Creatives can sometimes get a bad rap. Filmmakers, writers, and musicians are sometimes seen by the outside world as having their heads in the sky all the time. Imagining a filmmaker usually means picturing someone that aches over every detail, caring for nothing but the project at hand. Yet, those kinds of people aren’t pretentious, they just care deeply about what they do. Like any other project, passion or professional, filmmaking has its fair share of concerns. And one major concern for filmmakers has to do with the budget. That’s why many creators want to find free background music for their video production.
Paying for music can be difficult especially when it’s hard enough to afford proper equipment to film with. Not every filmmaker has a Hollywood studio filled with all kinds of production equipment at their disposal. Most of the time, the average filmmaker just has their phone for filming.
But with the right music, writing, and passion for a project — it doesn’t matter what kind of equipment someone has. If they care enough about it, they can make something that speaks to audiences and resonates like a harmony. It isn’t pretentious — it’s art.
The Best Background Music is Emotional
Before finding the best free background music, you need to know what the best kind of background music would be. You need to know what kind of mood you want to set for a particular scene, and how you want audiences to react. You need to know how you want people to remember something you make.
Slower and melodic music can make people forlorn and sad; they’ll remember how miserable a scene made them feel. With the right kind of writing, that may not be a bad thing. However, quicker and quirkier beats will set a happier tone, making people smile if that’s what’s called for.
You should hear the kind of song you want before selecting one to go with the scene. Once you identify the kind of tone you want to set, it’s just a matter of sifting through a bunch of music to find a track that matches.
Your Music Should Complement Your Visuals
Video is of course a visual form; people don’t go to the movie theater to listen to music. They go because they want to see something they’ve never seen before, and it’s your job to give it to them. Inherently, it means the music is secondary to your video.
Don’t let the music you select call attention to itself. Instead, it should blend into the background the same way a tree or a bedroom can in one of your scenes. People should know that it’s there, but they shouldn’t be thinking about it.
Instead, what’s on the screen should have their full attention, and the music should help them feel the emotion you’re hoping to convey. Your music should be edited so that it goes with the flow of the scene, not the other way around.
Consider instrumentals more than vocals
When most filmmakers first start out, they want to find full-fledged songs to go with their movies. The music helps them imagine a scene, and they start to associate the song with the things they want to create. However, it’s almost a mistake to include a full-fledged song in a production.
Unless there is a specific reason to include a song with vocals, it’s better to choose an instrumental track to complement a scene. It’ll make the scene stand out more and it will highlight all of the action with it. Most of all, it will ensure your music doesn’t call attention to itself.
Beware the YouTube Channel Killer: Copyright
Most modern filmmakers get their start on YouTube, and that’s great! It’s a platform that’s designed to help people find their footing and hone their creative styles when it comes to making videos. There are no expectations when it comes to making videos on YouTube Except for one big exception: copyright. Content creators are expected to follow copyright laws, or else they may lose their channels. And music is one of the easiest ways to accidentally violate copyright law.
The platform automatically detects when you use a song that has a copyright on it, whether you realize it’s copyrighted or not. If you haven’t paid for it, you will get a strike on your account. Get enough strikes and you’ll lose access to your channel and won’t be able to post videos anymore.
Not All Free Background Music for Video Posts is Usable
Instead of facing copyright laws, many video creators try to find free music for their videos. If it’s free, you won’t be penalized for using it, right? Well, that’s not always the case. Plus, you shouldn’t sacrifice quality or safety just to save a few bucks.
It’s better to pay a few dollars for music that will resonate with people and will help a project shine. Free music rarely contains the same power that quality music does, since it’s often made with simple equipment by inexperienced artists. And when you’re making videos, you should demand the best.
And unsurprisingly, free music is not always safe. If someone is willing to put their music online for free, ask yourself if they’ve done all the due diligence involved in making sure their music doesn’t rip off any other piece of music that’s out there. If they haven’t done their due diligence, you’ll find yourself right back into a copyright infringement situation. But this time, there could be a lawsuit.
Video is a Powerful Creative Form
Video is one of the most powerful creative forms in the world. It’s easily consumed as people just need to sit back and watch–as opposed to actively read something. A good video will spread like wildfire, and not just because people enjoy how easy it is to consume. Good videos will also resonate with people on an emotional level. It will remind them that they’re not alone and that there are people out there who understand them. Above all, filmmaking is an art form as much as music is.
With such a platform doesn’t your film deserve to be put in the best light possible? Is free background music for video truly the best you can do for your content? We all want to keep our production expenses down but there’s also the need to find background music for video productions that can meet your high standards. And that’s why we’re here!
We have an extensive library of great music at low subscription pricing that will make any filmmakers’ production soar. Sign up for an account with us and create something that matters!