What is TikTok?
TikTok is a popular video sharing app owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. It allows users to create and share short videos set to music that are up to 60 seconds long. The app is especially popular with Generation Z, who use it to show off their creativity through singing, dancing, comedy, and lip-sync videos (Source).
TikTok was launched in September 2016 in markets outside of China before becoming available worldwide in 2018. The app has seen massive growth, with over 1 billion monthly active users as of September 2021. A key part of TikTok’s appeal is its algorithm that determines what videos to show each user based on their interests and engagement. This creates a personalized “For You” feed that keeps users entertained as they watch, like, and share videos (Source).
Overall, TikTok has become a global phenomenon known for its short-form videos and trending hashtag challenges set to music that spread quickly through the app’s community.
Why find music without lyrics on TikTok?
There are several reasons why someone may want to find music without lyrics on TikTok:
Focus on instrumental backing track – Instrumental versions allow users to focus on the melody and beat without getting distracted by lyrics. This can be useful when creating dance videos or showcasing visuals.1
Avoid distracting or inappropriate lyrics – Some songs may contain lyrics that are inappropriate, explicit, or distracting for certain audiences. Using the instrumental version avoids this issue.
Find new music to use in own videos – TikTok’s huge library of sounds allows users to discover instrumental tracks they may not have heard before. These can be used as background music in their own videos.
Search for popular instrumental tracks
One way to find songs without lyrics on TikTok is to search for popular instrumental tracks. If you know the title or artist of an instrumental song, you can search directly for it. TikTok’s search allows you to filter by keywords like “no lyrics” or “instrumental”.
For example, searching for “no lyrics” will surface many instrumental tracks that are commonly used for TikTok videos. You can also browse categories like “Instrumental” under TikTok’s Sounds tab to discover trending options.
TikTok also has compiled lists of their most popular instrumental tracks, such as their “popular instrumental TikTok songs” and “trending instrumental songs” sections. Browsing these collections can help you quickly find instrumental music to use.
Use sounds from instrumental creators
One way to find instrumentals is to follow TikTok accounts that specialize in posting instrumental tracks. Here are some tips:
- Search for accounts with keywords like “instrumental”, “beats”, “producers”, etc. Look for accounts that consistently upload high-quality instrumental content.
- Scroll through their posted sounds to browse their instrumental selections. Many creators organize their sounds into instrumental playlists.
- Follow your favorite instrumental creators and check their new sounds regularly for fresh options. Building a list of go-to instrumental accounts can help streamline your instrumental music finding process on TikTok.1
Creating playlists dedicated to your favorite instrumental TikTok creators is a great way to organize and save their sounds for easy access later. Their sounds will be automatically added to the playlist as they post new instrumentals.
Identify instrumental covers of popular songs
One way to find music without lyrics on TikTok is through instrumental covers of popular songs. Instrumental covers remove the original vocals and lyrics, but retain the instrumental backing track. This allows you to use the familiar melodies and instrumentals of hit songs without any distracting lyrics.
To find instrumental covers, search for the song title along with “instrumental cover”. For example, search for “Blank Space instrumental cover” or “Bohemian Rhapsody instrumental cover”. TikTok’s huge music library likely contains instrumental covers of most popular hit songs.
According to Instrumental Covers of Popular Songs, some examples of instrumental covers on TikTok include “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” by The Funky Groove Connection and “Underneath Your Clothes” by Alegra.
The benefit of using a cover is that it provides a professionally produced instrumental backing of a recognizable pop song. This allows you to leverage the familiarity of hit songs without having to worry about lyrical content.
Use TikTok’s built-in editing tools
TikTok has built-in editing tools that allow you to easily mute audio to remove existing lyrics from a video. You can then add a new instrumental track over the video to create a lyrics-free musical background.
To use TikTok’s editing tools to remove lyrics:[1]
- Open your TikTok video in the app and tap the “Edit” button.
- Tap the sound icon at the top and select “Volume.”
- Drag the volume all the way down to mute the existing audio.
- Tap “Add sound” and browse TikTok’s music library to find an instrumental track.
- Adjust the instrumental audio volume as needed.
- You can also mix and match TikTok’s audio options to create your own custom instrumental background music.
TikTok’s built-in editing tools make it simple to remove lyrical audio and seamlessly add new instrumental music to your videos.
[1] https://influencermarketinghub.com/tiktok-video-editing-apps/
Source instrumental music outside of TikTok
Looking beyond TikTok is another great way to find instrumental tracks for your videos. Here are some options to consider:
Download royalty-free tracks online
There are many websites that offer downloadable royalty-free instrumental music, like Envato Elements, Epidemic Sound, and AudioJungle. These tracks are made specifically for content creators to use in their videos without worrying about copyright issues. Just be sure to check the licensing terms before using.
Convert songs to instrumental versions
You can convert full songs into instrumental versions using audio editing software like Audacity or Garageband. Just remove the vocal tracks while preserving the background music. This allows you to make instrumental covers of popular songs.
Create your own instrumental mixes
For full creative freedom, you can compose your own instrumental music or remix tracks into original mixes. This takes more time and effort but allows you to make truly unique instrumental music to help your TikTok videos stand out.
Edit audio to remove lyrics
If you already have the full song with vocals, you can use audio editing software to isolate just the instrumental track. Programs like Audacity, ocenaudio, and Adobe Audition allow you to edit audio files to remove or mute certain sections.
To remove lyrics from a song using editing software:
- Import the song file into your audio editor
- Use the waveform visualization to identify sections with vocals/lyrics
- Select those sections and either delete or mute them
- Export the audio as a new file without the muted sections
This takes some trial and error, carefully listening and marking vocal sections to delete. But it can effectively give you an instrumental-only track. Just be sure not to remove too much of the instrumental, only the minimum needed to eliminate the lyrics.
Credit instrumental creators
It’s important to properly credit any instrumental creators whose music you use in your TikTok videos. This shows appreciation for their work and helps them gain more views and followers on the platform.
To credit an instrumental creator, be sure to link to their TikTok profile in your video’s description. The best practice is to write “Instrumental by @creatorusername” or something similar, so viewers know who created the original track.
TikTok also has a built-in “Credit” tool you can use. Simply tap “Credit” when posting a new video, search for the instrumental creator’s profile, and select their video that uses the same sound clip. This will credit them directly in your posted video.
Giving proper credit is not only the right thing to do, but also helps you avoid copyright issues when using others’ music. By acknowledging the instrumental creator, you show that your video is inspired by their work and help send viewers their way. It’s a win-win situation.
Comply with Copyright Laws
When using music in TikTok videos, it’s important to comply with copyright laws and avoid unauthorized use of copyrighted material. According to TikTok’s Intellectual Property Policy, they do not allow any content that infringes copyright.
Before using a song, check the terms of use to ensure you have permission. Many creators on sites like Uppbeat allow free use of their music, but may have certain restrictions. Using copyrighted music without permission can result in your video being taken down.
When uncertain about the copyright of a song, consider using original compositions to avoid any issues. You can also use TikTok’s built-in audio editing tools to create your own unique instrumental backing tracks.
Staying within copyright guidelines will ensure your videos remain on TikTok and you avoid potential legal issues. Do your research before using others’ music, and when possible, opt for original instrumental creations.
