Music for your projects: 12 thematic resources with tracks licensed under Creative Commons
The selection is useful for developers, designers, video directors and content makers who are looking for music for their projects - applications, games or videos.
The following sites offer download full songs. On the resources where you can find individual sounds and samples, we will tell you next time.
Photo PxHere / PD
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In The New York Times, this site was called the “holy grail” among musical resources. It was founded in 2007, and since then the number of its users has grown by 10% annually. Most of the songs on Bandcamp are sold for money, but there is also music with a Creative Commons license . And the number of available genres is quite extensive: from folk to rap and hip-hop.
Dignity. Music can be downloaded in a large number of formats: MP3, FLAC, ALAC, AAC, Ogg Vorbis, WAV and AIFF. The site also has its own application, available for iOS and Android .
Disadvantages. Most of the music on the site is paid. The cost of the tracks depends on the specific artist. But there are authors who use the pay what you wish model.
Playground with free music from independent authors. All songs on the site are divided into categories (they are marked at the top of the page): techno, dubstep, ambient, rock, jazz and others. Albums of composers are loaded entirely in FLAC format. You can download individual tracks, but they are only available in MP3 format with a bitrate of 320 kbps.
Among the licenses offered are various Creative Commons options. For example, BY-ND 4.0 , which allows the use of tracks in any projects (even commercial ones), but prohibits modification. There is also a freer version - BY-SA 4.0 , which allows you to change the audio track.
Dignity. Registration is not needed, and songs can be filtered by licenses, genres, tags and artists.
Disadvantages. A relatively small number of genres, plus in some categories the number of tracks does not exceed twenty . The site itself is quite old, and its design has not been updated for a long time. There are also bugs with UI, for example, sometimes the form with filters is “turned off” and you have to refresh the page.
This project is overseen by WFMU , an American radio station that promotes the free distribution of music. Satellite development CBC Radio 3 , London performance cafe Cafe OTO and Barbes bar in Brooklyn, in which live music plays, also take part in the development of the site. They upload live recordings to the site. The songs are distributed under various Creative Commons licenses, so some of them cannot be used for commercial purposes.
Dignity. A library of 120 thousand tracks of different genres: from blues to hip-hop. All compositions are selected by a group of professional musicians and radio presenters.
On the pages of artists you can find links to their personal blogs and sites, as well as read about their work. You can also find contact forms with musicians or their email addresses - this is an opportunity to negotiate directly about licensing. The site also has applications for iOS and Android .
Disadvantages. MP3 songs only. To download a track from the site, you need to register - otherwise the browser displays error 500.
The site was created in 2009 by the developer and composer Jason Shaw. On it, he shares his works. Among the genres there are both rock and classic with country music. Jason was imparted a love for music by his father, who, during joint trips, included songs of different styles to his son. To create his compositions, the author uses a variety of musical instruments, as well as samples, drum machines and synthesizers.
For ten years, a whole community of performers has formed around the resource. Now the site can be found not only the work of Jason - on the site quite a high attendance.
Dignity. Ability to search in one of thirty genres. There are also filters by mood, tempo and keywords. Tracks are allowed to use in any projects: in videos on YouTube or applications. But voluntary reward authors is welcome.
Disadvantages. All music is in MP3 format only, and the download system is a bit confusing. This is a multi-step process and it is not enough for the user to simply click the download button. Perhaps partly due to the fact that the site UI has not been updated since its inception in 2009.
This is the audio archive, which was founded by a group of enthusiasts in 2002. The project's goal is to digitize compositions recorded on wax cylinders (for Edison's phonograph ), and to create a specialized audio library. These cylinders were a popular music carrier until 1929. After they gave way to vinyl.
Songs are distributed in MP3 format under the license CC BY-NC 2.5 , prohibiting commercial use. If you wish, you can request the original recording in WAV format.
Dignity. The collection contains 80 thousand songs. In the library you can find rare records recorded in the late XIX - early XX century.
Among the genres are country, vaudeville, folklore, opera, monologues from comedies, Irish songs, and also coon songs . In the world of music, coon songs imply an assertive and hoarse style of singing with shouts. Later this style was inherited by blues and jazz vocalists. One of the best examples of such compositions is the song All coons look alike to me .
Even on the site you can read about the history of the cylinders in the music industry and listen to themed playlists.
Disadvantages. There are no other compositions besides records from cylinders. The site itself has not been updated for quite a long time - the latest news and is dated October 2017.
SoundCloud is a well-known platform that was launched back in 2008. Eight years after the start, the number of tracks on it exceeded 150 million. To find songs allowed for commercial use, use the filter in the search for the site ( here is an example , the settings are on the left side).
