Brief Description of Audio and Video Hosting Services

So you want to make money doing a podcast or via YouTube. And you notice that you are supposed to do something but you are not quite sure what to do.

For those that just like to skim, here you go...

Long winded version...

You go to a podcast forum or watch videos to find the answer to question 1 - what do I need to do?

Then you ask question 2 - what is a good audio or video hosting company? 

Not a bad question. It is legit respectable one.

What often happens is that people give the answer according to their personal experience.

Sometimes with actual knowledge of other services. More often just repeating what others have said.

Then there are those with incentives - the helpful person provides an affiliate link to the services. This is known as a kickback. If they don't disclose it, it is an un-ethical kickback.

I think that long before the hosting questions folks should ask:

• Who are you and why do you want to do this? 
• What do you want to do?
• What is your skill or tech level?
• What is your budget?
• What are your expectations and hope to get out of this?

Very few people want to think about that kind of stuff. They get a little bit of info and just asked the question about hosting.

But if you know the above answers, it could help you choose your media hosting company. 

I'll try to be a simple as possible.  I think it is important to know what the process is before you make a decision about choosing a hosting service. 

Because there is some high tone flimflam mischief going on. 

Some by opportunists. Some by major corporations. 

Free isn't always free and there are people who want to convince you to rob yourself for their benefit.

I think you should avoid that. One way to do that is understanding the media hosting process. 

Step 1 - You make a recording. 

You want other people  to view or listen to your recording. You will need a service to host your media file. Is this an absolute statement?

No.

There are people that trust no person or any business with their content. These folks host their media files on their own servers that they maintain and protect. They write their own RSS feeds. 

There are other people that figure out how to game the system. Doing things they should not be doing. And are smart enough not to brag about it.

You are not them. You need a media hosting company. Your web or blog hosting company probably will insist upon it. They don't want to host your media files. Or charge you extra and that is only to host your media files. 

Keep reading.

Step 2 - RSS and Distribution

You've uploaded the media file to the hosting service. You have also provided essential information about the file, like the name, type of show, cover art and descriptions of the content.

An RSS feed is generated by your hosting company. Think of it as a roadmap of the route identifying where your media file can be located. The RSS feed will be sent to podcast and media distribution companies.

These companies will make a space at their site to display your media file on a specific page with the cover art, description and all of your prior and future episodes.

Step 3 - Information if you please...

The other services most reputable services provide you as the creator is information about who is consuming your content, when are they listening or watching or even when they are bugging out. If you have a 30 minute show and they are tuning out by minute five, that can be very helpful to know.

Other distribution services allow their users to make comments about what they like and don't like about the show. They can rate it. They can gush over it. 

Or in the case of YouTube comments, things can head south very quickly.

Step 4 - Additional Services

For the consumer the distribution company can provide other shows that are similar that the consumer would enjoy. Or make it easier to find and play the content.

For creators, some distribution companies can provide their own statists on usage. You hosting company would be able to draw information from all of the companies that are using the RSS feed. 

If you want more of the technical or want to know more about RSS feeds then you can't go wrong by checking out the 2016 version on Transom.org

Reverb for Just in Time Audio Recording

Seems like this is the time of the march of the Chrome based recording options. This is a good thing because recording options for Chrome were non-existent or wonky. 

Reverb allows you to record from your Chrome browser and share it with social media, your blog or website or as a way to send a private audio message or memo.

Reverb is a browser based recording app.

What You Will Need

Chrome browser. Unknown if it will work on Chromium derivatives type browsers.

Devices

Chrome laptops and similar devices. Mac and Windows. Maybe Linux.

And that is it. No sign in or sign up required to make a basic recording.

But there is an option to create an account.  More about that in a bit.

How it Works

There are two ways.

You can record directly into the browser at the website.

Or you can record via a Google browser extension. This is a video that has more info. 

You might want to mute or turn down your volume. There is no narration but the music is loud.

Sharing Options

You can:

• Embed the recording in a blog or website
• Post the recording to social media services like Twitter and Instagram
• Sending voice memos via email. You email the link to your recording to another person. They click the link and will be sent to your recording.
• If you use a teams app or service you can also plunk your audio recordings into a messages or conversation.

If you do sign up for an account, you get added options on renaming the audio, sending it to different locations or deleting the recording.

Wait, what about...?

Able to download the audio? Nope. 

Audio quality? Don't know, but I wouldn't expect CD level quality.

The cost? Zippo. Nada. Currently, not one copper penny. For now. 

So, What is it Good For?

You have an idea that you don't want to forget. Record it and save it for later.

A topic comes up that you really want to respond to but don't want to bust out a bunch of equipment. You open up the Reverb page, record your message and then post it on your blog or website.

Easy Peasy.

You want to respond to an email message and don't want to type it or have it misunderstood. Send a recording. 

Now, look. You still need a decent microphone. You probably should have something coherent to say. Unless you are making sleep audio for insomniacs. 

Basically, consider it an additional tool or option for recording quick audio.

Four Random Items for the Creative Tool Kit

There are so many software as services regarding creating audio and video content. This is just a brief look at some of the tools I've found along the way. 

Some will be helpful to a variety of creators or one of the tools might scratch a specific itch. But you know it is good if it hits that exact spot. I know if I don't write them down I'm going to loose or forget them.

