Guides
Written for people who make videos, podcasts, games and songs, not for audio engineers. Every guide was reviewed against primary sources where it states facts.
Prompting and creating
- How to write prompts for AI musicA five-part formula for prompts that produce usable tracks on the first or second try, with examples of weak prompts rewritten.
- How to write lyrics for AI-generated songsShort, even lines, clear section tags and a chorus that repeats are what make generated vocals sound natural.
- AI music prompt examples by situationPrompts sorted by the job the music has to do, so you can start from something close to what you need.
- Common AI music prompt mistakes and how to fix themSeven patterns that make AI tracks generic or unusable, with the fix for each.
- How to use reference tracks to describe the music you wantListen to a reference for its ingredients, write them down, then describe those ingredients rather than the song’s name.
- How to use AI in songwriting without losing your voiceUse AI for the parts that block you, such as a groove or a backing track, and keep the melody and lyrics yours.
- How to write a jingle or sonic logoKeep it short, give it a clear rhythm, use three to five notes and test it alongside your visual logo.
- Sonic branding: how to choose music for a brandTranslate three brand words into tempo, instruments and harmony, then reuse those choices everywhere your brand makes sound.
Rights and licensing
- Royalty-free vs copyright-free music: what is the difference?Royalty-free is a payment model; copyright-free means no copyright applies. Mixing them up is how creators get claims.
- Music licensing explained for creatorsEvery recorded song has two copyrights, the composition and the recording. Licences grant specific uses of them; the details decide what you can do.
- Can you copyright AI-generated music?In the United States, purely AI-generated material is not protected by copyright, but human creative contributions can be. The law is still developing elsewhere.
- How to avoid copyright claims on YouTube when using musicMost claims come from unclear music sources. A simple record-keeping habit prevents almost all of them.
- How to dispute a Content ID claim on licensed musicIf you have a licence or the music is public domain, a calm, factual dispute with evidence usually resolves the claim.
- How to find public domain music you can actually useLook for recordings that are themselves public domain or CC0, and check the source rather than trusting a title that says "copyright free".
- How to credit music in videos and podcastsUse title, artist, source and licence. Creative Commons BY requires it; CC0 and most paid licences do not, but credit is still good practice.
Editing, mixing and delivery
- How loud should background music be under a voice?A common starting point is music about 15 to 20 dB below the voice, adjusted by ear, with ducking and a small EQ dip to keep speech clear.
- Loudness targets for streaming, video and podcastsMost platforms normalise playback, so mastering for balance and dynamics matters more than being as loud as possible.
- WAV vs MP3: which format should you use for video?Use WAV while editing and for final masters; MP3 at a high bitrate is fine for previews, sharing and most web delivery.
- Music settings in video editors: sample rate, ducking and exportMatch the project to 48 kHz, use ducking or keyframes under speech, fade every cut and export AAC at a high bitrate.
- How to edit video to the beat of musicKnow the tempo, mark the downbeats, cut on strong beats and let the music’s sections guide your edit.
- How to make a song longer to fit your videoRepeat whole sections on bar lines, hide edits in transitions, or generate a version at the exact length you need.
- How to loop music seamlesslyCut on bar lines at zero crossings, crossfade a few milliseconds and, where possible, generate tracks that are designed to loop.
Music knowledge
- Music theory basics for video creators and producersSix ideas, tempo, key, major and minor, chords, structure and dynamics, cover most of what you need to describe music precisely.
- Chord progressions and the emotions they suggestA handful of progressions cover most moods. Naming one in a prompt gives you more control than a mood word alone.
- Which tempo to use: a BPM guide by activityTypical tempo ranges for common activities, with notes on half-time and double-time so you can match music to effort.
- How to choose the right key for a singerFind the singer’s comfortable range, find the song’s range, then pick a key that places the highest note just inside the top of the singer’s range.
- Adaptive music for games: layers, loops and transitionsGame music reacts to the player by adding layers or switching sections. Plan your cues and stems with that in mind.
- Spotting sessions and cue sheets for indie filmmakersDecide where music starts and stops, describe each cue’s job, and record it all on a cue sheet for distribution.
AI music and the market
- How AI music generators workModels learn statistical patterns linking descriptions to sound, then generate new audio step by step guided by your prompt.
- AI music training data explainedTraining data shapes what a model can do and raises legal and ethical questions. Here is what to understand and what to ask.
- AI music generator pricing comparedEntry prices are similar; the real differences are download limits, commercial rights and formats. Figures checked on each provider’s own pricing page.
- AI music or stock music: which should you use?Stock wins for proven, polished tracks you can audition instantly; AI wins when you need music shaped to your edit or a sound nobody else is using.