Key Lights and Soft Shadows for Vloggers for 2024

Key Lights and Soft Shadows for Vloggers for 2024

Joseph Lv13

Key Lights and Soft Shadows for Vloggers

Lighting Tips for Vlogging: How to Light

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

One of the best things you can do for your video quality is to ensure you have great lighting. Viewers find poor lighting distracting and it’s hard for them to see how great your content is if they are busy thinking about why your video is so dark. By creating a great lighting set up you can ensure that the people watching your videos are only thinking about how much they’re enjoying them.

Going outside and using natural light is the cheapest way to get a lot of light for your videos. If your vlog is not suited to the great outdoors then you need to get more strategic. You can turn on all the lights in your living room and still end up with a dark, grainy, video.

Video Lighting Basics: Three Point Lighting

 Lighting for YouTube Video

The most common technique of lighting a scene is called three-point lighting. It involves three different sources of light in the shot and is used by portrait photographers, which is also a great method for lighting your vlog.

The brightest source of light is also known as the key light which need to be high quality. A window will work, but if you do not have access to one where you are filming then consider an LED panel light or a softbox light like the ones used in portrait photography.

This first light will create a dramatic shadow across half of your face. You want to reduce this shadow, but not get rid of it completely.

Rather than setting up another light source on the opposite side of the camera, put up a reflector to bounce some light back onto your face. This reflector is called your ‘Fill Light’.

The fill light is less bright than the primary source of light and it is placed on the side opposite to the key light. Its purpose is to reduce shadows produced by the key light and the reflector will need to be mounted on a stand.

The final step to creating three point lighting is to set up another light behind you. This is your ‘Backlight’, and it will help you stand out from your background. Backlight or Hair light is always placed behind and above the subject to create separation between the subject in the shot and the background. This basic lighting technique can be applied in almost every scene you shoot, which is why it is important to keep an open mind and to continue experimenting with possible light setups.

Watch Video! Top Lighting Tips for Vlogging

Lightning Tips for Aspiring YouTube Videographers

Becoming the master of light will take some time and practice, so it is crucial to remain curious and anxious to learn new tricks throughout that process if you want to continually become better. These tips will help you make the first steps on that journey.

1. Focus Your Key Light

Try to focus your Key Light so that it lights only you and not your background. Do this by mounting anything that can cast a shadow onto your Key Light to control the area where the light hits. If you are using a window for your Key Light then you can use a curtain. If you use a softbox light then your light will already be somewhat focused.

2. Use Natural Lighting

The light provided by the Sun is still the best light source, you can have in your video. The trouble is that natural light changes quickly, which makes it highly unpredictable. The best way to deal with this challenge is to come prepared to the set and to get the shot you want as quickly as you can.

3. Try DIY Lightning

Literally, anything from candles to LED light bulbs can serve as a source of light in a shot. You just need to pay attention to the light temperature, because warmer light sources may highlight reds and yellows that can make your footage look less realistic.

4. Use Lightning Kits

This is by far the best option if you want to be in complete control of the light on your set. You can adjust the intensity of the lights, use filters, diffusers and all sorts of other accessories to create the light that flatters the subjects of your videos. The only downside is that you’ll have to spend a considerable amount of money if you want to have a professional lighting kit.

5. Set up reflectors

Sets of reflectors are often under $50, so they are fairly affordable. However, some vloggers choose to forgo purchasing reflectors and make their own out of tinfoil.

lighting tips

If your strong main light is too hard on your eyes then you can use a translucent ‘reflector’ to soften it. Set your translucent reflector, or other screen, up in front of your main light to diffuse it.

If you are hosting a beauty vlog then you might consider a slightly different set up. Instead of having your main light off to one side set it up directly in front of you so your entire face is lit evenly. It is still a good idea to use fill lights in this set up to give you some dimension, and a backlight is even more essential for helping you stand out from the background. The even light hitting your face will also make you look flat if you do not use a backlight.

lighting tips

If you are using all of the lighting options available to you and your video still looks too dark then you can try brightening it by opening up the aperture of your camera lens/setting a lower f-stop. Letting more light into your camera can help your footage look brighter, although you also run the risk of making things look overexposed/ washed out if you are not careful.

If you are stuck shooting in low light conditions it is best to use a lens with a wider aperture/lower f-stop. This will make the best of the light you do have.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

One of the best things you can do for your video quality is to ensure you have great lighting. Viewers find poor lighting distracting and it’s hard for them to see how great your content is if they are busy thinking about why your video is so dark. By creating a great lighting set up you can ensure that the people watching your videos are only thinking about how much they’re enjoying them.

Going outside and using natural light is the cheapest way to get a lot of light for your videos. If your vlog is not suited to the great outdoors then you need to get more strategic. You can turn on all the lights in your living room and still end up with a dark, grainy, video.

Video Lighting Basics: Three Point Lighting

 Lighting for YouTube Video

The most common technique of lighting a scene is called three-point lighting. It involves three different sources of light in the shot and is used by portrait photographers, which is also a great method for lighting your vlog.

The brightest source of light is also known as the key light which need to be high quality. A window will work, but if you do not have access to one where you are filming then consider an LED panel light or a softbox light like the ones used in portrait photography.