Analytics

Chartable helps you to understand your audience by finding out where you place on various podcasting portals, including Apple and Spotify. There is a free option with once a day stats.

Image Cropping

You have the perfect photo for your album cover but you need to get it into a specific aspect ratio. Croppola can help you to crop to the square 1:1 format or a few of the others needed for social media. You can use the Auto function or figure it out for yourself. 

It is free at the moment, but understand that images are only stored for about an hour or so. If you like what you have, download it immediately. 

Recording via Browser

There are times when you find yourself needing to make a recording. I think I was at a conference and forgot that I left a recording on my desktop computer. 

All I had was my Chromebook, a portable microphone and no editing gear. 

I could have used something like Resonate Recorder. You record using the Chrome browser and can download audio in the .wav format. 

There is a free version that allows for solo recording. The paid plan has feature like automatic backup, more folks to record and other features.

Transcription

Podseo.io is an transcription service for podcasts and for those folks that have to provide alternative text content. 

You can upload your audio or video to the service and it will provide a transcription of your content.

Ecrett Music - AI Music at Your Fingertips

There are all kinds of music generators. Some require a tiny bit of music knowledge from the users and others allow you to take an existing work and customize it to a unique royalty-free tune.

Ecrett Music is a service that allows you to customize music using AI and then use it in your content. 

This is a demo created by the company:

Basically, you select the the features you want in your music, such as setting, mood and type of music. Hit the create button and you have a tune for your video or podcast. 

If you like it, you can do more tweaking with the length and other enhancements. 

Who is this Service For?

Podcasters who want to create but don't have music skills. They know what they like and don't like. Just can't create it.

Gamers who need background music or game programmers that want to test things out.

Video creators that need a variety of tunes on a regular basis and are not wealthy. 

Some Concerns

A little digging kind of answered some of my concerns.

• You do not own the music. You are given a license to use the music generated by the service. The music is owned by the parent company Soundraw.
• As a free user, you can't use the music for any reason or purpose other than evaluate the service.
• If you decide to cancel the service, you still retain usage of music you downloaded to your device. But you will no longer have access to music you did not download before cancellation.
• More info can be found on their terms of service page.

Pricing Plans

Ecrett Music is one of the most affordable plans I've seen for AI Royalty Free music. There is a free plan to test out the service however, you can't do anything with it. 

Zippo. Nada. Nothing but evaluate the service. And if you do the words "liable" appear some place on the website. 

If you sign up for the annual subscription rate it is $5 a month. $60 a year for an individual creator. 

If you are a business creator rate $20 a month and $240 a year. For full, unrestricted access.

So it is a winner?

Not prepared to go that far. On the surface it seems okay. It is all I can do not to whip out the card. 

Ecrett Music provides a template that locks you into viable options to create music. This isn't a bad thing, especially if you have no music training. And you can quickly have what you want within a couple of clicks. That is remarkable.

Most of the current AI services use humans to create the foundation for the AI composed music. The AI makes alterations to create unique tunes. But there is no Bippity Bop. No swangg. There is something I can hear when I listen to AI music. Or what I don't hear. 

Background music shouldn't have that much oomf, if any. I understand that. But I can here the void. Not hating on this company or any AI music company. It is a subjective feeling of the tunes musically needs some salt or a touch of cayenne. 

You might feel differently about it.

You are not going to score a major motion picture with this service. But for users who are on a budget or want to experiment with crafting tunes for social media, this could be a keeper. 

Avia.ai Royalty Free Music Composition Service

Avia.ai is an artificial intelligence music composer. But it needs you to give it directions.

Here is the deal, you select the genre of music, what you want and don't want and Avia.ai will compose a unique tune for you.

Below is a tutorial video from the company:

You don't have to be a musician to use this service.

Now if you are a primordial funkateer or need some banjo in your video you are out of luck. But for many creators this will be sufficient. 

So, What is the Catch?

There is no real gotcha here. But it is important to understand the licensing and terms of service.

There is a free plan. You can use it for non-commercial purposes only and with attribution. There can be no ad generation or activities concerning the use of music on the free plan. You don't own the music, you purchase a license to use the music.

The Standard Plan states:

You can use the tracks for monetized content only on YouTube, Twitch, Tik Tok and Instagram.

You still don't own the music created by the service but you don't have to give attribution.

If you have your creation only on these social media platforms you are ok. Place the music in an audio podcast or directly post on Facebook, Twitter or another service, there might be a problem. 

The Pro Plan states:

You own the track if you are an individual, a small business with under three employees AND under $300,000 in annual income. You can do what you want with it.

I haven't mentioned pricing because that can change and you may or may not fit the profile they require.

Summary

This is one royalty-free music service that each person has to evaluate if it can work with their needs.

For YouTubers, Tick-Toks and Gramers this might be an affordable solution.

For audio podcasters, you'd have to select the Pro Plan.  If you host on Vimeo or were giving a presentation on Zoom, you'd have to think about it. It would depend on the plan you purchased.

Cuz them dang bots are everywhere.

Pond5 Free Stock Media and Public Domain Project

Pond5 is one of the older internet royalty free music service and stock media companies. You might not know that with all of the ads from the upstart competitors.  

Creators have a lot of choices in the on-line marketplace. Choices doesn't necessarily mean that the service is a good fit for what you want and need. 

