HOW TO CREATE YOUR TEMP MUSIC TRACK FOR FREE (OR CHEAP)

As your film concept begins to take shape cinematically in the form of your Leica Reel, now is the time to establish the essential musical character of your film via the use of a temp music track. 

THE INDUSTRY APPROACH

Unless you have a composer already signed on to provide you with music, I would suggest that your first attempt at a temp music track involve a review of film soundtracks in a style or genre similar to your intended project. For example, If your story is a comic prehistoric adventure, then Alan Silvestri's score to The Croods will probably give you some ideas, and may provide you with a track or two that can be "re-purposed" for your film. This approach is universally used in the film industry in the early stages of a project. 

The Croods - Soundtrack CD

As the world's largest music retailer, the ITunes Store is an ideal tool for this tactic. Its main attraction is that you can review a huge range of possibilities free of charge, because up to 90 seconds of any musical track is playable as a free preview. And if you decide that a particular music track works for your film you can buy an un-copyprotected file immediately for just 99 cents. 

Regarding the copyright aspects of this approach, it is perfectly legal under the Fair Use (aka Fair Dealing) provisions of US and Canadian copyright law to use these commercial recordings as Temp Tracks.  The operative word here is "temp".  Your musical choices cannot be used for public presentation outside the academic context. However, well-chosen temp music can be a useful stand-in during the early stages of production, and will also make an excellent guide for your future composer to work with. 

LICENSED MUSIC - CREATIVE COMMONS AND OTHERS

In addition to the industry approach just described, there are many websites that will provide licensed music for free or for a relatively small fee. The most common arrangement for "Free" licenses is via Creative Commons. Usually the required "payment" involves simply giving credit to the creator of the music. Sometimes there is a restriction on commercial use as well, so be sure to read the fine print (i.e. the type of Creative Commons license imposed.) Most of the websites listed below offer music under Creative Commons licenses. The Internet Archive and Jamendo are both quite good in this respect. 


There are also many websites that offer original music that can be easily licensed for use in film.  Usually the costs are relatively low ($25-$99) and the legal arrangements are very simple, so that everything can be done online with a few clicks (and a credit card number!) 
Two websites that offer some an interesting range of music this way are With Etiquette  and the Vimeo Music Store. 

VIMEO MUSIC STORE -- BROWSER

Of course, here at Sheridan we also have the Cyclops Music Library server, where 
technologists Mario Positano and Rick Andersen maintain a listing of approximately 10,000 titles of stock music, for which the college pays a flat fee each year on your behalf. 

Below is a list of just a few of the many places online which can provide Creative Commons and other licensed music: 

Jamendo - Jamendo has a LOT of free stuff. Try it first.

The Internet Archive: Mostly older material,including historical recordings and soundtracks that have fallen between the cracks of copyright law and are therefore free. 

Vimeo Music Store - mostly commercial ($99 for a festival license) but also has free (Creative Commons Share-Alike License)

SoundCloud - online file locker for audio. Nice player software, and many items licensable for the asking. 


Overview | Music | Musopen - recent site with only copyright-free material. Mostly old recordings and/or government produced. 

With Etiquette - collective of alternative musicians who make their music available for low license fee. ‎
songfreedom.com - commercial stock music site

UniqueTracks Inc. - commercial stock music site, good selection, low rates ($40)

Royalty Free Music Library from premiumbeat.com - commercial stock music site

Stock Music - Royalty Free Music with an Edge - commercial stock music site