This first light will create a dramatic shadow across half of your face. You want to reduce this shadow, but not get rid of it completely.

Rather than setting up another light source on the opposite side of the camera, put up a reflector to bounce some light back onto your face. This reflector is called your ‘Fill Light’.

The fill light is less bright than the primary source of light and it is placed on the side opposite to the key light. Its purpose is to reduce shadows produced by the key light and the reflector will need to be mounted on a stand.

The final step to creating three point lighting is to set up another light behind you. This is your ‘Backlight’, and it will help you stand out from your background. Backlight or Hair light is always placed behind and above the subject to create separation between the subject in the shot and the background. This basic lighting technique can be applied in almost every scene you shoot, which is why it is important to keep an open mind and to continue experimenting with possible light setups.

Watch Video! Top Lighting Tips for Vlogging

Lightning Tips for Aspiring YouTube Videographers

Becoming the master of light will take some time and practice, so it is crucial to remain curious and anxious to learn new tricks throughout that process if you want to continually become better. These tips will help you make the first steps on that journey.

1. Focus Your Key Light

Try to focus your Key Light so that it lights only you and not your background. Do this by mounting anything that can cast a shadow onto your Key Light to control the area where the light hits. If you are using a window for your Key Light then you can use a curtain. If you use a softbox light then your light will already be somewhat focused.

2. Use Natural Lighting

The light provided by the Sun is still the best light source, you can have in your video. The trouble is that natural light changes quickly, which makes it highly unpredictable. The best way to deal with this challenge is to come prepared to the set and to get the shot you want as quickly as you can.

3. Try DIY Lightning

Literally, anything from candles to LED light bulbs can serve as a source of light in a shot. You just need to pay attention to the light temperature, because warmer light sources may highlight reds and yellows that can make your footage look less realistic.

4. Use Lightning Kits

This is by far the best option if you want to be in complete control of the light on your set. You can adjust the intensity of the lights, use filters, diffusers and all sorts of other accessories to create the light that flatters the subjects of your videos. The only downside is that you’ll have to spend a considerable amount of money if you want to have a professional lighting kit.

5. Set up reflectors

Sets of reflectors are often under $50, so they are fairly affordable. However, some vloggers choose to forgo purchasing reflectors and make their own out of tinfoil.

lighting tips

If your strong main light is too hard on your eyes then you can use a translucent ‘reflector’ to soften it. Set your translucent reflector, or other screen, up in front of your main light to diffuse it.

If you are hosting a beauty vlog then you might consider a slightly different set up. Instead of having your main light off to one side set it up directly in front of you so your entire face is lit evenly. It is still a good idea to use fill lights in this set up to give you some dimension, and a backlight is even more essential for helping you stand out from the background. The even light hitting your face will also make you look flat if you do not use a backlight.

lighting tips

If you are using all of the lighting options available to you and your video still looks too dark then you can try brightening it by opening up the aperture of your camera lens/setting a lower f-stop. Letting more light into your camera can help your footage look brighter, although you also run the risk of making things look overexposed/ washed out if you are not careful.

If you are stuck shooting in low light conditions it is best to use a lens with a wider aperture/lower f-stop. This will make the best of the light you do have.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

One of the best things you can do for your video quality is to ensure you have great lighting. Viewers find poor lighting distracting and it’s hard for them to see how great your content is if they are busy thinking about why your video is so dark. By creating a great lighting set up you can ensure that the people watching your videos are only thinking about how much they’re enjoying them.

Going outside and using natural light is the cheapest way to get a lot of light for your videos. If your vlog is not suited to the great outdoors then you need to get more strategic. You can turn on all the lights in your living room and still end up with a dark, grainy, video.

Video Lighting Basics: Three Point Lighting

 Lighting for YouTube Video

The most common technique of lighting a scene is called three-point lighting. It involves three different sources of light in the shot and is used by portrait photographers, which is also a great method for lighting your vlog.

The brightest source of light is also known as the key light which need to be high quality. A window will work, but if you do not have access to one where you are filming then consider an LED panel light or a softbox light like the ones used in portrait photography.

This first light will create a dramatic shadow across half of your face. You want to reduce this shadow, but not get rid of it completely.

Rather than setting up another light source on the opposite side of the camera, put up a reflector to bounce some light back onto your face. This reflector is called your ‘Fill Light’.

The fill light is less bright than the primary source of light and it is placed on the side opposite to the key light. Its purpose is to reduce shadows produced by the key light and the reflector will need to be mounted on a stand.

The final step to creating three point lighting is to set up another light behind you. This is your ‘Backlight’, and it will help you stand out from your background. Backlight or Hair light is always placed behind and above the subject to create separation between the subject in the shot and the background. This basic lighting technique can be applied in almost every scene you shoot, which is why it is important to keep an open mind and to continue experimenting with possible light setups.

Watch Video! Top Lighting Tips for Vlogging

Lightning Tips for Aspiring YouTube Videographers

Becoming the master of light will take some time and practice, so it is crucial to remain curious and anxious to learn new tricks throughout that process if you want to continually become better. These tips will help you make the first steps on that journey.

1. Focus Your Key Light

Try to focus your Key Light so that it lights only you and not your background. Do this by mounting anything that can cast a shadow onto your Key Light to control the area where the light hits. If you are using a window for your Key Light then you can use a curtain. If you use a softbox light then your light will already be somewhat focused.

