If you'd heard an instrumental song once but weren't savvy enough to describe it in musical terms

[Orrex]

How would you find it to buy/download it?

[elleng]

1. Wouldn't!

Fortunately I heard it again and again!

AND just recently learned that its not only a Mozart piece but ALSO BRUBECK!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwNrmYRiX_o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kc34Uj8wlmE

[Fire Walk With Me]

2. Remember the Married with Children episode where Al was after a 45...

...and all he could remember was "Mm Mm Him", and hummed that to everyone he met? That's how you do it. And don't put the record on your footstool after you find it.

I'm not telling the DHS story.

[MilesColtrane]

3. Start by describing the instrumentation.

Violins, distorted guitar, drum set, xylophone?

[XemaSab]

4. Sitar, Theramin...

:shrug:

[peruban]

10. Try Ravi Shankar for sitar music.

[Orrex]

9. As it turns out, my question was only semi-hypothetical

A buddy of mine was trying to track down a song, and he could do no better than "it goes doo-doo-doo-doo-doodoo-doo," noting also that it was a synthesizer. And that he'd also heard it in a dishwasher commercial but couldn't remember for which brand.

And so the matter remained unsolved for some months, until we were both in the car and the song came on the radio as background music to some promotional piece for the station. Ultimately, we called to ask what it was, and they told us "Popcorn."

But without that fortunately timed commercial, he'd probably still be wondering!

[KitchenWitch]

11. This one?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N4ckFN96-k

[Orrex]

12. That's the one!

Though in the commercial it was played at a faster tempo, apparently.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

5. what TYPE of music...start with that...

was it jazz, rock, country?

Where did you hear it? on the radio? In a bar?

What tempo? fast, slow?

[Zavulon]

6. I'd put up the most specifc post I could on a board like this:

http://www.askmehelpdesk.com/songs/looking-name-instrumental-song-18019.html

Someone, somewhere, will know what song you're talking about.

[MilesColtrane]

7. You might try this.

http://www.midomi.com/

I've never tried it, and I doubt it's ability to find instrumental tunes given just how inaccurate people can be singing back a melody. (myself included)

Could be worth a shot though.

[Tom Kitten]

8. Give as much information as you can possibly remember about it

Finding obscure music on the internets is something I have a knack for and can possibly help you with...

[SOteric]

13. It obviously won't work in every instance,

but there's this place: http://www.tvshowmusic.com and I pick up quite a few tunes while they're playing in background on some show.

[Orrex]

14. Cool link--thanks!

[peruban]

15. Here's another potential resource.

http://www.discogs.com/home