I snagged a lifetime deal subscription to another music service that has a lot of music. 80% does not fit my tastes or creative needs. Other services are very expensive or free and everybody uses them.

https://www.pond5.com/free

In full disclosure, I was a prior customer of Pond5, liked the service but drifted away to other new and shinny toys. In a podcasting group, I saw a notice about free access to music, video and graphics.

So I'm checking out the site to get info on the deal.

Pond5 has the Monday free video of the week. And they have a section of their website for what they called Public Domain Project. 

This is different. There is section of the website that has a collection available for free use and attribution. 

The Licensing Agreement is not the easiest of documents to read. A law school background would help. I am not a law student so this is my understanding of the service:

• You can use it for commercial use, preferably with attribution.
• You can use it on your website/blog and for social media distribution (Instagram, FB, YouTube, SnapChat) but not for broadcast or fee for service streaming services (Disney, Hulu, or any of the Plus services)
• Don't do anything, immoral, illegal or ethically questionable with their stuff.
• If something goes wrong you agree that the service will be held harmless.

Pond5 has a lot of content, be careful and aware of what you are downloading. Make sure you are on the Free Stock Music page.

You do get to listen to the music before downloading it. It will have the embedded Pond5 notice until you go through the process of placing it in the cart and downloading it.

Before checking out - make sure you go to the See Item Detail page. This confirms to you that you have selected the free track, that it is designated for commercial use with attribution.

Add it to the cart, then continue the process to download a clear copy. So long as you do the attribution thing, you are good to go.

Pond5 Public Domain Project

Pond5 has an archive of works produced by the U.S. government. These are assets created for the benefit of U.S. citizens. They are 100%  in the public domain. There are also expired copyright videos, images and sound recordings. 

I would say tread carefully and double check before use. You'll have the least problems with the video and images. The music - well, yes, no and maybe. 

There is a lot of classical music. There is usually a code or maker in the recording to tell the music sniffing bots that this is ok to use. But some music sniffing bots do patter matching. So as soon as it pattern matches Beethoven's Fifth "Dah, dah da dah..." 

You may or may not get hit with a copyright flag or get demonetized. You want to have attribution and be prepared.

There are folks songs, these are interesting. Some of them have very short interviews with the performers. It seems like it was an audio ethnography project. Could have been from Alan Lomax.

There are railroad laying songs, songs from prisoners. songs in other languages or faith based songs. I'm losing an afternoon just listening to this living history.

The sound quality can be poor or clear. Depends on the quality of the original recording.

There is a song I really liked "Makes a Long Time Man Feel Bad" I'm linking to the Library of Congress version so you can hear it. 

Many years later, in 1962, Harry Belafonte recorded his version of the song. Much more stylized than the prison version. The Belafonte version is not in any way in the public domain. 

Will the music sniffing bots know the difference?

Summary

It is an option to use some of the public domain music recordings. But it is your responsibility to make sure there isn't going to be a problem or issue using the song in question. 

For educational and classroom use, yes a thousand times yes (with context about the subject matter and the historical world of the song.)

For historical podcasts and video essays, yes. 

To sell a bar of soap using "Sick Em Dogs On Me" as the soundtrack?  I don't think so.

You should know saying that "I downloaded it from Pond5" isn't going to be a sufficient defense. There could be another recording of the song you don't know about.

That person or company can put a copyright claim on your use. Even if it is truly in the public domain. 

You have the right to use it but you want to be able to promptly prove your right to the recording.

There is a lot of good stuff on Pond5. I can recommend both the paid service and the free, attribution version. 

For the audio public domain version, spend some time listening and really evaluate if you can properly and respectfully use the content.

What is Mixkit?

Mixkit It is a freemium royalty free service that is connected to their parent company Envato Elements. On this section the website you download and use assets like music, sound effects, video and more.

As usual in the freemium space, there are usage terms and conditions. And there are different license rules depending on what you download. Pay attention before use can save you some grief. I'm focusing on the music and stock video but they have other free assets that might be of interest to the social media creators of the world.

For music, you can use the assets in podcasts and YouTube videos.  However, they don't want you to do anything "naughty" or hate based with their stuff. That is a standard requests from most of the music and video services. 

How that gets defined is up to them. Doing a historical review of women's underclothing is one thing. Doing a historical review of stripper panties with the stripper in them is another. They may or may not want their music associated with that particular audio or video essay.

It's all subjective. And in this case, geographic. 

The company is located in Australia. For (some thick headed) Americans (yeah, I said it.) that means if there is a problem or issue you would be dealing with the Australian legal system.

Music

There are 24 songs per category. One of the things I like is that there is a direct download. No signing in or registering.

The download format for music is mp3. You will get a pop-up notice about buying unlimited via Envato Essentials. I'm not bothered by that; I'm not going to download every piece of music that they have. 

Most of the tunes are under three minutes and would be best suited for intros and bumpers.

Video

The video clips are available for both personal and commercial re-use per the license statement. 

However when I clicked on the spinning hamburger there was the 4K paid version and a 720p version that states it is for personal only use.

I did find a fish video with the fixing for ceviche. That one was unrestricted with a 1080p downloadable version.

Which leads me to the bug-a-boo. There is a section that does have free video downloads. And there is a restricted video license for other videos. 

