Free to Use or Share: Images, Audio, & Video : Music
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Copyright law allows for some uses of otherwise protected materials. For more information about how and when you might make a "fair use" of copyrighted materials, see this fair use information page.
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This page provides links to search engines that include music recordings and sheet music that can be REUSED, REVISED, REMIXED, or REDISTRIBUTED more freely than can materials limited by default copyright protection.
Music found in these resources may be in the public domain because they don't qualify for copyright protection (eg. U.S. government documents) or because the copyright protections have expired. Alternatively, they may be explicitly licensed by their copyright owners (through Creative Commons, GNU, or other formulations) for free use and distribution.
Search for audio you can use...
- dig.ccmixterA large collection of music created using the ccmixter platform and licensed for reuse. Click the "Advanced dig" link to search for music by genre, instrument or style.
- Free Music ArchiveCurated collection of easily searchable music--all available for personal use, only some available for reuse and sharing. The advanced search allows users to limit by license type.
- MusOpenA collection of audio recordings of mostly classical and often well-known compositions available for reuse. Audio files are available for download after a free registration.
Search for compositions you can use...
- MusOpenSheet music for compositions that are primarily in the public domain. Most are available for download as PDFs.
- Archive of Popular American MusicCollection of popular music in the U.S. from 1790. Includes music for the theater, motion pictures, radio and television, as well as general popular music. Records for compositions in the public domain include a link to "View Sheet Music." Full view of the sheet music is unavailable for material that may not be in the public domain.
- MutopiaSheet music editions of classical music available as PDFs and all available to be freely "downloaded, printed, copied, distributed, modified, performed and recorded."