Choosing Background Music for Short Films
Finding and using music
Finding music these days couldn’t be easier – do a quick web search by genre or price, and you’ll return a wealth of possibilities. The real problem is finding music that you can use for videos online. You see, most new music is protected by copyrights that prevent you from redistributing it in videos. When you search for music, you want to look for “royalty free” options. You can find royalty free online music on sites like: Some sites charge for the use of their music, while other sites offer free tracks that exist in the public domain (meaning they’re free for anyone to use because they were composed before 1922) or under a Creative Commons license. Just make sure you read the website or artist’s fine print regarding attribution. Many sites require that if you use their music, you tell people where you found it.Deciding on music
Do a little research before downloading or using background music for your video clips. Just because you really like a song, doesn’t mean it’s appropriate for the short films you’re working on. Find other videos similar to the one you’re putting together and pay close attention to the music they’ve chosen. Is it fast-paced and active, slow and methodical? The beat, tone and flow of the music should match what’s happening in the show. You wouldn’t want to use an upbeat piece of music for a sad video clip!Making your own music
If you have a lot of talent, you may want to consider making your own music for your video clips. Make a recording of yourself playing the piano or guitar, singing a song or performing in a band. The nice thing about creating your own music is that you don’t have to worry about licensing rights, plus you can create the tone and pace to match your video precisely.Article by Laura Williams