Making background music for YouTube videos with AI

You can use AI to generate background music for YouTube videos. Suno creates full songs, including instrumental tracks, that you can tailor to your video's length and style. This approach offers a way to get custom music without extensive searching.

Why use AI for YouTube video music?

AI music generation offers a quick way to get unique soundtracks for your videos. Instead of searching through stock music libraries, you can describe the music you need and generate it on demand. This is useful for creators who produce a lot of content or who need very specific moods and styles that are hard to find elsewhere.

Customization and control

When you generate music with AI, you control the output. You can specify genre, mood, instrumentation, and even tempo. If your video needs a specific vibe, you can iterate on prompts until you get closer to the desired sound. This level of customization is often difficult to achieve with pre-existing tracks.

Avoiding repetitive music

Many YouTube creators use the same popular royalty-free tracks, which can make videos sound similar. AI generation helps you create original music, giving your content a distinct audio identity.

What makes good background music for YouTube?

Effective background music enhances your video without distracting from the main content. Consider these factors when generating tracks:

Length

YouTube videos vary greatly in length. Suno can generate tracks of different durations. If your video is, for example, 10 minutes long, you can generate a longer track or several shorter ones to loop or transition between. Think about the structure of your video. Does it have distinct segments that need different music?

Loudness and mixing

Background music should generally sit lower in the mix than dialogue or sound effects. You can adjust the volume of your generated track in your video editing software. Aim for a level where the music is audible but doesn't overpower speech or key sound elements. Many video editors offer ducking features that automatically lower music volume when dialogue is present.

Vocals versus instrumentals

For most background music applications, instrumental tracks are preferred. Vocals in the music can compete with spoken dialogue in your video, making both harder to understand. When crafting your prompt, specify that you want an instrumental track. If you do want vocals, consider if they are complementary, perhaps for an intro, outro, or a montage without speech.

A prompt for an instrumental track: upbeat electronic track, driving rhythm, synth melody, no vocals, for a tech review video

A prompt for a track with specific mood: calm acoustic guitar, gentle piano, ambient pads, instrumental, reflective mood for a travel vlog

Licensing and copyright for AI-generated music on YouTube

Understanding the legal aspects of using AI-generated music is important for YouTube creators. The legal landscape around copyright for AI-generated works is still developing and varies by country. For example, some copyright offices, like the US Copyright Office, have stated that works created without human authorship are not eligible for copyright registration. You should check the current regulations in your specific location.

Suno's free plan does not include commercial usage rights. If you plan to monetize your YouTube videos, you will need a paid plan that grants commercial usage. Always review Suno's terms of service for the most up-to-date information on usage rights.

YouTube's policies on AI-generated content can also change. While YouTube generally permits the use of AI-generated content, it's always wise to review their current creator policies, especially concerning monetization and content identification systems. These systems are designed to detect copyrighted material, so using properly licensed or original AI-generated content helps avoid potential issues.

Tips for generating effective YouTube background music

Be specific with prompts

The more detail you provide in your prompt, the better the AI can understand your intent. Instead of just happy music, try upbeat ukulele and whistling, lighthearted and joyful, for a product unboxing video.

Experiment with genres and moods

Don't be afraid to try different styles. A track you didn't expect might fit your video perfectly. Generate a few options and listen to them with your video footage.

Iterate and refine

If the first generation isn't quite right, adjust your prompt. Remove elements that didn't work, or add new ones. Small tweaks can lead to significant changes in the output.

Refinement example: If energetic rock track is too heavy, try light indie rock, clean guitars, driving but not aggressive, instrumental.

Consider transitions

If your video has multiple sections, you might need different music for each. You can generate distinct tracks and edit them together, or prompt for music that naturally evolves.

Using AI to create background music for your YouTube videos provides a flexible and creative solution. By focusing on length, loudness, vocal presence, and understanding licensing, you can produce compelling soundtracks that enhance your content.