What is Royalty-Free Music?
Royalty-free music is music that you pay for once (or get for free) and can use forever without paying ongoing royalties or fees to the composer.
Why Royalty-Free Music Matters for Podcasters
Using commercial music (like The Beatles) in a podcast is a legal minefield and usually prohibitively expensive. Royalty-free music is the solution. It doesn't mean the music is free; it means the *license* is free of ongoing royalties. You typically buy a license from a site like Epidemic Sound, Artlist, or PremiumBeat, which grants you the right to use the track in your podcast episodes. Some music is 'Creative Commons,' which is free to use as long as you give credit to the artist. Using royalty-free music ensures your podcast won't be taken down for copyright infringement.
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ID3 Tags
ID3 tags are metadata embedded directly into MP3 audio files that store information like the episode title, artist name, album name, and cover art. They help podcast players display the correct information about your episodes.
Metadata
Metadata is descriptive information about your podcast episode that helps platforms, players, and search engines understand what your content is about. It includes titles, descriptions, tags, and embedded file information.
Background Noise / Noise Floor
Background noise (also called noise floor) is the unwanted ambient sound present in your recording, such as air conditioning hum, computer fan noise, or room echo. It can distract listeners and make your podcast sound unprofessional.
Transcription
Transcription is the process of converting spoken audio into written text. For podcasters, transcriptions make content accessible, improve SEO, and enable repurposing into blog posts or social media content.