Buy off a very soft moderate (7)
I believe the answer is:
appease
'buy off' is the definition.
(buy off can mean to appease or get on one's side)
'a very soft moderate' is the wordplay.
'very soft' becomes 'pp' (musical abbreviation for pianissimo).
'moderate' becomes 'ease' (moderate can mean to relax or ease).
'a'+'pp'+'ease'='APPEASE'
(Other definitions for appease that I've seen before include "Placate by making concessions" , "Mollify, placate" , "Make peace with" , "Mollify or calm by making concessions" , "Conciliate" .)