They say that audio is 70 percent of your video. I think it’s more like 95 percent. Sometimes, when I’m feeling adventurous, I don’t even bring a video camera to a shoot, just a portable audio recorder. Even though the client is at first rather confused they are soon delighted when I explain the importance of audio and that they will not be distracted with any video elements on their DVD!

So today I would like to share with you some of my favorite online resources for royalty free music and sound effects. My most recent discovery is called Pump Music, and it is a division of Getty Images. It’s priced slightly higher than other music providers but I found the quality and variety of genres to be exceptional. The site allows you to save a favorites folder so you can go back to it and find the right music for any future projects. I’ve enjoyed browsing their tracks, and that process itself is how I usually start an edit as different songs give me ideas and inspiration.

I’m sure many of you know about Triple Scoop Music, another great site for finding music for your videos. This one is nice since it is specifically tailored to photographers and videographers.

One of my favorite sites in general, and also a great resource for cinematic scores (called Pro Scores) and effects is Video Copilot. In addition to some great After Effects tutorials, Andrew Kramer offers a wide variety of products, including instructional DVDs, stock footage elements and of course some pretty cool music.

Another website that I’ve used in the past is Shockwave-Sound. Again, just browsing their selection is a great way to get some editing ideas. For classical music I love Unique Tracks-check out their classical album pack collections to get you started. Soundrangers has both music and unusual effects (I think this site is used quite a bit by video game designers) and listening to their amazing effects selection (including “goblin attack,” “forest rain,” “nightclub applause” and my favorite, “oh 1, female 1″) can keep you entertained for hours.

Finally, recording artist Moby has a site, called Moby Gratis, which is designed to provide free music to filmmakers for their independent, non-profit films. A wedding video probably wouldn’t be categorized as “non-profit,” but this would be perfect for a small personal project, and there is also a way to apply for a license with profits going to the Humane Society. Below is an image I took years ago of Moby performing in Las Cruces, New Mexico when I worked at at a newspaper there. Thanks for reading, enjoy the links, and share some more services in the comments section below.

–Vlad