Dignity. A large and diverse base of genres and categories: rock, chillout, hip-hop, rap, electronics and many others. There are thematic collections. You can download songs in uncompressed formats, but only with the permission of the author (he must toggle the corresponding checkbox in his account).
Disadvantages. The list of songs allowed for commercial use is rather small (compared to the general base). However, there is always the opportunity to contact the author directly and ask for his permission - many authors publish their contacts in their profiles (profiles in social networks).
Pexels / PD Photos
Resource for those who know how to play musical instruments. Here is a decent library of scores. All submitted scores are distributed under CC or are part of the public domain. They can be modified, copied and reproduced.
Dignity. A collection of over two thousand files in PDF, MIDI and zip formats. There are notes for both popular instruments like piano or guitar , as well as rare ones, for example, for horn , harpsichord and shamisen .
Disadvantages. Music as such is not here, only scores. The site is filled with volunteers, so there may be errors in the notes.
The collection of music that was written by American composer Kevin MacLeod (Kevin MacLeod). Works from the site are distributed under the standard license (Standard License) or under the license of Creative Commons. In the first case, there are no restrictions on use, but the track will have to pay at least $ 25. In the second case, the songs can be downloaded for free, but for them the indication of authorship is required.
Dignity. A large collection of tracks of different genres, there is even a polka and disco . According to McLeod, among the twenty most popular videos on YouTube, eleven used music from his site. Also, the resource has unusual filters - you can search by movie genres ( horror and comedy ), by country ( Latin American or Polynesian motifs) or by mood (for touching moments or reflections ). There are unique selections, for example, Mad Pianist or Wonders of Other Worlds .
Disadvantages. All music on the site is paid. However, some (according to the author, the least successful) works can be found on a third-party FreePD website in the public domain.
Fifteen hundred tracks that are distributed under the license CC BY 4.0. They are allowed to be used for commercial purposes, but must be attributed to authorship. It is believed that this is the most free license, in terms of what users can do with the work.
All songs can be found and listened to on the official YouTube channel or on SoundCloud . Here is an example of one of the tracks available for download:
Dignity. Here you will find modern and classical music, soundtracks, compositions for meditation and content design - the collection is replenished daily.
Disadvantages. You can download the song only in MP3 format. The site itself has a rather cumbersome UI, which is difficult to work with.
All work on the site - the result of the work of musicians Shane Ivers (Shane Ivers). All songs can be downloaded for free, but there is a mandatory requirement - to sign the author. However, it is possible to purchase a license without attribution - it will cost about $ 20 per song. Shane also maintains a blog where he writes about inspiration and the music industry.
Dignity. On the page with the tracks there are descriptions and tips for what purposes they are best suited. For example, the composition Corrupted offers a muddled combination of electronic sounds, rustles and squeaks. This creates an internal tension in the listener, which is useful in a horror video or "ominous" game. There is a function to subscribe to new releases.
Disadvantages. No search for a specific instrument or composition duration. To download a track in an uncompressed format, you have to pay five dollars.
Another private collection of compositions. Its author is Australian composer Scott Buckley (Scott Buckley). He owns the tracks to the trailers of the films “Terminator: Let the Savior Come”, “Golden Compass” and Assassin's Creed 2 games. Scott created a specialized music library for directors and game designers, all tracks in which are distributed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.
Dignity. You can search for music by genre, instrument, keywords and mood. A description is attached to each record - a brief creation background, for which purpose, what tools are involved. New tracks appear on the site 3-4 times a month.
Disadvantages. All tracks are only available in MP3. Download songs in a lossless format will not work.
A library of two hundred songs written or personally selected by American DJ Moby. All music is available in AIFF quality format. It can be used for non-commercial projects - it is necessary to indicate authorship by the pattern: [Track Name] by Moby courtesy of mobygratis.com.
Dignity. Twenty genres of music: from Bosanova to funk. You can search for tracks by mood, instrument, album, tempo, or type of vocals (female or male vocals, no vocals).
Disadvantages. If you plan to use music in the video on YouTube, then only unreleased tracks are suitable for this purpose. Otherwise, there may be problems with copyright and monetization.
Additional reading from our “Hi-Fi World”:
"Eight Beats": about sounds in old games
Old school: what were the games on - we are discussing unusual carriers
What are the features and objectives of sound games
Unsinkable SoundCloud - the most complete audiostart story
Enthusiast recreated the Sound Blaster 1.0 sound card
A method of sound insulation, quenching up to 94% noise
How music helps fight noise
The following sites offer download full songs. On the resources where you can find individual sounds and samples, we will tell you next time.
