Music licensing commonly describes'royalty free music'or'production music '. This really is music that's been written and produced with the only real intent behind being used in another project. Anyone will then license this music for a fee, to use within their project. SIX RINGS
What about commercial music?
Commercial music, written and performed by artists like Adele, M83 and U2 for instance, cannot be used for any purpose apart from personal/private performance. When you buy a CD or download an MP3, it is specifically stated that you cannot do anything with that song or music track except listen to it yourself. Any business use is prohibited, even playing it on the air to customers at a hair salon.
To play commercial music to people, a public performance licensed is needed by the right performing rights organisation of that country. In the UK it might be PRS or PPL. In the US/Canada, it might be BMI or ASCAP. These organisations arrange a fee to the proprietor of the company, on the basis of the size of these business/location. This is often expensive, and frustrating simply to play the air to your web visitors on your premises, but does permit the company to play the air to its customers without legal issues.
This is simply not the right solution for video production and filmmaking, whilst the usage and intent behind music isn't the same. As numerous video production companies produce content for clients, they want background music because of their video/film that's cleared for its intended purpose. When licensing commercial music, arranging such a license for online, public performance, in-store and mass distribution quickly becomes expensive and convoluted.
Royalty free music licensing offers a simple and cost effective solution to acquiring well produced music with all necessary rights for the client, inside an affordable, transparent license.
Who must license music?
Anyone creating digital content with the intention of publishing it online or publicly. It's really that simple. You can't legally use music you've not written yourself, or licensed from the music library.
What about'home movies'and'personal projects '?
The same rules affect home movies and personal projects, but because they're produced not-for-profit, nor professionally with respect to a customer it is possible to make use of commercial music in this kind of content. However, when this content is published to social platforms like Facebook and YouTube, you could find your video is blocked in certain countries, or deleted entirely. The reason being commercial artists and record labels have an agreement set up that monitors use of their content on these platforms, and can enforce accordingly. There's however, many commercial artists and record labels who permit the utilization of their music in exchange for advertising. An ad is going to be mounted on your content as a pre-roll, overlay or half-time break throughout the video in exchange for permission to make use of their music track. If you're producing something personal,'for fun'then this shouldn't be an issue.
The risks of using commercial music in professional video
A customer may want the most recent chart hit in their video as it resonates using their target market, or they think it represents their brand. However, as outlined previously this may wind up immediately being blocked or deleted with further implications like account suspension. If the video isn't blocked or deleted, then it is going to be served with ads.
This is the last thing you want for the client. You've produced a movie promoting their new service, and prior to the video has even started, viewers are increasingly being shown ads for competing brands and products. It degrades the potential of the video and the brand.
Why license ROYALTY FREE MUSIC?
You will find THREE key reasoned explanations why licensing music correctly is hugely important.
1. You're using music that may NOT be subject to copyright claims, blocks or deletion when it's published online. This implies you are able to deliver your end-product to your client without fear of any music related issues.
2. You can MONETISE the content you produce. If you're producing the content on your own online channel on YouTube, you'll undoubtedly be entered in to the partner program, to earn money from ads displayed on your videos. You can't earn money from these ads if the music isn't licensed, as it will go straight to the artist/producer of the music. Purchase the music license, earn money from that music license. Simple.
3. Create an identity for the video. Whether you're producing something with respect to a customer, or yourself. If you use a hugely popular, well-known commercial music track, odds are that song will resonate with the viewer a lot more than your content. However, if you create great video content AND license an ideal music track nobody has heard before, you're supplying a completely unique audio/visual package that's new and fresh.
What about free music?
If you look for it, you will discover music that is available to make use of for free. But think about, how come it free?
Free in exchange for ads and revenue.
The creator could be giving you permission to make use of their music in exchange for ad-revenue online via YouTube and Facebook, and you won't know this until you publish it and get informed ads is going to be displayed alongside your video, with all revenue going to the artist.
A poor quality sample
The free music track you're using is actually a low quality sample of something an artist is trying to sell. This is actually a low 128kbs MP3 that appears suitable, nevertheless when played back against high quality content, will sound quiet, muted and generally much less good. When music is licensed from a library, it should be for sale in broadcast quality WAV or 320kbps MP3 as standard.
Who else is deploying it?
You won't be the only person searching for free music. People creating content purely for private projects don't have a budget for music licensing so they want something free. If you're creating a project for a customer who's paying you, would they enjoy a you utilising the same free music track as everyone else? If it's free, odds are a lot of people will take advantage of it.
Clearance and Assurance
Anyone can upload a music track online. There's no vetting, no quality control or legal assurance. Any Blog or digital content platform can host a music track for others to share. So, when you're downloading a'free music track'how are you aware the provider actually has the rights to supply it for your requirements? When you license a music track from a professional curated library, you've the assurance that each single music track has been reviewed, contracted and published legally for you yourself to license and use.
Why buy music?
You will find a large number of music tracks online. What difference will there be between'Track A'and'Track B '? As a movie producer/filmmaker, think about this question: "You will find a large number of video cameras available. iPhones can shoot 4K video and you are able to plug a microphone into them. Why should a business hire me to shoot their video"?
When you license music from a reliable library, you're investing in the expertise in writing and composing the music track. From the start, middle and end. The quality of instruments used. The production of dynamic audio, the builds and crescendos. The post production mastering and edits so that the 3 minute piece could be condensed in to a short 30 second edit without losing the magic of the music track.
The difference you get when someone films a corporate video on their iPhone compared to someone filming the exact same video with a professional camera, lighting and staging is painfully obvious. It's no different in regards to music or photography. There's the technology, the information the skill and ability to mix them to accomplish the greatest quality result.
So what can I really do with licensed music?
Whatever you want. Music could be licensed for limited use or global distribution, mass production and broadcast. You can license music for a particular purpose and tailor it to accommodate any additional requirements at any time.