Tips You Should Know on Using Music in Your Movie Podcast

You love movies, and now you’ve found a way to share that love with the world with your very own movie podcast. You have a name, logo, some quality content, and good ideas, but there’s one minor issue: you’re not quite sure how best to use music in your episodes or where to find it. In this article, we’ll give you the basics when it comes to using copyright free music, as well as some of the ins and outs of music licensing and keeping an organized music/sound effects library. Let’s get started!

Understanding Royalty-Free Music Licensing

One of the first things you need to understand is that there are different types of licenses for music. The two main types are royalty-free and rights-managed:

Royalty-Free Music Licenses

A royalty-free music license is, quite simply, a contract that states that you can use the music for as long as you need without having to pay any additional fees. This type of license is typically offered by the artist or composer and not by a music licensing company. However, with sites that provide downloads of background music like Soundstripe or Epidemic Sound, you pay a membership fee to license that music, and that music can then be used in your projects free of royalties.

Rights-Managed Music Licenses

A rights-managed music license, on the other hand, means that you will need to pay a fee each time you use the music, and that fee will be based on factors such as the length of use, the number of people who will hear the music, and so on. This type of license is typically offered by a music licensing company.

Now that you know some basics of music licensing, let’s take a look at some tips for using music in your podcast.

Setting the Right Tone with Your Background Music

Your background music should set the tone for your podcast episode. If you’re doing an interview with a guest, for example, you’ll want to choose music that is relaxing or easy to listen to. On the other hand, if you’re discussing a controversial movie or topic, you may want to choose music that is more upbeat and energizing. If it’s a show about horror films exclusively, you’ll obviously want something dark or thrilling to set the right tone.

There are certain items to consider when choosing your background music:

This may go without saying, but make sure the volume of the music is low enough that it doesn’t interfere with the audio quality of your podcast.
Choose music that fits the tone and content of your episode. If you’re discussing a lighthearted movie, for example, you don’t want to choose music that is too dark or scary.
Avoid using copyrighted music unless you have a license to do so. This means either purchasing a license from the copyright holder or finding royalty-free music.

Podcast Intro Music & Outro Music

Your podcast intro music and outro music are the first and last things your listeners will hear, so you want to make sure they’re unique and memorable. These should be short snippets of music that help to set the tone for your podcast and give listeners a sense of what’s to come.

When choosing intro and outro music, there are a few things to remember:

Make sure the music is catchy and memorable.
Keep it short – no more than 10-15 seconds for the intro and no more than 20-30 seconds for the outro.
Take special attention to your intro, as this is what listeners will identify this music with your entire show, so make it special!

Using Sound Effects in Your Movie Podcast

Sound effects are often overlooked but can be a great way to add another layer of interest to your podcast episodes. They can also help to set the scene and create a more immersive experience for your listeners.

When using sound effects, there are a few things to remember:

Make sure the sound effects are high quality and add to the audio quality of your podcast rather than detract from it.
Use sound effects very sparingly – too many can be overwhelming and distracting.
As with your music tracks, avoid using copyrighted sound effects unless you have a license to do so. This means either purchasing a license from the copyright holder or finding royalty-free sound effects. Luckily, most music sites offer sound effects in addition to tens of thousands of songs. Downloading from reputable, legitimate sites will keep you in the clear and give you some peace of mind.

Keep an Organized Music Library

Once you start collecting background music for your podcast, it’s important to keep it all organized in one place. Organization is very important for any content creation. This will make it easier to find the perfect piece of music for each episode, and it will also help you stay within the bounds of any licenses you may have.

One way to organize your music is by creating a folder for each episode. Within each episode folder, create a sub-folder for the music. You can then label each file with the name of the song, the artist, and the license type.

Another great way to organize your music is to filter based on artist, genre, mood, and even duration. Once you have these organized to your liking, you’ll find it quick and easy to find the right piece of music for an episode on any kind of movie.

The Bottom Line

When it comes to choosing music for your movie podcast, there are a few things to keep tabs on. Make sure the volume of the music is low enough that it doesn’t interfere with the audio quality of your podcast, choose music that fits the tone and content of your episode, and avoid using copyrighted music unless you have a license to do so. It’s also important to keep a well-organized library to make it easy to find the right track or sound effect. With these guidelines in mind, you’ll be on your way to making your movie podcast more memorable and the best it can be.