It’s called audiovisual content for a reason: both sound and visuals play a big role in how we experience video. Unless you’re intentionally creating a silent masterpiece, it’s worth giving equal attention to both the audio and visual elements of your video.
In the audio segment, music is one of the most important components. It is like a cheat code to help you convey a specific emotion or highlight a section of your story, drawing your audience further into the narrative. But how exactly do you add music to your video?
In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about how to add music to a video, from choosing the perfect track to fine-tuning the audio for a polished result.
Every Step to Add Music to a Video
Step 1: Understanding Licensing and Royalty-Free Music
Music licensing can be tricky, especially for creators posting on platforms like YouTube. Using copyrighted tracks without proper permission may lead to demonetization or removal of your video. That’s where royalty-free music comes in handy.
Why choose royalty-free music?
- It’s budget-friendly: Pay once and use the track without recurring fees.
- It’s hassle-free: Avoid complicated legal agreements or restrictions.
- It’s versatile: Perfect for any project, from social media posts to professional presentations.
Where to find royalty-free tracks
- YouTube Audio Library: The YouTube Audio Library is a go-to resource for free tracks that you can use for personal and commercial purposes.
- Podcastle’s Music Library: Podcastle offers an integrated selection of background music for video, making it easy to find tracks directly within your video editor with music capabilities.
- Other popular platforms: Explore options like Artlist, Epidemic Sound, and Free Music Archive.
Pro Tip: When choosing royalty-free tracks, always check the licensing terms to make sure they align with your project’s needs.
Step 2: Choosing the Right Music
Finding the perfect soundtrack for your podcast, video, or any other project isn’t just about grabbing the first tune that catches your ear—it’s about making an intentional choice that elevates your story. Here’s how to think beyond the basics:
1) Think about cultural and audience relevance
Music resonates differently across audiences. A track that feels nostalgic and comforting in one culture might seem completely out of place in another. Understand your audience and choose music that speaks to their background, preferences, or even trends they’re familiar with.
2) Look at the narrative arc
Every story has highs and lows—your music should follow suit. Think of it as a partner to your visuals, guiding viewers emotionally through the intro, climax, and resolution. If your video takes viewers on a journey, the music should reflect those shifts.
3) Test unexpected pairings
Sometimes, the most memorable videos come from unconventional choices. Pair an upbeat track with slow-motion visuals for contrast, or use an instrumental cover of a popular song to grab attention without overwhelming the narrative. These combinations can make your content feel fresh and unexpected.
Step 3: Adding Music to a Video Editor
Now that you’ve picked the perfect track, it’s time to integrate it into your project. Most video editing software simplifies the process of putting music over video. Here’s how to do it:
- Import your music file: Start by uploading your chosen audio track into the video editor with music functionality. Tools like Podcastle let you drag and drop files directly into your project timeline.
- Position the track: Align the music with your video’s start point. If your video includes multiple scenes, position the music to sync with transitions or key moments.
- Trim and loop as needed: If the track is longer than your video, trim it to match the length. Alternatively, for shorter tracks, loop sections seamlessly to maintain consistency.
- Explore integrated music libraries: A lot of audio editing tools offer built-in royalty-free music libraries. This means you can browse, select, and add tracks to your project without leaving the platform.
Step 4: Balancing Music with Dialogue and Effects
When adding music to video, one of the biggest challenges is making sure it complements other audio elements like voiceovers or sound effects. Poorly balanced audio can distract your audience, leading to a less impactful viewing experience. The goal is to create harmony between all components so the music enhances rather than competes with the primary content.
Start by auto-leveling your audio tracks and move on to setting the music’s volume lower than the dialogue or narration. This ensures your message stays front and center. Most video editors with music features include easy-to-use volume sliders that let you adjust levels precisely. For smooth transitions, use fade-in and fade-out effects to avoid abrupt starts or stops. This technique is especially helpful when transitioning between scenes or ending a video.
Also, pay attention to overlapping sounds. For instance, if your video includes moments of heavy sound effects—like explosions or cheers—reduce the music's intensity to avoid clashing. Proper layering creates a clean audio mix that feels professional and polished. By balancing background tracks with other sounds, your video will have an engaging and cohesive flow.
Step 5: Fine-Tuning with Audio Adjustments
To make your video truly shine, fine-tuning audio is a crucial step. These small tweaks can elevate your project from good to exceptional. Here’s what you should focus on:
- Equalize sound for clarity: Use an equalizer to adjust frequency levels, enhancing the clarity of speech or emphasizing the depth of the music.
- Experiment with pitch and tempo: Slightly altering pitch or tempo can make tracks feel more personalized and aligned with your video’s mood.
- Layer multiple audio tracks: Add depth by combining music with subtle sound effects or background ambiance. For example, pairing a nature soundtrack with light instrumental music can add a serene vibe.
The Role of Music in Video Creation
1) Influencing our perception of pace
Did you know that the music you choose can actually control the pacing of your video? Whether you're speeding up the rhythm or slowing it down, your track can tell your viewers how fast or slow to expect the story to unfold. A slow, ambient piece might make a scene feel reflective and lingering, while a fast-paced electronic track could add urgency or excitement.
By understanding this, you can add music to videos in ways that manipulate the tempo of your content and keep the audience hooked from start to finish.
2) Building tension and surprise
Great videos play with expectations. Music is an incredible tool for building tension or creating surprise. Think of how horror or thriller films use dissonant, eerie music to build suspense before a jump scare. You can use royalty-free music in the same way, whether it’s for a dramatic reveal, a comedic twist, or a heartwarming moment. Knowing how to place music at the right moments is an art, and once you master it, your videos will be a lot more dynamic.
3) Strengthening brand image
Music isn’t just about setting up the mood. It also needs to match your brand identity. Whether you’re a tech reviewer, a lifestyle vlogger, or a travel content creator, your content benefits when the music aligns with your branding.
A quirky, upbeat track might work for a lighthearted, fun brand, while a more minimalist or atmospheric sound could suit a professional or educational channel. So consider your brand image when choosing your main music track.
4) Using silence and minimalism
Not every video needs a heavy track. Sometimes, adding music to a video means knowing when not to use music at all or just incorporating very minimal sound. Silence, or a sparse track, can be used to emphasize important moments, let your visuals shine, or give the audience space to think. It’s an underrated technique in filmmaking that’s often overlooked. Understanding when to pull back on the audio and let the moment breathe can make your content feel more impactful.
5) Music and video SEO
Yes, you read that right—music can even play a role in YouTube SEO. By using royalty-free music with the right licensing, you’re avoiding potential copyright strikes that could harm your video’s performance.
But it goes beyond that: platforms like YouTube use algorithms that pay attention to the overall production quality of videos. So, the smoother your music transitions are, the better the viewer experience, which leads to longer watch times, more interaction, and higher ranking. Overall, SEO for video content isn’t just about titles, music captions, and descriptions—it’s about delivering polished and engaging content that includes getting your music right.
Add music to video with Podcastle’s music library
When it comes to finding the perfect track to match your video, having a wide selection of quality, royalty-free music at your fingertips makes all the difference. Podcastle's sound effects and music library offers a range of high-quality, royalty-free tracks that can help take your video to the next level—whether you’re working on background music for video, adding audio to video, or even perfecting the overall sound design.
Podcastle’s library is not just in its variety but in how easy it is to integrate into your workflow. No more sifting through countless platforms to find the right piece of music. Plus, with its seamless integration into Podcastle’s editing tools, you can get your music from the library directly into your video projects, making the whole process smooth and efficient.
So make sure you give it a shot!