2. Use Natural Lighting

The light provided by the Sun is still the best light source, you can have in your video. The trouble is that natural light changes quickly, which makes it highly unpredictable. The best way to deal with this challenge is to come prepared to the set and to get the shot you want as quickly as you can.

3. Try DIY Lightning

Literally, anything from candles to LED light bulbs can serve as a source of light in a shot. You just need to pay attention to the light temperature, because warmer light sources may highlight reds and yellows that can make your footage look less realistic.

4. Use Lightning Kits

This is by far the best option if you want to be in complete control of the light on your set. You can adjust the intensity of the lights, use filters, diffusers and all sorts of other accessories to create the light that flatters the subjects of your videos. The only downside is that you’ll have to spend a considerable amount of money if you want to have a professional lighting kit.

5. Set up reflectors

Sets of reflectors are often under $50, so they are fairly affordable. However, some vloggers choose to forgo purchasing reflectors and make their own out of tinfoil.

lighting tips

If your strong main light is too hard on your eyes then you can use a translucent ‘reflector’ to soften it. Set your translucent reflector, or other screen, up in front of your main light to diffuse it.

If you are hosting a beauty vlog then you might consider a slightly different set up. Instead of having your main light off to one side set it up directly in front of you so your entire face is lit evenly. It is still a good idea to use fill lights in this set up to give you some dimension, and a backlight is even more essential for helping you stand out from the background. The even light hitting your face will also make you look flat if you do not use a backlight.

lighting tips

If you are using all of the lighting options available to you and your video still looks too dark then you can try brightening it by opening up the aperture of your camera lens/setting a lower f-stop. Letting more light into your camera can help your footage look brighter, although you also run the risk of making things look overexposed/ washed out if you are not careful.

If you are stuck shooting in low light conditions it is best to use a lens with a wider aperture/lower f-stop. This will make the best of the light you do have.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

One of the best things you can do for your video quality is to ensure you have great lighting. Viewers find poor lighting distracting and it’s hard for them to see how great your content is if they are busy thinking about why your video is so dark. By creating a great lighting set up you can ensure that the people watching your videos are only thinking about how much they’re enjoying them.

Going outside and using natural light is the cheapest way to get a lot of light for your videos. If your vlog is not suited to the great outdoors then you need to get more strategic. You can turn on all the lights in your living room and still end up with a dark, grainy, video.

Video Lighting Basics: Three Point Lighting

 Lighting for YouTube Video

The most common technique of lighting a scene is called three-point lighting. It involves three different sources of light in the shot and is used by portrait photographers, which is also a great method for lighting your vlog.

The brightest source of light is also known as the key light which need to be high quality. A window will work, but if you do not have access to one where you are filming then consider an LED panel light or a softbox light like the ones used in portrait photography.

This first light will create a dramatic shadow across half of your face. You want to reduce this shadow, but not get rid of it completely.

Rather than setting up another light source on the opposite side of the camera, put up a reflector to bounce some light back onto your face. This reflector is called your ‘Fill Light’.

The fill light is less bright than the primary source of light and it is placed on the side opposite to the key light. Its purpose is to reduce shadows produced by the key light and the reflector will need to be mounted on a stand.

The final step to creating three point lighting is to set up another light behind you. This is your ‘Backlight’, and it will help you stand out from your background. Backlight or Hair light is always placed behind and above the subject to create separation between the subject in the shot and the background. This basic lighting technique can be applied in almost every scene you shoot, which is why it is important to keep an open mind and to continue experimenting with possible light setups.

Watch Video! Top Lighting Tips for Vlogging

Lightning Tips for Aspiring YouTube Videographers

Becoming the master of light will take some time and practice, so it is crucial to remain curious and anxious to learn new tricks throughout that process if you want to continually become better. These tips will help you make the first steps on that journey.

1. Focus Your Key Light

Try to focus your Key Light so that it lights only you and not your background. Do this by mounting anything that can cast a shadow onto your Key Light to control the area where the light hits. If you are using a window for your Key Light then you can use a curtain. If you use a softbox light then your light will already be somewhat focused.

2. Use Natural Lighting

The light provided by the Sun is still the best light source, you can have in your video. The trouble is that natural light changes quickly, which makes it highly unpredictable. The best way to deal with this challenge is to come prepared to the set and to get the shot you want as quickly as you can.

3. Try DIY Lightning

Literally, anything from candles to LED light bulbs can serve as a source of light in a shot. You just need to pay attention to the light temperature, because warmer light sources may highlight reds and yellows that can make your footage look less realistic.

4. Use Lightning Kits

This is by far the best option if you want to be in complete control of the light on your set. You can adjust the intensity of the lights, use filters, diffusers and all sorts of other accessories to create the light that flatters the subjects of your videos. The only downside is that you’ll have to spend a considerable amount of money if you want to have a professional lighting kit.

5. Set up reflectors

Sets of reflectors are often under $50, so they are fairly affordable. However, some vloggers choose to forgo purchasing reflectors and make their own out of tinfoil.

lighting tips

If your strong main light is too hard on your eyes then you can use a translucent ‘reflector’ to soften it. Set your translucent reflector, or other screen, up in front of your main light to diffuse it.

