Where to find music that\u2019s free to download<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nWhatever you do, when you look to download music for videos, you need to be sure that you have the right to use it. The same goes for sound effects, too. You can read about copyright in our article on copyright-free music<\/a> to bring yourself up-to-speed, but in short, you can\u2019t just use something because you like it. You need to download your music or sound effects from a reputable library, such as Artlist, and have a license to use them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"music](\"https:\/\/artlist.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/028a1dd70c2222aa7c94b19ac23f84d65fb0c730.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nIf you have a limited production budget<\/a>, it is possible to find free music downloads that won\u2019t require you to purchase a license. YouTube has an extensive archive from which you can download background music for videos<\/a>. The music here is either out-of-copyright and in the public domain or made available using Creative Commons licenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\nCreative Commons licenses allow people to use creative content, such as music or photos, for free, but with varying conditions. For example, some creators will enable anyone to use their work in any way they choose. But some Creative Commons licenses will only allow content for non-commercial use and with credit to the original creator. You can read more about this on the Creative Commons<\/a> website.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Free Music Archive<\/em> is packed full of content, both in the public domain and under a Creative Commons license, cleared for use in various ways, some of them commercially. It makes it easy and legal for you to download music for videos without having to pay anything at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOther places where you can download music for videos under Creative Commons licenses include SoundCloud<\/em>, ccMixter<\/em>, and BenSound<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIf you\u2019re looking for Orchestral pieces, then try Musopen<\/em>, which includes recordings by famous composers, including Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, and Schubert, among many others.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhere to find royalty-free music to download<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nRoyalty-free music isn\u2019t free to use, but it does present you with a broader selection of music to download. And you\u2019re helping to support fellow artists<\/a>. When you buy a license for a royalty-free music download, you pay a one-time fee, so you don\u2019t have to pay for every play of the track. The rules of a license can vary depending on where you purchase it, but we\u2019ll look at that later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Electronic](\"https:\/\/artlist.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/8b0334d0c9c8633d9cdfd7fe91beee37e6ca6d3f.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWe obviously think that Artlist is the best option for royalty-free music downloads<\/a>, but there are other places where you can download music for videos. Use the term \u2018royalty-free music download\u2019 in a search engine, and you\u2019ll get plenty of choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhere to find sound effects<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nArtlist has an extensive sound effects library<\/a> to download on a royalty-free basis. But if you are looking for sound effects that are free to download, try the BBC<\/em>. There you can download sound effects that are free to use for personal, educational, or research purposes. If you want to download sound effects for commercial purposes, you can license them there too. Freesound<\/em> has a library of sound effects free for download under Creative Commons licenses, while Free SFX<\/em> has thousands of sound effects that are free to download.<\/p>\n\n\n\nMusic and SFX licensing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nLicenses to download background music or sounds come in different varieties. You will usually be looking at rights-managed options when you pay a fee for every time a piece of music or a sound is played (that can get expensive fast), or royalty-free when one payment allows you to add background music to your videos or to insert a sound effect. However, not all royalty-free licenses are the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"microphone\"](\"https:\/\/artlist.io\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/4a70f8b4bba60e86e9c79caa122f981b99fc8877.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nSome royalty-free music or sound effects libraries will operate on a per-song or per-sound basis. In this case, you pay a one-time fee for each track or sound effect you download. Other libraries, such as Artlist<\/a>, operate on a subscription basis, which allows you to download as many songs or sound effects as you want for a periodic fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\nEven with a royalty-free license, there could be restrictions written into the terms and conditions. Be sure to check that your license allows you to use your music or sound downloads on any platform, in any geographical location, and without time limitations. Some licenses expire after a given period or if you don\u2019t keep up your subscription.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Artlist license<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThe Artlist license, for royalty-free music and <\/span>sound effects,<\/a> is very straightforward.<\/span> You can also get footage, templates, LUTs, and many AI tools specifically built for video creators. When you subscribe to Artlist Max<\/a>, you get access to the entire library. <\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Artlist license on published projects lasts forever, so you don\u2019t have to worry about renewing it in five years. If, for whatever reason, you decide not to renew your Artlist subscription, any project that features music you downloaded as a subscriber remains covered in perpetuity. When you download a royalty-free background music track or sound effect from Artlist, you can use it wherever you want and on whatever video project you want. You can use it on any platform, in any jurisdiction, and in as many different projects as you wish, as long as you are a subscriber. That means you can use the same piece of music in a video, a podcast, and a video game without having to worry about multiple licenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That said, you can\u2019t use Artlist music or sounds for anything hateful, racist, pornographic, inciteful, or otherwise illegal or defamatory. Downloads are not transferable, either. That means only you can use it unless you are a contractor creating something on behalf of a client. But we think that\u2019s fair enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
