Many couples want to have meaningful videos made with footage from their wedding festivities. Putting a wedding video to music is a great way to tie together pieces of footage and heighten emotional response. However, using copyrighted music could put you in the middle of a costly lawsuit.
The best way to avoid copyright issues is to use royalty free music. This article will help you understand the differences between royalty free and copyrighted music. We will also provide you with #### tips for choosing the right music for your wedding video.
Why You Can’t Use Copyrighted Music in Your Wedding Video
Copyrighted songs require licensing fees and royalties, determined by Performance Rights Organizations. That means using your favorite song as a backdrop to your wedding video could result in thousands of dollars of royalty fees or an unwanted lawsuit.
The more views your wedding video receives online, the higher the royalty fees that you would need to pay to the artist. Because the average couple doesn’t want to shell out thousands of dollars to have a specific song in their wedding video, royalty free music is the clear choice.
What is Royalty Free Music?
Royalty free music is music that can be licensed for use in a wedding video. Copyrighted music typically requires royalty payments based on how many views your video receives. Because of this, using a copyrighted song may cost thousands of dollars.
Royalty free music doesn’t require you to pay royalties. This music can be licensed for use in your wedding video, preventing costly lawsuits down the line. Copyright free music can be free or paid. Many services offer extensive stock libraries for an annual fee. However, other sites offer free tracks that won’t cost you a dime.
You can find both music beds and songs through royalty free music sites. Music beds are typically instrumental pieces that can be layered under dialogue in your wedding video. Songs include instrumental music and vocals and lyrics, making them great for other portions of your wedding video.
Stock libraries offer a wide range of music choices for you to use on your wedding video. These sites allow you to choose different moods of music, such as romantic tracks or happy pieces. Your intended video mood will help you find the right song.
Tips for Choosing the Right Royalty Free Music
Below are ### tips for choosing the right royalty free music to highlight your big day.
1. Your music choice shouldn’t distract from the video.
The music you use in your wedding video should fit with the mood of the film without taking away from what’s happening in the video. Music should enhance the video, not dominate it.
Ultimately, your wedding video is about you and your partner. If the music takes too much attention away from your wedding, you should keep looking for better music options.
2. Watch other wedding videos.
Watching other wedding videos can give you a good idea of what you like and don’t like. Because most wedding videos use copyright free audio, you can find information about the songs used and where to obtain them.
3. Consider the themes of your wedding and wedding video.
If your wedding had a theme, consider music that would complement this theme without distracting from the beauty of your wedding day. Continuing your wedding’s theme into your wedding video can be a great way to remember your big day.
Music videos, movie trailers, and other short videos all tell a story. Your video should tell the story of your wedding. Consider choosing music that highlights the different portions of your wedding day.
4. Browse royalty free music and keep a list of songs you like.
Find a site offering royalty free music and begin listening to songs. Mark down information on songs you liked and use that list to guide discussions about music with your partner. Once you have a list of songs you both like, begin thinking about how those songs would fit in with your wedding video.
5. Choose songs you love.
You won’t be able to use your favorite copyrighted song as a backdrop to your wedding, but you should still love the tracks you use. These aren’t songs you’ll know by name, but you should have positive feelings when you hear them.
After all, your wedding video is something you’ll be watching for years to come. Hearing the music should make you happy. It’s worth taking more time to decide on music if it allows you to make a good decision.
6. Use different songs and scores for different portions of the video.
A longer wedding video may use 3 to 5 songs to highlight different parts of the day’s festivities. Consider using different songs for different portions of the video. For example, you may use a soft or romantic song for footage of the ceremony while using upbeat music over video of the reception.
As you listen to songs, think about which ones go best with each portion of your wedding. Use lyrical songs during footage without any dialogue and consider using instrumental music during portions of the wedding such as vows and toasts.
Conclusion
You don’t have to use copyrighted music to have a beautiful wedding video. Many sites offer royalty free music, allowing you to find the right songs for your wedding video without breaking the bank.
