Finding the perfect soundtrack for your video can be frustrating and time consuming - but it doesn’t have to be. In this post we’ll guide you through the process of finding high quality, royalty-free music that will elevate your marketing videos. The right song is out there!
Stock Music - Why do I need it?
Licensing popular music can come with thorny copyright issues and a huge price tag. Getting a video removed from YouTube or social media because of copyright issues can be incredibly frustrating and threatens to derail your marketing strategy. And using songs without permission can even lead to legal repercussions.
This is where stock music comes in. Stock music is created by musicians specifically for use in videos, and it has two huge advantages. First, it can be purchased relatively cheaply, with a clear license for how you can use it. And second, since stock music is made specifically to serve as a soundtrack, it’s possible to find instrumental tracks and options for different moods and genres.
Possible, but not easy. If finding music and editing videos is consuming too much of your work week, Capture can help. We take great care to find music that amplifies your message and connects with your audience. And with our unlimited video editing and production plans, you’ll spend less time poring over stock music licenses and more time focusing on high-level marketing strategy.
Where Can I Find It?
Stock music is available through various online libraries, or occasionally directly from the musician. Some services, such as Artlist, require a subscription, but allow unlimited downloads. Other sites, like PremiumBeat and MusicVine, offer both subscription and a la carte options. Pricing can depend on the size of your company, the size of your audience, and where the video will be placed. Uppbeat is a more affordable option for small creators, with free and cheap subscription tiers.
Can I Find Stock Music For Free?
Free options are limited, but they are out there! The YouTube Audio Library is a great source for free stock music. Check the “License Type” column to see where you can use each song, and whether you need to credit the artist. Kevin MacLeod, the “King of Royalty-Free Music”, has recorded over 2000 songs that are available for free on his website. (There’s even a documentary about him!) If you already use a service for stock photos or video footage, check to see if your subscription includes music.
What’s the Difference Between “Free” and “Royalty Free”?
You might be confused to see a “royalty-free” stock music track listed for purchase - so, not free. Royalties are ongoing payments that a copyright holder accrues from any money their work brings in, or every instance of their work being shown. For example, a musician whose song is used in a popular tv show might earn royalties every time that episode is aired. With a “royalty-free” license agreement, on the other hand, a one-time fee is paid for the track (or for your subscription) and you won’t owe anything more.
Make sure to read your stock music license carefully and understand the terms of the agreement before purchasing. If you’re confused, reach out to a customer service representative. They can help find the license type that’s appropriate for your usage.
How Do I Find the Right Song for My Video?
Ok, you’ve chosen a stock music site to use and are digging into the options...the many, many options. First, form an idea of what kind of music you need. Think about the target audience and marketing demographic. Country or electronic? Fast or slow? Suspenseful or laid back? Sometimes it can be helpful to imagine a pop song you’d love to use, and work backward to find something similar.
Most stock music sites allow you to search for multiple parameters at the same time. You can sort by preferred genre, tempo, and mood, as well as song length and whether a track is instrumental or has lyrics. Some services are introducing AI search capability, which can give you even more relevant results. Once you find something that’s close to what you want, click through to the “similar songs” tab or look for more songs by the same artist.
If you find yourself in a never-ending scroll of stock music pergatory, and you are beginning to doubt your own taste and sanity, take a break. Give your favorites a second listen after lunch. You might be pleasantly surprised, or you may have no idea what you were thinking. If that’s the case, note what the problem is and get back in the game.
Finding the right search terms or categories is essential - keep trying new combinations and eventually you’ll hit on the right one. Certain modifiers, like “cinematic” or “corporate”, can make a big difference. And you can also choose to exclude any songs tagged with a particular category. Tired of random Christmas songs cluttering up your results? Exclude “holiday” from the genre list.
Should I Pick Music Before I Start to Edit?
This depends on your personal workflow as well as video type. For interview and script-based videos, get a rough edit assembled first. Then you can “audition” songs while playing through your timeline. If you are designing complicated motion graphics set to a beat, it makes sense to get the music selection nailed down before beginning your animations.
Help! My Client/Boss Hates My Music Choice!
“Don’t love this track” might be the most common feedback you get from a client or supervisor. Try not to take it personally - the right music is crucial to delivering an impactful marketing video, and everyone will have an opinion about it. For this reason, it’s important NOT to purchase your music before getting final approval. Most sites offer preview downloads that have an audio watermark. Use these until your choice is approved. (If you’re using a subscription service with unlimited downloads, this doesn’t apply).
Try to figure out what it is about your first choice that isn’t working. Too disco? Try to refine your research terms. Too monotonous? In some cases you might want to use a couple different songs, especially if your video is hitting the 3-4 minute mark. This can help break the video up into different scenes and keep the viewer interested. Pull a handful of good options into your timeline, and solo one track at a time while playing through the rough cut. Have someone else take a listen as well.
Song is Great, Length is Not
You might find that your preferred music choice is a little too short or too long. Or there’s a weird saxophone solo in the middle that you could do without. It’s usually necessary to do a bit of audio remixing to get the song to fit perfectly. Carefully cut out or repeat some sections to achieve the correct length. Play around with this till you get something that sounds natural.
What are Stems and Stings?
Some tracks will come with the option to download “stems.” These are separated audio files that group different instruments together (drums in one track, brass in another, etc). This can be helpful if you’d like to eliminate or lower the levels of a certain part of the song (dare I say, less cowbell). Some tracks also come with multiple versions of the “sting”, which is the song’s outro. A good sting can add a nice button to your video that a fade out doesn’t achieve.
What is Audio Ducking?
Just like you duck your head walking under a beam, sometimes you need to “duck” your music to get out of the way of dialogue or voiceover. This can be achieved manually, by lowering the music volume while someone is speaking and raising it again during pauses. Audio keyframes will help you achieve a smooth transition. There are also automatic ducking features in most video editing programs.
Finally, you can lower the volume of the music just at the frequency of the human voice, so the music does not compete with your other audio in that register. Apply a Parametric Equalizer to your music track, and lower the 1500hz range 10db to let the human voice come through stronger.
Video editing is labor intensive, even without stock music headaches. If you’ve tried the tips above and are still struggling, reach out to us at Capture. We deliver plug-and-play video assets, so you can focus on executing your marketing strategy.
