Royalty-Free Music for Gameplays (+ Where to Download)
As the gaming industry becomes more prominent, video games become more impressive as remarkable artworks take the player on a memorable adventure. Game developers now include music to create more vivid environments and engage the player more. To make a great video game for your upcoming gaming project, you must understand what royalty-free game music means. Read on.
Royalty-free music is a license where you pay one time and acquire lifetime legal usage of the music. Spending one time gives you the privilege of someone else’s copyrighted material in your games. Paying for royalty-free music is convenient for your developing career and cost-effective. After paying for royalty-free music, you can access all musical genres that suit your game.
Using Royalty Free Music Legally
Royalty-free music is essential because it saves you from the consequences of using unlicensed music. Using unlicensed music can adversely affect your commercial potential for video games and make you face other penalties. Royalty-free music simply means that you won’t be subject to ongoing royalty payments for the lifespan of your video game.
Copyright-Free Music for Gaming
Copyright-free music for gaming is the soundtracks that are free of copyright. Their copyright has expired or has been purchased by another party. They are in the public domain and can be recorded and performed by anyone without paying. It does not mean that any specific version of the music you find online is copyright-free. When developing gameplay, creating your version of copyright-free music is safe.
Unlike royalty-free music that is easy to find, finding copyrighted-free music is almost impossible. It is because there are only a few copyrighted-free kinds of music that you can use in your gameplay.
Tips When Searching for Royalty-Free Music
While developing music for your gameplay, the following points will help you quickly locate the best royalty-free music for your game.
1. Search for Stock Music
Stock music is not specially composed for a specific project, like a film score or a TV program theme. They are previously created to be freely licensed to anyone willing to pay. You can find stock music from various online providers, but they vary in quality.
2. Search According to a Genre.
Even when you look up stock music, you will find them in libraries full of recognizable genres like pop, electronica, jazz, or country music. In this mix, it is good to go for the most recognizable songs of the genres you want. The genres are availed according to the music's quality and the subscribers' popularity.
Royalty-Free Music Genres for Gaming Videos
When checking the reviews of your games, you can find negative comments where a viewer complains that the music does not match the game. Choosing the right piece for your video game is essential to avoid such negative reviews. Here are the top royalty-free music genres for gaming videos.
1. Chill Electronic for Casual Playthroughs
Chill music is the most trending royalty-free music because they are neutral and easy to listen to. They have various moods, from energized and quirky to sleepy and relaxing. Chill music suits puzzles, exploration, or strategy games with less action. They are also suitable for casual live streams that require little background music, but your audience can also listen to you.
2. Rock for Grinds And Action Games
Rock music is the best option for developing a no-talk playthrough game. Royalty-free music provides rock genres of songs that are for metal and punk. Choosing rock music with no vocals is best since it makes it easy for viewers to focus on the game rather than listen to the song. Rock music keeps the viewers excited during the live streams and breaks.
3. Hip-Hop for an Urban Chill Feeling
Hip-hop's mood resembles a rock, so that it can be a great substitution. But if you want a cool urban chill, go for hip-hop with or without vocals. Royalty-free music for gamers provides hip-hop that suites more intense games with first-person shooters and horrors.
4. Instrumentals for Adventure Games and Ambiance
Instrumentals best suit Let’s Plays or walkthroughs of adventure and open-world games because they are easy to listen to. Making background music is good because it creates an ambiance of electronic chill that is more classical. You can also use instrumentals to change the atmosphere of your game.
How Much Are Paid for Royalty-Free Music?
Paying for royalty-free music usually depends on the source of the song and its quality. The following are the subscription rates for royalty-free music for your gameplay.
Free Subscription
Selecting a free subscription plan for royalty-free music means that you will have limited access to songs. Even though the free plan only avails fewer songs, you can still find a good quality piece that is right for your gameplay.
Average Rates
There are also average subscription rates for royalty-free music that range between $30 to $60, though it can go up to $100. Such a subscription comes with different length versions, short stings, and even choices of quality you need and formats you want your music to be in.
Subscription Model
Royalty-free music also offers a subscription model where you access a wide range of libraries. In such a subscription model, you are able t download individual tracks at no extra charge. The subscription model is most effective if your gameplay composes of varying tastes, styles, and corporate images.
Royalty-Free Music and Copyrighted Free Music Are Not the Same!
The terms royalty-free music and copyright-free are commonly interchangeable but are not the same. Even though you can use royalty-free music and copyright-free music in your gameplay, they are not the same.
Royalty-free music lets you purchase and use the content as often as possible. Music that is available in royalty-free music is made by producers who later make them available in royalty-free music. You can later use your subscription to access this music as often as possible. However, copyright-free music is music that you can use in gameplay without paying. These music are available in the public domain; you can freely incorporate them into your video games.
Conclusion
Royalty-free music is most efficient for game developers aiming to remain legal in their careers. It offers various genres of music that can be used in gameplay to increase the number of players and keep them more captivated by the game. Royalty-free music also comes in varying subscription models that ensure you continue using the site throughout your game-developing career.
