Royalty-Free doesn't mean free -- you still have to pay for the music (their "Flagship" CD's are $48 each). You just don't have to pay each and every time you use it for a project that falls within their licensing agreement.

Jim

My guess is that Royalty free music often have to be relatively generic, or they might not be able to sell enough of it to make it worth while.

Besides it's not too far fetched to think that if a song writer came up with something that could break the charts, they'd set it aside and sell it to whomever buys those. And continue working on the regular tunes without it.

Royalty Free music is as good as the person making it wants it to be. You can have 100% custom royalty free music, it's just a different license type vs other types.

This guy will make your custom royalty free music if you pay him: here. Then you can use it for what you want in your projects, just can't resell the song itself (he's really really good imho).

Your answer is in the $48. That is so low per CD that the production cost had to be very low. In short, it costs a lot of money to make a good soundtrack and the most of the royalty free stuff doesn't have the budget.

It cost almost $200,000 to compose and record a full orchestral CD the last time I did that. Most of the royalty free houses pay about $500 per track to the producer. That is about 4% of the budget.

The best royalty free stuff is going to be small combo stuff. I look for ethnic or solo music. The other route is a house that releases previously paid for stuff that made it money as a custom soundtrack, but now is just adding revenue. Unfortunately those tracks are rare and and you can not be sure where they will turn up . :(

I've found the music from Smartsound to be OK as is the tracks I bought from Stock20. Because none of it is specifically composed to your vision it has to be a bit generic.
One project I'm working on we do have a composer, using only synths. It's OK but it's taught me you cannot beat a real orchestra playing a score written by a good soundtrack composer and that costs money.

Bob.

if you want something tailored to your work that doesn't suck- hire a composer and orchestra.

There is alot of great stuff out there. This guy is a composer that offers his music for credit only. Good stuff:

http://incompetech.com/m/c/royalty-free/

or get something written cheaply - an i mean cheaply:

http://www.versusmedia.com/

Pond 5 has been my go to lately for Royalty free based music. Fee's are reasonable and I pass along the cost to the client.

Cliff Etzel
Immersive Visual Journalist | Micro Documentary Film Maker
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"Your answer is in the $48. That is so low per CD that the production cost had to be very low. In short, it costs a lot of money to make a good soundtrack and the most of the royalty free stuff doesn't have the budget."

I'm pretty sure they intend on selling more than one copy of each CD. If they sell 500 of them then $24,000. Not too bad ;-) And they have 86 CD's in the library.

Jim

I have a friend doing a low-budget movie and he got the local High School orchestra to record his music. It sounds pretty darned good, too. And it was free.

I'm pretty sure they intend on selling more than one copy of each CD. If they sell 500 of them then $24,000. Not too bad ;-) And they have 86 CD's in the library.

But $24,000 is a long way from what it costs to do a first rate CD of music.

Not all of it is terrible, but you can definitely tell the difference between original and royalty-free music.

It cost almost $200,000 to compose and record a full orchestral CD the last time I did that.

Not all music is done with live musicians. For instance, to me, it sounds like the Digital Juice music was done electronically, but I'm no expert. IMHO the DJ stuff is "serviceable" for some. It all depends on the track and your project (and your budget;-)

Excellent point, Leslie! Versus Media is where I found the composer who did the patrotic piece for me a few years back. It sounded fantastic and didn't cost anywhere near $200,000 (although it sounds like it did).

Jay, let's turn this question on it's head: Why is there such poor video out there?

Get my drift?

Grazie

Grazie!!!!! Have you been peeking in my video folders again?

Why is there such poor video out there?

Grazie, it's because they're not using Vegas :-)

Mike

Grazie, I get your drift, but I'm not altogether certain it's applicable.

I'm not talking about music in general, just royalty-free music. Royalty-free video, on the other hand, from the major stock houses is, comparatively speaking, superior to the music being offered. However, the clips are far overpriced, comparatively speaking IMHO.

Royalty free music stinks because it is generic and with a video you are trying to paint a specific mood to achieve your goal.

I have learned that the sound track is everything! then the video follows.

I found a great place online to download non-generic, awesome RFM (royalty free music) but it's my secret. :D if you want it I posted it a few months back.

peace,

ice.

"Royalty free music stinks because it is generic..."; "I found a great place online to download non-generic, awesome RFM (royalty free music)"

Okay. You say royalty free music stinks, but then you say you found some awesome royalty free music. Stinks? Awesome?

most of it really stinks. but I found one site that is really amazing. see?

I don't have time right now, if I can, I'll share it later...


peace

*Royalty-free video, from the major stock houses, is superior to the music being offered. However, the clips are far overpriced, comparatively speaking IMHO.*

You have no clue to what you're talking about.