Hi, Samuel L.

It's not so much you want to use these inbuilt music libraries, but rather, your own music. I don't know if you've been following the threads on SmartSound and some of its users who've been "flagged" for unjust copyright claims when the music was "licensed" for YouTube use. Your situation may mean you avoid such grief. The proceedure is simple enough, if you have a third-party audio recording programme(like Sound Forge or Cool Edit) and you have already produced your music in MP3 audio files,(or even WAV files), to bring your audio files into Power Director(any version) simply click on "Import Media"(or words to this effect, they vary from PD version to PD version). When you've imported all the music you want to use with your video, it's just a matter of dropping the wanted musical piece onto the Music track(indicated by two music notes). You can also put the music onto the narration track but if you require that track for its original purpose, but still need extra audio tracks, in PD9 through to 14, you can call up an extra 98 audio tracks(not that you'll ever need that many) or you can use the audio track directly under Video Track 2(indicated with a "speaker). To call up the extra audio tracks, click on "Track Manager"(shown as film with plus sign). There are any number of ways to add your music to a video. Hope this is of help.

Cheers!

Neil.

Quote: Can anyone tell me how to incorporate music of my own choice and production into the sound track.

I am a musician and would like to include my own music into a video. What is the procedure to do so?

Sorlie

you can add any music to the Powerdirector audio tracks. Powerdirector supports WAV, MP3, MP4A, that is just some of the music files supported. WAV is the most reliable. MP3 may have problems, depending on the exact format of the MP3 (Constant bitrate vs Variable bitrate)

Powerdirector has up to 100 Video and Audio tracks, you can put music in any of the audio portion of the tracks.

You can not put your original music in the SmartSound library. SmartSound is a special form of music in that it is actually a program that can adjust the length and of the start and ending.

Depending on your use of the finished video, you may have copyright issues. Youtube tends to flag just about everything, even original music that is your copyright. Carl312: Windows 10 64-bit 8 GB RAM,AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4 GHz,ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB,240GB SSD,two 1TB HDs.

Neil and Carl, Thank you both for your 'sound' advice, no pun intended. The concept of importing the music is so obvious that I overlooked it. The music I would like to use would be my own compositions or old Gaelic melodies and bagpipe tunes, many of which are in the public domain. The DVDs will be for family use only - memories of holidays etc. Thus I am not likely to run into copyright problems. I am not enamoured by the choices of music available via Smart Sound so will not be using that feature.
Wishing both success in your Directors' chairs.
Thanks again, Sorlie

Hi, Samuel L.(Sorlie)!

Thank's for the comments, I'm quite chuffed about the "direcor's chair" bit, nice touch! As Carl pointed out, and from other people's experiences of YouTube, they(YouTube) keep "flagging" any music that's heard on clips posted there, even personally-produced stuff like you're intending to use. YouTube are, apparently, becoming tyrannical about this, they'll even "flag" you if your video includes music inadvertantly caught playing on a nearby radio or CD/cassette player that your camera's microphone picked up by accident.

As you are intending to put your videos onto disc for viewing only by family and friends(which I also do), then you have escaped the "minefield" that is music copyright issues relating to home video clips. Honestly, YouTube really deserve a "kick up the arse" to make them wake up to themselves before they drive away all their contributing videographers.

Cheers!

Neil

Neil,

Thanks for your advice re Utube. I do not intend to upload any videos to that system, so should stay out of trouble.

Although it has nothing to do with music, I thought I should deal with the exclamation mark after Sorlie. I grew up in the Hebrides, Gaelic being my native language and was baptised in Gaelic with the name 'Somhairle' which is the Gaelic version of a Norse name, Somer Ledi (summer warrior) usually rendered in English as Somerled. Probably with the introduction of the Civil Registry in 1855 and entries in the Registry being made by monoglot English speakers, the Gaelic name was rendered in English as 'Samuel', a Hebrew name for which there is no Gaelic equivalent. Sorlie is the usual familiar English version of Somhairle.

Happy and successful Directing,

Sorlie