Adding Background Music to your Website

Many of our customers come to our site looking for background music for their website - be it corporate or personal website. There are 2 ways you may want to implement this:
1) Music played automatically upon page loading
2) Music played when button is click on

You want your background music to load fast. Some think that Midi files are the best way to go due to size. Honestly I think it would be best to leave out having music altogether if you go with Midi. It not only dates your site back to the '90s but also sounds awfully mechanical.

The way to go is with music loops. Loops are use for the purpose of smooth, continuous playback or "looping". They ensure that your website has continuous play even if your visitors stops a your page for a longer period of time then the length of your music track. Music loops are great for websites as they small in size (not as small as Midi) but with many users on broadband, it is bearable. Our suggestion is to give your users the option if they want music on or want it turn off. You can also code your site to have music load up last so that your visitors see your content first.

Opuzz music loops available in both MP3 and WAV are meticulously edited and tested to ensure they loop seamlessly. Each music loop track is between 8 to 20+ seconds long, depending on the musical context. You have the option to purchase music loops individually, in song sets or as bundles with special discount. For more details, see Opuzz music loops.

If you are looking for working code to add music to your site, visit some of these sites for for the codes :
- http://www.allwebco-templates.com/support/S_script_music.htm
- http://www.2createawebsite.com/enhance/adding-music.html
- http://www.lissaexplains.com/fun4.shtml
- http://www.pageresource.com/html/embed.htm
- www.thesitewizard.com/webdesign/backgroundmusic.shtml
- http://www.smartwebby.com/web_site_design/play_sound.asp

I haven't tried these codes and don't know how well they work.
If anyone else has some other reference sites for this, do add it in the comments.

What are Cue Sheets? Why do I need to fill them?

We have had clients that have brought up another question about why we require submission of Cue Sheets. Many think that collecting Cue Sheets mean you will be charged additional fees. This is not true. Again, we do not collect any additional fees from you - period. Opuzz Music is 100% Royalty Free Music!

So what are Cue Sheets?
Cue Sheets are forms that are required to be filled with details of use ONLY if our music is use for TV, Radio, Film or Theatre. So you are not required to submit cue sheets if you use our music for the web (yes even Podcasting), presentation, games ...basically anything besides the list above, you won't have to fill Cue Sheets. If you are not sure, you can fill them up anyhow as Opuzz does not collect any additional fees from any of our customers regardless if you fill up Cue Sheets or not.

So why are Cue Sheets REQUIRED if you use Opuzz music for TV, Radio, Film or Theatre?
Broadcasting companies like TV, Radio networks are REQUIRED to fill in cue sheets to be submitted to Performance Rights Societies (PRS) like ASCAP and BMI, SOCAN for Canada (non-profit org) for every piece of music they air. PRS have the job of collecting royalties from broadcasters for all music broadcasted. Every broadcasting company pays a set performance royalty fee monthly or yearly without exceptions. Broadcasters pay fees for the rights to broadcast music. Now this fees is not borne by you but by the broadcasting company. You do not pay any additional fees to Opuzz or to the broadcasters.

Why submit Cue Sheets?
By filling up your Cue Sheets, you provide information to whom the fees should be paid to. When we mention fees, this refers to fees to be paid by broadcasters and not by you. If you do not fill up cue sheets or do not fill them properly, these set fees that broadcasters have to pay without exceptions will be channeled to a 'pool' and later distributed to composers or artist with the most airplay (such as pop artists or main stream consumer music) as they are unable to track or trace where the actual music comes from. Submission of Cue Sheets is a REQUIREMENT and not an option. No money is saved by not filling up Cue Sheets.

But what if I am a Broadcaster...?
A client starting a radio station once had a question to why he is still required to pay royalties to PRS even if he uses royalty free music. Well, even if we decline to accept royalties from the PRS, he would still be charged royalties - only that the fees would go to a 'pool' and distributed to top artist and composers and not our deserving composers. So there is no such thing as broadcasters not needing to pay royalties. This term 'royalty free' unfortunately simply does not exist or rather is not relevant for broadcasters.

But what if I am a Podcaster...?
The same thing here. PRS like ASCAP have laid down some rather 'confusing' rules. What we decipher is that Podcasters will have to pay an annual royalty fee directly to ASCAP. There have been some heated discussion on this online seeing that Podcasting is still relatively new. At Opuzz, our intentions are to provide music at low prices. Opuzz music is 'podcast' safe. Opuzz does not collect any additional fees from Podcasters or require submission of cue sheets. However if you do already pay fees to ASCAP, please do fill in cue sheets for reasons to give credit to where it is due else these fees collected will be distributed to popular artist assumed as the most common playlist.

No one gains except maybe Mariah, Paul and Ringo...
We have also encountered cases where our clients submit cue sheets claiming that they are the composers of our music for reasons of ignorance or greed. Now this is firstly illegal and totally traceable. Aside from this, no one gains as information when checked against the performance right society's member list and 'publishing firm' comes up empty, again the fees is thrown into the 'pool' to be distributed to popular artist & composers like Mariah Carey, Beatles and such. If you do not fill up cue sheets thinking this will save you some money (relevant for broadcasters only), note that there is no money saved as you will still be charged by PRS except that the fees collected with be wrongly distributed.

In Summary
Help us keep our prices low by reporting accurately.
Be kind to our composers. Give credit where it's due.

Opuzz Music is 100% Royalty Free Music

What is Royalty Free Music?
Many have been using royalty free music for years but yet daily we receive emails on what it really means and if our terms are as attractive and simple as we claim it to be.

Well what Opuzz coins as royalty free music is as follows:
- Pay once, use as many times in as many productions as you like.
- No additional fees
- Use in any market, any media format

So this simply means, using Opuzz Royalty Free Music is:
- the cheapest option available today
- convenient as there is no need to to get clearance for use
- fast as you get to use it immediately after purchase

Now there are often confusion on this term as many other libraries claim their music is royalty free but have added their own exceptions. Some require you to pay additional fees "if" you use it for this or that medium, or "if" you use it for 'x' number of copies and etc.

At Opuzz, we keep our terms simple & clear - you don't pay any additional fees.