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Several years ago I downloaded a free trial of VS11 and was very pleased with the results, even though there was no "help" accompanying it.
Now I've ordered VS Pro2X (hasn't come yet) as I have some vacation and wedding videos to work on. I'm wondering what is the best way to capture music for background. I have some specific music in mind for each and can't afford to purchase new CD's for everything I need.
I'm one of the few people alive who doesn't own an MP3 player, so this technology isn't familiar to me. Can I just go to a site like Itunes and download to my computer, then transfer it to the VS program? The last time, I remember I couldn't use this method due to royalties and such. It would only be of use on an MP3 player.
Other than capturing music from my personal CD's, what other choices do I have? I did check out the "free stuff to use with Ulead" thread, but other than sounddogs.com (which sounded very tinny to me), I didn't come up with anything.
I'm sorry for being such a dumb novice at this and I really appreciate your patience.

You can purchase songs from iTunes, although they are in a protected format and will not work in VS. To convert them to a usable WAV format you would have to burn them to a CD, then rip them from the CD using iTunes or even VS. Cumbersome, but it works.

For royalty free music I use Digital Juice. Very high quality. Can be a bit pricey, but they are always having sales (sign up for their e-newsletter).

Another royalty free option is the SmartSound music that comes with VS. Other tracks can be purchased from SmartSound.

Thanks for the advice. Sounds like I might be doing some burning and ripping! I'll check out the SmartSound option first, but doubt it will have everything I need.
I really appreciate your quick responses!
Joyce

Actually, iTunes is loosening-up on the DRM (copy protection). Maybe all of their of their downloads are now DRM free, but I'm not sure. (I don't have an iTunes account).

You can also buy (DRM-free*) MP3 downloads from Amazon, Napster (now legal), Rhapsody, Walmart, and I'm sure there are others.

This won't help with your "specific music", but some independent artists distribute completely FREE MP3s. For example, check-out MP3.com.

You could also search for some free MIDI (computer music) files. There are people who compose their own music and distribute the MIDI files for free. (Most "orchestral" background in movies is now done with MIDI.) For example, check-out free-midi.org. (Hmmmm.... I see copyrighted stuff on that site... The music is copyrighted, if not the performance.)

MIDI would be a little more involved, as you won't be able to directly import the MIDI file into Video Studio (at least, I don't think so). All soundcards have a (limited) built-in MIDI synthesizer, so you'd have to play the MIDI and record (capture) it to WAV, or find a MIDI-to-WAV converter program.

Note that "royalties" usually involve distribution rights. In the USA, you can generally copy music from a CD you own onto your wedding video. But, if you distribute copies of your wedding video on the Internet (or upload to YouTube), you need permission from the copyright holder.


* MP3s are always DRM-free. iTunes downloads are in AAC (or ALAC) format, which optionally allows copy protection.

Doug,
Thanks so much for the wonderfully detailed information. Gives me more options, for sure.
The "specific" music selections I'm looking for include things like "Rule Britannia" and possibly "Greensleeves" to use for a recent British trip with our granddaughter. We saw Les Miserables while there, and I was able to borrow the CD from a friend, as g-daughter would love to have some excerpts from that included. It just gets really difficult when you have specific music in mind, doesn't it?! In fact, I think selecting the right music is probably the hardest part of doing these movies. But well worth it.
Thanks again,
Joyce

Another option is to use Audacity (free) and set it up to record "what you hear". Go to youtube and find a good sounding version of the song you want and record it in Audacity and from there save as a .wav file. Insert this into VS

Would that also work while playing a song from iTunes?

Wow, the Audacity thing sounds like something even I could do! I'll definitely be trying it. Thanks SO much.
Joyce

Well, I downloaded Audacity, but I don't see any options for setting it up to "What you hear."
Am I missing something?

No I don't where Clevo sees that setting. Just launch Audacity, then press the play button for the YouTube video, and immediately press the Record button in Audacity. The audio will be recorded, and when finished you can export it to WAV, or MP3.

flahagan

You might also like to have a look at http://www.freeplaymusic.com/

There is an absolute mass of free download music there and I am told that the website is going to be upgraded in the next few months which I am hoping will include an upgrade on its internal search engine , which is the main thing that lets the site down.

Good luck !

Terry D.

Thanks Terry, I might give it a try.
I'm sure not having any luck with Audacity. I'm unable to record through the computer, can just do it via the mike and of course the sound is awful.

I've tried uninstalling and installing, but the menu selection tab that lets you select stereo mix or mike options is grayed out. I've also tried methods that I found on youtube for recording with Audacity, but nothing works. I have Windows XP, so I thought I'd be OK. I downloaded the 1.2.6 version, but maybe I should try the Beta version next. Or try pulling out my hair!

or check ebay they are really cheap.

Have you tried the burning/ripping method? Takes a little time, but you'll keep your hair.

I cannot get Audacity to record any sound directly from some internet source either ! Can do it from microphone or from playing CD , of course , as flahagan as indicated ! Ron P. needs to give us a few more pointers as to how to achieve this as WE seem to be missing something!