The advantages and disadvantages of using free beats
Hey, what’s up my name is Ephraim and I’m a music producer from South Africa.
I’ve been producing music since 2010. I’ve also studied Sound engineering under the UK Edexcel program where I majored in music production, mixing and mastering, music business contract/copyright law, digital marketing, and audio post-production in film and television.
That’s me in my studio I specialize in making high-quality beats, hip hop beats, trap beats, r&b beats, pop beats, and South Africa’s very own amapiano beats.
My music would be best described as new school vibes catering mainly for the youth using sonic synth sounds mixed with original acoustic instruments. I know its sounds crazy huh? but check out my catalog to get a better picture of what I’m talking about.
My Story about beats
Now let me tell you a story behind why I started writing this article, in particular, it’s going to be a nice, interesting, and short story.
It started 5 years ago in 2017 when I was broke and I couldn’t sell a beat to save my life so I came across an article on Facebook it was an advert about starting an online record label website as an independent artist where fans can reach you and your artist’s quickly and start purchasing your music.
I thought to myself well since I’m a struggling music producer I might as well start my website as a music producer and put my whole beat catalog online for people to start buying my beats instrumentals.
I finally launched my beat store with the help of Beatstars.com integrations I was very very excited and now I was waiting for customers to finally discover my online store and purchase a beat but days turned into months passed by I was panicking thinking what am I doing wrong where are all the hundreds and millions of customers (artists) I see every day on social media?.
My First customer
To my relief, one customer finally discovered me on my DMs on WhatsApp (by the way I left my WhatsApp and email contact details on my website for quick response time).
It was an artist and when I looked at his profile picture slowly zooming it in out, it was a rapper with baggy skinny jeans, about 6 feet tall with a gold chain on his neck, and a shiny watch finally coming to enquire and purchase my beats.
He asked without greeting: “how much do your beats go for my boy?
I was most definitely older than him but I respectfully replied and said: “The beats start at only $19 sir”
Unmannerly he replied: “$19? why would I pay for a beat when I can get it for free I would rather pay for a feature with Kendrick. Well, the rest is history it just ended up in a heated argument of course.
Why are they called "Free Beats"
So let me school you in on what they call “free beats” where ever your able to get them from as an artist whether it’s Youtube, Soundcloud, Beatstars, Airbit, or other producer’s websites including my website.
Yes absolutely they’re free to download and free for use but there’s always a catch (the producer’s terms and conditions) now you have gotta ask yourself are these beats free for profit?
When you finally pull up on Kendrick with a free beat and he asks you before you start to record do you have an exclusive rights agreement to the beat with the producer because it might be a hit song and he would also like to have part ownership in earnings such as mechanical, performance and streaming royalties.
Are you going to tell him the truth or continue paying thousands for the feature you have always wanted and let your money go down the drain?
Well, let’s cover the advantages and disadvantages of using a free unlicensed beat.
🔥 Advantages of using Free Beats 🔥
1. You got a banger for free 😊
2. you saved a lot of money 💎
3. concert performances
4. you can get more free beats for your album, mixtape, demo ✌
5. you can upload on Soundcloud with ease
6. you could blow up and get signed
7. you can now make a music video and try to upload it on Youtube (i dont think that would be a good idea because that’s where the problem might start)
🚫 Disadvantages of using Free Beats 🚫
1. Brand image killer the beat is tagged with the producer’s name every 60 seconds and it’s hard for you to rap on it your fans will get irritated and skip your track. 😥
2. a million other artists are using the same beat your not original 😤
3. you’re not getting discovered by record labels because you all sound the same as the other artist which is the truth. Imagine this, record label executives and A&Rs get thousands of music submissions from unknown artist’s every day if not every week and you have just downloaded a free beat that everyone rapped/sang on and used.
