Open-Source Resources: Music

Music is a powerful teaching tool that enhances engagement, supports memory, and builds emotional connections to learning. Open-source music resources make it easy for educators to find high-quality, royalty-free audio for videos, podcasts, and classroom activities. These collections offer not only background tracks for digital media but also educational materials that foster musical understanding and creativity among students.

Free Music for Education (eLearning Industry List) – elearningindustry.com/ultimate-list-free-music-elearning-online-education

Free Music for Education, curated by eLearning Industry, compiles open and Creative Commons–licensed audio tracks from platforms like Free Music Archive and Jamendo. These resources allow educators and students to legally use background music in videos, podcasts, or class presentations. The list makes it easy to find appropriate, royalty-free audio while fostering an understanding of ethical media use. Teachers can use it to enrich student multimedia projects or enhance digital lessons with music that suits the tone of their content.

License: Varies (mostly Creative Commons and royalty-free). 

Features:

• Curated list of free music sources ideal for educational use.

• Includes links to CC-friendly platforms like Free Music Archive and Jamendo. 

Value for Educators: 

Perfect for classroom videos, podcasts, or multimedia presentations; educators can find safe-to-use background music that sets the right tone for projects.

Save The Music Foundation – savethemusic.org/music-education-resources

Save The Music Foundation provides a collection of free online resources that support music education for K–12 classrooms. While its materials are licensed for free educational use, the focus is on helping teachers integrate music history, theory, and performance into their lessons. The site includes links to virtual instruments, instructional videos, and lesson plans. It’s a valuable resource for arts educators looking to build creativity, cultural awareness, and musical literacy among students, even in classrooms with limited physical instruments.

License: Free educational use. 

Features:

• Comprehensive resource hub for K–12 music education.

• Includes music theory tools, lesson plans, and virtual instrument experiences.

Value for Educators:

Encourages creativity in the classroom as teachers can integrate virtual instruments, historical context, and listening exercises to enrich arts education.

Conclusion

By using open-source music, educators can bring rhythm and energy into their teaching while encouraging students to explore sound as a medium of learning and expression. These resources open the door to cross-curricular creativity, from composing digital stories to producing classroom podcasts. Ultimately, open music platforms help make arts integration and multimedia learning both achievable and inspiring in any K–12 setting.