View Full Version : Can I download YouTube audio tracks from my video uploads?


Ronald Jackson
September 9th, 2017, 12:42 AM
I have uploaded a lot of short videos to YouTube. I often use their free "add audio" service, and choose a tune or jingle from their library.

I'm in the process of making a "proper" movie which incorporates some of said clips. I'd like to add the "original" YouTube audio if at all possible. Can anyone suggest how?

(I'd be happy to purchase part of the library from certain of the composers but I guess this a non-starter)

Ron

ps a non-commercial movie it is that I'm making!

Boyd Ostroff
September 9th, 2017, 05:45 AM
Mac or Windows? I have used a free program called ClipGrab on MacOS to download from YouTube for personal use, it can save files in various formats: https://clipgrab.org

Another handy app is Piezo from Rogue Amoeba, it can record anything you hear on the Mac

There are lots of other options on both MacOS and Windows for recording audio and video from YouTube. However I don't know what the legal aspects of this would be for using content that YouTube has created in a "movie".

Steve Game
September 9th, 2017, 06:33 AM
It would be interesting to see whether their copyright-detecting software would recognise their own music as copyright protected or just bypass it. Such an issue would occur if you noticed something on one of your own videos already uploaded to the site, downloaded it with their soundtrack to make a minor correction, then uploaded the corrected version complete.

Richard Crowley
September 9th, 2017, 07:44 AM
I understand the question as: "Can I use YT music for non-YT projects?"

It is not clear what the final distribution would be? For YouTube distribution, or for distribution elsewhere

If it is for YouTube, then what's the difference between downloading previous videos with YT music and. inserting YT music "2nd hand" vs. adding the YT music by the normal method? Why would YT object to using their own music on YT?

OTOH, using YT music elsewhere is probably a violation of the fine-print somewhere. I wouldn't risk it. There are plenty of sources of low-cost and free music without the YT restrictions.

Boyd Ostroff
September 9th, 2017, 09:29 AM
I understand the question as: "Can I use YT music for non-YT projects?"

You are probably right, I read the post a couple times and thought he might also be asking how to download the music from his movies though...

Rick Reineke
September 9th, 2017, 10:11 AM
I don't know the legal aspects for using YT music, but some Macs and PCs can 'Record what you hear'; either nativity or with a third-party utility. There are apps as well to download YT video where the A/V elements could be muxed out afterward.

Roger Van Duyn
September 9th, 2017, 02:45 PM
Here's the URL for the Official YouTube Help Page for downloading the music:

https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/3376882?hl=en

The link to the audio library lets you preview and download music and sound effects to your heart's content. At the bottom of the page for the audio library is a link for "Terms and Conditions" with information on rights and usage.



I've downloaded a few songs in the past that I thought were pretty good.

Hope this helps.

Roger.

Ronald Jackson
September 10th, 2017, 06:30 AM
Thanks for some helpful replies. It YouTube tunes added to my uploads that I wanted to use but I now see I can do this via searching and the "Creative Commons" condition..


Ron