If you are hosting a beauty vlog then you might consider a slightly different set up. Instead of having your main light off to one side set it up directly in front of you so your entire face is lit evenly. It is still a good idea to use fill lights in this set up to give you some dimension, and a backlight is even more essential for helping you stand out from the background. The even light hitting your face will also make you look flat if you do not use a backlight.

lighting tips

If you are using all of the lighting options available to you and your video still looks too dark then you can try brightening it by opening up the aperture of your camera lens/setting a lower f-stop. Letting more light into your camera can help your footage look brighter, although you also run the risk of making things look overexposed/ washed out if you are not careful.

If you are stuck shooting in low light conditions it is best to use a lens with a wider aperture/lower f-stop. This will make the best of the light you do have.

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Crafting Captivating Cinematic Experiences in YouTube Videos

How to Add Music to YouTubeVideo with YouTube Video Editor

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Adding the right music to your YouTube can significantly increase its entertainment value. Professional video maker will not play a music background while shooting the video; they do it during the editing process. You can remove the background noisy during editing and add your own music sound during editing, but you can also upload the video to YouTube first and then choose the right music for your video in YouTube. In this article, we are going to show you how to add or change music to your YouTube videos in YouTube platform after uploading and how to add music to YouTube Video with royalty free music in Audio Library.

You may also like: How to edit YouTube videos >>


Before we get started, there is a better way on how to add music to YouTube Video. You may use Wondershare Filmora to better manage your video. It allows you to import any track you want in different format including but not limited to MP3, WAV, FLAC and others. They also have a huge and better collection of royalty-free music. Compared to YouTube Video Editor where you have a pretty limited audio mix manager, the Filmora comes with an audio equalizer. You may also detach the music easily or add multiple tracks on a single video. You can also import the video that you created in different format or upload it directly to YouTube.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


Part 1: How to Add Music to YouTube Video

We’re going to offer you two ways to add music to YouTube video with YouTube built-in video editing features.

Section 1: Using Video Manager

There are thousands of royalty free songs that you can use in the YouTube video. You can choose from different genres and moods songs with different duration as well. Here is how to add music to YouTube videos in Video Manager tab.

Step 1 Sign in

The first thing you need to do when you want to know how to add music to YouTube Video is to sign into your account on YouTube. Go to the official site of YouTube and click the sign-in option found at the upper right corner of your screen. You will then be asked to enter your Gmail account and your password. After you managed to sign in, you should be able to see your profile picture on the upper right corner of the page. Click your picture, and you will be able to see the Creator Studio Option. Click that button.

Add Music to YouTube Video 1

Step 2 Choosing the Video

Start Browsing Your Video Channel. You may do this by clicking on the Video Tab on your Profile Page or Clicking the Video Manager option located at the left bar. You will then be redirected to the videos that you uploaded. Choose your video that you want to have background music.

Add Music to YouTube Video 2

Step 3 Choosing the Music

Click the Edit option that is located next to the video that you want to edit. This will open the online video editing tool of YouTube. Located on top of the page are the different commands that you can execute to edit the video; you may enhance, add audio, put annotation, create cards, add subtitle and add copyright. Click the Audio Option. It will lead you to a library of music that you may add to your video.

Add Music to YouTube Video 3

Step 4 Finding the Right Music

The next thing to do on how to add music to YouTube Video is to find an appropriate music for your video. You also need to make sure that the length of the track will perfectly match the length of your video. To do this, Click on the drop down menu that says ‘Top Tracks’ and you will see the different genre of music. In case you already have music in your mind, simply type the title of the song on the search bar and hit enter.

Add Music to YouTube Video 4

Additional Tip: Not satisfied with the track? Try the sound effects by going at YouTube Audio Library . You can create an advance search by customizing the result based on popularity, duration, instrument, mood and genre.

Step 5 Adding the Selected Music

Before you decided to add the music to your video, make sure that it fits the duration of your video. In case you want to know how to add music to YouTube Video, you should do nothing more than to click the ADD TO VIDEO button and it will be automatically integrated into your video.

Step 6 Editing the Music

  • After you successfully integrate the music to the video, you will see the title of the music under your video. You also have additional tools that you can use. Let us take a look at the Position audio and the slide bar option a little closer.

Add Music to YouTube Video 5

  • Once You Click the Position Audio Button, you will be able to customize and position your integrated music as well as compress the length of the music. To trim the music, simply put your pointer either at the end or the beginning of the music. When you want to move the audio, you may just drag the music.
  • The ‘Only Music’ option located at the left side of the Position Audio can be used to adjust the volume of the music. In case you want to remove the original sound from the video, drag the pointer at the right most.

Step 7 Saving the Changes

When you save the edited video, you can save it as a separate video, or you can overwrite the existing video.

Additional Reminder: You can’t add multiple audio tracks in one video with youtube video editor, if you want to get an advanced audio editing, check this article How to mix audio tracks into one file for video

Section 2: Using Audio Library

Since YouTube has shut down the Video Editor module in 2017, you can now add music in YouTube Video Editor Module. Though there are plentiful video editing software for YouTube videos , you can also download Free Music and Sound Effects in YouTube Audio Library first and then add it to your video clips. Here is how to add music to YouTube video with YouTube Audio Library.

