mediasalt

Let’s face it the music bed on a video makes or breaks the project. It really does. I think that is why we are so quick to use the creative talents of professional musicians. That new song by Jónsi captures the mood and angst of my video so well. In case you missed it, this is not OK.

The good news is royalty free music is becoming much more accessible and better. Without too much hassle you can find stuff that doesn’t have that “stock music” sound that has driven us to stealing. Here is a short list of where I get my stuff.

1. Friendly Music: Friendlymusic.com

Cleve introduced us to friendly music last week. This is incredibly easy to use and cheap. The site says it’s good for your YouTube videos but you can use them in other productions.

2. FreePlayMusic: Freeplaymusic.com

I have found some gems on here. I like the search engine on this site. It helps you find exactly what you are looking for. Still a lot of “stock” sounding pieces on here though.

3. Mobygratis: Mobygratis.com

Best kept secret out there. The turn around can be slow on permissions but the price and quality just can’t be beat.

4. Friends

Everyone has a brother or friend in a band. Ask them to sit down at a guitar or piano and record some stuff. This will help get rid of the electronic “stock” synth sounds that plague royalty free music.

5. YOU!

Open up GarageBand or Soundtrack Pro and start assembling something. You are a creative editor and you will be blown away at how fast you will pick up on this software. This will allow you to score your piece specific to your edits.

Let me know where you get your stuff.

Today’s post was written by Andy Burns. Andy is the Video Director at The Chapel. In addition, he consults churches and ministries in the areas of video and communications, and is a part of the Creative Missions leadership core. You can follow Andy on Twitter @theandyburns.