Can you play music while recording video Android?
This article will discuss how to play background music over videos recorded on Android phones. With the rise in popularity of creating video content on smartphones, many users want the ability to overlay audio tracks to make their videos more engaging. We’ll cover the copyright implications, built-in options on Android, third party apps, video editing software, royalty free music sources, audio mixing techniques, and creative uses for adding music to enhance Android videos.
Copyright Concerns
Using copyrighted music in your videos can potentially lead to copyright issues if the use does not qualify as fair use. As this article explains, fair use allows you to use copyrighted content without permission under certain circumstances, such as commentary, criticism, news reporting, etc. However, simply using a popular song as background music likely does not qualify.
YouTube’s fair use policy states that short portions of copyrighted material may be allowed under fair use, but longer or prominent uses likely require permission. As this guide notes, fair use is a gray area without clear directives. To avoid copyright claims, it’s safest to use royalty free or original music unless your use clearly transforms the copyrighted work.
Built-in Android Options
Android devices have some built-in options for adding audio to videos directly on your phone or tablet. Here are a few ways you can use the native Android tools:
Google Photos: The Google Photos app allows you to add music from your device’s audio library to videos you’ve recorded. When editing a video, tap the music note icon, select a song to add, and adjust the volume. One limitation is you can only use songs already on your device.
YouTube Studio: If you upload videos to YouTube, the YouTube Studio app lets you add audio tracks from YouTube’s audio library to your videos. There are plenty of songs and instrumental tracks to choose from. The app handles mixing the audio levels automatically.
Video Editing Apps: Many video editing apps for Android, like InShot, KineMaster, or Adobe Premiere Rush, provide options for adding audio, voiceovers, sound effects, and music to projects. Some feature audio libraries or let you import your own music files.
The convenience of having built-in tools makes it easy to quickly add background music, narration, or sound effects as you create videos on an Android device. Just keep in mind any copyright or licensing restrictions if sharing publicly.
Third Party Apps
In addition to built-in Android options, there are many useful third party apps that allow you to easily add music to videos shot on your Android device. Here are some of the top apps to consider:
Vlog & Video Editor – This free app provides professional tools for adding audio, trimming clips, applying filters and transitions, and more. You can add music from your own library or use the app’s free music collection.
KineMaster – KineMaster is one of the most full-featured video editors available for Android. The free version lets you add multiple audio tracks to your videos. Paid subscriptions provide access to an audio library.
Adobe Premiere Rush – Adobe’s video editing app allows seamless audio editing including voiceovers, sound effects, and music. The starter plan is free and gives you access to Premiere Rush’s stock music library.
PowerDirector – This popular video editor includes a large collection of free music and the ability to adjust audio volume levels. The paid version has more functionality for multiple audio tracks.
Quik – Designed by GoPro, Quik makes it easy to edit videos and add music on your phone. The app has a free music library with songs optimized for video length.
Editing Software Options
When editing videos on Android that you want to add music to, some of the top options for video editing apps include InShot, PowerDirector, Adobe Premiere Rush, Filmora, and KineMaster. These all allow you to add audio tracks and mix music into your videos. InShot and PowerDirector in particular are full-featured, user-friendly editors optimized for Android that make it easy to layer music and make precise edits. They support common video formats and resolutions up to 4K, offer customizable audio clipping/splitting/mixing, volume envelope and ducking tools, provide access to free music libraries, and allow you to import your own audio files. For professional-grade editing with maximum options for audio-video synchronization and effects, Adobe Premiere Rush is worth the subscription cost. Overall, the top Android video editors provide flexible, intuitive tools to creatively edit footage and seamlessly mix in music.
Royalty Free Music
When creating videos with background music on Android, it’s important to use royalty free music that you have the rights to use. Using copyrighted music without permission can lead to legal issues. Some good places to find royalty free music for your videos include:
Soundstripe – Soundstripe provides royalty free music that can be used in videos. They offer a library of over 100,000 video clips and songs to choose from across a variety of genres and moods. Licensing starts at $149/year for unlimited use.