Step 1 Click on Audio Library

This time instead of clicking the Video Manager option, you will have to click on the Create option and choose Audio Library.

YouTube audio library

Step 2 Download target free music or sound effect

In YouTube Audio Library, you will find some free music sounds and sound effects available. You can search music in the library and filter genre, duration, mood, attribution and instrument properties. Click the download icon to download this royalty free music and sound effect to your computer. And then you can combine the audio and video and make it as a video with music sound. You can download multiple audio files and then add multiple songs to the YouTube video.

YouTube audio library

Step 3 Add Music to Video and Edit the music track

There are numerous video editors that you can add the downloaded music from YouTube Audio Library to the video. You can check our guide abouthow to edit YouTube videos in Windows Movie Maker orhow to add music to video in iMovie . While, as we described before, Filmora video editor is one of the best video editor for YouTubers. And here is how to add music to YouTube videos with Filmora . You can edit the treble, bass, pan and volume. However, it is impossible for you to position the music in a desired spot. If you want to get more control on your audio tracks, please read this article to know how to add audio effects to your video

Importing the video and audio

Importing media files to Filmora is easy. After launching Filmora, import all the files to the media library first and then drag and drop the target video and audio to the timeline. One of the best things of using Filmora to edit YouTube video is there is a built-in Music Library which including some royalty free music sound and sound effects as well.

YouTube audio music

Detach the original audio from video [Optional]

If you want to remove the recorded original audio file from video , just right click the video and then select Audio Detach option and the audio will be separated from the video automatically and then delete the audio.

What’s more, you can also use Filmora to remove the background noise and then keep the original audio as well.

Edit the Music

YouTube audio music

In Filmora, you can change the video and audio speed, add fade in and fade out to the music and change the music sound.

Read More to Get: 10 Best Music Video Makers >>

Watch the video below to check how to empower your imagination with Filmora

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Adding the right music to your YouTube can significantly increase its entertainment value. Professional video maker will not play a music background while shooting the video; they do it during the editing process. You can remove the background noisy during editing and add your own music sound during editing, but you can also upload the video to YouTube first and then choose the right music for your video in YouTube. In this article, we are going to show you how to add or change music to your YouTube videos in YouTube platform after uploading and how to add music to YouTube Video with royalty free music in Audio Library.

You may also like: How to edit YouTube videos >>


Before we get started, there is a better way on how to add music to YouTube Video. You may use Wondershare Filmora to better manage your video. It allows you to import any track you want in different format including but not limited to MP3, WAV, FLAC and others. They also have a huge and better collection of royalty-free music. Compared to YouTube Video Editor where you have a pretty limited audio mix manager, the Filmora comes with an audio equalizer. You may also detach the music easily or add multiple tracks on a single video. You can also import the video that you created in different format or upload it directly to YouTube.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


Part 1: How to Add Music to YouTube Video

We’re going to offer you two ways to add music to YouTube video with YouTube built-in video editing features.

Section 1: Using Video Manager

There are thousands of royalty free songs that you can use in the YouTube video. You can choose from different genres and moods songs with different duration as well. Here is how to add music to YouTube videos in Video Manager tab.

Step 1 Sign in

The first thing you need to do when you want to know how to add music to YouTube Video is to sign into your account on YouTube. Go to the official site of YouTube and click the sign-in option found at the upper right corner of your screen. You will then be asked to enter your Gmail account and your password. After you managed to sign in, you should be able to see your profile picture on the upper right corner of the page. Click your picture, and you will be able to see the Creator Studio Option. Click that button.

Add Music to YouTube Video 1

Step 2 Choosing the Video

Start Browsing Your Video Channel. You may do this by clicking on the Video Tab on your Profile Page or Clicking the Video Manager option located at the left bar. You will then be redirected to the videos that you uploaded. Choose your video that you want to have background music.

Add Music to YouTube Video 2

Step 3 Choosing the Music

Click the Edit option that is located next to the video that you want to edit. This will open the online video editing tool of YouTube. Located on top of the page are the different commands that you can execute to edit the video; you may enhance, add audio, put annotation, create cards, add subtitle and add copyright. Click the Audio Option. It will lead you to a library of music that you may add to your video.

Add Music to YouTube Video 3

Step 4 Finding the Right Music

The next thing to do on how to add music to YouTube Video is to find an appropriate music for your video. You also need to make sure that the length of the track will perfectly match the length of your video. To do this, Click on the drop down menu that says ‘Top Tracks’ and you will see the different genre of music. In case you already have music in your mind, simply type the title of the song on the search bar and hit enter.

Add Music to YouTube Video 4

Additional Tip: Not satisfied with the track? Try the sound effects by going at YouTube Audio Library . You can create an advance search by customizing the result based on popularity, duration, instrument, mood and genre.

Step 5 Adding the Selected Music

Before you decided to add the music to your video, make sure that it fits the duration of your video. In case you want to know how to add music to YouTube Video, you should do nothing more than to click the ADD TO VIDEO button and it will be automatically integrated into your video.

Step 6 Editing the Music

  • After you successfully integrate the music to the video, you will see the title of the music under your video. You also have additional tools that you can use. Let us take a look at the Position audio and the slide bar option a little closer.

