The relationship between content creators and musicians is complex. Musicians want — and deserve — to be paid for their creative output. Content creators want to find the perfect sounds for their content for the lowest cost. Simple enough so far, right?
Unfortunately, copyright laws make pleasing both parties difficult.
Non copyright music is not always of good quality, although it’s more affordable than paying for a license. Musicians do not receive any payment for their music. Meanwhile, content creators can end up investing a lot more time and money purchasing copyrighted music than expected for 20-30 seconds of a song.
We all want musicians to get paid. We all want content creators to find the sound they desire. So what’s the solution?
A platform that connects musicians to content creators to negotiate rights.
One example is Audiosocket. In this guide, we’ll tell you what using a service like Audiosocket entails and how it compares to using non copyrighted music. But first, you should know more about the benefits and drawbacks of using non copyrighted music.
What Does Non Copyrighted Music Mean?
Non copyrighted music has no legal protections for its use. This can be because:
- The artist wanted it to be free for use
- The artist forgot to copyright the work
- The copyright has expired
Technically, a song is copyrighted the moment it’s published. However, without registering copyright, it can be hard for a musician to claim royalties if their work is used without permission.
Content creators often seek out non copyright music because it’s affordable and easier than haggling with musicians, labels, publishers and lawyers over the price for use. The problem is that using non copyrighted music isn’t always a painless experience — a musician may belatedly try to claim copyright.
The range of non copyright music available (especially modern) is also very limited.
Using Copyright Music Without Permission
We’re sure that you’ve realized a potential loophole: but wait, don’t some content creators on YouTube use copyright music without permission? How will they know?
There are a few reasons you shouldn’t try to get away with this:
- YouTube’s algorithm actively seeks out misuse of copyright infringement
- You can see your video taken down and your reputation damaged
- The creator may pursue you for damages if you’ve earned money using their work
- The more successful your content, the more likely it’ll be flagged — does it feel safer in the shadows?
We have indeed become accustomed to small channels using copyright songs without permission. You see videos being taken down all the time, and usually, that’s the end of it. However, if you’re trying to create content with a broad reach and earn money from your creative endeavor, you may well end up facing legal action.
Free-to-Use Music vs. Non Copyright Music
Non copyright music might describe a recording that hasn’t been registered as copyright. Meanwhile, free-to-use music tends to describe music where the copyright has expired. In the U.S., copyright lasts for 70 years after the author’s death. This means that a lot of classical music is free-to-use.
However, this applies only to the music itself and not to specific recordings of the music. The problem here is that while early recordings exist, the sound quality is often worse than more recent recordings. So you would still have to negotiate with the recording artist if you were using a 1997 recording of Claire de Lune — just not with Debussy himself.
Royalty-Free Music vs. Non Copyright Music
A common misconception is that royalty-free music has also not been copyrighted. This is not the case. Royalty-free music describes a contract between a recording artist and a content creator in which a one-off payment is made to the recording artist.
This means that the content creator can use the agreed recording in an agreed, specific setting. No further payments are owed after the original in a royalty-free music agreement. The content creator usually must credit the creator in the description or end credits.
This is more common when artists license their music to smaller content creators. If the content creator is a huge film studio, the media will likely be viewed millions of times. In these situations, it’s much more advantageous for musicians to request royalties than offer royalty-free music.
Searching for royalty-free music still means that you’re likely to enter into time-consuming negotiations with artists. Meanwhile, the extremely limited range of non copyright music can make it hard to find what you’re looking for — and can still be very time-consuming.
Audiosocket vs. Non Copyright Music
Audiosocket is a platform that connects content creators with dedicated musicians. Its goal is to ensure that content creators have access to the perfect sounds for their projects while ensuring that musicians are properly compensated and given the recognition they deserve.