I'm real sure I clicked the free one. I landed on a restricted burger video.

Check and double check the asset you select.

Another concern is YouTube. The bots are running hot and heavy over the service. If you have a problem or get a strike you've got an issue. 

Mixkit does provide their email address. They will do what they can. But you didn't pay them. They don't have to help you clear the strike. And the more folks use their free version of the service the greater the potential for a strike.

Summary

The service does provide free assets. I think to be fair about it you should probably give them attribution when it comes to using their music. It might help to acknowledge that is where you got the music or video from the site. 

It would also be a good idea to make a copy of the license page with the date that you printed or made a PDF of it. Because terms can change and you want to prove you were operating in good faith at the time of the download.

The video side is a bit tricky. You have to be aware of what you are clicking on to be on the safe side. 

Check it out and see if it is a match for you.

Checking Out Uppbeat.io for Royalty Free Music

I think every other week someone asks a question about using commercial or pop music in a podcast of video. There are folk that declare that they have never been caught and don't worry about it. 

There are many more people that are educated and have good sense that talk about not to do this. Not for eight seconds. Not for three. Flat out don't do it.

Me, myself I tend to attach a source to convince those of the cement dome why they should not do use commercial or pop music. I lean toward the academic so I have no problem plunking people toward the Stanford Library Copywrite Principles Primer. 

I like the stuff at web host Blubrry that explains why not to do it.

Or I could point folks to a Nolo.com post about the topic. The answer is from a legal point of view but, nope, don't do it.

Which leads folks into either commissioning someone to their music or making use of the various Royalty Free Music websites. 

This is going to get confusing very quickly.  Hang in there.

Royalty Free music services have a collection of music or sound effects for sale. That music can be used multiple times (per the condition of the license) after purchase. Meaning you don't have to pay each and every time a music track is used in a podcast or video.

Generally there is a fee associated with Royalty Free Music. But not always money.

For example, Purple Planet Music does provide music for attribution. Meaning you can use their songs provided you make sure that their name and/or website is visible in the finished product. 

The payment is by attribution. If you don't want or can't do that they do have a fee for track purchase option.

Which brings us to Uppbeat.io.

Main Page of Uppbeat.io website.

This is a relatively new service that is offering free music for creators. And right on the screen it says no copyright claims.

I am a person of doubt. Before I download anything, I keep reading. 

My first stop is the Help Center:

YouTubers, streamers, podcasters, vloggers, and social media maestros, that means you! If you're a solo creator or part of an organisation with up to 10 employees, you can use our music on any open-distribution platform, so long as your content isn't paid advertising

Ok, so far, so long as you are not using the music to create an advertisement it seems like you are go to go. 

When you create an Uppbeat account, you agree to the music usage policy, which explains what you can and can't do with our music. When you download a track, instead of a complicated license, you simply receive a unique Uppbeat Credit that's linked to your account. For YouTubers, the Uppbeat Credit can be included in your video’s description to proactively clear copyright claims.

Hold on, there is a music usage policy. And if the video is being uploaded to YouTube you have to place a credit in the description to knock out the YouTube music chasing bots. 

Understandable, but I have a feeling there is more. I found the more. The actual service is a company called Music Vine Limited dba Uppbeat.io. 

I am not, nor have I ever been a lawyer. This is my understanding of what is being presented.

1. If you decide to use the service, you have to abide by the rules of the service.
2. They can stop, change or remove the use of the service at any time.
3. You can make limited alterations of a track, suck as using just a section of it, limited sound editing and minor enhancements.
4. You can't "sample" the track or make a derivative work.

Yadda, yadda more legalese until you get to section 9.5

9.5   If you are a consumer user, please note that we only provide the Platform and the Tracks for domestic and private use.  You agree not to use the Platform and the Tracks for any commercial or business purposes, and we have no liability to you for any loss of profit, loss of business, business interruption, or loss of business opportunity.

There it is - the gotcha.

Because what constitutes domestic use? This company is located in the UK. I'm not. 

And posting on YouTube or other social media sites is a very public and now days, internationally public activity. Are they saying that yes, if you lock down the video and only show it to friends and relations, that is ok?

But if I use it in a tutorial that may or may not be popular then does that becomes a violation if it does?

And if it does, will Music Vine come back to me and say "hey, you violated the terms of service, either take the video down or pay the commercial rate?"

I'm not feeling comfortable about this. 

You will have to evaluate if this is a safe royalty free site to use. You might like their stuff. 

Maybe just go ahead and pay the Uppbeat Premium monthly rate of $6.99 a month to get whitelisted on the 'Tube.

In my opinion, I don't think this "free" offer is free enough of potential trouble. 

Create Podcast Audiograms with Veed.io

There are dozen's of podcast audiogram services that have easy interfaces and one that are not easy but give you a lot of flexibility. The trick is to find the service for you, your budget and skillset. 

This is a quick look at a service called Veed.io. 

What You Will Need

The website would like you to register/sign in. However, you can actually give it a test run without a  account if you land on a template information page. I appreciate sites that let's folks try before you subscribe.

Devices:

iPad/Mac/Linux/Windows via a browser.

Assets:

Podcast album art

Audio recording - mp3 or wav format

Getting Started

Looking at the Create section of the Veed.io website is like finding a needle in a haystack. 

