Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use your music...

for YouTube videos? Yes, AND you can monetize the videos. Be sure to credit me. [More about YouTube]
on streaming sites? Yes. Be sure to credit me. [More about Streaming]
in live productions? Yes. Be sure to credit me.
for something else? Probably. Be sure to credit me or purchase a license.

Crediting

How do I place a credit for this music in my project?

Title Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

It is important that you replace the word Title with the Actual Title of the piece that you are using! The Licenses page has a quick copy-paste feature that makes it all very easy!

Do I have to put the credit where people can see it? Yes. Credits change from media to media - but in general a credit needs to be placed such that a person who wants to know where the music came from should have no difficulty in finding it. A reasonable effort may be expended (e.g. clicking on a credits option) but the credit should not be obscured. Some common examples...

What if I cannot credit you? If you are interested in using a piece in a television broadcast or radio commercial, or some other format where credits are impossible, obtain a Standard License.

How do you prove to the powers-that-be that the music is clear, then?

  1. Print out the actual license: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode.en.
  2. Print out the page from my site that shows the piece of music that you are using. Make sure that it includes the URL and also the CC logo at the bottom of the screen.

Hiring / Commissions

Can you write original music for my project?
No. I am not currently accepting new work.

I want a piece of music that sounds just like this song I have...
No. Sorry, I do not do sound-alikes.

Everything Else

What is the name of the piece of music I found?
I probably don't know. At best, I could tell you if I wrote the piece. Try asking your phone what the title of the track is (and then play the track for it). This seems to work well on all iOS and Android devices.

I need your signature for [my school / a competition / a festival].
I don't have a scanner or a fax machine, and I really dislike reading those things. The truth of the matter is the Creative Commons license that I offer all of my music under almost always gives you more rights than those contracts.

What software do you use?
Software FAQ

Is this music free to use?
Yes.

Is this music Copyright Free?
No. All of this music is copyrighted. Though some of the baroque and classical compositions are in the public domain; these recordings are not. For Public Domain music, head to FreePD.com.

Is this music in the Public Domain?
No. All of this music is copyrighted. Though some of the baroque and classical compositions are in the public domain; these recordings are not. For Public Domain music, head to FreePD.com.

Is there sheet music available?
Rarely. Exceptions are noted in the descriptions. Here's everything.

Can I change your music?
Yes, you can sing over, chop, splice, compress, lengthen, and add instruments to anything you like. You MUST make it clear in the credits which parts are yours, and which parts are mine. There is no need to mention if you cut and splice.

What happened to [piece of music]? I can't find it anymore.
From time to time, I move some of the less commercially successful pieces over to my other site at FreePD.com. Look for it over there.

What are ISRC Numbers?
ISRC numbers listed on each track are unique identifiers for that recording. If you don't have a use for this number - don't worry about it. Some people need them. For example - if someone challenges your claim to use my music - claiming that they own the rights, you can respond with this number to show where the track came from. Here is the list of all allocated ISRC numbers of tracks on this site.

Do you know of any other places I can get good music?

Yes. Try my friends...