Finneas on Creating a New Mnemonic Intro for Apple Originals
Finneas discusses his task of composing his shortest music piece yet — a brief sound sequence that will precede every Apple TV program moving forward. If conciseness defines success, Finneas may be poised for his most widely heard hit.
Commission and Concept
Commissioned by Apple, the multiple-Oscar and Grammy-winning artist was asked to create a theme so brief it is called a “mnemonic” instead of a theme. This short sound will introduce every Apple Original show and film from now on.
Significance of the Mnemonic
While this won't bring him the fame linked to co-creating hits like “Birds of a Feather,” the mnemonic could become his most frequently heard composition if it remains in use over years.
“Mnemonic is sort of a beautiful word for a logo accompanied by sound. The things that I think of as real classic mnemonics are NBC — you can hear that in your head — or HBO has its static.”
Impact on Streaming Viewers
Finneas acknowledges how streaming habits might increase the mnemonic’s ubiquity. When binge-watching a series like Ted Lasso, Severance, or Disclaimer — the latter of which he scored himself — viewers might hear the mnemonic up to ten times per day.
“If you’re binge-ing the whole season of ‘Ted Lasso’ or ‘Severance’ or ‘Disclaimer,’ you’re going to hear the mnemonic 10 times in one day. So it’s gotta be something that’s like the bite of ginger between rolls or something, you know?”
Assignment Origin
The brief came from David Taylor, Apple’s Head of Music, who requested something very brief yet memorable.
Author’s summary: Finneas crafted an ultra-short musical mnemonic for Apple Originals, aiming to create a subtle yet memorable sound that viewers will repeatedly hear across series binges.