Photo PxHere / PD
')
Bandcamp
In The New York Times, this site was called the “holy grail” among musical resources. It was founded in 2007, and since then the number of its users has grown by 10% annually. Most of the songs on Bandcamp are sold for money, but there is also music with a Creative Commons license . And the number of available genres is quite extensive: from folk to rap and hip-hop.
Dignity. Music can be downloaded in a large number of formats: MP3, FLAC, ALAC, AAC, Ogg Vorbis, WAV and AIFF. The site also has its own application, available for iOS and Android .
Disadvantages. Most of the music on the site is paid. The cost of the tracks depends on the specific artist. But there are authors who use the pay what you wish model.
CCTrax
Playground with free music from independent authors. All songs on the site are divided into categories (they are marked at the top of the page): techno, dubstep, ambient, rock, jazz and others. Albums of composers are loaded entirely in FLAC format. You can download individual tracks, but they are only available in MP3 format with a bitrate of 320 kbps.
Among the licenses offered are various Creative Commons options. For example, BY-ND 4.0 , which allows the use of tracks in any projects (even commercial ones), but prohibits modification. There is also a freer version - BY-SA 4.0 , which allows you to change the audio track.
Dignity. Registration is not needed, and songs can be filtered by licenses, genres, tags and artists.
Disadvantages. A relatively small number of genres, plus in some categories the number of tracks does not exceed twenty . The site itself is quite old, and its design has not been updated for a long time. There are also bugs with UI, for example, sometimes the form with filters is “turned off” and you have to refresh the page.
Free Music Archive
This project is overseen by WFMU , an American radio station that promotes the free distribution of music. Satellite development CBC Radio 3 , London performance cafe Cafe OTO and Barbes bar in Brooklyn, in which live music plays, also take part in the development of the site. They upload live recordings to the site. The songs are distributed under various Creative Commons licenses, so some of them cannot be used for commercial purposes.
Dignity. A library of 120 thousand tracks of different genres: from blues to hip-hop. All compositions are selected by a group of professional musicians and radio presenters.
On the pages of artists you can find links to their personal blogs and sites, as well as read about their work. You can also find contact forms with musicians or their email addresses - this is an opportunity to negotiate directly about licensing. The site also has applications for iOS and Android .
Disadvantages. MP3 songs only. To download a track from the site, you need to register - otherwise the browser displays error 500.
AudionautiX
The site was created in 2009 by the developer and composer Jason Shaw. On it, he shares his works. Among the genres there are both rock and classic with country music. Jason was imparted a love for music by his father, who, during joint trips, included songs of different styles to his son. To create his compositions, the author uses a variety of musical instruments, as well as samples, drum machines and synthesizers.
For ten years, a whole community of performers has formed around the resource. Now the site can be found not only the work of Jason - on the site quite a high attendance.
Dignity. Ability to search in one of thirty genres. There are also filters by mood, tempo and keywords. Tracks are allowed to use in any projects: in videos on YouTube or applications. But voluntary reward authors is welcome.
Disadvantages. All music is in MP3 format only, and the download system is a bit confusing. This is a multi-step process and it is not enough for the user to simply click the download button. Perhaps partly due to the fact that the site UI has not been updated since its inception in 2009.
UCSB Cylinder Audio Archive
This is the audio archive, which was founded by a group of enthusiasts in 2002. The project's goal is to digitize compositions recorded on wax cylinders (for Edison's phonograph ), and to create a specialized audio library. These cylinders were a popular music carrier until 1929. After they gave way to vinyl.
Songs are distributed in MP3 format under the license CC BY-NC 2.5 , prohibiting commercial use. If you wish, you can request the original recording in WAV format.
Dignity. The collection contains 80 thousand songs. In the library you can find rare records recorded in the late XIX - early XX century.
Among the genres are country, vaudeville, folklore, opera, monologues from comedies, Irish songs, and also coon songs . In the world of music, coon songs imply an assertive and hoarse style of singing with shouts. Later this style was inherited by blues and jazz vocalists. One of the best examples of such compositions is the song All coons look alike to me .
Even on the site you can read about the history of the cylinders in the music industry and listen to themed playlists.
Disadvantages. There are no other compositions besides records from cylinders. The site itself has not been updated for quite a long time - the latest news and is dated October 2017.
Soundcloud
SoundCloud is a well-known platform that was launched back in 2008. Eight years after the start, the number of tracks on it exceeded 150 million. To find songs allowed for commercial use, use the filter in the search for the site ( here is an example , the settings are on the left side).
