How to Add Music to YouTube Videos?

With 3.7 million YouTube videos uploaded daily, which is around 271,330 hours of video content, every YouTube video’s competition to gain attention is immense.

There is no one rule to rise to fame; however, a good principle that can help you hook your viewers is good music.

Music is an essential aspect of YT videos; they have the potential to take your videos from good to great. They help you connect with the audience, evoke emotions, and create an immersive experience.

To help you optimize your YouTube videos, here is a quick guide on correctly adding music to your YouTube videos.

How To Add Music To Your YouTube Videos? A Step-by-Step Guide

When it pertains to incorporating music into your videos on YouTube, most content creators do it during the editing process rather than at the time of shooting. So, knowing how to add music to your YT videos can significantly boost the video’s reach, attention, and popularity. 

To add the music to your videos in the YouTube studio, you must have your videos uploaded on your YT channel. Also, make sure to add the best audio formats.

To add the music to your YT video, you first need to upload the video; if you have already uploaded the video, skip these steps and move directly to Step 6

Here is how to add the music in a hassle-free process;

Step 1: Go to YouTube.com and click on “Sign In” in the top right corner of the page. (If not already signed in)

Step 2: Tap on your profile picture and select YouTube Studio from the drop-down menu to access your dashboard

Step 3: Click on “Create” and select “Upload Videos” To begin the process of uploading the video.

Step 4: Then select the video you want to upload. 

Once uploaded, write the title, description, and other details and click next to process the steps.

Lastly, save or publish the video.

Step 5: Once you have uploaded the video, you can add music using the YouTube Editor.

Step 6: In the next step, select the “Content” Tab on the left side of the screen, and choose the video you want to add music to. 

Step 7: Then go to the video’s details and select the “Editor” tab to get started.

Step 8: Select the “Audio” tab and find the music in the Audio Library.

Step 9: Once you have found your desired audio track, select the track and click “Add” to add the audio to the video.

Step 10: Next, adjust the volume, trim the length or fade, and position the track as per your need.

Step 11: Finish the process of adding the music by clicking on “Save.”

Benefits Of Using Music On YouTube Videos

People have short attention spans in the digital landscape’s oversaturated realm. 

However, adding music can help grab the attention and make the YT videos engaging. Irrespective of its type – playful, subtle, energetic background music is a powerful tool to enhance the overall viewer experience. Music and video, if paired correctly, can help enhance the videos.

#1. Make Your Content More Exciting And Engaging

Music is the heartbeat of the video; it helps fill the gaps and enhance the overall mood, vibe, and energy.

Energetic and vibrant music can add life to mundane visuals, making them exciting and engaging. Choosing the right music can help keep the audience engaged on your YouTube channel.

#2. Connect With Audience

Music is a powerful tool to establish an emotional connection with the audience. By choosing the music that best aligns with the tastes and preferences of your audience, you can strengthen your relationship with your viewers. 

This develops a loyal community and encourages viewers to return to your YT channel for more.

#3. Creates Immersive And Engaging Experience

The music complements the visuals. So, adding the right music can help make the videos immersive and enhance the overall experience. 

Good music holds the viewers’ attention and makes them feel involved as if they are part of the story and not just watching it. Thereby creating a multi-sensory experience for the audience.

#4. Brings Out The Right Emotion 

Music is a secret ingredient that can help you invoke and amplify the right set of emotions that you desire to express. Whether you want to express happiness, sadness, suspense, or excitement, an apt music track can help you strike the right chords.

Therefore, adding music tracks to YouTube videos can help make your videos engaging, memorable, and enjoyable.

3 Top Ways To Select the Music Track You Want

Choosing the perfect audio track is like finding the right key to the lock. It enhanced the overall video experience. 

Here are the top 3 methods to help find the ideal soundtrack, ensuring your YouTube video captivates the audience and stands out.

#1. From YouTube Audio Library

The YouTube Audio Library is a free resource that offers numerous high-quality track and audio effects for your videos. With ample genres, the library is a perfect place to find the most suitable and copyright-free track for your videos on YouTube. 

The library has a simple interface that lets you find the ideal track by using filters, search options, and browsing based on artists, genre, duration, attribution, etc. One can even hear the tracks before downloading or adding them to the video.

