Can I play music on my phone while taking a video?
Adding Music Can Make Your Videos Stand Out
Music is an integral part of video content on platforms like YouTube. According to research by Pex, over 84% of YouTube videos contain at least 10 seconds of music. With such a high percentage of videos utilizing music in some form, adding an appealing musical backdrop can help your videos grab attention and stand out from the crowd.
Why Add Music to Videos?
Adding background music to videos can help set the mood and tone for the viewer (Benefits of Background Music). Music evokes certain emotions and feelings that complement the visuals, keeping the viewer engaged. According to one article, background music can make a video seem more lively and vibrant (The Importance of Background Music and the Benefits). The right background track enhances the video experience and draws the viewer in.
Copyright Concerns
When adding music to your videos, you risk copyright infringement if you use copyrighted songs without permission. Songs and recordings have intellectual property rights, and you could face consequences like copyright claims, blocked videos, channel strikes, and revenue loss if you use them improperly (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q48_aHdnfhc). Using copyrighted music without authorization, even in the background, violates copyright law. You need to obtain usage rights to avoid disputes.
Copyright holders can detect their music content and make claims through YouTube’s automated Content ID system. This can lead to your video being blocked, monetized by the rights holder, or removed with a strike on your channel after multiple claims. Repeated copyright strikes can lead to your channel being shut down (https://www.tubebuddy.com/blog/copyrighted-music-in-videos-legal/). Therefore, you must be very careful about only using music you have the rights to use in your videos.
App Capabilities
Many popular video editing apps allow you to overlay music or audio onto your videos natively within the app. For iPhone users, Apple’s iMovie makes it easy to add songs from your music library or soundtrack options to your projects. You can adjust the audio volume levels and sync the timing with video clips. Other top iPhone apps like PowerDirector and InShot also provide music features to liven up your homemade videos.
For Android, KineMaster is a full-featured video editor that allows you to add audio and music to segments on the timeline. VivaVideo makes it easy to include music from your library or buy songs from their online store. So both iPhone and Android users have great options for adding background music or soundtracks using native video editing apps.
Third Party Apps
Many popular social media apps like TikTok and Snapchat have built-in capabilities to add music to videos directly within the app. For example, TikTok has an extensive music library with thousands of songs and sounds that users can add to their videos (Source: Source 1). The app makes it very easy to browse music, select a song, and create a video with the music synced automatically.
Snapchat also allows users to add music to their Snapchat stories from a library of licensed music. The music sticks with the video when shared with friends or posted to the Snapchat public story feature. This provides a seamless way to add a soundtrack right within the app (Source: Source 2).
Using a third party app to add music can be easier than switching between apps to edit separately. The social media apps have optimized the music integration specifically for quick video creation.
Royalty Free Music
There are several websites where you can download royalty free music to use in your phone videos for free legally. Two popular options are Pixabay and Bensound. These sites allow you to search for and download high quality music tracks and sound effects that you can use in your videos without worrying about copyright issues. The music is licensed under Creative Commons so you can use it for free even for commercial purposes as long as you credit the artist properly.
For example, on Pixabay you can find a wide selection of instrumental background music in genres like jazz, rock, electronic and more. Downloads are provided in MP3 format up to 320kbps. Bensound also offers downloading options in both MP3 and WAV formats. Their music library covers genres like cinematic, corporate, inspirational and more. Both sites let you filter results by genre, mood, instrument and more to find the perfect royalty free tracks for your phone videos.
Editing Options
After filming your video, you have a few options for editing the video and adding music. Most mobile video editing apps like iMovie, CapCut, and Adobe Premiere Rush allow you to import your video clips, arrange them in a timeline, and add audio tracks with music and sound effects.
The basic process involves:
- Importing your video clips into the editing app
- Trimming clips and arranging them in the order you want
- Adding one or more audio tracks for music and narration
- Adjusting audio levels so music doesn’t overpower vocals
- Adding transitions between clips
- Exporting the finished video
Most mobile apps include audio editing tools like volume adjustment, fading, and the ability to split and trim audio clips. This allows you to precisely match music transitions to video edits. Royalty-free music libraries within the apps provide plenty of soundtrack options.
With a bit of practice, you can produce professional-looking videos with synced music and crisp editing using just your smartphone!
Optimizing Audio
When adding music to your videos, it’s important to properly adjust the audio levels to achieve the best sound quality. As noted in this article, audio levels are measured in decibels (dB). The ideal level for background music in a video is between -18 dB and -12 dB. This ensures the music doesn’t overpower your voice or other primary sounds.
You can adjust audio levels within most video editing apps. Look for options like volume, gain, level meters, and normalization. Play back your video and monitor the audio levels, adjusting as needed until you strike the right balance. Properly setting your audio levels will help provide clear, consistent sound that enhances the viewing experience.
Creative Uses
There are many interesting ways to use music creatively in your videos. You can create a music video that tells a story synchronized to the song. Some classic examples are the videos for Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen or Losing My Religion by R.E.M. You can also use music to set a mood or convey emotions in your video. For example, an upbeat pop song for a cheerful video or a somber piano piece for a more serious tone.
Getting creative with props is another way to make an engaging music video. You could lip sync and dance with household items or incorporate costumes and special effects. Many low budget but clever videos have gone viral online by using imagination and creativity. You can also film at interesting locations or public spaces that add to the music video storytelling. Abandoned buildings, parks, busy cities, or natural landscapes paired with fitting music can create compelling videos.
Incorporating animation or graphics that sync to the audio is also an option if you have some video editing skills. This could be animated lyrics, abstract visuals, or cutting between animation and live action. There are many possibilities to explore if you think outside the box and let the music inspire visual creativity.
Conclusion
Adding music to your phone videos can make them more dynamic and engaging. Just be mindful of copyright issues if using popular songs. Many apps like TikTok or Instagram have free music libraries you can use. There are also apps to download royalty free music you can legally include. When editing, take time to balance and optimize the audio for both voiceover and background music. Get creative with how you use music – like in transitions or under b-roll footage. With so many options, it’s easy to enhance phone videos with complementary music. Just follow best practices and let the tunes bring your content to life.