Legally using music and sounds in your projects

Downloading music from YouTube using third-party software is against YouTube's terms of service, which say you can only watch content if it's transmitted straight from its servers to your device. It's also a potential copyright issue. Unless the music is in the public domain, you need permission from the copyright holder. Digital music files copied without permission and used (depending on length and type of use) can also create copyright violation problems. Instead, look for music and sound files that are in the public domain or licensed under Creative Commons. Below are some good places to find audio for classroom projects.

Dig CC Mixter offers thousands of songs that are Creative Commons licensed. Categories include Instrumental Music for Film & within each category you can search according to genre, instrument, and style. When you click the download icon on a file you will be prompted to copy the attribution information that is required to include in your project.

Royalty Free Music hosts music tracks that can be reused in numerous ways. Royalty Free Music charges the general public for their downloads, but students and teachers can download quite a bit of the music for free. Free music tracks can be found on the education page.

​Freeplay Music hosts more than 15,000 music files that your students can download to use in their multimedia projects. The Freeplay Music education license allows students and teachers to use the music for free within the confines of the school. Publishing those projects on YouTube requires a slightly different though still free license.

​Musopen has a collection of free recordings including performances of the works of hundreds of composers. The collection can be searched by composer, by performer, by instrument, or by form. You can stream the music from Musopen for free. You can also download five recordings per day for free from Musopen.

Sound Bible is a resource for finding and downloading free sound clips, sound effects,and sound bites. All of the sounds on Sound Bible are either public domain or labeled with a Creative Commons license. You can find sounds for use in podcasts, videos, slideshows, or other multimedia creations.

SoundGator is a good source to find common sounds like doorbells ringing, dogs barking, car horns, etc. for your multimedia projects. There are twenty-three recording categories that you can browse through to find the perfect sound for your project. You do have to register on SoundGator.

​Bensound offers just under 200 music tracks that you can download for free. Categories include acoustic/folk, cinematic, corporate/pop, electronica, urban/groove, jazz, rock, and world. You are required to give credit.

CreativeCommons.org makes it easy to search for Creative Commons-licensed materials across many other websites, including three that focus exclusively on music.

Jamendo allows users to limit their searches to only music that is licensed under specific Creative Commons licenses using their Advanced Search features.

Opsound audio files are in the public domain or licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike license. You can find specific information about the license attached to each piece under the link to the file.

Wikipedia Sound/list provides access to a wide range of music that is either in the public domain or Creative Commons-licensed. While the site indicates that the music is "free," it is important to note that this is not synonymous with "in the Public Domain," so you will need to review the license information for the music to ensure you attribute it properly.

Mixkit provides free stock video and music clips, as well as Premiere Pro Templates.

OR...make your own (original) sound and music loops using Garage Band. Two iMacs and 12 iPads are available in the library for class projects.

District Mission Statement: The Elkhorn Public Schools provides a student-centered curricula in which the media program plays a central role in preparing students for life-long learning in the 21st century.

District Library/Media Mission Statement: The Elkhorn Public Schools provides a student-centered curricula in which the media program plays a central role in preparing students for life-long learning in the 21st century.

District Mission Statement: The Elkhorn Public Schools unites students, families, educators, and the community to ensure a challenging and enriching academic environment that inspires students to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to become responsible citizens and lifelong learners.