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Import Apple Music File Into iMovie Project

Grobaouche

Grobaouche

macrumors member
Original poster
Oct 7, 2022
91
60
Hello everyone 🤗

I have a stupid question, first time I am using iMovie since a while.
I wanted to import a music from my Music App on macOS, and I have an Apple Music subscription.

It seems it is impossible to add any of my Apple Music library songs within my iMovie project, I tried both from Lossless and AAC formats.
Looking quickly online it seems to be related to DRMs in the file, is that the case ?

If this is right it is quite a non-sense, how am I supposed to do ? I saw some articles saying I should download a third party tool to convert the files and remove the DRMs, but it seems unthinkable to have to do this when I have every file on my computer within the Apple apps and environment.

What is your experience/recommandation ?

Thanks a lot !

Using macOS Ventura 13.1
 
It's pretty simple and I would think it completely obvious that you can't just use any ol' commercial song in your work without licensing it. An Apple Music subscription is anything BUT any sort of license. Or can you add music from your SPOTIFY library? Oh right… of course not. For the exact same reasons. Try reading the EULA.
And good luck "removing the DRM" cuz that ain't gonna happen. 🙄
 
lin2log said:
It's pretty simple and I would think it completely obvious that you can't just use any ol' commercial song in your work without licensing it. An Apple Music subscription is anything BUT any sort of license. Or can you add music from your SPOTIFY library? Oh right… of course not. For the exact same reasons. Try reading the EULA.
And good luck "removing the DRM" cuz that ain't gonna happen. 🙄
Click to expand...

I guess saying the same without bold letters and this condescending tone would have delivered the same info 😜
 
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Yes, it's a DRM issue. Seems odd that Apple won't let us use purchased music in another apple product. The simple solution is to make a recording of the track using something like Piezo or Audio Hijack.

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If you intend to post your video on social media like YouTube or FaceBook, they check the tune and will not post your soundtrack or video unless you prove you have a license. Sometimes FB will substitute a version not requiring a license. They do this for any music regardless of DRM. For some reason they won't take your word :)

For personal use, if you are able to download the song to your hard drive or have a copy on CD, you may be able to import it.
 
Thanks for the inputs guys, I bought the song on the iTunes Store so I can use it for my video montage.

Thanks !
 
I'm not sure why iMovie no longer displays music from your iTunes library that you actually own. In my case, iMovie displays exactly two albums from my library:

"The Beach Boys 50 Big Ones" and a privately made album by a friend that was never released commercially. I've never used the former in a movie, but I frequently use songs from the latter because I have the artist's permission to release publicly.

You can still drag and drop music you own from you library into iMove's My Media pane.

My library happens to be here: /Volumes/Media/iTunes Music/iTunes/iTunes Media/Music
 
Another negative for streaming platforms! I always think if a certain world leader presses the red button or we end up like the last of us then all you streamers won't have any music to listen to but us old school physical types will be sitting pretty :)
 
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