If you have ever tried posting a video online, on Youtube perhaps, you probably came across a problem of using a soundtrack to add the music to your video. Due to copyrights, users are not allowed to use any song or audio track of their choice. But luckily, royalty free music is an option you can count on. So, what is royalty free music?

What is royalty free music?

Royalty free music works on a principle of single payment for use of copyrighted music. This means that you do not have to pay license fees continuously over a certain period of use, but only once, after which you get the license and are allowed to use it. It is also known as pre-licensed music or single-fee music.

For example, if you want to add a song to your Youtube video, it is easier to get a royalty-free track to accompany your visuals. In contrast, the licensing would require you to pay additionally when you reach a certain number of viewers or other agreed thresholds, which might bring up your costs by a lot.

Is royalty free music gratis?

Well, not exactly. Even though you are not obligated to pay regular royalty payments, you will still have to purchase the initial license from the music copyright owner. In most cases, there is a fee. At the same time, you might come across a few tracks that the composer allowed others to use without any license payment, but they usually expect you to give them credits in return.

When it comes to prices, there is no general price that you can expect as it is determined by the owner usually. Depending on how much the composer values it and how much the royalty-free track or song is worth, it can range from just a few dollars to hundreds and thousands of dollars.

What kind and quality of music can be royalty free?

Any kind of music can be licensed as royalty free. When it comes to quality, it all depends on the composer. But it is important that you do not label royalty free music as low-quality music, as you can and will come across many very high-quality tracks.

What are the benefits of royalty free music?

There are several benefits that come with the creation and use of royalty free music, and it includes both the composers and users. First of all, the process of license purchase for royalty free music is much more simple than for royalty payment otherwise. You are also offered a wide variety of many different tracks from a variety of genres to choose from, and if you are not extremely specific what you need, you might even pay less in total. At the same time, composers when releasing royalty free music instantly put their music out for a huge audience of online users and on very popular websites such as Youtube.

At the same time, royalty free music is a legal way to add music to your videos and it protects you from several complications that can happen if you use unlicensed music. This includes removal of your video or getting a copyright strike on your Youtube channel in the worst case scenario, but you can also just not be allowed to monetize your videos.

TOP 5 Sources for Royalty free music

GoPro Music Library

Free Music Archive

Youtube creator Studio’s Audio Library

Facebook Creator Studio

Public Domain 4U

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