Dignity. A large and diverse base of genres and categories: rock, chillout, hip-hop, rap, electronics and many others. There are thematic collections. You can download songs in uncompressed formats, but only with the permission of the author (he must toggle the corresponding checkbox in his account).
Disadvantages. The list of songs allowed for commercial use is rather small (compared to the general base). However, there is always the opportunity to contact the author directly and ask for his permission - many authors publish their contacts in their profiles (profiles in social networks).
Pexels / PD Photos
The mutopia project
Resource for those who know how to play musical instruments. Here is a decent library of scores. All submitted scores are distributed under CC or are part of the public domain. They can be modified, copied and reproduced.
Dignity. A collection of over two thousand files in PDF, MIDI and zip formats. There are notes for both popular instruments like piano or guitar , as well as rare ones, for example, for horn , harpsichord and shamisen .
Disadvantages. Music as such is not here, only scores. The site is filled with volunteers, so there may be errors in the notes.
Incompetech
The collection of music that was written by American composer Kevin MacLeod (Kevin MacLeod). Works from the site are distributed under the standard license (Standard License) or under the license of Creative Commons. In the first case, there are no restrictions on use, but the track will have to pay at least $ 25. In the second case, the songs can be downloaded for free, but for them the indication of authorship is required.
Dignity. A large collection of tracks of different genres, there is even a polka and disco . According to McLeod, among the twenty most popular videos on YouTube, eleven used music from his site. Also, the resource has unusual filters - you can search by movie genres ( horror and comedy ), by country ( Latin American or Polynesian motifs) or by mood (for touching moments or reflections ). There are unique selections, for example, Mad Pianist or Wonders of Other Worlds .
Disadvantages. All music on the site is paid. However, some (according to the author, the least successful) works can be found on a third-party FreePD website in the public domain.
TeknoAXE
Fifteen hundred tracks that are distributed under the license CC BY 4.0. They are allowed to be used for commercial purposes, but must be attributed to authorship. It is believed that this is the most free license, in terms of what users can do with the work.
All songs can be found and listened to on the official YouTube channel or on SoundCloud . Here is an example of one of the tracks available for download:
Dignity. Here you will find modern and classical music, soundtracks, compositions for meditation and content design - the collection is replenished daily.
Disadvantages. You can download the song only in MP3 format. The site itself has a rather cumbersome UI, which is difficult to work with.
Silverman sound
All work on the site - the result of the work of musicians Shane Ivers (Shane Ivers). All songs can be downloaded for free, but there is a mandatory requirement - to sign the author. However, it is possible to purchase a license without attribution - it will cost about $ 20 per song. Shane also maintains a blog where he writes about inspiration and the music industry.
Dignity. On the page with the tracks there are descriptions and tips for what purposes they are best suited. For example, the composition Corrupted offers a muddled combination of electronic sounds, rustles and squeaks. This creates an internal tension in the listener, which is useful in a horror video or "ominous" game. There is a function to subscribe to new releases.
Disadvantages. No search for a specific instrument or composition duration. To download a track in an uncompressed format, you have to pay five dollars.
Scott buckley
Another private collection of compositions. Its author is Australian composer Scott Buckley (Scott Buckley). He owns the tracks to the trailers of the films “Terminator: Let the Savior Come”, “Golden Compass” and Assassin's Creed 2 games. Scott created a specialized music library for directors and game designers, all tracks in which are distributed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0.
Dignity. You can search for music by genre, instrument, keywords and mood. A description is attached to each record - a brief creation background, for which purpose, what tools are involved. New tracks appear on the site 3-4 times a month.
Disadvantages. All tracks are only available in MP3. Download songs in a lossless format will not work.
Mobygratis
A library of two hundred songs written or personally selected by American DJ Moby. All music is available in AIFF quality format. It can be used for non-commercial projects - it is necessary to indicate authorship by the pattern: [Track Name] by Moby courtesy of mobygratis.com.
Dignity. Twenty genres of music: from Bosanova to funk. You can search for tracks by mood, instrument, album, tempo, or type of vocals (female or male vocals, no vocals).
Disadvantages. If you plan to use music in the video on YouTube, then only unreleased tracks are suitable for this purpose. Otherwise, there may be problems with copyright and monetization.
Additional reading from our “Hi-Fi World”:
"Eight Beats": about sounds in old games Old school: what were the games on - we are discussing unusual carriers What are the features and objectives of sound games Unsinkable SoundCloud - the most complete audiostart story Enthusiast recreated the Sound Blaster 1.0 sound card A method of sound insulation, quenching up to 94% noise How music helps fight noiseSource: https://habr.com/ru/post/449766/
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