Background music

[smw]

I'm a chicken about posting my videos because I like to have musical backgrounds. Most royalty free music kind of sucks, but I'd still like to find some that I can possibly use. So one questions is:
Where are you finding royalty free music?

I know there are some bands that allow folks to use their music.
Does anyone know of a listing somewhere of those bands?

I wouldn't mind paying a reasonable price to be able to post my videos that have popular music as backgrounds.
Has anyone had any luck with this?
If so - what process are you using to get permission and what did it cost?

Thanks for sharing!
SMW

 

[Capt Scotty]

Ads in the back of photo mags. are a good place to look

 

[DaFireMedic]

Jamendo.com for music from bands and musicians that distribute their music through Creative Commons. It won't be top 40 stuff, but there are thousands of songs and albums from all different genres, including rock, jazz, metal, folk, instrumental, etc.

 

[smw]

Thanks you two. Those are great places to start.

SMW

 

[ronscuba]

Are you selling your videos or just sharing them with friends, relatives and people on the net ?

 

[smw]

I don't have them up publically because of the background music. I've been thinking about remixing them with open source stuff. I don't sell them - wish I were that good!

Just looked at your vids. Beautiful!

SMW

 

[ronscuba]

Thanks for the kind words, SMW. This is a fun hobby isn't it ?

I asked if you were selling because, I don't think artists or copyright lawyers bother with individuals using their music for hobby purposes.

There are plenty of reasons for hobbyists not to use copyright music besides being technically illegal. Contest rules, personal morals, peer criticism, etc..

I'm a hobbyist and I've personally decided to sometimes use copyright music. I don't sell my videos or enter contests. I'm not worried about being sued, my personal morals are OK with it and I can deal with the peer criticism.

However, I will say, I'm most proud of the videos where I use music generated by myself with soundtrack software. I used to edit my video to fit the music. Now, with soundtrack software, I edit both the video and music to fit each other. It takes a lot more work, but it really let's you explore your creativity and when it comes out right........IT'S RIGHT !!!

 

[smw]

I'm starting to work on generating my own music as well. I have a Clavinova nad can do some pretty cool stuff. The problem is that it uses a floppy disk - lol and I don't have a floppy disk in my computer anymore! Plus I'm working through the learning curve of music mixing.

I have to be really, really careful with copyright because I teach information systems. It's hard to teach this stuff without "walking the walk" so to speak.

There's a couple of issues with using the copyrighted stuff that concerns me. Sports leagues, TV studios and the music industry have a lawsuit going against Youtube that could fundmentally change how the Internet is used. There was a court order that Google (owners of Youtube) must surrender user information for downloads. I know that Google is fighting that frantically, but haven't heard the outcome of that yet.

Anyway, if you have an account with Youtube and/or Google, and post anything that is copyrighted in any part, you *could* be eventually held liable for posting some else's material without permission.

I seriously doubt that an individual could be sued for posting a video with copyright background music. However, people that have settled out of court for posting music on the "share" sites have settled for an average of $3,000 per song with the RIAA. (They've filed over 26,000 lawsuits so far.) A woman that didn't settle went to court and ended up paying out $222,000 for infringement - over $9,000 a song. Since these people aren't making any money by sharing the music... I just don't want to get sued. Generally people pay up for the infringement even if it can't be proven because defending themselves will cost more than getting the RIAA to go away.

So that's the long explanation of why I don't post my vids.

There is something magical about creating everything from the video to the music and in your case the voice overs as well. There are a few things better , but not many!

Really, huge kudos on your vids. What equipment are you using?

SMW

 

[ronscuba]

I totally agree that you want to lead by example to your students.

Wow, wasn't aware individuals were sued on the share sites. I may have to rethink my personal decisions. I wonder how the RIAA decides who to target ? I would think they would go after the most serious cases or indivduals that don't cooperate. Food for thought, thanks for the info.

I use a Sony FX7 camcorder and Gates housing. Lights are good ol' cheap halogen for cloesups, macro and night shooting. Defintely not a small or lightweight system, but you know the saying. Boys never grow up, they just get bigger more expensive toys.

I edit on a PC with Vegas.

 

[smw]

Your system sounds a lot like mine, but your vids are clearer - I'm curious as to what you are doing. Is it a white balance issue or an editing issue? I’d appreciate your assistance. Your videos are of higher quality than mine.

Frankly, I wouldn't get too worried at this point about your music. However, the RIAA has gone nuts. My thing is that my students should never know my opinion. They need to make up their own minds. I just try to lay out the facts for them and let them decide. In this venue, I can opine!

Today I was just working up my lecture on copyright (not only for music, but for software and movies) and found some interesting facts through my research. The RIAA is currently targeting commercial businesses and college students. Currently They are suing the deep pockets - Universities that are afraid of liability and just settle and businesses that are caught red-handed with flagrant violations.

The problem for me is that when any organization starts 26,000 lawsuits in less than a decade, well we can say they are a bit litigious... my own opinion…

The music industry more than any other industry dealing with piracy has severely underestimated the technological savvy of its customers. It has not technologically kept up with the public’s demand. Customers have wanted to purchase what they want – not collections of music and they’ve wanted to be able to use that music in new and novel ways. Had the industry provided avenues to do these things when the technology came available, consumers would have been educated in how they could legally use the services they desired. Instead, the RIAA has relied on the justice system to support the inadequacy of their logistical and technological inadequacies. These lawsuits are costing ALL OF US. My opinion is that they are using the legal system to defend their inability to understand and to market to the consumer of today.

That being said, I still want to defend copyright. I think that if you dive into the ocean and get some incredibly great video of a frogfish or a manta, then you create the thoughts and verbalize them on tape as well and create the music and then edit it all together that it is WORTH something. Someone else shouldn’t be able to just take that and enjoy it without your permission and s/he shouldn’t be able to make money off your efforts without compensating you. You had the synapses that put this together – you should be able to share in the rewards for all of the effort you put into the endeavor.

Wow – I really got on a soapbox there!!! Guess I’m pretty passionate about this issue.:11:

SMW