How to Add Music to Streamlabs OBS

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Creators today put a lot of effort into ensuring their content is engaging and keeps the audience hooked. If you come across videos of streamers, you will notice that a maximum of them use background music. 

But why? 

It’s because music improves the production quality and enhances the overall ambiance while simultaneously engaging and entertaining the viewers.

Sometimes the streamers play their own favorite music to reach out to the audience with whom their wavelength matches.

At the same time, some streamers pick universal music that is pleasing to almost everyone. But irrespective of the music a streamer chooses, music plays a significant role in lightening the mood and compensating for awkward silences.

If you stream on Streamlabs, this article will talk about how to add music to Streamlabs obs. But before that, let’s cover the basics.

What exactly is Streamlabs OBS?

Streamlabs OBS has become a favorite for many streamers, making streaming easy with just a few steps and clicks. It is free and reliable broadcasting software that offers many other valuable features like themes, widgets, live chat support, sponsor banners, and more.

Once you install this software on your PC, you can easily stream via Twitch, YouTube, etc. But the main advantage of using Streamlabs OBS is not just improving the look and feel of your live stream. 

It also helps to grow your Twitch channel and increase the number of viewers. Streamlabs OBS is one of the most widely used programs today and boosts the overall revenue of your channel by allowing the viewers to interact with you and even donate.

Streamlabs OBS is a simplified version of the OBS Studio design and has been specially created for streamers. 

The possibilities are limitless when it comes to streaming using this, and you can stream on any popular platform you prefer. 

It is very user-friendly, effortless to download, and requires no specific technical knowledge. Even if you are a beginner, you can use it efficiently.

However, the only disadvantage is that it is only available for Windows. If you use Linux or Mac OS, you will have to look for another alternative. But there is an app version for both IOS and Android platforms.

To use Streamlabs OBS, all you need to do is set up an account. Once you do that, it might take some time to get familiar with the dashboard since too many settings are available. 

Once you think you can handle it, the next step is to go live or record simply. 

You can also add widgets to your live stream and use the wide range of temperature themes available at your fingertips.

Simply put, if you are a content creator who streams regularly and you have still not started using Streamlabs OBS, it’s probably time to jump on the wagon.

What to consider before adding music to Streamlabs OBS?

The first factor you need to know is that artists create music, and while many do it purely as a hobby, others make a living out of it.

Irrespective of the intention behind creating music, there is a key rule to keep in your mind- and that is the right over the music always belongs to the artist who created it. 

And when people use any particular track for commercial purposes, the musicians make money from it.

In today’s age, maintaining security standards has become mandatory. Major streaming platforms like Twitch and YouTube ensure that the creators do not use copyrighted content on the platform.

Multiple users are blocked daily because copyrighted music is used as a background song or in video form during a live stream.

Now Twitch and YouTube use automatic monitoring systems that can easily detect the usage of inappropriate music and sends a warning or bans the user within a few hours. 

This mainly includes popular pop culture tracks.

This movement has created an actual controversy in the public because Twitch has prohibited several users from using the platform due to the use of copyrighted music tracks.

Be 100% sure that the music you want to use is royalty-free before you play it in your streams. You will easily find royalty-free music on many platforms and of different genres. For example, you can link your Spotify account with Streamlabs OBS to obtain royalty-free music.

How to add music to Streamlabs OBS?

So now you know which royalty-free music you want to play in your stream to entertain your viewers. But how to add the music to Streamlabs OBS? Mentioned below is a step-by-step guide on how you can do that. Let’s check it out!

Step 1. Launch StreamLabs OBS

The first step is to launch Streamlabs OBS. We assume you have already created your account and probably have even used this program for your streams.

Now, you must add a source to this scene. To do that, click on the small plus icon under the “Sources” section in the top right position.

Step 2. Select Media Source

After doing step 1, you will notice an additional screen open up. This particular screen will let you select the source type. It would be best if you chose the “Media Source” option in the menu since music is a medium. Next, click on the option labeled “Add Source.”

