Tutorial · Before the shoot
How to put music on your phone (MP3 or WAV)
To film a music video, you need your song as an MP3 or WAV file saved on your phone. A song you stream on Spotify, Apple Music or YouTube isn't enough. Here's where to get the file, and how to put it on an iPhone or an Android phone.
Updated · 4 min read
Why you need a file
In TREMOLO CUT, picking your song is the first step when you create a project. The app then plays it while you film each angle: that's the playback. For that, it needs the song's file, on your phone.
Streaming apps don't give you a file. Even “downloaded” in Spotify, Deezer, Apple Music or YouTube Music, a song stays locked inside the app: no other app can play it.
MP3 or WAV? Both work. WAV keeps studio quality but it's heavy (about 30 MB for 3 minutes). MP3 is lighter (about 7 MB at 320 kbps) and more than enough for a music video.
Where to get the file
- It's your song. Export it as WAV from your music software, or ask your producer, engineer or studio for the final file.
- It's a beat you bought. On BeatStars or Airbit, buying a license gives you a download link in MP3 or WAV, depending on the license.
- It's another artist's song. Buy it as a download, for example on Bandcamp or Qobuz, which give you a real file. Heads-up: posting a video over someone else's music can get it blocked or muted by the platforms.
- You're looking for royalty-free music (dance, sport, business). YouTube's Audio Library (in YouTube Studio), Pixabay Music and Free Music Archive offer free tracks to download as MP3. Check each track's license: some require crediting the artist.
What about “YouTube to MP3” sites? We don't recommend them. Ripping the audio from a YouTube video breaks YouTube's rules and, most of the time, the artist's rights. And those sites are full of sketchy ads and fake download buttons.
Put the file on an iPhone
No need for iTunes. The file just has to end up in the iPhone's Files app: that's where TREMOLO CUT looks for it when you create a project.
- Downloaded on the iPhone (Safari): it lands in Files, in the Downloads folder.
- From a Mac: send it by AirDrop, then save it to Files.
- From a PC: drop it into iCloud Drive from icloud.com, or email it to yourself and, on the iPhone, choose “Save to Files”.
Put the file on an Android phone
The file has to end up in the phone's storage: that's where TREMOLO CUT looks for it when you create a project.
- Downloaded on the phone: it lands in the Downloads folder.
- From a PC: plug the phone in by USB, choose “File transfer” on the phone, then copy the file into the Music or Download folder.
- Via Google Drive or email: open the file on the phone and download it.
Check before filming
- Listen to the file all the way through on the phone: no cut-offs, no silence at the start.
- Use the final version, not a demo: if the song changes after the shoot, the cuts won't land in the same place.
- Give it a clear name (for example my-song-final.mp3) so you find it right away.
Song ready? Move on to the shoot: how to film a music video with your phone.
FAQ
Can you use a song from Spotify or Apple Music for a music video?
No. Songs downloaded in those apps are protected: only the streaming app can play them. You need an MP3 or WAV file.
MP3 or WAV: which should you choose?
WAV if you have it, for studio quality. Otherwise, a 320 kbps MP3 is more than enough for a music video.
Where can you find free, legal music for a music video?
In YouTube's Audio Library, on Pixabay Music or on Free Music Archive. Check each track's license.
Can you post a music video over another artist's song?
Platforms can block the video or mute the sound. To post safely: your own music, a beat whose license allows it, or royalty-free music.