There are a lot of templates that do similar things. The template make it easy to get the task done but you have to figure out which one gets you closer to what you want. 

At the time I was checking out the site, there was no podcast audiogram template. There is a Voice over Video template. There is also a music visualization template, if you want a sound wave image.

Both of those will get you in the neighborhood of a podcast audiogram. This is a tutorial video from the company.

Advantages

Once you land on the right template page, it is an easy process. 

The free version has a watermark in the upper left corner and you are limited to under 10 minute podcast audiograms. 

The videos will be rendered in 720p. If you are uploading an album cover and voice that might not make a difference to you. 

In addition to the tutorial videos on their YouTube channel, you have instructions about the various styles and their other apps, services and social media tips. 

Other than that, there is no other support for free users. Paid basic users get chat based tech support, 1080p videos and 20GB of storage.  

Disadvantages

It was a little fiddly to get started. But once you get use to the interface, it was bing, bang, boom and you are done. I had to find the right how-to information page for audiograms. 

Sometimes I'd click something on the main website and was bounced to the YouTube channel. Where there a a lot of videos. And yes, there is a filter at the top of the YouTube channel page so that you can search for a specific term. 

I don't always remember to do that. 

Once you land on the right template, don't assume that there isn't addition options on the screen. You might have to scroll down to see them. You necessarily have to accept the default items. For example, I found out by accident that there were more sound wave options.

Summary

If you are a hit it and quit person who wants to make videos, you will like Veed.io. All you have to do is add your assets, make a few tweaks and get an audiogram. 

If you have to crank out podcast audiograms this makes it bone simple. I'm thinking about people that want to change the album cover every week but everything else remains the same. 

I'm also thinking of those folks that do not like timelines. or traditional video editing programs.

I liked the easy way I could correct the transcription but in my test video it was very short. If I had to clean up more than a minute or so, that could be a concern. 

I also liked the ability to make gifs from a video - I can see an education use for them and this is the easies way I've seen without having to subscribe to a gif service.

For non-tech folks it is certainly an option.

Demo of Podcast Audiogram with Adobe Spark Video

June 2022 Update:

Adobe Spark is gone. History. It has been replaced with Adobe Creative Cloud Express. 

The post below is for historical reference. 

This is the full demonstration of how to create a simple audiogram using Adobe Spark Video.

I intentionally limited to creating a very simple podcast audiogram, however Spark Video allows you to add text, captions, music and other design elements. 

 

The free version gives you access to everything you need but the video will be watermarked.  If you keep it simple and uncomplicated you will do fine. Start loading it up with everything and the kitchen sink, and there will be issues. 

I have to say I've tried using Adobe Spark Video for a number of years. I've had crashes. We've cussed each other out. I think we are now at a point of understanding.

Respect it for what it is. 

It is an opportunity to simplify.

To be creative within the limitations.

To embrace that minimalistic view about Adobe Spark Video will give you peace of mind. 

One issue I should have gone into more detail in the video. If you upload a clip from your podcast using the music upload feature you might have to chop the audio into clips. And there is a chance that Spark Video might believe that you uploaded music and start to repeat your audio at the end of the video.

Nothing a little tweaking in a video editing program can't take care of, but you should be aware of it. 

Hindenburg Lite aka Field Recorder Trial Version

Hindenburg Lite is a recording app for iOS phone or iPad only. There is and will never be an Android version. The actual name of the full version of the app is Hindenburg Field Recorder. With the app, you can record, edit and export audio. It is a bit quirky but it is worth more than a surface look.

The lite version has all of the features of the paid version of Field Recorder except that there is a 60 second recording limit. Most folks would balk at that limit, even for free. 

For time challenged folks that need hit it and quit recording, this could be something to consider.

If you can deal with the limitations and are willing to work with it; Hindenburg Lite could be an app that gives you value in the long run.

Audiograms/Social Media

Recording audio for audiograms or your social media account.

Bonus Content

Recording mini episodes on the go.

Give a quick opinion on a breaking story related to your show.

Using it to build content for your longer podcast.

Recycling Old Tech 

Reuse of an old iPhone/iPad as a mini recording tool. If you have access to Wi-Fi you are good to go if the device OS is still functional. 

Advantages:

• It is free.
• Able to record audio in 44.1 kHz or 48kHz with choice of .WAV, .AAC or ALAC
• Has built in audio compression.
• The app features are unrestricted except for the 60 second time limit.

Disadvantages:

• 60 second recording limit.
• Can only increase the Gain while recording.
• PC users will find it fussy about exporting audio to another location. 
• If you want to do more to your audio, you will have to export it to an audio editing program.

The Fiddley Parts 

Editing: I have average size hands. On an iPhone 6s, I could not select the editing handles. Might be easier on an iPad.

Exporting and You Have a Mac: Not going to be an issue for you. You have AirDrop or you can use the Apple Cloud or other cloud services. Or connect directly to your Apple computer.

Exporting and You Have a PC: 

If the audio is small enough you might be able to email it to yourself. There may or may not be a size restriction from your email service about large files. .WAV files by their nature are large files.

However if you have a cloud storage account like Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox that might be the easiest path to get the recording off of the device. 

Is it for you?

Depends.  It is a free app. If you can roll with the 60 second time limit and how to work with audio then I think it is a score. 

