How do I keep music playing when I record a video on Android?

When recording a video on your Android phone, you may want to add background music to make the video more engaging and entertaining. However, the default camera app typically stops playing any music or audio when you start recording. This article will explain several methods to keep music playing in the background while recording video on an Android device.

The goal is to provide clear instructions and solutions so Android users can seamlessly record video with background music. Whether you want to make interesting vlogs, fun videos with friends, or creative content, having a soundtrack can greatly enhance the video. With the right apps and settings, you don’t have to give up your music to record video.

Enable Media Audio in Camera Settings

To allow audio from other apps like music players to be included in your videos, you need to enable the ‘Media audio’ option in your camera settings.

Go to your Android device’s Settings app and select Apps or Application Manager. Find the Camera app in the list and select it.

In the Camera app’s settings, look for an option called ‘Media audio’ or ‘External audio’ and make sure it is enabled. This allows the camera to record audio playing from other apps.

You may need to close and reopen the Camera app for this setting to take effect. Now when you record videos, audio from music apps or other sources will be included in the recording.

If you still don’t hear audio from other apps in your videos, check the app permissions for the Camera and Music apps. Make sure both have permission to access your phone’s microphone.

Enabling ‘Media audio’ in the Camera settings is the key that lets you record videos with background music from any app on your Android device.

Use a Music App that Supports Background Playback

Many popular music streaming apps allow you to keep playing audio in the background while using other apps on your Android device. This enables you to record a video with a music soundtrack playing behind it. Some examples of music apps with background audio playback include:

Spotify – Spotify’s free and premium versions let you listen to playlists and albums while in other apps or when your screen is off. You can control playback from notifications.

YouTube Music – Google’s music streaming service allows background listening if you are a YouTube Premium subscriber. You can listen to official songs, albums, playlists and more.

Deezer – This music player has a background mode so you can keep listening to tracks while recording videos or using other apps.

Check the audio settings of your chosen music app to enable the background playback option before recording your video. Most apps have this capability which lets you seamlessly overlay a music soundtrack.

Start Your Music Before Recording

One of the keys to ensuring music continues playing when recording a video on Android is to start the music playback first before hitting record on the camera app. As noted on Reddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/androidapps/comments/xq43wx/playing_music_while_recording/), if you start a song in Spotify and then open the camera app to record, the music will initially stop playing when you begin recording. However, you can simply scroll down in Spotify to resume the music playback. The music will then continue playing in the background while you record your video.

The reason for this is that many camera apps will pause other media playback when you initiate recording, as they take control of audio functions. By starting the music first, it essentially overrides this auto-pausing. Some music apps like Spotify also allow you to resume playback even after recording begins. So by playing music before recording, you ensure the audio stream remains active going into the video recording. This avoids the camera app fully cutting off the music playback when you start filming.

Overall, starting the music shortly before recording is a simple but vital step in keeping audio running in the background of your videos. It prevents unwanted interruption of your chosen soundtrack when you hit the record button.

Adjust App Volumes

One of the easiest ways to control the volume levels of your music and video recording apps separately is by using a third party app like Sound Assistant. Sound Assistant replaces your phone’s default volume controls with granular controls for each app’s volume.

To adjust your music and camera app volumes independently:

1. Download and install the Sound Assistant app.
2. Open Sound Assistant and enable “Individual app volumes”.
3. You’ll now see volume sliders for each app. Adjust the slider for your music app up to your desired volume.
4. Scroll down and adjust the slider for your camera app lower so the music doesn’t overpower your video’s audio.
5. The volume levels will now be adjusted separately for each app.

With Sound Assistant you can precisely control the sound mix between your background music and your videos’ native audio. It’s an easy way to keep music playing at the level you want without disrupting your video recordings.

Use a Video Editor to Add Music Later

If you forget to add a music track before recording your video, another option is to add music during the video editing process. There are several video editing apps for Android that make it easy to import a music file and combine it with your existing video footage.

Some top options include PowerDirector, KineMaster, and InShot. These apps provide multi-track timelines where you can layer your video clip on one track and the music file on another. You’ll have controls to adjust the audio levels of each track individually.

The benefit of adding music in post-production is you can precisely sync the music track to match the length of your video. You can also experiment with different songs easily without having to re-record footage. Just make sure to choose royalty-free music or songs you have rights to use.

Troubleshooting Tips

If you hear an echo or audio feedback while recording a video with music playing in the background, there are a few things you can try:

Check that the media volume and microphone volume are balanced properly. Having the media volume too high compared to the mic can cause an echo effect. Go into your phone’s Settings > Sound and adjust the volume sliders for Music, Media, Notifications, and Microphone until you find an optimal balance.

Enable noise cancellation or echo cancellation in your phone’s audio settings if available. This can help filter out background sounds.

Use headphones instead of your phone’s external speaker to play the music. Headphones isolate the music audio and prevent echoing through the microphone.

Move the phone closer to your mouth or further away to find the optimal distance that reduces echo. Echo is caused by the microphone picking up audio from the speakers, so increasing the microphone distance helps.

Consider using a microphone plugged into the headphone jack instead of your phone’s built-in mic, as an external mic may be better optimized for close-range recording.

As a last resort, try recording the video first without music. Then add your music track during video editing afterwards to have full control over the audio mix.

If echo issues persist, your phone model may simply have a poorly designed microphone setup that is prone to echo. In this case, recording the music separately and combining it later in editing is likely your best workaround.

By tweaking settings, using headphones, adjusting distances, and editing audio separately, you can find the right combination to enable music recording with minimal echo issues.

Best Practices

Here are some best practices for recording clear audio with background music on Android:

Adjust the music volume so it’s quieter than your voice audio. You want the music low enough that it doesn’t overpower or distract from your speech. Try playing with the audio mixer levels to find the right balance.

Use headphones with a microphone while recording. This will isolate your voice from the background music and provide better sound quality.

Record in a quiet environment. Background noises can make it harder to hear your voice and music clearly.

Position the microphone close to your mouth, around 2-4 inches away. This prevents the music audio from bleeding into the vocal recording.

Consider using a lavalier or clip-on microphone which can isolate voice from background noise.

Use an audio editing app like Adobe Premiere Clip to adjust audio levels after recording if needed.

Listen back and check your audio balance. Make sure your voice is clear and audible over the music.

Alternative Options

Another option for recording video with music is to use an external microphone. You can connect an external mic like the RØDE VideoMic Me to your Android device’s headphone jack or USB-C port (with an adapter). This allows you to record better quality audio directly into your video.

Some specific external mics that work well for mobile devices include:

• RØDE VideoMic Me-L
• Saramonic SmartMic Mini
• Uniwit Mini Portable Microphone

When using an external mic, you can record a separate music track in the background that gets captured directly into the video audio.

Another alternative is to record your video using a laptop or desktop computer. Most computers have more advanced video recording and editing capabilities. You can easily lay down a music track in the background before capturing your main video. Then use video editing software like Adobe Premiere to combine the music and video elements.

Conclusion

In summary, there are a few main ways to ensure music continues playing when recording video on an Android device:

• Enable “Media audio” in your camera app’s settings
• Use a music streaming app that supports background audio such as Spotify, YouTube Music, etc.
• Start playing your music before opening the camera app to record
• Adjust the audio volumes in each app to balance the music and video audio
• Alternatively, use a video editing app after recording to add music/audio tracks

Following these tips will allow you to add a custom soundtrack that persists while capturing video on an Android phone or tablet. Just be aware of potential audio quality or synchronization issues. With some tweaking to get the mix right, you can produce great looking home movies with a musical flair.