AI Music & Sound Effects
Audio is half your video. The right music elevates content from amateur to professional, while the wrong choice can undermine everything. AI music generators now make custom, royalty-free audio accessible to everyone.
Why Audio Matters
The Audio Impact
- Emotion: Music sets the emotional tone
- Pacing: Drives the rhythm of your edit
- Professional polish: Bad audio = amateur video
- Retention: Good audio keeps viewers engaged
- Brand identity: Consistent audio becomes recognizable
Audio Elements in Video
| Element | Purpose | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Background music | Set mood, maintain energy | Upbeat track under tutorial |
| Sound effects | Emphasis, illustration | Whoosh on transitions |
| Ambient sound | Atmosphere, realism | Coffee shop background |
| Voice/narration | Primary content delivery | Your speaking |
AI Music Generation Tools
Full Song Generation
| Tool | Strength | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Suno | Full songs with vocals | Free tier, $10/month |
| Udio | High-quality production | Free tier, plans available |
| Soundraw | Customizable instrumentals | $16.99/month |
| AIVA | Classical/orchestral | Free tier, $15/month |
Sound Effects
| Tool | Type | Price |
|---|---|---|
| ElevenLabs | Sound effects generation | Part of subscription |
| Soundraw | Effects library | Included |
| Epidemic Sound | Curated library | $15/month |
Getting Started with Suno
Suno is the leading AI music generator.
Creating Your First Track
- Visit suno.com
- Sign up with Google or email
- Click "Create"
- Choose mode:
- Simple: Just describe what you want
- Custom: More control over style and lyrics
Simple Mode Prompts
Describe the music you need:
Upbeat corporate background music, positive energy,
suitable for tech product video, no vocals
Calm acoustic guitar instrumental, warm and friendly,
perfect for lifestyle brand content
Epic cinematic orchestral music, building tension,
dramatic reveal moment, no vocals
Custom Mode
More control:
- Style prompt: Genre and mood
- Lyrics (optional): Write or generate
- Title: Name your track
Style prompt example:
Indie folk acoustic, warm vocals, storytelling feel,
campfire atmosphere, gentle strumming
Generation Tips
For background music:
- Always specify "instrumental" or "no vocals"
- Keep energy level appropriate
- Consider pacing needs
For intros/outros:
- Shorter, distinct
- Clear beginning/ending
- Memorable hook
For mood setting:
- Match content emotion
- Consider cultural associations
- Test with your footage
Music for Different Content Types
Tutorial/Educational
Characteristics:
- Low-key, not distracting
- Positive but subtle
- Consistent energy
Suno prompt:
Soft electronic background music, educational video style,
optimistic but unobtrusive, clean production, no vocals,
medium tempo, professional feel
Product/Marketing
Characteristics:
- Energy matches brand
- Building excitement
- Professional, polished
Suno prompt:
Modern corporate music, tech product launch feel,
building energy, confident and innovative,
electronic elements, no vocals, premium quality
Lifestyle/Vlog
Characteristics:
- Personal, authentic feel
- Matches content mood
- Often acoustic/indie
Suno prompt:
Casual acoustic indie music, Sunday morning vibe,
warm and genuine, light percussion, gentle guitar,
perfect for lifestyle vlog, no vocals
Drama/Storytelling
Characteristics:
- Emotional dynamics
- Building tension/release
- Cinematic quality
Suno prompt:
Cinematic orchestral music, emotional journey,
starts soft and builds, dramatic strings,
movie trailer quality, no vocals, epic
Sound Effects with AI
ElevenLabs Sound Effects
Generate custom sound effects:
Prompt: Magical sparkle transition sound, fantasy game style
Prompt: Futuristic UI click, high-tech interface
Prompt: Satisfying pop sound, cartoon style
Common Effects Needed
| Effect | Use Case | Prompt Idea |
|---|---|---|
| Whoosh | Transitions | "Quick whoosh, modern, clean" |
| Click | Button presses | "Soft click, UI interface" |
| Pop | Reveals | "Playful pop, attention-getting" |
| Rise | Building tension | "Tension riser, cinematic" |
| Notification | Alerts | "Friendly notification chime" |
Mixing Audio for Video
Volume Levels
Standard mixing levels:
| Element | Level |
|---|---|
| Voice/dialogue | 0 dB (loudest) |
| Sound effects | -6 to -12 dB |
| Background music | -18 to -24 dB |
| Ambient sound | -24 to -30 dB |
Ducking
Automatically lower music when speaking:
In most editors:
- Add music track
- Add voice track above
- Apply "Auto-duck" or "Voice-over" effect
- Adjust sensitivity
Result: Music fades down during speech, comes back up during pauses.
Transitions
Fade in/out:
- Don't start/stop music abruptly
- 0.5-2 second fades typical
Cross-fade:
- When changing tracks
- 1-3 second overlap
Music edits:
- Cut on beats
- Find natural loop points
- Match energy transitions
Legal Considerations
AI Music Rights
Most AI music platforms grant:
- Commercial use
- YouTube monetization
- Social media use
- Podcast use
- Client projects
Always verify:
- Read terms of service
- Check specific plan limitations
- Understand attribution requirements
Platform Detection
YouTube Content ID:
- AI music generally doesn't trigger claims
- May in rare cases if similar to training data
- Keep generation receipts/records
Other platforms:
- Usually no issues
- Platform-specific music libraries are safest
Building a Music Library
Organizing Your Tracks
Folder structure:
music-library/
├── background/
│ ├── upbeat/
│ ├── calm/
│ └── corporate/
├── intros-outros/
├── transitions/
└── sound-effects/
Creating Consistent Brand Audio
Generate a kit:
- Main theme (intro/outro)
- 3-5 background tracks (different energy levels)
- Transition sounds
- Notification/effect sounds
Use consistently:
- Same intro music across videos
- Recognizable sound palette
- Builds brand identity
Batch Generation
Weekly music session:
- Generate 10-20 tracks
- Preview and rate them
- Keep the best 5-10
- Organize in library
- Use as needed
AI Voice and Narration
ElevenLabs for Voiceover
Creating voiceovers:
- Write your script
- Select or clone a voice
- Generate audio
- Download and use
Voice options:
- Pre-made voices (various styles)
- Cloned voices (from samples)
- Multilingual (auto-translate and speak)
Voice Cloning Ethics
Appropriate use:
- Your own voice
- Voice you have rights to
- Clear consent obtained
Not appropriate:
- Impersonating others
- Without consent
- Misleading content
Podcast and Audio-First Content
Full Episode Generation
For podcast-style content:
- Script with AI (ChatGPT/Claude)
- Generate voices (ElevenLabs)
- Add intro music (Suno)
- Mix together (Descript/Audacity)
- Enhance audio (Adobe Podcast)
Audiogram Creation
Turn audio into video:
- Audio clip (most interesting part)
- Waveform visual or caption animation
- Background image
- Publish as video for social
Tools: Headliner, Canva, CapCut
Key Takeaway
Audio quality separates amateur from professional content. AI music tools like Suno give you unlimited, royalty-free custom music tailored to your needs. Build a consistent audio library for your brand, always mix with proper levels (music under voice), and match the energy of your music to your content. Combined with AI-generated sound effects and voice capabilities, you have a complete audio production toolkit. In the final module, we'll bring everything together with complete workflow examples for different video types.