Step 3. Choose audio file

After performing the second step, you will see another window pop up where you can name the music audio you will add. To do this, add a suitable name for the source in the dialogue box and click on the option “Add Source” again.

You can now choose the music audio to add to the Streamlabs OBS according to your preference. To do this, select “Browse” and navigate to the location where your desired file is present in Windows Explorer.

Step 4. Configure media source

After performing step 3, you get the freedom to configure the media source with various available settings. You can set the track’s playback speed, configure the music to play as soon as you activate the source, set an infinite loop, etc.

Step 5. Final steps

Click “Done.” Now the audio track will be added to the stream.

Now you know how to add music to Streamlabs OBS. But these are music tracks that are available on your PC already. But what if you want to add a music track from a particular music streaming service like Spotify? Let’s check that out too.

How to add music from Spotify to Streamlabs OBS?

The steps below will let you add music tracks from other streaming services like Spotify. But before going ahead with these, there is a mandatory step to take care of beforehand. 

You’ll have to download the Spotify desktop app and login into your account. Once you are done with that, follow these steps mentioned below-

Step 1. Choose scene

Launch Streamlabs OBS and choose the scene where you would like to add the music from Spotify.

Step 2. Adding source

Click on the plus icon (+) on the top right under the “Sources” section. Select the option “Window Capture,” and then click on the “Add Source” button. You can now add a meaningful name for the source.

Step 3. Select music program (Spotify.exe)

After performing the second step, you must select the program you want to add to the scene.

For the “Window” field, select “[Spotify.exe]: Spotify Free.” while performing the step, keep in mind that you may face an error regarding the Spotify application not launching properly. 

If that happens, open the Web Player. This is precisely the same as the application but is available in a browser format.

After opening it, capture the relevant browser. You can also try another alternative solution and set up the Spotify app as a full-screen window.

Click on “Done.”

Step 4. That’s all

You will now see that Spotify has been added, and you can play the music during your stream.

Later on, you can always choose to customize the window by editing and cropping it in the preview screen. You can change any part of the application on display, make it smaller, and put it in a convenient position.

Easy right? Now you can add music tracks from Spotify to Streamlabs OBS effortlessly.

Where can you get the music to add on Streamlabs OBS?

Even though you have a subscription service to Spotify or any other music streaming service, it does not offer a confirmation that you can play any of that music on your stream. 

As mentioned above, getting a copyright strike for playing a particular track will be thoroughly disappointing. 

Hence, it is better to take precautions instead and choose music that will let you avoid that risk.

Fortunately, there are several royalty-free music tracks to use for streamers, and here are the top 3 you can go for-

1. Bass Rebels.

This is a handy playlist available on Spotify and other streaming services, and it consists of copyright-free tracks. The vibe of this playlist is very upbeat and is definitely worthy of checking out.

2. GameChops.

This is another source that features a wide range of video game lo-fi music. You will see lo-fi versions of mini music tracks from popular video games like Minecraft, Pokemon, The Legend of Zelda, etc. If you want a chill vibe during your stream, this is the site you want to check out.

3. Epidemic Sound.

This streaming service offers a broad range of more than 32,000 unique tracks. Now that is a huge number, isn’t it? Another advantage is that you can try out the app for 1-month absolutely free of cost. If you’re planning to set a unique vibe for your stream, Epidemic Sound is precisely what you need to check out. 

You can always look for more information on the official page of these websites.

Conclusion.

Hopefully, this article has helped you understand how to add music to Streamlabs OBS. The process is straightforward, and you can play music from local files and major music streaming providers by setting up multiple sources. 

The only thing you need to keep in mind is adding royalty-free music to your live stream so you do not end up using copyrighted tracks. 

Music is indeed a powerful tool and can help completely change the vibe and ambiance of your stream if done right. 

So experiment around a little and figure out what kind of music suits your stream best so that you can engage and entertain your audience and grow your channel simultaneously.