Unlike when you’re seeking out non copyrighted music, Audiosocket allows creators to:
- Avoid checking the copyright status of every recording
- Access a huge catalog of music with a massive variety of styles
- Browse tracks easily due to careful categorization
- Quickly find your niche with a sophisticated search algorithm and well-chosen search parameters
- Rest assured that artists are fairly paid for their work
Non copyrighted music doesn’t have its own convenient, continuously-updated database, after all. You have to crawl through dozens of tracks just to find one that might be free for use, and who has time for that?
Audiosocket boasts a library of over 100,000 tracks and offers a flexible pricing plan for content creators. It cuts out all the hassle of individual negotiations and laborious manual searches.
Here are some other differences between using non copyright music and Audiosocket.
Database of High-Quality and Cared-For Music
Audiosocket works with artists who want their music to be available to content creators. It negotiates fair payment for the artists involved, saving time for the artists and the creators who would love to use their music.
This mutually beneficial system provides greater exposure for artists. Audiosocket is used by big-name studios and creators looking for their perfect sounds, giving musicians incentive to put their best music on this platform.
Audiosocket works with artists committed to their work rather than ‘jingle writing.’ Every track you’ll find on the Audiosocket database was created by a devoted artist looking to express themselves. You’re more likely to find quality music rather than stock sounds.
Sophisticated Search Algorithm
Audiosocket’s search algorithm is one of its biggest advantages. Users can search music using several parameters, including:
- Mood
- Genre
- Theme
- Tempo
This makes it so much easier for content creators to find the perfect sound for their vision. It also boasts a ‘sounds like’ feature, allowing users to find content similar to tracks that would be prohibitively expensive to license.
A fun fact is that ‘sounds like’ is common practice in the film industry. Sometimes a famous composer’s name will be ‘attached’ to a movie to increase the film’s draw, but the music itself is composed by a team of understudies. Many Audiosocket artists compose their music on a similar principle, creating evocative soundtracks based on what AV content creators might be looking for.
Easy to Use Licensed Music Platform
Audiosocket is ideal for smaller content creators who struggle to find what they’re looking for in the swamp of non copyrighted music. These creators may also lack the time and resources to negotiate the use of music independently.
Searching for non copyrighted music is a tiresome process. Using basic search terms, it’s almost impossible. Even using sophisticated search can be time-consuming and mostly fruitless. A few things you won’t miss constantly adjusting when you’re using Audiosocket:
- Tags
- Keywords
- Metadata
The interface is approachable and informative. Users are encouraged to simply input the URL of a song or upload an audio file from their computer. The algorithm can then recommend the most similar results.
Users can also enter more data to refine their search; the AI provides an intuitive way of finding what you’re looking for based on the information you already have.
Is Non Copyright Music Cost-Effective Compared to Audiosocket?
The simple answer: no.
The simple reason: time is money.
You can spend an incredible amount of time searching for non copyrighted music and still only find disappointing results. By trying only to use non copyrighted music, you’re dragging the heaviest net through the shallowest waters. This is what you lose as a result:
- Time. Some of us spend our entire lives trying to write one good sentence. However, most AV content creators would like to produce a large volume of high-quality content and not spend years on each piece.
- Money. Most artists would like to see a good return on their content. The cost of creating is measured in hours as well as equipment. Using Audiosocket’s flexible pricing, you’ll almost certainly be reducing your work costs per hour.
- Focus. You’re an AV creator, not a research assistant. If you spend too long looking for the right sound in non copyright music, you can lose focus on the project itself. Don’t fall into that trap.
Final Thoughts
Using Audiosocket’s search algorithm and intuitive sound analysis, you can find what you’re looking for in the simplest way possible: by showing the platform what you’re looking for. The only difference is that you’re not paying through the nose or spending weeks in negotiations (as with royalty-free music).
You can choose the best pricing option for you with Audiosocket’s flexible plans, and the perfect soundtrack will be waiting for you in a few clicks. You’ll also rest easy knowing you’re avoiding legal dilemmas with copyrighted music and that the artists are properly compensated for their hard work.