The paid version of the app is $29.99 and for that you get unlimited recording time. There is no other difference in the app that I can see. 

For casual or frugal folks, I think there are more appropriate user friendly apps for you. 

Mac Users aren't going to have problems working with .AAC and .ALAC files. Slide them into GarageBand or your audio editing programs and get on with the day.

PC Users are going to need to export audio as WAV files. Or hunt down converter software. For PC Audacity users, you are going to need to install a plug-in for .AAC audio files.

If you lean nerdy or like to figure stuff out - it could work for you. 

If not, it might be more trouble than it is worth. 

There are other recording apps that are a tad easier to work with. But the sound quality and variety of export options are not to be ignored.

Podcasting Data from Edison Research 2019

Hi folks. Most of you know I'm audio podcasting now with a video once in a blue moon. I'm checking out LinkedIn SlideShare feature and it is a mixed bag. There is some spam and dirt among the cool marbles.

This is some of the good stuff. Tread carefully around SlideShare, there is a lot of spam and dubious activities by less than ethical people. Not LinkedIn but some of the people trying to game the system using SlideShare.

So this is a check-in to see if I can embed this Edison Research informational slide to the blog.

Edison Research Podcast Consumer 2019 from Edison Research

It took some fiddling but yes, I can embed. If this is of interest to you dive in otherwise, I bid you peace.

L. A. Podcasting Festival and 2014 National Podcast Day Events

Never let it be said that the there is a firm wall between audio and video creators. We can learn much from our audio podcasting brothers and sisters.

Much doing in the land. First up there is the L.A. Podcasting Festival  September 26-28 2014 in Beverly Hills. If you think this is going to be a Nerd 101 fest you are .25 correct. There will be nerds but there will be a lot more comedy and and performance based podcasters. Think of it more as a film festival but for audio. However I suspect there will be a bunch of video recoding going on at the event.


And if you can't make it to the festival you can purchase a live stream ticket for the doings and beings.

On September 30, 2014 it will be National Podcasting Day and there will be live stream events to pluck much wisdom.



You can check out the event page for more info.

Whoops, so late, gotta go.

Other Posts of Interest

• Audio and Music
• Basic Skills
• Buying Camcorders
• Copyright and Fair Use Issues
• Creativity

Changes at Danosong and Fighting DCMA Notices

Coming up from vacation mode with a sad notice of change. One of the two places I visit for podsafe music is Danosongs. It appears that folks can't directly download music anymore for their videos. You still can listen to his music or pay a donation fee for a track.  More on that later.

There are a number of mouth breathers, attorneys and low knuckle dragging beasts that are using the DCMA act to make false claims of copyright infringement; even though Dan O'Conner granted Creative Commons use of his music with attribution.

Yes, there are people out in the wild that for kicks that will put in false DCMA requests.  Reasons:

• Kill or slow down the competition
• Don't like the content and use the DCMA to act as their own personal censor
• ContentID Match Software bots that don't understand about multiple users selecting the same Creative Commons song.
• Slime buckets attorneys and the software that loves them that ain't got nothing better to do than to file false DCMAs.

Dan was getting pelted with people coming back to him because YouTube yanked their videos.  There are only some many hours in the day and no one wants to spend 23 hours trying to convince YouTube that your clients obtained the music legally.

You can check out Dan's FAQ page on what to do if you have downloaded prior versions of his tunes or still want to use some of his new work. 

So, what do you do if you get a false DCMA notice?

Like I have been telling folks; make sure you have a copy of the page of the website where you got your music. You can make a PDF of it or place a paper copy in a binder. You want to be able to prove that you are not in violation.

You will want to go to the EFF page specifically on YouTube take down notices.

This might help but it may not. YouTube has gotten cozy with Universal music so if you song sound remotely like one of their tunes you might have issues. Even if it is clear Fair Use you might have issues.

Also check out FairUse.org article on YouTube Refuses to Honor DCMA Counter Notices

And you'll want to read VideoInk's article from two entertainment attorneys on how to fight a false DCMA notice. 

In the meantime; those of us that need affordable music can make use of YouTube own audio library of tunes. I'd lay a dollar to a donut that this will not stop false flagging but it will be interesting to test it out.

You can also hippy hop over to Vimeo's music service where you can buy an affordable track with no muss or fuss. Again, document your sources and do the best you can in the turbulent times.

 Other Posts of Interest

• Audio and Music Posts
• Copyright Posts
• Legal for Video and Videoblogging Posts
• Home Page for Mobile Users

Auphonic Web App for Audio Clean Up

A few weeks ago, I recorded a video of a gentleman who recited a section of the Quran at the L.A. Times Festival of Books. I play back the video I hear this wicked hiss when he reads a passage.

There was some kind of interference from near by or maybe my camera is heading south. I couldn't upload the video with bad sound. I was heart sick.

Today, I learned about a new (to me) service called Auphonic. Not only is it a web app but there is a version for iOS and Android folks. I'm testing out the web app version.

I would describe Auphonic as a voice and music cleaner for non-audio engineering people. Folks that think Audacity is too complex. 

It is really simple. This is a video demonstration from the company:



I would say that even with droopy connection speeds the audio uploaded and was processed quickly. My problem hum was gone but I discovered another sound that no amount of sound editing is going to get rid of; there was a person opening a plastic bag.