Royalty Free Music – No Copyright Music on YouTube – This YouTube channel offers a free library of royalty free music that you can use in your monetized or non-monetized videos. Just make sure to credit the artist properly.
Using these royalty free music sources will allow you to legally add background music to your Android videos without worrying about copyright claims.
Music Storage and Access
When adding music to videos on Android devices, you’ll need a way to store and access your audio files. Here are some tips for managing your music library:
Store your music files locally on your Android device’s internal storage or SD card. This gives you direct access to the files for video editing apps. Transfer music from your computer via USB or wirelessly using apps like Dropbox.
Use cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive to upload your music library. Then you can stream or download songs as needed. Just ensure you have an internet connection.
Consider using a dedicated media server app like Plex or Emby to organize your music centrally. You can then stream your music to any device from the server. This requires setup but gives more flexibility.
Use an online music locker service like Google Play Music or Apple Music. Upload your music to the cloud and access your library from anywhere. Streaming uses data, so download songs for offline access.
Try music streaming apps like Spotify, SoundCloud or Pandora which give access to millions of songs. Download playlists and tracks for offline playback as needed.
Ultimately, store your music in a few different places – locally, in the cloud, and on streaming apps. This ensures you always have access to your music library when adding songs to videos.
Audio Levels and Mixing
When adding music to your Android videos, it’s important to properly adjust the audio levels so the music doesn’t overpower the video. The music should complement and enhance the video, not distract or drown it out.
Experts recommend keeping your overall audio mix between -10dB to -20dB, with dialogue audio around -12dB to -20dB. Music and other background audio should be slightly lower between -24dB to -8dB (Source).
Make sure to listen to your video with headphones. Music that sounds fine through laptop speakers may be too loud when played back properly. Listen for a balanced mix where dialogue is clear and music provides nice background atmosphere without distraction.
Use your Android video editor’s audio tools to lower music clips and raise dialogue clips as needed. Most editors like KineMaster have keyframes to automatically adjust audio at different points (Source). This allows you to seamlessly mix varying audio levels.
Properly leveled music can greatly enhance an Android video without overpowering it. Take the time to find that perfect balance through careful audio mixing.
Creative Uses
There are many creative ways to effectively use music in your Android videos to enhance the viewing experience:
You can use music to set the mood or convey emotion. Selecting an upbeat, happy song for a video about fun times with friends or a somber piano piece for a reflective video about nature. Music is a powerful way to engage viewers’ emotions.
Carefully choosing songs that complement or contrast with the visuals is an impactful technique. For example, playing a cheerful tune over footage of something chaotic or hectic can create an ironic, humorous effect.
Thinking outside the box when selecting music can make your video more unique and memorable. Using lesser-known indie songs, remixes, acapellas, sound effects, or obscure genres instead of top 40 hits can give your video a fresh vibe.
You can also get creative with how you use the music itself – try audio clips, mashups, transitions between songs, or even original compositions. The possibilities are endless for innovatively incorporating music to make your Android video stand out.
According to this article, using music creatively requires thinking about complementing visuals, conveying emotion, and finding unique musical choices to make an impact on viewers.
Conclusion
Using music in your Android videos can be a great creative tool if done properly. Make sure to consider copyright concerns, work within the built-in Android options or use third party apps, utilize editing software for mixing, and source royalty free tracks. Focus on setting proper audio levels, using music creatively, and following best practices. In summary:
- Be mindful of copyrights – only use music you have rights to
- Leverage built-in Android options like adding playlists
- Consider third party video editing apps for more control
- Mix audio professionally with editing software
- Source royalty free music from sites like Wrapbook
- Set optimal audio levels when combining music and video
- Use music creatively to enhance the video’s storytelling
- Follow industry best practices for a high quality production
By keeping these tips in mind, you can take your Android video to the next level with a great music soundtrack.