Add Music to YouTube Video 5

  • Once You Click the Position Audio Button, you will be able to customize and position your integrated music as well as compress the length of the music. To trim the music, simply put your pointer either at the end or the beginning of the music. When you want to move the audio, you may just drag the music.
  • The ‘Only Music’ option located at the left side of the Position Audio can be used to adjust the volume of the music. In case you want to remove the original sound from the video, drag the pointer at the right most.

Step 7 Saving the Changes

When you save the edited video, you can save it as a separate video, or you can overwrite the existing video.

Additional Reminder: You can’t add multiple audio tracks in one video with youtube video editor, if you want to get an advanced audio editing, check this article How to mix audio tracks into one file for video

Section 2: Using Audio Library

Since YouTube has shut down the Video Editor module in 2017, you can now add music in YouTube Video Editor Module. Though there are plentiful video editing software for YouTube videos , you can also download Free Music and Sound Effects in YouTube Audio Library first and then add it to your video clips. Here is how to add music to YouTube video with YouTube Audio Library.

Step 1 Click on Audio Library

This time instead of clicking the Video Manager option, you will have to click on the Create option and choose Audio Library.

YouTube audio library

Step 2 Download target free music or sound effect

In YouTube Audio Library, you will find some free music sounds and sound effects available. You can search music in the library and filter genre, duration, mood, attribution and instrument properties. Click the download icon to download this royalty free music and sound effect to your computer. And then you can combine the audio and video and make it as a video with music sound. You can download multiple audio files and then add multiple songs to the YouTube video.

YouTube audio library

Step 3 Add Music to Video and Edit the music track

There are numerous video editors that you can add the downloaded music from YouTube Audio Library to the video. You can check our guide abouthow to edit YouTube videos in Windows Movie Maker orhow to add music to video in iMovie . While, as we described before, Filmora video editor is one of the best video editor for YouTubers. And here is how to add music to YouTube videos with Filmora . You can edit the treble, bass, pan and volume. However, it is impossible for you to position the music in a desired spot. If you want to get more control on your audio tracks, please read this article to know how to add audio effects to your video

Importing the video and audio

Importing media files to Filmora is easy. After launching Filmora, import all the files to the media library first and then drag and drop the target video and audio to the timeline. One of the best things of using Filmora to edit YouTube video is there is a built-in Music Library which including some royalty free music sound and sound effects as well.

YouTube audio music

Detach the original audio from video [Optional]

If you want to remove the recorded original audio file from video , just right click the video and then select Audio Detach option and the audio will be separated from the video automatically and then delete the audio.

What’s more, you can also use Filmora to remove the background noise and then keep the original audio as well.

Edit the Music

YouTube audio music

In Filmora, you can change the video and audio speed, add fade in and fade out to the music and change the music sound.

Read More to Get: 10 Best Music Video Makers >>

Watch the video below to check how to empower your imagination with Filmora

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Adding the right music to your YouTube can significantly increase its entertainment value. Professional video maker will not play a music background while shooting the video; they do it during the editing process. You can remove the background noisy during editing and add your own music sound during editing, but you can also upload the video to YouTube first and then choose the right music for your video in YouTube. In this article, we are going to show you how to add or change music to your YouTube videos in YouTube platform after uploading and how to add music to YouTube Video with royalty free music in Audio Library.

You may also like: How to edit YouTube videos >>


Before we get started, there is a better way on how to add music to YouTube Video. You may use Wondershare Filmora to better manage your video. It allows you to import any track you want in different format including but not limited to MP3, WAV, FLAC and others. They also have a huge and better collection of royalty-free music. Compared to YouTube Video Editor where you have a pretty limited audio mix manager, the Filmora comes with an audio equalizer. You may also detach the music easily or add multiple tracks on a single video. You can also import the video that you created in different format or upload it directly to YouTube.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


Part 1: How to Add Music to YouTube Video

We’re going to offer you two ways to add music to YouTube video with YouTube built-in video editing features.

Section 1: Using Video Manager

There are thousands of royalty free songs that you can use in the YouTube video. You can choose from different genres and moods songs with different duration as well. Here is how to add music to YouTube videos in Video Manager tab.

Step 1 Sign in

The first thing you need to do when you want to know how to add music to YouTube Video is to sign into your account on YouTube. Go to the official site of YouTube and click the sign-in option found at the upper right corner of your screen. You will then be asked to enter your Gmail account and your password. After you managed to sign in, you should be able to see your profile picture on the upper right corner of the page. Click your picture, and you will be able to see the Creator Studio Option. Click that button.

Add Music to YouTube Video 1

Step 2 Choosing the Video

Start Browsing Your Video Channel. You may do this by clicking on the Video Tab on your Profile Page or Clicking the Video Manager option located at the left bar. You will then be redirected to the videos that you uploaded. Choose your video that you want to have background music.

Add Music to YouTube Video 2

Step 3 Choosing the Music

Click the Edit option that is located next to the video that you want to edit. This will open the online video editing tool of YouTube. Located on top of the page are the different commands that you can execute to edit the video; you may enhance, add audio, put annotation, create cards, add subtitle and add copyright. Click the Audio Option. It will lead you to a library of music that you may add to your video.