I can't get rid of it and it wouldn't be worth the time to chip away at it in Audacity.

Anyway, for basic audio cleaning this is a good option. There is an Android app and one for iOS that has a recoding function. They do have a desktop app for sale but you might not need it.

Many times free apps can be more trouble than they are worth. This is a quality app that once you get the hang of it you might drop the fellas a donation in appreciation.

Other Posts of Interest 

• Audio and Music
• Apps and Software
• Home Page for Mobile Users

Internet Archive Public Domain Music for Web Video Part 2

Finding musicians that intentionally place their work in the public domain is a challenge. Finding those musicians while avoiding scammers and other assorted folks is the problem.

One place to search is the Internet Archive. It is a slog but you can find musicians who have release their copyright to their music.

• Hussalonia's The Public Domain EP
• Michael Sandler's Public Squeegee
• DJ Black Guy - Chokehold
• Sol Rezza

I specifically look for music that was composed by the performer and has a clear declaration that the work has been released from U.S. copyright protection.

The quality will range from poor to "damn, that is kinda, good."

Be exceedingly careful about using the Internet Archive to locate public domain music. I have found works by Ella Fitzgerald that someone uploaded and tagged as being in the public domain. No. Sister Rosetta Tharpe?  Nope. Selections from Your Hit Parade? Oh, hell no.

You don't have to use the whole song. Maybe you need just a bit of the song for an introduction or closing theme. You decide.

You should print out the music page and place in your resource binder. You might have to prove where you got your music and the conditions of use.  This will not help you if you are silly enough to use a Betty Boop song in your video. The current copyright holder is Viacom.

I still would give attribution to the musician. It is the right thing to do.


Other Posts of Interest 

• Audio and Music
• Copyright/Fair Use 
• Home Page for Mobile Users

Public Domain Music for Web Video - Definitions

People see the word free in a sentence and get all twitchy.  Not everything is free and even if it is there is always a cost. Once again, I'm not a copyright lawyer but I am a nerd with a library tech certificate and I know how to use it.

Public Domain Music

Music that was under U.S. copyright protection that has expired is in the public domain. Users are free to use, re-mix, re-sell and re-interpret the work without further compensation to the creators or previous license owners.

For a multiplicity of reasons, commercial and popular sound recorded music will not enter the public domain until 2067. This includes very old works that should have entered the public domain but didn't due to "shenanigans" of a corporate legal nature; in my opinion.

Sheet music is different; you can find printed sheet music that is the public domain. If you or your computer can read music you can create your own version of the song. You cannot use another musician's sound recording of a public domain sheet music tune without permission. 

For example; There are hundreds of recordings of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. You can find pre-1922 sheet music for his work. However a sound recording is a unique expression of the music. That expression can be copyrighted.

Each recording of the symphony is under copyright protection unless the musician has intentionally placed it in the public domain.

Royalty Free Music

Royalty Free music is music that is still under copyright. You purchase a license to use the music under the conditions of the license. Some royalty free music can only be used in non-performance settings like elevators or a convention kiosk. Some license music can be used in web video but not in broadcast video.

There are royalty free licenses that only ask for attribution; meaning you agree to provided a link back to the original web site so that others can find the resource. There are always conditions with royalty free music It is your responsibility to clearly understand the terms of use.

Jewel Beat is a royalty free music service. They sell licenses to use their tunes. They also have a section of their web site where they have free attribution license music that you can download and use provided you provide a link back to the web site.

Music Revolution is another royalty free service that has an attribution free music page. When you click on the standard license link (and you should) you are given the terms of use.

Other Posts of Interest 

• Audio and Music
• Copyright/Fair Use 
• Home Page for Mobile Users

Public Domain Music for Web Video - Part 1

Video and music belong together but there are corporations and teams of lawyers that want to control what you can and can't do with music. To be clear, I do believe that music artists and performers should be compensated for their work. No question about that.

We who strive to stay to the good side of the law understand that we cannot use copyrighted music. In the United States we have a bunch of laws that prevent many songs and music history from entering the public domain. But first...

What Is Public Domain in the United States?

It is a work whose copyright has expired and it enters the public domain for anyone to use for any reason.

 Except for recorded music.

You see, there are a lot of vested interests that like to keep generating income off of recorded music. They have, IN MY OPINION, manipulated state and federal laws to keep said music from transitioning into the public domain.

In truth, no recorded music will enter the public domain until 2067 at the theoretical earliest.

There is sheet music that has entered the public domain. If you can play a music instrument you can record your own version of that song.

You can own the sheet music but you cannot buy a recording based from that sheet music and use it in your video without permission.

Here is an example:

• The sheet music might be in the public domain.
• The song (words) might belong to one or more authors or under ownership to a specific music company.
• The artist recording of the song might be copyrighted to another company
• The recording company might have been absorbed into a larger company who now owns that recording. 

Yes, it can get that complicated. Haven't even started to talk about federal copyright issues.

There Is A Way

So no, you will not be able to use Larry, Move Your Hand in your video.

You can:

Make your own music.
Find artists that have freely released their music to the Public Domain.
Find artists that allow usage via Creative Commons licenses.

Just Because You Found on The Internet Does Not Make It So...

There are web sites that state that they have Public Domain music. Be skeptical.

