Using music in educational videos aims to add an emotional or entertainment component to help the viewers absorb the material.

In this post we will look at 5 common types of educational video and explain what background music works best for each type.

Keep reading and make sure to listen to the examples.

Hi, I’m Mik, one of TunePocket music composers. Learning shouldn’t be boring! Adding music to educational videos can help to keep your audience focused, motivated, and entertained. I went though our catalog of royalty free music and picked some examples.

5 types of educational videos

The educational videos can be broken down into 5 common categories: How-To / Tutorial, Explainer, Training Video, Simulations, Screencast / Lecture.

Examples of background music for different types of educational videos

TIP: If you like any music featured in this post you can license it and use it in your video.

Let’s see what music works best for each type of educational video:

How-To and tutorial videos

Tutorial videos typically provide step-by-step instructions on how to complete a certain task or to resolve a specific issue.

Often such tutorials are accompanied by narration voice over providing the explanation to the action on screen.

With that in mind, for how-to tutorials, I recommend to choose music without overpowering lead melody, so the music stays in the background does not draw the attention away from the topic.

Here are some examples of background music for educational how-to tutorials:

Explainer videos

Explainer videos usually provide a quick explanation of a concept, idea, or service.

Animated explainer videos are commonly used to introduce a solution by telling a short story.

For the explainer videos that feature animated characters, I like to recommend upbeat, overall positive music in acoustic pop or indie folk genres.

For explainers that focus on IT or science concepts, a calmer, “hi-tech” music will work the best.

For educational videos related to history, cinematic music should work great.

Listen to more music for explainer videos.

Training videos

Training videos are used to help someone (often an employee) to develop a set skills required to perform certain job related tasks.

For this type of video, music may not be as essential as for explainers or tutorials, but you still can use it occasionally to set the mood. Especially if you discuss important procedures or guidelines pertinent to your business.

For business training and instructional videos I recommend “corporate” music with calm focused feel:

If you’re making sport training videos (as opposed to business training), check out this playlist: Best music for workout videos

Simulation videos

Simulation videos are essentially short movies where actors (either professional or volunteers) simulate typical situations to demonstrate the correct behavior.

For example, a simulation video can demonstrate the proper workspace etiquette by showing the model interaction between two employees.

What music is best for simulation video will greatly depend on the topic.

Situational underscore music (think light comedy or sitcom) should work well under the dialogue.

Screencast / lecture

Screencast and lectures are probably the oldest and most traditional form of instructional video. Essentially it is a recording (or live presentation) of either a computer screen or a lecturer teaching certain topic.

I generally do not recommend using music during screencasts or lectures but I do suggest you use a short music intro accompanied by your company or university logo before the lecture for branding purposes.

Hope this post will help you to find the best music for your educational video!

Any music featured in this post or on TunePocket Web site can be licensed for educational videos. You can also download free MP3 previews and safely try any of our music in your project before you purchase the license.

Frequently asked questions

What kind of music should I use in my educational video?

The best music for your video depends on the type of video and the mood you want to create. In this post I offered some suggestions for different video styles, like upbeat music for explainer videos and cinematic music for history lessons but feel free to browse our royalty free music catalog to pick something else. We have plenty of music and sounds to choose from!

Where can I find royalty-free music?

There are many online libraries offering royalty-free music. I definitely would be thrilled if you consider us as your music provide. Learn why thousands of video creators choose TunePocket.

Are there any other things to consider when choosing music?

Absolutely! Besides the mood and style, make sure the music doesn’t overpower the narration and complements the overall tone of your educational video. You might also want to consider the length of the music track to fit the duration of your video.

Are there any limitations on the number of times I can use a track?

Our license allows you to use the same music track in as many videos as you’d like.

Can I edit the music to fit the length of my educational video?

Of course! You can edit or loop the music to fit your videos.

Do I need to credit TunePocket in my educational videos?

No, when you purchase the license you are not required to provide credit but we certainly appreciate it if you do!

more questions?

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to post it below in the comments. I’ll be happy to answer.

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