Add Music to YouTube Video 3

Step 4 Finding the Right Music

The next thing to do on how to add music to YouTube Video is to find an appropriate music for your video. You also need to make sure that the length of the track will perfectly match the length of your video. To do this, Click on the drop down menu that says ‘Top Tracks’ and you will see the different genre of music. In case you already have music in your mind, simply type the title of the song on the search bar and hit enter.

Add Music to YouTube Video 4

Additional Tip: Not satisfied with the track? Try the sound effects by going at YouTube Audio Library . You can create an advance search by customizing the result based on popularity, duration, instrument, mood and genre.

Step 5 Adding the Selected Music

Before you decided to add the music to your video, make sure that it fits the duration of your video. In case you want to know how to add music to YouTube Video, you should do nothing more than to click the ADD TO VIDEO button and it will be automatically integrated into your video.

Step 6 Editing the Music

  • After you successfully integrate the music to the video, you will see the title of the music under your video. You also have additional tools that you can use. Let us take a look at the Position audio and the slide bar option a little closer.

Add Music to YouTube Video 5

  • Once You Click the Position Audio Button, you will be able to customize and position your integrated music as well as compress the length of the music. To trim the music, simply put your pointer either at the end or the beginning of the music. When you want to move the audio, you may just drag the music.
  • The ‘Only Music’ option located at the left side of the Position Audio can be used to adjust the volume of the music. In case you want to remove the original sound from the video, drag the pointer at the right most.

Step 7 Saving the Changes

When you save the edited video, you can save it as a separate video, or you can overwrite the existing video.

Additional Reminder: You can’t add multiple audio tracks in one video with youtube video editor, if you want to get an advanced audio editing, check this article How to mix audio tracks into one file for video

Section 2: Using Audio Library

Since YouTube has shut down the Video Editor module in 2017, you can now add music in YouTube Video Editor Module. Though there are plentiful video editing software for YouTube videos , you can also download Free Music and Sound Effects in YouTube Audio Library first and then add it to your video clips. Here is how to add music to YouTube video with YouTube Audio Library.

Step 1 Click on Audio Library

This time instead of clicking the Video Manager option, you will have to click on the Create option and choose Audio Library.

YouTube audio library

Step 2 Download target free music or sound effect

In YouTube Audio Library, you will find some free music sounds and sound effects available. You can search music in the library and filter genre, duration, mood, attribution and instrument properties. Click the download icon to download this royalty free music and sound effect to your computer. And then you can combine the audio and video and make it as a video with music sound. You can download multiple audio files and then add multiple songs to the YouTube video.

YouTube audio library

Step 3 Add Music to Video and Edit the music track

There are numerous video editors that you can add the downloaded music from YouTube Audio Library to the video. You can check our guide abouthow to edit YouTube videos in Windows Movie Maker orhow to add music to video in iMovie . While, as we described before, Filmora video editor is one of the best video editor for YouTubers. And here is how to add music to YouTube videos with Filmora . You can edit the treble, bass, pan and volume. However, it is impossible for you to position the music in a desired spot. If you want to get more control on your audio tracks, please read this article to know how to add audio effects to your video

Importing the video and audio

Importing media files to Filmora is easy. After launching Filmora, import all the files to the media library first and then drag and drop the target video and audio to the timeline. One of the best things of using Filmora to edit YouTube video is there is a built-in Music Library which including some royalty free music sound and sound effects as well.

YouTube audio music

Detach the original audio from video [Optional]

If you want to remove the recorded original audio file from video , just right click the video and then select Audio Detach option and the audio will be separated from the video automatically and then delete the audio.

What’s more, you can also use Filmora to remove the background noise and then keep the original audio as well.

Edit the Music

YouTube audio music

In Filmora, you can change the video and audio speed, add fade in and fade out to the music and change the music sound.

Read More to Get: 10 Best Music Video Makers >>

Watch the video below to check how to empower your imagination with Filmora

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

Adding the right music to your YouTube can significantly increase its entertainment value. Professional video maker will not play a music background while shooting the video; they do it during the editing process. You can remove the background noisy during editing and add your own music sound during editing, but you can also upload the video to YouTube first and then choose the right music for your video in YouTube. In this article, we are going to show you how to add or change music to your YouTube videos in YouTube platform after uploading and how to add music to YouTube Video with royalty free music in Audio Library.

You may also like: How to edit YouTube videos >>


Before we get started, there is a better way on how to add music to YouTube Video. You may use Wondershare Filmora to better manage your video. It allows you to import any track you want in different format including but not limited to MP3, WAV, FLAC and others. They also have a huge and better collection of royalty-free music. Compared to YouTube Video Editor where you have a pretty limited audio mix manager, the Filmora comes with an audio equalizer. You may also detach the music easily or add multiple tracks on a single video. You can also import the video that you created in different format or upload it directly to YouTube.

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version ](https://tools.techidaily.com/wondershare/filmora/download/ )


Part 1: How to Add Music to YouTube Video

We’re going to offer you two ways to add music to YouTube video with YouTube built-in video editing features.

Section 1: Using Video Manager

There are thousands of royalty free songs that you can use in the YouTube video. You can choose from different genres and moods songs with different duration as well. Here is how to add music to YouTube videos in Video Manager tab.