Now you can understand the pain of an A&R having to listen to the same beat over and over again, I understand it might not be the same artist but there’s no sense of originality because if you’re the 10000th person and even with massive talent it might be difficult for you to stand out with free downloaded beats. 👎👎
4. copyright infringement notice (now this is very painful after you’ve paid top dollar for a feature with Kendrick). 🙆♂️
5. you cannot upload it to streaming platforms for monetization such as Itunes, apple music, google play, Spotify, Deezer, Pandora, Amazon Music, Tidal, Shazam, etc…….😱
6. youtube copyright strike (your youtube channel might get shut down from monetization) 😨
7. by the time you want to purchase exclusive rights another artist has already bought the beat
8. let’s say you eventually blow up with the “Free beat” you might get sued by the producer which leaves you with no peace of mind financially your now paying the producer in the long run
10. the producer still owns full rights to the entire song (they own the masters). 🙆♂️
11. 98% of artists from major record labels want to see contract agreements with the producers that you have worked with for them to do a reference check if the beats have samples and are cleared.
better yet if the beat you working on isn’t stolen and to avoid lawsuits and headaches that the record label would have to deal with.
So what should i do next?
This article is not to scare you in any way but it is entirely based on how serious are you with your craft and if you are willing to invest in your craft as harsh as it sounds if you want to be a successful top professional artist you might have to pay either using your money or your time to make it in the music industry.
Make sure you keep in communication with the producer and have a good relationship sometimes producers do give away free beats but you should find out their terms and conditions first. after recording on the beat if you feel you might have a hit song and need certain leasing rights to the beat,
Start with the standard lease agreement but make sure you understand the lease agreement terms.
I wrote an article on Professional artist beat leasing guide check it out it’s more based on if you wanted to take it to the next step as a professional artist and looking into buying beats because you’re done using tagged free beats.
The easiest way to recognize a free beat is by the producer tags that you hear every 30 seconds. Once you buy a license for a beat, it will no longer have the tags in it.
If you’re in the possession of beats without a license agreement from the producer, you could consider that a free beat as well. In that case, you’re not authorized to use the beat for commercial purposes.
When you’re looking for beats on YouTube, most of the titles you’ll find say “(FREE) BEAT” Basically, producers are offering free beats but then complain about artists using their beats for free. How is that NOT confusing?
Well, let me tell you a secret…
The reason why producers add “FREE” in their titles has to do with marketing strategies and ranking on YouTube. In simple words: It’s just clickbait.
In defense of the producers, including myself. Trust me when I say that many artists are taking advantage of our craft and hard work.
My beats are downloaded hundreds of thousands of times in the last couple of years. Most of them illegally. So, I don’t feel bad about asking someone to buy a beat with a proper license that comes with it.
It makes it easier for all parties involved.
Producers offer free beats to let artists…
· Try it out before they buy.
· Record vocals and see if their vocals match the key of the beat.
· Record a demo and get feedback before purchasing a license for it.
· Make sure that it’ll be worth the investment.
Sometimes I do permit people to upload their songs created with my free beats to social media only. However, if I want to take the song down for no reason, it’ll be taken down within minutes.
Yes, I can do that.
Buying beats online – How does it work?
By purchasing a beat, you are purchasing audio files that are copyrighted by the producer. In return for your payment, the producer grants you several rights to use the beat.
This is what we call the License Agreement.
There is a difference between:
1st Non-exclusive licenses
2nd Exclusive licenses.
The biggest difference is that a non-exclusive license for one beat can be sold to several artists. Yet, an exclusive license can be sold once and to one artist only.
In this article,
I will only address the subject of non-exclusive licensing.
I wrote an entire guide about the difference between Non-Exclusive and Exclusive Licenses. Click the button below if you’re interested in learning more about this. Professional artist beat licensing guide
Different licensing options – Which one to choose?
Online producers offer different licensing options. In my case, I have 4 options.
· MP3 (Entry-level)
· WAV (Standard)
· Premium
· Exclusive
Some producers might name them differently. They call them MP3 Lease, WAV Lease, Standard Lease, etc. It’s all the same.
The more expensive the license, the more rights are granted by the producer.
Also, the more expensive your license, the better quality audio files you will receive.
What is the best license to buy?
