs without a repeat, depending upon the style of music and length of songs. Some companies now offer ‘divisional hard drives’ which come with folders of music to cover a full day or even a day and a half without a single repeat. The advantage of these drives is that they last for years and come with mp3 files that can be easily imported into your system. This will help you to set the mood correctly, avoid repeats and give you what I call ‘day-parted ambience’. You could,
for example, order four six-hour blocks of light classical for newspaper reading and coffee in the mornings, during lunch and afternoon tea in the lounge; chillout and jazz music for dinner and on into the evening, and Middle Eastern or Asian sounds for overnight hours when most guests are sleeping. Why play it First impressions are created from sounds as well as sight, smell and service, so set the right mood through the music. From the moment your guests step foot into the lobby, you want to transport them. If done properly, as in The Hotel in Las Vegas for example, the mood can relax and invigorate the guest upon arrival and set the tone for their entire stay. On the other hand, the wrong music can turn off arriving guests. Guests expecting a chic and classy experience in a hotel in Paris aren’t going to appreciate the latest grunge hits for example. Mu-
Groups like Morcheeba, Massive Attack and Moby have had heavy overhead play in hotels around the world because their music creates a happy yet relaxed mood and is near perfect for the hotel environment
For more music tips email brad@privatelabelmusic.com
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BOUTIQUE HOTELIER | June 2014
INSPIRE
Licensed to play In the UK, you’ll probably need a ‘PRS for Music licence’ if you play recorded music in public, for example a radio, CD or music channel on your business premises. A PRS for Music licence also allows you to play live music on your premises, for example a pianist in your restaurant. In most cases you’ll also need a Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL) licence to legally play recorded music in public. PPL collects and distributes money for the use of recorded music on behalf of record companies and performers. Find out more at: www. prsformusic.com
sical preferences are very personal and you can’t please everyone, but by planning a playlist, you can ensure that the mood created through music reflects your brand and the local area. Where to play it There are many styles of music which are appropriate for high-traffic areas in hotels, such as the lobby or restaurant. Among them is probably the most popular style of chill out which often carries a continuous soft loop with good instrumental and sometimes vocal melodies. Groups like Morcheeba, Massive Attack and Moby have had heavy overhead play in hotels around the world because their music creates a happy yet relaxed mood and is near perfect for this kind of environment. Other groups have a more instrumental focus to their chill-out sound, such as Beyond Orange, Kinobe and music from the Cafe del Sol or Chill Out Lounge compilation series. When we talk about other areas of the property, different styles of music come into play such as new age or light classical for the spa; house music or light pop for the pool area; up-tempo dance music for the fitness room and sometimes world music for themed areas such as international restaurants.
June 2014 | BOUTIQUE HOTELIER
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