Music For Motion: What Are The Rules Around Music Licensing?
At Sudor, we understand that music can make or break a workout experience. Our latest webinar, hosted in collaboration with Johnson Digital, explored the essential role music plays in fitness and how instructors can navigate the complex world of music licensing for their online classes. Here’s a breakdown of the key takeaways.
Why is Music So Important in Fitness?
Music is not just a background addition to a workout; it’s a powerful tool that can enhance the energy and motivation of participants. During the session, Anthony from Johnson Digital emphasised that music in fitness is both an art and a science. From a group exercise perspective, the connection between music and programming creates synergy that elevates the experience. Whether it’s syncing beats with high-intensity intervals or choosing calming tunes for yoga, the right music encourages participants to work harder, recover faster, and connect more deeply with the instructor.
Sally, a master trainer at Johnson Digital, added her insights from an instructor’s perspective, noting that music is like the “X factor” for fitness classes. It’s that magic ingredient that keeps participants coming back for more, and mastering this element can take your classes to the next level.
The Challenge of Music Licensing
While music can significantly enhance a workout, using it legally in online classes is a different story. Anthony walked us through the challenges of music licensing, particularly for video content. Music and video together require what’s known as a sync licence, which can be prohibitively expensive. For instance, companies like Peloton face massive fees for using commercial music in their workouts, which are often priced as if they were producing Hollywood films.
For smaller businesses, it’s not practical or sustainable to pay six-figure sums for commercial tracks, and as Anthony pointed out, “there just isn’t a legal way of using commercial music in any form of video.” So, what’s the solution?
The Power of Royalty-Free Music
Thankfully, royalty-free music has come a long way. Sally shared her experience with apps like Pure Energy Go and Power Music, which provide high-quality, copyright-cleared tracks that are perfect for fitness classes. These apps offer a wide variety of genres and tempos, making it easy to find the right music for any class. As Sally explained, some of the royalty-free tracks are so good that she would even use them in live, in-person classes.
Anthony further highlighted the importance of choosing royalty-free music that aligns with the type of workout you’re teaching. The great thing about these platforms is that they are designed with group exercise in mind, so you’re not forced to shoehorn commercial tracks into your programming. Instead, the music is made to fit the workout, which enhances the overall experience.
Technical Tips for Better Audio Quality
Beyond music selection, ensuring clear and professional sound quality is essential for online fitness classes. Anthony shared some valuable tips on reducing reverb in your filming space to avoid echoes that can drown out both your voice and the music. He recommended choosing a room with the least amount of reverb or adding absorbent materials like rugs, curtains, or even foam cushions to improve sound quality.
For those looking to take their audio to the next level, Johnson Digital also offers post-production services to overlay music onto your video, ensuring crystal-clear sound. This process involves playing the music quietly in the background during filming and then adding the same track in post-production, resulting in a seamless blend of voice and music.
Legal and Practical Solutions for Music in Fitness Apps
One of the most common questions we received was about how app subscribers can access music during workouts. The good news is that Sudor integrates with Spotify and Apple Music, allowing subscribers to stream music alongside your classes without any legal implications for you. As an instructor, you can suggest specific playlists, but your subscribers also have the flexibility to choose their own music, giving them control over their workout experience.
For live classes, we recommend using royalty-free music in the background or sharing a playlist in advance. This way, subscribers can adjust the music volume to their liking, creating a more personalised and enjoyable workout.
Final Thoughts
The world of music licensing can be a tricky one to navigate, but there are plenty of options available that allow you to create engaging and legally sound workouts. By using royalty-free music and implementing the technical tips shared in our webinar, you can elevate your online fitness classes and provide an unforgettable experience for your subscribers.