Most people that buy beats online go for the cheaper licenses. One that comes with fewer user rights and low-quality audio files. The user rights granted in those cheaper licenses might be sufficient for them.
Yet, more importantly, are the quality of the audio files.
If you’re looking to create quality music or at least want to make music the right way, then make sure you get the Tracked Out files of a beat.
The best option is to go for a license that comes with Tracked Out Files. In my case, that would be the Unlimited license or Exclusive rights.
Don’t know what Tracked Out Files are? I’ve written an article about tracked-out files and why you need them. Professional artist beat licensing guide
If I buy a beat with a Basic License – Can I upgrade my license later?
On my website: YES! just contact info@ephyent.com. If you do not have the funds to go for a more expensive license, you can always upgrade later. You’ll only pay the difference between the standard prices of the licenses.
Once I buy a beat – Do I own any copyright?
Once you write your lyrics and record it over the beat, you will own the copyright to your lyrics only. And what you will create with the beat is a New Song, also known as a “Derivative Work.” This means that you will own and control 50% of the so-called “Writer’s Share.” The producer will own and control the other 50% of the Writer’s Share.
You have been licensed the right to use the beat and commercially exploit the song you make with it. Based on the terms and conditions of the license agreement you’ve purchased. The producer will remain the sole owner and holder of all rights, title, and interest in the beat.
Again, more about this in the Professional artist beat licensing guide
What happens to my song when someone else buys the exclusive rights for the beat I’ve licensed non-exclusively?
When it comes to buying beats online, you’re granted the rights the moment you purchase the beat. The license will go into effect immediately. So, when someone else purchases the exclusive rights, it will not (immediately) affect you. Your non-exclusive license will still be valid.
But there are some things you need to know…
In the old days, you were granted user rights in the non-exclusive licenses without an expiration date.
A lot of producers still operate this way. Nowadays, some producers sell licenses that expire after 2-6 years. In my case, my licenses expire after 5 years. This means that you will have to buy a new license after that term.
Expiration term in my license agreement
If someone purchased the exclusive rights during your term. That will only mean that you will no longer be able to renew your license after your term is due.
Producers don’t always show this information in their licensing tables. Make sure you check that before you make the purchase. There’s usually a button below the tables which lets you view the actual license agreement.
What if I buy a beat with a non-exclusive license and my song blows up?
It’s funny that this is such a common question.
That’s why I’ve written an entire article to answer this question.
If you’re interested in learning more about this, click the link below.
Professional artist beat licensing guide
Is it safe to buy beats online?
Most producers use a Beat Store Provider to sell their beats online. The most common ones are:
· Soundee.com.
All these platforms have a good reputation for representing producers and their music. The majority of online producers are also signed up with either one of them. That’s why a lot of producers’ websites and music players look alike.
These music players have an ‘instant delivery’ feature included. After you’ve made the payment, you will be redirected to a download area where you can safely download the files. You’ll also receive an order confirmation by email.
If you’re not sure if a producer is affiliated with one of these platforms, try to locate their producer name’s on the different platforms. If they are on it, you can make the purchase directly from the platform itself, just to be safe.
If they’re not on these platforms, reach out to the producer with any concerns you have. I’m sure they’ll respond once you tell them that you’re interested in buying beats from them.
Make sure you’ve checked the website for an FAQ section, though. If you’re asking questions for which the answers are right in front of you, they do not always respond.
Keep in mind…
On platforms like BeatStars, Airbit, or Soundee, producers still create their license agreements. They operate on their terms! Before you buy a beat, always check the full license agreements or licensing terms. Those flashy pricing tables don’t always show you everything!
For more information on how to take your music career to the next level as a professional artist who needs to start on the right path in beat licensing,
I have compiled an article on a more in depth level for you to understand.
check it out.
Are Beats too expensive for you?
If there’s a beat you would like to have Unlimited or Exclusive rights to it but you are unable to afforded it, please feel free to drop me an email on a 3 months payment plan arrangement. I would be happy to help you out in getting you your beat.
contact me on: info@ephyent.com
call or Whatsapp: +278 366 436 19
