The short version
- Choose music that matches the mood and pace you want, then cut to it.
- Buying or streaming a song doesn't give you the right to use it in a video.
- Use royalty-free libraries, properly licensed tracks or platform music, and always read the licence.
- Keep music well below speech, and let it swell in the gaps.
- Change shots on the beat for an instantly more professional feel.
Choosing the right track
- Match the mood. Upbeat and bright for fun recaps and products; warm acoustic for lifestyle and family; slow piano or strings for emotional pieces; driving electronic for sport and action.
- Match the pace. The tempo of the music sets how fast your cuts can be. A slow song with fast cuts — or the reverse — feels uncomfortable.
- Avoid vocals under speech. Lyrics compete with narration and dialogue. Instrumentals work best when someone is talking.
- Mind the structure. Songs build and drop. Put your strongest visual moment on the biggest musical moment.
- Think about the ending. A track that finishes cleanly — or a natural fade — is better than one cut off mid-phrase.
Music and copyright: the basics
Most commercial music is protected by copyright, and using it in a video you publish usually requires permission from the rights holders. Buying a song, owning a CD or having a streaming subscription only lets you listen to it — it doesn't give you the right to put it in your own videos.
Platforms such as YouTube use automated systems to detect copyrighted music. Depending on the rights holder's choices, a match can mean ads on your video paying them instead of you, the audio being muted, the video being blocked in some countries, or copyright strikes against your channel.
Where to find music you can use
Platform music libraries
Most major platforms offer music you can use on that platform — for example the YouTube Audio Library for YouTube videos, and the sound libraries built into TikTok and Instagram. Note that music added inside one app is often licensed only for use on that app.
Royalty-free libraries
"Royalty-free" means you don't pay a royalty each time the music is played — not that it's free of charge or free of rules. Some libraries are free, others need a one-off payment or a subscription. Check what the licence covers: personal or commercial use, which platforms, whether attribution is required, and whether the licence continues after a subscription ends.
Creative Commons music
Some artists release music under Creative Commons licences, which allow reuse under set conditions. The most common elements are:
| Licence element | What it means |
|---|---|
| BY (Attribution) | You must credit the artist, usually in the description, in the way the licence asks. |
| NC (NonCommercial) | You can't use it for commercial purposes. Monetised or sponsored videos may not qualify — check carefully. |
| ND (NoDerivatives) | You can't change the music. Whether putting it in a video counts as a change is debated, so many creators avoid ND tracks for videos. |
| SA (ShareAlike) | Anything you make with it must be shared under the same licence. |
| CC0 (Public domain dedication) | No conditions — the creator has waived their rights as far as the law allows. |
Licensing a specific song
If you want a particular commercial track, you'll generally need licences covering both the composition and the recording, typically from the publisher and the record label. It's often expensive and slow, which is why most creators use library music.
Make your own
If you or a friend can play an instrument or make beats, original music is the simplest option of all — just keep a record of who made it and that you're allowed to use it.
Getting the levels right
- Speech always wins. When someone is talking, music should sit clearly underneath. If you strain to follow the words, lower the music.
- Duck under dialogue. "Ducking" means automatically lowering music while someone speaks and raising it in the gaps. It keeps energy up without burying the voice.
- No dialogue? Let it play. For montages and slideshows, music can be the star — just keep it below the point of distortion.
- Check on a phone speaker. Most viewers listen on phones, where bass disappears and busy mixes get muddy.
Editing to the beat
Cutting shots in time with the music is the easiest way to make an edit feel intentional:
- Play the track and tap along to find the beat. Note where the big moments — drops, choruses, pauses — fall.
- Place cuts on beats, and your strongest shots on the strongest musical moments.
- You don't have to cut on every beat. Every second or fourth beat often feels better, with faster cutting saved for the high-energy sections.
- Use pauses in the music for a key line of dialogue or a dramatic slow-motion moment.
Step by step: add music in VDOAPP
- Open your project in the free online editor.
- Add the track. In the Audio tab, choose Choose audio file… under Background music. It appears as a bar on the music row of the timeline.
- Set the level with Music volume. Adjust each clip's own sound separately with Volume in the Clip tab.
- Turn on ducking. If you record a voiceover, keep Lower other sound under voiceovers ticked so the music drops automatically while you speak.
- Edit to the beat. Play the video, note where beats fall on the timeline, then trim and split clips so cuts land on them.
- Export — the music is mixed into the final video.
You can also set where the music starts on your video, how long it plays, which part of the song to use, fade it in and out, and choose whether it loops. Those controls appear in the Audio tab once a track is added.