Note: Make sure to check the licensing terms and attribution requirements before choosing the track. Some tracks are “Creative Commons licensed,” which requires giving credit to the original creator. Others are “royalty-free” which are free from the restrictions. 

#2. From Royalty-Free or No-Copyright Music Websites

There are numerous websites that offer royalty-free or no-copyright music for YouTube videos. They have their own license and terms of usage. Some of the most common websites include;

• Pixabay
• Amazon Music
• Unminus
• Thematic

#3. Use Your Own Music

Using your own music is another efficient method of including music in videos without copyright issues. You can import the audio and music files into the YouTube editor and then add them to the videos.

How To Replace Music In YouTube Videos?

Using restrictive audio or visual content on your video can lead to a copyright claim, thereby prohibiting the viewers from seeing the video. Using content that you do not have permission for can cause issues for your channel.

However, YouTube can help you replace the objectionable audio and clear the copyright claim to make your videos visible again.

Step 1: Begin by viewing the video with a copyright claim.

Step 2: Move your mouse on the copyright claim and see the details; you will see the list of offending music tracks and timecodes.

Step 3: Next, click on “Select Action” and you will see four options. This includes – Trim, Replace, Mute, or Dispute. Now select “Replace” if you intend to change the track. (in this case, copyright strike is not there, so the option to replace is not popping out)

Step 4: This will redirect the page to the YouTube Free Library. From here, you can choose your audio and click “Save.”

Step 5: That’s it. Your video has replaced the copyright violation with a new track.

Understanding YouTube Copyright Policy and Fair Use Policy

YouTube has a strict Copyright Policy to protect the creator’s rights. Here is a brief overview of the same:

# The First Copyright Rule

That is, creators must never upload videos they did not create, nor should they utilize content in their videos that someone else holds the copyright to, such as music tracks, except for copyrighted programs or videos made by other users, without the proper permissions.

YouTube uses the Content ID to scan the copyrighted music in the videos. Thereby giving owners of copyright the option of monetization or removal. Copyright owners can monetize videos utilizing their content or request takedowns.

 Also, as per the rules, repeated violations can lead to copyright strikes against the creator’s channel.

# Fair Use Policy

Understanding the fair use policy is essential when working with copyrighted music on YouTube. 

Fair use states that under certain conditions, using copyright-protected content without permission from the copyright owners is permissible. 

• It is always essential to understand whether your usage is in line with fair use policy or standards, such as criticism, commentary, education, or parody.
• Transformative usage, where in original music is modified, falls under the fair use policy.
• Using a portion of the original track rather than the entire one is generally acceptable per YouTube rules and norms. 

Tips For Choosing The Right Music For Your YouTube Videos

Choosing the ideal music track that matches the vibe and tone of the YT video can be tricky and challenging. 

To help you make the right decision, here are some quick tips that can propel your YouTube videos and ensure your videos hit the right chord:

#1. Consider the tone and mood of the video

Choose the music that matches the vibe and mood of the video. Exciting and happy tracks for joyful content, slow and melancholic music for sad content, and so on.

#2. Understand Audience Preference

Understand your viewers’ tastes and preferences. Add music matching their choice and the genre they enjoy- pop beats, classical notes, jazz, etc.

#3. Consider Genre

Match the music genre with the theme of the video. From modern beats, electronic music, folk, and hip-hop to classical tones. Align the genre with the content type. 

#4. Match The Brand Identity

Always choose the audio tracks that best match the vibe of your brand/business. Cohesiveness helps in fostering brand recognition among the viewers.

#5. Must Blend With The Video Visuals

The audio track must seamlessly blend with the video’s visuals. This will help create an engaging and immersive experience. On the contrary, using totally different audio from the visuals lowers the engagement level.

Read More:

• How to Download Free Music for Your YouTube Videos In 2024?
• 6 Easy Ways To Watch YouTube Videos On A TV

Conclusion

Music is an excellent element to invoke an emotion, connect with your audience, and grow your YouTube channel. Adding the ideal music track to your YouTube videos can significantly improve their quality, popularity, and appeal. 

Use the tips and steps mentioned above to seamlessly add the perfect audio track to your videos. Also, make sure your added music matches the genre and is free of copyright claims. 

By integrating music, you don’t just amp up your videos but also breathe life into them, leaving a lasting impression on viewers’ minds.