Instagram Reels offers users the opportunity to add music or use original audio in their fun and creative videos, including the option to mix original audio with music or sound created by another user. Creators can also add an effect or filter to their Reel, change the speed of playback, or record a Reel using both the front and rear cameras of a smartphone. Reels first launched in August 2020 as a direct competitor to TikTok. Now, Instagram automatically shares almost all videos on the app as Reels.
When recording an Instagram Reel, creators have a few options. They can use their own original audio, use audio by another creator, use audio from Instagram’s music library, or mix their audio with music or original audio by a different creator. To use original audio, record or upload a Reel, and any unique audio captured in the video will be classified as original audio. Original audio is displayed with the creator’s name on it, and is available for other creators to use if the Reel was shared publicly. However, Instagram notes that if a creator uploaded licensed audio as original audio, it might change the audio description to the artist’s name and song.
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Mix Original Audio With Music
To mix music with original audio in a Reel, tap the music note on the side of the screen after recording. Users can then either choose from the list of songs that pop up or search for one. After adding the song, adjust the slider at the bottom of the screen to choose what part of the song to play in the Reel. Then tap the ‘Preview’ button followed by the music note at the top of the screen.
The user will then be able to adjust the ‘Camera Audio’ and music slider bars in the Audio Controls menu. Users can also slide their thumb up and down to adjust the volume of each component. Once ready, all that’s left to do is hit ‘Next’ and ‘Share’ to post the Reel as normal.
How Reels Audio Licensing Works
For Reels that include licensed audio, the song name and the artist will be credited at the bottom of the Reel, with an icon of the album art in the bottom right corner. Tapping the icon will bring up the audio page for the track, which shows all the other recent Reels that the audio has been used in. Under some circumstances, licensed audio may end up getting muted. This can happen when Instagram’s agreements with the music rights holder changes, resulting in Instagram losing the rights to the song.
If this does happen, the user’s Reel will remain available for viewing, but the audio won’t play. Instagram says it will notify users if this happens, in case they want to replace the audio. If so, they can choose another track from Instagram’s library — but this can only be done once. Doing this won’t affect the Reel’s view counts or insights.
If someone downloads a Reel with licensed audio, the audio won’t be included in the downloaded version. However, original audio is attributed to the creator and appears on its own audio page. If someone else uses that audio, those Reels will also appear on an audio page, and if someone downloads that Reel, the audio will still be heard in the downloaded Reel. Combining original audio with a song or any other audio is quick and easy, and provides Instagram users with yet another way to make a Reel their own.
