Tracks to Sync is a monthly mix of music curated with the video producer in mind.
As more and more people begin to create video in the digital era, they are faced with the music licensing hurdles that have hindered many a film project. This series aims to unite independent video producers with independent musicians; creating videos that want to be seen with music that wants to be shared.
More than half of the 50,000+ tracks at the FMA are available under Creative Commons licenses that allow for "derivative works," (like a video) while retaining the parts of copyright that the rightsholders wish to keep. You can search through all of these tracks by using our "sync to video" search filter, or check out our list of featured tracks. You can read more about the various CC combos here, and check out FMA's HELP & FAQ for more resources.
Before using any Creative Commons music for a project, you need to make sure you follow the track's license in order to avoid copyright infringement. If you're not sure whether your use is pre-cleared by a particular license, it's always a good idea to reach out to the artist directly. Click the "i" button below to view the license along with a URL or email address where you can secure 'more permissions.'
Rock the Baby from The NED Show on Vimeo feat. music by Ant Neely
We always love to hear about collaborations inspired by FMA music, so if you use one of these tracks, please post a link on the track page as well as to our Video Showcase. Here's one of our favorite videos made using last month's tracks! We'll feature another video next month that uses tracks from this month's playlist.
1. Fhernando [www] is a mexican DJ/Producer putting out some very nice Disco-Funk tunes. Throw this track underneath some dialogue to keep the sonic backdrop pulsing, or use it to bring some energy to your visuals. [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-ShareAlike]
2. This Björn & Gorden [www] track is bit more down-tempo and meditative. There's a lot of room in the mix if you want to focus in on the bass or mids, and when those guitars come in you've got yourself a nice dreamy electronic track to fit many moods. [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-ShareAlike]
3. This CHLLNGR [soundcloud] remix has a bit more of a house vibe, while still keeping that ethereal chill-out ambiance. Great as an unobtrusive music bed for your urban scenes. [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-ShareAlike]
4. Another selection from a very similar palette of sounds. Risey puts the bass up front and keeps it pulsing all the way through. Another great house track that would be great for slideshows or how-to videos. Find more on this great compilaton of house sounds from Toucan Music. [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial]
5. Ghostandthesong's [soundcloud] poppy synth sounds make for a great chilled track. With a solid, catchy baseline, interesting samples, and super smooth production - snag this if you need some hip music to go with your indie film. [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-ShareAlike]
6. This single from Isle [facebook] made quite an impression when it first landed here at the FMA. We normally don't put too many tracks with vocals in the Tracks to Sync feature, but this song would make a stellar addition to any soundtrack. [Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommerical-ShareAlike]