Are you creating an audiobook and do you need to put background music or sound effects on it?
Great, because in this article we will explain everything you need to know: where and how to get the songs and what licenses you need so that everything falls within the legality, whatever your country is.
Background music in an audiobook is usually used on:
- The book's introduction
- Small introductions to each chapter
- Playout at the end of the book or chapters
- To improve or emphasize certain parts of the story or dialogue
The first thing we need to know is that for a digital product -audiobook or podcast for example- that will later be for sale to the general public, we will never be able to use free music.
And why is that? Because free music on the Internet is under Creative Commons licenses, which allow us to use such songs as long as the use is strictly personal and not used in any product in which the author can get an economic return.
That said, the royalty-free music market has several platforms to acquire very easily and cheaply the licenses that we need.
Where to find music?
Legis Music
At Legis Music we also have three exclusive plans, launched this 2023, that make access to royalty-free music easy and inexpensive.
These plans are designed so that you only have to pay once to get them, allowing you to enjoy unlimited songs for life and have the peace of mind of not having to worry about copyright claims in the future.
Thus, you can choose the plan that best suits your needs: Starter Plan, Personal Plan or Business Plan.
However, in the case of audiobooks, we recommend the Business Plan, as it is specially designed for freelancers, companies and those who work for clients.
It is the most open license of all, since any use case is covered and it also offers unlimited music (the only thing that is not allowed is to resell the songs). Its price is a one-time payment of $99 for life – if you use it for 2 years, it will be like paying $4/month.
Thus, you will have the opportunity to enjoy the license forever and pay only once.
Below is a table with the three plans and their respective prices, in case you are interested in any other plan.
| Starter Plan | Personal Plan | Business Plan | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | $49 forever | $99 forever |
Sound Effects
In order to acquire sound effects, you can look for them in the category ‘Sound Effects‘ in the Audiojungle marketplace.
Conclusion
Contrary to music for podcasts or radio reproductions, most of the time audiobooks only have the voice of the reader.
Sometimes, they add a short introduction to the prologues or individual chapters, but apart from that, the most the listener can do is concentrate on the voice that reads the lines. 
This is done on purpose not to distract you from the story and the events of the book: there is only one voice to listen to, no background noises, no music.
Sometimes, this can be disconcerting and can result in the listener losing its concentration.
When it comes to improving our audiobook experience by adding environmental sounds or appropriate music, it is good to know that there are marketplaces that make it easier to search for the perfect background song.