Other countries have other interpretations of copyright law. And for those thinking Americans who want to bypass U.S. copyright laws you need to double check if there is a cooperative copyright agreement between the U.S. and the country of the web site your are visiting.  The term you are looking for is called The Berne Convention.

The recording could be out of copyright in Rome but still subject to the U.S. copyright in America.

It goes without saying that I am not a lawyer or a copyright expert. It will be your responsibility to verify if the recording you use is in compliance with the laws of your location.

Other Posts of Interest 

• Audio and Music
• Copyright/Fair Use 
• Home Page for Mobile Users

Trip to Grand Central Market - Video Poem

Chip, chip, chip away at the stone. I had to let go of the prior idea. It just was not coming together. The rabbit got away this time.

I went out on a road trip and came up with this video:




It is a mixture of video and photos taken at the Grand Central Market of Los Angeles. There is a change between the prior version of the market and the new culinary influences that are starting to move in.

What the market has always been is a place about the accessibility of food. Inexpensive veggies co-exist with mouth watering and heart clogging food.

So this is a travel video poem about a food place.

I recorded on my Panasonic DMC -XS1. That is one accommodating camera. It did a great job in getting the recordings in a number of challenging lighting areas and types.

Editing took place in Serif MoviePlus X6.  Music from Frank Edward Nora who has graciously placed much of his New Midnight Cassette Collection in the Public Domain.

Home Page for Mobile Users

Magix Music Maker - The EULA License Game

Just want to follow up on the entry level/basic version of Magix Music Maker Sountrack Edition. To recap, I purchased the software in order to create my own intros, video tunes and avoid the threat of DCMA and assorted attorneys trolling for dollars.

The software was on sale and it seem to be designed for novice users who wanted to craft their own tunes with the provided music tracks. As is my habit, I do read the End Users License Agreement (EULA) before installing software. That is when I had a WTF moment.

Yes, I could use the provided music tracks in videos. Provided those videos are non-commercial or the music is not used in a commercial (business, money generating) atmosphere.

Hold On - It Says You Can Use For Social Media Use

Yes, you can use the music in videos that appear on YouTube or an audio service like Soundcloud; so long as it is non-commercial. I understand that. But it is up to Magix to determine the use and the context of usage. If they feel you have violated the terms then you will have to deal with them or the attorneys. In Germany.

Technically, Magix did provide links on the web site, teeny tiny links, that spell out the End Users License Agreement.  And there are good people in the Magix multimedia community that are answering this question over and over.

I wish that Magix would put a link or some kind of notice on the sales page to alert potential users about the non-commercial use of this software.

If You Have Not Activated the Software:

Suppose you read the EULA and you decide that you want no part of the software. Stop, uninstall it and contact them within 14 days of purchase to get a refund.

Installation Caution:

If you are about to install the software, be careful. There is an installation window for a product called SimpleCheck

and Ask.com Toolbar.

I can’t tell you want to do but if you ask me what I did I’d tell you I unchecked those suckers quick, fast and in a hurry.

If You Have Activated the Software:

If you activated (register) the software then you are out of luck on that refund action. All is not lost and you have options.

Magix will want you to register to become a member of the Magix community. This is the only way to get into the Knowledge Base and community assistance to find out what the heck is going on. Or you can keep reading this post.

After Installation Using the Software Only:

There are music loops which are snippets of notes or beats. There are full tracks called soundpools and these are the music elements that is provided with the software.

For a moment, think of the software as if it was a word processing program. You can enter your own music that you compose. You will have no problem so long as you do not use any musical elements provided by Magix.

You can import Creative Commons or Public Domain music (and you are 101% sure it is in the public domain) and use the software to remix and compose tunes. Again, if you don't use any of the provided music you will be fine.

Using the Provided Loops and Soundpools

Here is the thing. Music is rarely free when it comes in contact with a vendor or software provider. Magix has another site called Catooh; it is a music repository where people can buy music, sound effects and soundtracks. There is an artist community that sell their music creations.

Catooh/Magix provides a variety of music licenses depending on the users need. For entry level users that can abide by the non-commercial license you do not have to pay extra.

But if you have a commercial need for music then you can purchase a single track or an all inclusive license. So let's say that you buy an Audio Pro track for 79 cents. You would be good for 3 million web impressions per month or 1 million public presentations. Which is a heck of a lot of conferences or 1 million video viewers.

With the 99 cent track it is unlimited non-commercial use. And no, I see no reason to purchase an entire catalog of music.

So Is It Worth It?

Well, that depends. If you want to have a unique theme or you are creating a special video or series of videos then yes, plunking down 99 cents for an single tune that has an unlimited music license is not a bad deal.

I would not do it for sound effects but for a composition you want to touch up, why not.

That said, there is one more thing. You purchased the license for the music. You can do anything you want except anything that Catooh/Magix deems unlawful, illicit or is used to establish a business identity.

Other Options

You can download a software program like Audacity and then purchase tunes from Magix, Sony or dozens of other music repositories.

You also have the option of diving into the Internet Archive to find music placed in the public domain by musicians. It is a slog but it can be done.

Other Posts of Interest

• Magix Music Maker Soundtrack Edition and EULA Terms of Service
• Audio Library - YouTube Music for Web Video
• A Look At Sony Sound Production Music
• Home Page for Mobile Users