Step 1 Sign in

The first thing you need to do when you want to know how to add music to YouTube Video is to sign into your account on YouTube. Go to the official site of YouTube and click the sign-in option found at the upper right corner of your screen. You will then be asked to enter your Gmail account and your password. After you managed to sign in, you should be able to see your profile picture on the upper right corner of the page. Click your picture, and you will be able to see the Creator Studio Option. Click that button.

Add Music to YouTube Video 1

Step 2 Choosing the Video

Start Browsing Your Video Channel. You may do this by clicking on the Video Tab on your Profile Page or Clicking the Video Manager option located at the left bar. You will then be redirected to the videos that you uploaded. Choose your video that you want to have background music.

Add Music to YouTube Video 2

Step 3 Choosing the Music

Click the Edit option that is located next to the video that you want to edit. This will open the online video editing tool of YouTube. Located on top of the page are the different commands that you can execute to edit the video; you may enhance, add audio, put annotation, create cards, add subtitle and add copyright. Click the Audio Option. It will lead you to a library of music that you may add to your video.

Add Music to YouTube Video 3

Step 4 Finding the Right Music

The next thing to do on how to add music to YouTube Video is to find an appropriate music for your video. You also need to make sure that the length of the track will perfectly match the length of your video. To do this, Click on the drop down menu that says ‘Top Tracks’ and you will see the different genre of music. In case you already have music in your mind, simply type the title of the song on the search bar and hit enter.

Add Music to YouTube Video 4

Additional Tip: Not satisfied with the track? Try the sound effects by going at YouTube Audio Library . You can create an advance search by customizing the result based on popularity, duration, instrument, mood and genre.

Step 5 Adding the Selected Music

Before you decided to add the music to your video, make sure that it fits the duration of your video. In case you want to know how to add music to YouTube Video, you should do nothing more than to click the ADD TO VIDEO button and it will be automatically integrated into your video.

Step 6 Editing the Music

  • After you successfully integrate the music to the video, you will see the title of the music under your video. You also have additional tools that you can use. Let us take a look at the Position audio and the slide bar option a little closer.

Add Music to YouTube Video 5

  • Once You Click the Position Audio Button, you will be able to customize and position your integrated music as well as compress the length of the music. To trim the music, simply put your pointer either at the end or the beginning of the music. When you want to move the audio, you may just drag the music.
  • The ‘Only Music’ option located at the left side of the Position Audio can be used to adjust the volume of the music. In case you want to remove the original sound from the video, drag the pointer at the right most.

Step 7 Saving the Changes

When you save the edited video, you can save it as a separate video, or you can overwrite the existing video.

Additional Reminder: You can’t add multiple audio tracks in one video with youtube video editor, if you want to get an advanced audio editing, check this article How to mix audio tracks into one file for video

Section 2: Using Audio Library

Since YouTube has shut down the Video Editor module in 2017, you can now add music in YouTube Video Editor Module. Though there are plentiful video editing software for YouTube videos , you can also download Free Music and Sound Effects in YouTube Audio Library first and then add it to your video clips. Here is how to add music to YouTube video with YouTube Audio Library.

Step 1 Click on Audio Library

This time instead of clicking the Video Manager option, you will have to click on the Create option and choose Audio Library.

YouTube audio library

Step 2 Download target free music or sound effect

In YouTube Audio Library, you will find some free music sounds and sound effects available. You can search music in the library and filter genre, duration, mood, attribution and instrument properties. Click the download icon to download this royalty free music and sound effect to your computer. And then you can combine the audio and video and make it as a video with music sound. You can download multiple audio files and then add multiple songs to the YouTube video.

YouTube audio library

Step 3 Add Music to Video and Edit the music track

There are numerous video editors that you can add the downloaded music from YouTube Audio Library to the video. You can check our guide abouthow to edit YouTube videos in Windows Movie Maker orhow to add music to video in iMovie . While, as we described before, Filmora video editor is one of the best video editor for YouTubers. And here is how to add music to YouTube videos with Filmora . You can edit the treble, bass, pan and volume. However, it is impossible for you to position the music in a desired spot. If you want to get more control on your audio tracks, please read this article to know how to add audio effects to your video

Importing the video and audio

Importing media files to Filmora is easy. After launching Filmora, import all the files to the media library first and then drag and drop the target video and audio to the timeline. One of the best things of using Filmora to edit YouTube video is there is a built-in Music Library which including some royalty free music sound and sound effects as well.

YouTube audio music

Detach the original audio from video [Optional]

If you want to remove the recorded original audio file from video , just right click the video and then select Audio Detach option and the audio will be separated from the video automatically and then delete the audio.

What’s more, you can also use Filmora to remove the background noise and then keep the original audio as well.

Edit the Music

YouTube audio music

In Filmora, you can change the video and audio speed, add fade in and fade out to the music and change the music sound.

Read More to Get: 10 Best Music Video Makers >>

Watch the video below to check how to empower your imagination with Filmora

Download Win VersionDownload Mac Version

author avatar

Richard Bennett

Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Richard Bennett

  • Title: Key Lights and Soft Shadows for Vloggers for 2024
  • Author: Joseph
  • Created at : 2024-05-31 13:44:12
  • Updated at : 2024-06-01 13:44:12
  • Link: https://youtube-stream.techidaily.com/key-lights-and-soft-shadows-for-vloggers-for-2024/
  • License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.