The cost of free music! (Permission Vs time)

What is 'free' music?

http://londontheinsideswag.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/free-burritos.html

When someone makes or creates something the ownership of that item belongs to them (unless they do it as part of their paid employment).  The copyright is the Creator's.  If someone uses the item subsequently then they should do so with the Creator's permission.  That might also include payment.  The internet makes it possible to distribute material separated from it's original context and Creator.  The ownership and property rights of online material is a very complex issue.  Check out the film below.

Rip: A remix manifesto

RiP! A Remix Manifesto by Brett Gaylor, National Film Board of Canada

Just because you can find music on the Internet doesn't make it 'free'.  It just means that it's available to you.  In the work that I do with students I always insist that the music you use is copyright cleared.  That is to say that you can demonstrate that you have permission from the copyright holder (who may not necessarily be the Creator) to use that music for your specific project/film.

It is quite easy to find 'copyright free' music.  It's sometimes referred to as 'copyleft' music. It's still not actually really free - some rights are reserved.  Most commonly it is licensed under a 'Creative Commons' license.  These are designed specifically for the Internet Age - since previous copyright structures have proved difficult to employ a global web context.  Student work is 'non-commercial' so the most basic CC license allows Students to use the material as originally created with just a credit.  This is an easy request/requirement to meet.

What is 'Royalty free' music?  

This is music that doesn't require a User to buy it but often still requires  licensing payments depending on context of use and repeats etc.  It's not 'free' as in 'nothing to pay'.

What is the downside of using copyright free music?

There is so much out there that is unsuitable for your project or plain terrible.  So it takes time to find what you need.  But if you have a good idea of what you want , then it's just a matter of time.  So start looking AS SOON AS YOU CAN.  If you are in a group then nominate a 'music researcher'.  Get them to find a selection to play to the team.  Remember to collect the details of the musicians, lable, webiste etc.  You will need these in you documentation.

Isn't this all rather uncessary.  No one else bothers with it!

Put yourself in the position of the musician, artist, writer, Poet, scultper, designer, Record label etc.  It's their work so they should make the decision.  You will own the copyright for your project.  If you want to enter your film into a festival they will need to know, from you, that you have the rights.  All the rights which includes any material created and used in that film.  If you don't then they can't show it.

Where do you look for CC music?

Creative Commons

Vimeo Music Store

Internet Archive

Freesound.org

Opsound.org

Philharmonia Orchestra (samples)

Jamendo

As a big fan of Soundcloud I would also suggest that you could source some really great music here too.  It's not CC'd but it's quite easy to contact the musicians via SoundCloud to ask permission to use it for a project.  Here's a 'User' called 'Music for non profit films'



You can also contact 'Record' labels directly too, if they have a track or artist you like.  They will often grant you permission in an email.  That email is enough prove for me!  The smaller the label the more student- friendly they seem to be.  But you need to allow time for them to grant you permission.