If you have been gaming for a long time, you could probably recall the iconic soundtracks of GTA San Andreas, Super Mario Bros, or Halo in a fraction of a second. But have you ever thought of the importance of these tracks in games? Well, they make every moment more captivating!
Be it the adrenaline rush of storming the enemy’s camp or the serotonin fall-off because of the loss of a beloved character, each and every instant in a game is enhanced by background music. It helps in eliciting emotions from the players and gets them more psychologically involved.
However, you can’t just use any background music in your game. You need to ensure that it is royalty-free music because it would keep you out of legal troubles. Since there are a lot of variables to consider, you must have a lot of questions, such as what is royalty-free music and where to find it. Here is an answer to all of these questions:
What kind of music or sound effects can one use for video games?
Before we begin, you must know the meaning of royalty-free music. To define in simple terms, royalty-free music is a type of licensing that enables the buyer to pay for the track only once, allowing him/her to use it as long as required. Hence, one-time payment only!
Royalty-free music and video games are a match made in heaven. However, it can soon turn into a disaster in case you pick the wrong music or sound effect. To ensure you pick the ideal royalty-free music for video games, here are four simple rules that you should follow:
- Choose from the ‘Rock’ genre for action games
Every action game keeps the players on their toes, and your game would be no different. The ideal way of intensifying their adrenaline rush is by picking music from the rock genre. It would complement the scenes and keep the players more involved.
- Choose from the ‘Instrumental’ genre for adventure games
If we talk about popularity in the royalty-free video game music sphere, then the instrumental genre would top the charts. It sits well with adventure games because when the characters are on a walkthrough, it would hit all the right chords- not too loud yet not too dim. Plus, it is also popular for epic battle scenes and open-world exploring.
- Choose from the ‘Chill’ genre for casual games
If you are looking for popular royalty-free music, which is fairly neutral and pleasant to listen to, you must go for the tracks in the chill genre (name might vary from platform to platform). It is the perfect fit for puzzles, strategy games, and explorations.
- Choose from the ‘Hip Hop’ genre for something fresh
If you have an urban-concept game, such as a first-person shooter, the hip hop genre could do the magic for you. This is because the tracks from this sphere are different and can give a fresh perspective to the game.
What if one wants to use famous songs in a video game?
While using famous songs would be the ideal situation, it is not always possible. Why? Well, most of the famous tracks are created by big labels that copyright their music and using copyrighted music means obtaining permission from these big players. This translates to huge payments and time-consuming processes.
So, if you are just starting out in the field of game development, using royalty-free music makes more sense in the long run. Now, let’s talk about a platform that offers a royalty-free music library!
Beatoven Music: The best place to get sound effects and music for games
Be it royalty-free intro music or background tracks, Beatoven has become one of the leading platforms to get sound effects and music for games. Offering a wide range of genres, Beatoven makes sure that you find the perfect soundtrack for your game. Moreover, since it is powered by AI, it also allows you to make your own sound effects! Hence, if you are trying to land with the best royalty-free music for your game, make sure to check out Beatoven!
