5 STEPS TO FINDING THE RIGHT YOUTUBE VLOG MUSIC

Striking the right chord with your vlogging music selection

As vlogging has steadily transformed into the storytelling format of the digital age, the role of music in these video vignettes has become critical.

Resonating beats, subtle melodies and evocative rhythms provide you with all the sound accessories you need to define the heart and soul of your vlog. They can shape the atmosphere, propel the action and even become a key character within your brand.

Music doesn’t just fill the silence or mask unwanted inconsistencies in sound. It offers an opportunity to elevate your content to new heights and connect with your audience.

It’s not about sprinkling random tunes that simply sound good on their own, either. You want to intentionally select the right soundscape that aligns with the vision of your video.

This emphasis on music goes hand in hand with an ever-growing focus on production quality in vlogging. With content creators across the world elevating their game, the music you incorporate into your vlogs has become an increasingly essential ingredient.

In the face of today’s competition, a catchy tune isn’t guaranteed to enhance your viewer’s experience. A memorable but ill-placed song will still make for a forgettable video.

To help you capture the right sound, let’s dive into the process for choosing music for your vlog.

 

Know your niche

If you’re struggling to come up with any ideas for vlog video music, a good place to start is to look at other successful vloggers who are making content similar to your own.

Watching a few hours of other people’s videos should give you some pointers. Take notes on the pace, how music enhances certain scenes, and what styles of music are received well.

There’s an odd-sounding principle when it comes to background music. It’s often best when the viewer barely notices that any music is playing, but if the music were muted, the video would seem cold and empty.

Music can add an almost subconscious element of pace and emotion to a scene. People are attuned to hearing it without necessarily listening to it.

Consider this idea when you’re reviewing your sample videos. Try watching them as a regular viewer, then watch again while paying close attention to the music. You’ll probably find you have two completely different experiences.

Also, checking out the competition for inspiration doesn’t mean you have to copy their style. You can use it to get positive ideas, but you can also listen to eliminate overused moods and genres.

This is a good way of developing your own style and building the brand of your channel.

 

Decide on the structure of your vlog

Your vlog should have a beginning, a middle and an end, and you can use music to signal this structure to the viewer.

You could open with uplifting background music for the vlog intro. Then, tone it down to something more ambient for your vlog background when you start speaking or demonstrating something.

When you come to the video’s conclusion, you could perhaps reprise your familiar vlogging intro music or even choose something else completely.

Choosing an entirely different track can work if you use your outro section to advertise your next video or make a call to action to like and subscribe.

 

Find your perfect track

Now you’ve thought of the moods you’re looking for, you’ll need to find the precise tracks that will bring your video to life. If you’re struggling to pinpoint what you’re after, try searching by theme, playlist, mood or genre.

Say you’re doing a vlog about skateboarding; you could search within the classic hip-hop genre. The strong, rhythmic beats associated with this genre work well to emulate the rhythmic action and feel of skateboarding.

A cooking channel, for example, could apply music from the same culture as the food. Or, if you’re doing a history vlog, you might find your perfect symphony within orchestral music.

And when it comes to filming high-octane action or dramatic scenes, the percussive power of drums is second to none.

Your soundtrack can become an unseen character in your narrative, underscoring the story and enhancing your vlog's overall impact.

Pick moments from the track

It’s worth remembering that you don’t have to use the whole of a track for your vlog.

Most downloadable pieces are several minutes long, so could be too long if you’re looking for tracks for mini vlogs. It’s easy to fade individual sections of the track in and out, so make sure you listen to the whole thing and note down the moments you like best.

A typical piece also has its own pauses, crescendos and climactic points. With some clever editing, you can also make the volume, mood and tempo of the track match key moments in the vlog.

 

Make sure you have the right to use it

Finally, you really have to make sure you have the right to use music on your vlog, or you will almost certainly be looking at strikes and takedown requests. In other words, you can’t just go through your music collection and add what you want.

There are ways of getting permission to use artists’ music, and it might even be granted for free. However, this will often be time-consuming and involve a lot of discussions with the copyright owner.

The safest way to add music for your vlog background song is to use licensed music. For a small fee, you’ll have the right to use the music on your channel and won’t suffer from strikes and copyright issues.

A host of exceptionally talented musicians and composers dedicate their creativity to producing music for content like vlogs. No matter what mood or genre you envision, you'll find tracks that can elevate your vlog and make it truly distinctive and unforgettable.

 

Browse our catalog and get unlimited access to over 50,000 fresh new tracks and 200,000 SFX.