How to legally use music on YouTube

How to legally use music on YouTube.

Are you a successful vlogger or are you just about to upload your first video to Youtube? One way or another, you should take care of the legality of the music used in your video. Often people unknowingly post videos of music that they found on the Internet or simply downloaded from paid music services. Meanwhile, platforms such as Youtube are very strict about the observance of copyright on the content posted. Your video can be blocked, as well as block your account for copyright infringement.

So be careful when using music in your YouTube videos.

What you need to know about using music in Youtube videos?

All musical works belong to someone. By using someone else’s work without proper permission, you are violating copyright law.
Do not use music downloaded from free or even paid sources in your videos unless you have express permission to use it.
To enforce copyright, Youtube uses special control systems. This is a Content ID system and not an automated plagiarism checker.
Using our audio library, you get the right to use the music directly from the copyright holder, entering into a license agreement with us. This guarantees you additional protection from unscrupulous authors or resources that do not control the ownership of music content by the authors.
Some tracks that you have purchased or found online may be PRO ( Professional Royalty Organization ) registered. For the use of such tracks will have to pay royalties.
The use of music under the terms of a Royalty Free license purchased from various Audio Stocks, even the most popular, does not guarantee legal use, as well as claims from Youtube.
The best way to protect your video production is to use a unique soundtrack that belongs only to you.

Of course, for most people, such a position and strict control may seem an overwhelming or even impossible task.

So, what are the options for the legal use of music on the Youtube platform?

1. Use of music in the public domain.

After a certain period of time, the copyrights to most works lose their validity and become public domain. Such works can be used freely and without royalties. In the US, a musical work enters the public domain 50–75 years after the death of the copyright holder. You can check the copyright laws of other countries at List of countries’ copyright lengths. In addition, some copyright holders voluntarily waive their rights by transferring their music into the public domain.

Unfortunately, such music is not modern and is limited by styles and genres. Such content can be applied in a very narrow segment. In addition, you will have to independently study the copyright information of a track, which is often not easy. Perhaps the composition you are interested in belongs to some label.

2. Use of music under a Creative Commons license with attribution.

YouTube allows you to publish content under a Creative Commons license CC BY (with attribution).

Some authors post videos under a Creative Commons license. In this way, they allow all YouTube creators to reuse and modify it. The Creative Commons license applies to all content used in the video (music, video, photos, etc.).

You can find such videos yourself on Youtube using search filters.

Unfortunately, this way of using music in your videos also does not guarantee full legal use. Too many contributors are copying the work of other contributors with a Creative Commons label that misappropriated the license for their video in the first place. There is also a practice of illegal use of popular music by changing the audio characteristics (audio speed, pitch, etc.). Youtube does not correctly recognize such tracks and makes it possible to mark them as Creative Commons content. There is a very high probability that you will use such tracks. In this case, you cannot control the copyright in your video and sooner or later you will run into problems.

3. Obtain permission directly from the author of the musical work.

It should be noted that the option of direct permission, the acquisition of a license from the copyright holder, is possible. But you must understand that this procedure is very complicated and requires a lot of effort, time and knowledge in the field of music law. But you might want to try your hand! And so, if a musical work is copyrighted and requires permission, you need to determine the copyright holder of the work. Consider what rights and permissions you want to have. Then contact the owner and, on contractual terms, obtain permission in writing to use the work. It is also worth remembering that some works have several copyright holders. It can be lyrics, music or arrangement, which also require a separate license for use.

4. Royalty Free Music

Royalty Free Music is one type of distribution of musical works for further use under the terms of a purchased license. These musical works can be found and downloaded on special resources, music stocks, digital marketplaces. For a relatively inexpensive price, you can purchase a license to use the work under the terms described in this license. The main difference of this license is the absence of additional payments from the buyer for each use of the product. As a rule, the price depends on the type of licenses: commercial, non-commercial use, television, radio broadcasting, number of audience, use in commercial cinematography.

This method has a number of advantages:

Acceptable prices. Prices are formed depending on the needs of the buyer.
Relative copyright control. You receive documentary confirmation of the permission to use the product.
As a rule, such music is created by composers who specialize in creating commercial music. Such music will be easier to synchronize with the video clip. The compositions have a standard duration, the correct introduction, ending, parts of different development that can be combined.

However, when buying such licenses, you should be careful and pay attention to some points:

On most resources for the sale of Royalty Free Audio products, you can find tracks that are registered in PRO. On such sites there are no clear instructions on how to use such tracks. Basically, it is information that the vast majority of buyers do not need to worry about any additional fees for public performance rights, including on the Youtube platform. However, it is worth making sure that your project and its use is not considered public performance and does not imply such use in the future. Also, keep in mind that different countries and PROs may have different rules, so it’s best to get more information from your local PRO.
Many songs can be registered in the Content ID system. To use such tracks on Youtube, you must pass a system check. To do this, you need to send the author a link to a video with this music, so that he adds this video to the Content ID as allowed.
Content Identity. This is a very important point. Most composers use the same VST instruments, sets of samples with absolutely identical patterns and sounds. In addition, the authors copy the tracks of more successful authors, which over the years has led to the existence of a huge number of musical clones. There are likely cases where some authors may consider such use to be plagiarism and file a complaint about the use. Also, the automatic verification system can determine such a track as already registered in the system.
Unscrupulous authors. On many sites there are cases of illegal placement of musical products that do not belong to the seller. Since the site administration cannot control the huge flow of posted content and does not have any system for checking for rights, such products are sold until the fact of fraud is revealed. If the author files a complaint or the Youtube system itself detects such use, this video will be blocked. Be careful!

5. Create your own composition.

Of course, the best way to protect your video production is to use unique content that will belong only to you. If you have ever dealt with music production, studied music, or just play a musical instrument, then you can try to create such a track yourself. Read our article 10 Best Free Music Production Software for your video. Of course, without certain skills and training, it will be impossible to create a professional product. However, it is quite possible to make a simple track from one or two instruments.

6. Order music for your video from a professional sound designer.

If you want your video to be perceived as a professional product that will make the viewer experience the right emotions and remember it, you should order such a musical arrangement from a professional. This could be a freelance composer or a local recording studio.

Of course, this solution may be somewhat more expensive than other options, but here you get full control over the creation of the product and the confidence in its legal use.

You may be interested in: How to choose the right background music for a video

As a rule, the price will depend on the conditions under which the author transfers the rights to use the product to you. The highest cost will be in the case of transfer of exclusive rights (the author completely waives his rights and transfers them to the client).

You can order an individual composition, or a complete musical arrangement for your project on our website jammaudio.com, order editing of a music track from our library. Just choose the track you like and we will prepare it for your video with the necessary changes. We create Music for films, commercials, video games, etc.

How to legally use music on YouTube