The Artlist license is simple and straightforward. With your subscription, you are covered for your royalty-free background music and sound effects downloads in just about any way and place you can think of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to choose and add songs to your videos<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nIf you have a limited production budget<\/a>, it is possible to find free music downloads that won\u2019t require you to purchase a license. YouTube has an extensive archive from which you can download background music for videos<\/a>. The music here is either out-of-copyright and in the public domain or made available using Creative Commons licenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Creative Commons licenses allow people to use creative content, such as music or photos, for free, but with varying conditions. For example, some creators will enable anyone to use their work in any way they choose. But some Creative Commons licenses will only allow content for non-commercial use and with credit to the original creator. You can read more about this on the Creative Commons<\/a> website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Free Music Archive<\/em> is packed full of content, both in the public domain and under a Creative Commons license, cleared for use in various ways, some of them commercially. It makes it easy and legal for you to download music for videos without having to pay anything at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other places where you can download music for videos under Creative Commons licenses include SoundCloud<\/em>, ccMixter<\/em>, and BenSound<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re looking for Orchestral pieces, then try Musopen<\/em>, which includes recordings by famous composers, including Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, and Schubert, among many others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Royalty-free music isn\u2019t free to use, but it does present you with a broader selection of music to download. And you\u2019re helping to support fellow artists<\/a>. When you buy a license for a royalty-free music download, you pay a one-time fee, so you don\u2019t have to pay for every play of the track. The rules of a license can vary depending on where you purchase it, but we\u2019ll look at that later on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We obviously think that Artlist is the best option for royalty-free music downloads<\/a>, but there are other places where you can download music for videos. Use the term \u2018royalty-free music download\u2019 in a search engine, and you\u2019ll get plenty of choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Artlist has an extensive sound effects library<\/a> to download on a royalty-free basis. But if you are looking for sound effects that are free to download, try the BBC<\/em>. There you can download sound effects that are free to use for personal, educational, or research purposes. If you want to download sound effects for commercial purposes, you can license them there too. Freesound<\/em> has a library of sound effects free for download under Creative Commons licenses, while Free SFX<\/em> has thousands of sound effects that are free to download.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Licenses to download background music or sounds come in different varieties. You will usually be looking at rights-managed options when you pay a fee for every time a piece of music or a sound is played (that can get expensive fast), or royalty-free when one payment allows you to add background music to your videos or to insert a sound effect. However, not all royalty-free licenses are the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some royalty-free music or sound effects libraries will operate on a per-song or per-sound basis. In this case, you pay a one-time fee for each track or sound effect you download. Other libraries, such as Artlist<\/a>, operate on a subscription basis, which allows you to download as many songs or sound effects as you want for a periodic fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even with a royalty-free license, there could be restrictions written into the terms and conditions. Be sure to check that your license allows you to use your music or sound downloads on any platform, in any geographical location, and without time limitations. Some licenses expire after a given period or if you don\u2019t keep up your subscription.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Artlist license, for royalty-free music and <\/span>sound effects,<\/a> is very straightforward.<\/span> You can also get footage, templates, LUTs, and many AI tools specifically built for video creators. When you subscribe to Artlist Max<\/a>, you get access to the entire library. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Artlist license on published projects lasts forever, so you don\u2019t have to worry about renewing it in five years. If, for whatever reason, you decide not to renew your Artlist subscription, any project that features music you downloaded as a subscriber remains covered in perpetuity. When you download a royalty-free background music track or sound effect from Artlist, you can use it wherever you want and on whatever video project you want. You can use it on any platform, in any jurisdiction, and in as many different projects as you wish, as long as you are a subscriber. That means you can use the same piece of music in a video, a podcast, and a video game without having to worry about multiple licenses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That said, you can\u2019t use Artlist music or sounds for anything hateful, racist, pornographic, inciteful, or otherwise illegal or defamatory. Downloads are not transferable, either. That means only you can use it unless you are a contractor creating something on behalf of a client. But we think that\u2019s fair enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n The Artlist license is simple and straightforward. With your subscription, you are covered for your royalty-free background music and sound effects downloads in just about any way and place you can think of.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhere to find royalty-free music to download<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWhere to find sound effects<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Music and SFX licensing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe Artlist license<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How to choose and add songs to your videos<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n