The use of stock audio, or royalty-free tracks, is a resource many churches overlook or don’t see the need for. They say knowledge is power, and the lack of knowledge when it comes to using stock audio versus anything you can find is something we’re aiming to shed a little light on in this post. There is value in using royalty-free stock music and sound effects. Here’s three things you may not know about stock audio:
How to Use Stock Audio
Stock audio has so many uses. It can be used as a background track for your video, pre-service music for your weekly services (because who likes silence when people are coming in ;), or background music for social posts to help grab attention.
Moving past the mindset of full-tracks, often stock audio subscriptions include a plethora of sound effects. Sounds effects that can enhance sermons and demonstrations for the adult service or the kids’ service and everything in between.
Copyright Infringement
This happens all too often. You just filmed and edited an awesome testimony video for your pastor to use on Sunday morning. It looks great and sounds great. It needs music to help the mood, so you go to YouTube, Google, or your playlist and type in “dramatic instrumental.” You find one you love and insert it. Sunday morning is here, and suddenly, you get flagged, or FaceBook is muting portions of your service because the audio you used wasn’t yours to use!
If we’re honest, that’s probably happened more times than you’d like to admit. Here’s the thing, you can’t use someone else’s audio unless you have a license for it. <Insert stock audio here>. Stock audio gives you the chance to search through thousands and thousands of songs that have already been licensed through a company, giving you the royalty-free rights to use them.
Is it worth paying a subscription for just a few videos? I’m so glad you asked…..
Where to Find Stock Audio
There are quite a few places you can find royalty-free music for single tracks or sound effects. However, that can get pricey after a while (some are even a little cheesy). Having a subscription to a stock audio service is definitely the best bang for your buck. We’ve searched the internet and found the best deal and best tracks for you!
SoundStripe is an industry-leading music and sound effects subscription company that is used by some popular churches such as Life.Church, Elevation, Hillsong and so many others. Their selection of sound effects and music is incredible. The best part, they’re extremely affordable, especially when you jump on their latest deal!
From March 22-April 2 you can get 30% OFF their yearly plan* with code “CHURCH21.” Along with 30% off, church creatives are eligible to receive a $175 coupon for Visual Media Church. For more information or to sign up: click here!
Conclusion
Using stock music and sound effects allows your church to operate under integrity. Knowing that you are fully licensed to use the audio accompanying videos, pre-service, sermon illustrations, and so-on. As creatives and communicators, it’s important we value the work of others like we would want our work to be valued. So, before you put that track on your next video, stop, wait a minute, and ask yourself if you have full licensing rights, and if not is there another royalty-free track that could work?
