First Time Buying Beats Guide

If you are reading this article, that means you are somehow related to the music industry. The e-commerce and internet changed beats buying processes quite significantly during the past decade, and the previously strange term “buy/lease beats online” become a norm in the most developed countries.

However, to those who are just starting to discover this universe, one of the first questions can arise about what is so-called “Free Beats” is? And why they are Free? 

I have been selling beats online for a couple of years. Before I started doing anything related to beats sales, I was on the other side. I used to rap, I used to produce beats for myself, as well as record local artists in my studio, who had been bringing to the recording sessions free beats from online producers.

I still perform from time to time and record some tracks. Because I’ve been on both sides of the table, I can imagine the situation that you’re in right now. And it is no doubt, I get the “Free Beats” question A LOT.

Perhaps, the reason why you decided to read this article is:

• You’re starting with music and want to take it seriously.
• You’ve been doing music for a while but now is the time to step up your game and be done with the free beats. 
• Or, maybe you reached that professional level when the properly licensed beats are the only way to go. 
• Maybe, you just want to educate yourself and won’t have to worry about legal issues down the road.

If you recognize yourself somewhere along these lines then you’re right where you need to be. I’m going to give you all the information you need to make the best decision for your music and know everything about buying beats online.

Let’s deconstruct the terms “Free beats” and “Free for Profit” first.

Free Beats

If you google the phrase “Free beats” instantly you’ll get a bunch of links (mainly youtube or eCommerce websites) offering download music free of charge. However, those who download those free beats and play them will notice – besides music the producer tags will appear every 30 / 60 second along the track. That is one of the major signs that the beat is “Free”. The Tags are used by producers for two purposes:

• To place a signature on the beat (which become a trendy thing – remember DJ Khaled’s tag “We the best music”)
• To protect the beat from commercial usage without a license purchase.

Simply, because the end goal of beats is to be purchased/leased by an artist and be used to record a song, once you buy a license for a beat, it will no longer have the tags in it.

Of course, if you downloaded a beat without a tag, but don’t have a license agreement from the producer for it, then you could consider it as a free beat too. But in both these cases (free beat with and without a tag), that means you’re not authorized to use the beat for commercial purposes. This crucial point has been a discussion between artists and producers for years. It’s worth explaining in more detail, and you’ll read more about it soon.

The main confusion appears at the point when the producers who provide free beats are not doing so intending to have their music used for free. When you’re looking for beats on YouTube, most of the titles you’ll find say “FREE BEAT”.

By writing so, producers hoping to gain exposure and get their music out there, so the Free Beat phrase is used as a clickbait. 

However, many artists sincerely take these beats and use them without giving credit or compensation to the producer. Causing frustration of the producer, but… In defense of the downloaded – How can you complain when someone uses your work for free when you offer it for free? Right?

Well, not exactly so, and here is why… It all turns around the simple rule that the author holds all the rights and decides the conditions of the usage. The key phrase here is the “license”.

In defense of the producers, who post and sell beats online, I can confirm that many artists are taking advantage of our craft and hard work. Beats are downloaded hundreds of thousands of times, and most of them are illegal.

So, it makes a logical turn when the producer asks someone to buy a beat with a proper license that comes with it, even if it was downloaded for free.

Free for Profit Beats

This is quite a new term in the game of beat leasing which deserves its description. These beats are:

• Give by producers for free to download
• They have one or no tags at all
• Most often they are the highest mp3 quality 
• And the most important producers provide a certain level of license to everyone who gets it.

For example, by downloading one of my beats FREE for PROFIT, you still do agree to a contract and get some usage rights. It’s just those rights are pretty limited.

What can you do with Free Beats?

Let’s myth bust the term “Free Beats” – You can’t do much with them… At least, nothing commercially or profitable.

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.

That’s why there’s no such thing as a ‘free beat’ under such phrase, in case of a profit.

Remember – If you’re using a beat for which you haven’t received a license agreement in writing from the producer, you’re unauthorized to use it and you could get in serious trouble.

So, if you are going to ask for something for free, ask for a ‘free license’ instead. Or get one from the author of the beat you like.

Therefore, the “Free for Profit” beats come in handy here, because you can get the beat for free and make a proper release for the test run with profit.

Terms of Free for Profit Beats

As I mentioned before, by downloading one of my beats named “FREE for PROFIT”, you get more freedom of action. However, you still do agree to a contract and get some usage rights. It’s just those rights are pretty limited.

Those usage rights for my FREE FOR PROFIT beats are as follows:

“𝐔𝐒𝐀𝐆𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐒: This beat is available for you to use and keep 100% profit on Youtube & Soundcloud, and you need to credit me for the composition (Produced by Fenixprod). 

By using the FREE FOR PROFIT version on youtube 𝐃𝐎 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐏𝐔𝐓 𝐂𝐎𝐏𝐘𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓/𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐈𝐃 𝐎𝐍 𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐔𝐍𝐋𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐄 𝐄𝐗𝐂𝐋𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐕𝐄 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒.

To distribute your work with this beat on platforms like Spotify or Apple Music you need to purchase a license.”

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, unless specified, you’re not authorized to use the beat for commercial purposes. 

So how to properly understand the beats buying process? You’ll learn everything about it below, just keep on reading.

Buying beats online – How does it work?

Each beat / instrumental is sold by producers via an online store. By purchasing a beat through it, 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, which comes in form of a document – the License Agreement.

There are a few types of agreements:

1. Non-exclusive licenses agreement.
2. Exclusive licenses agreement.

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 only once and to one artist only.

This article covers only the subject of non-exclusive licensing.

If you want to learn more about the Exclusive License, click the button below. I wrote an entire guide about the difference there.