Music licensing expense and time at DVinfo.net

Clive McLaughlin · December 4th, 2014, 05:01 AM

Is anyone else getting fed up with music licensing. I still to this day begrudge forking out. It all adds up over a year of bookings and it's one thing I never factor in to my business outgoings.

I've checked around the other sites (I use musicbed) and found them to either be poor choice and usability or extortionately expensive.

There's also a limited number of decent songs that are long enough for my highlights!

Anyone else fed up?

Are there any new kids on the block providing music licenses that I may have missed?

I also generally ask my clients to choose, but occasionally they tell me to choose. Its a choice that always uses up at least an hour of my time since I'm so fussy!

Noa Put · December 4th, 2014, 05:58 AM

I have started to use audiojungle on themeforest as I needed a few songs for some company videos, audiojungle was a lot cheaper then the musicbed because once you don't use it for weddings on the musicbed the price can increase up to 8 times (from 49 to 399 dollar for the same song) which I find ridiculous. On Envato you also can get musicpacks with several songs to be used for company videos and they are very cheap. Last musicpack I got like that was 10 dollar per song.

Dave Baker · December 4th, 2014, 07:31 AM

It's worth looking here Sound Image, Eric has some nice stuff on his site and will compose specially for you too.

No, I have no connection to him, other than he composed a piece for me, but I haven't used it as he hasn't quite got the sound I am looking for yet. It's called The Greek Isles and it's on the Work Bench page. Can I ask you to do me a favour, listen to it and tell me if it says "Greece" to you?

Cheers,
Dave

Noa Put · December 4th, 2014, 07:39 AM

There are a few interesting compositions on Sound image for use in a trailer.

Art Varga · December 4th, 2014, 08:25 AM

I've been using musicbed and songfreedom at the going rate of $49USD. SF will occasionally run specials for $29 but it's hard to stock up when you don't know exactly what you're going to need for the next project. To minimize my expense, I've been creating some of my own music. Using software like Toontrack EZKeys, Ignite, etc. you don't have to be a musician to construct some decent tracks using pre-recorded royalty free loops. It's more like music "construction" vs composition. I create these for segments where I just want some ambient music in the background behind some narration.

Robert Benda · December 4th, 2014, 10:00 AM

Personally, I'm not fed up.

Similar to knowing I'll have to pay out $50 in USB/DVD case costs, I build the licensing into my price, and assume 2-4 songs, and will ask the client if they want an online video or not prior to giving a quote. I use the Music Bed, and when I find a song I like, license it for 5 uses, bringing the cost down noticeably.

I'll have a sort of listening party every few weeks, play through a number of songs on their site, and note some that will work great.

It meant that, of 15 wedding videos I made one year, most used some combination of the same couple of songs. This year, I found a song, just over 5 minutes, that fits one style of highlight perfectly, and I've already used 3 of the licenses in a row. Obviously I'm not posting all of those as examples for my clients, though :)

Brian Berg · December 10th, 2014, 07:55 AM

Here's some royalty free stuff.

Sublime Lighting LLC

December 4th, 2014, 05:01 AM	#1
Clive McLaughlin Major Player Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Belfast Posts: 823	Music licensing expense and time Is anyone else getting fed up with music licensing. I still to this day begrudge forking out. It all adds up over a year of bookings and it's one thing I never factor in to my business outgoings. I've checked around the other sites (I use musicbed) and found them to either be poor choice and usability or extortionately expensive. There's also a limited number of decent songs that are long enough for my highlights! Anyone else fed up? Are there any new kids on the block providing music licenses that I may have missed? I also generally ask my clients to choose, but occasionally they tell me to choose. Its a choice that always uses up at least an hour of my time since I'm so fussy!

December 4th, 2014, 05:58 AM	#2
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: Music licensing expense and time I have started to use audiojungle on themeforest as I needed a few songs for some company videos, audiojungle was a lot cheaper then the musicbed because once you don't use it for weddings on the musicbed the price can increase up to 8 times (from 49 to 399 dollar for the same song) which I find ridiculous. On Envato you also can get musicpacks with several songs to be used for company videos and they are very cheap. Last musicpack I got like that was 10 dollar per song.

December 4th, 2014, 07:31 AM	#3
Dave Baker Major Player Join Date: May 2014 Location: Brandon, England Posts: 459	Re: Music licensing expense and time It's worth looking here Sound Image, Eric has some nice stuff on his site and will compose specially for you too. No, I have no connection to him, other than he composed a piece for me, but I haven't used it as he hasn't quite got the sound I am looking for yet. It's called The Greek Isles and it's on the Work Bench page. Can I ask you to do me a favour, listen to it and tell me if it says "Greece" to you? Cheers, Dave

December 4th, 2014, 07:39 AM	#4
Noa Put Inner Circle Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Belgium Posts: 9,510	Re: Music licensing expense and time There are a few interesting compositions on Sound image for use in a trailer.

December 4th, 2014, 08:25 AM	#5
Art Varga Major Player Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Belle Mead, NJ Posts: 552	Re: Music licensing expense and time I've been using musicbed and songfreedom at the going rate of $49USD. SF will occasionally run specials for $29 but it's hard to stock up when you don't know exactly what you're going to need for the next project. To minimize my expense, I've been creating some of my own music. Using software like Toontrack EZKeys, Ignite, etc. you don't have to be a musician to construct some decent tracks using pre-recorded royalty free loops. It's more like music "construction" vs composition. I create these for segments where I just want some ambient music in the background behind some narration. __________________ __________________________________ - Art Varga www.vargaproductions.com

December 4th, 2014, 10:00 AM	#6
Robert Benda Trustee Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Crookston, MN Posts: 1,353	Re: Music licensing expense and time Personally, I'm not fed up. Similar to knowing I'll have to pay out $50 in USB/DVD case costs, I build the licensing into my price, and assume 2-4 songs, and will ask the client if they want an online video or not prior to giving a quote. I use the Music Bed, and when I find a song I like, license it for 5 uses, bringing the cost down noticeably. I'll have a sort of listening party every few weeks, play through a number of songs on their site, and note some that will work great. It meant that, of 15 wedding videos I made one year, most used some combination of the same couple of songs. This year, I found a song, just over 5 minutes, that fits one style of highlight perfectly, and I've already used 3 of the licenses in a row. Obviously I'm not posting all of those as examples for my clients, though :)

December 10th, 2014, 07:55 AM	#7
Brian Berg Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Clare Michigan Posts: 71	Re: Music licensing expense and time Here's some royalty free stuff. Royalty free music for your video projects - YouTube Sublime Lighting LLC __________________ John 14-6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.