Need a good Bluetooth/wireless speaker

[macsound1]

I realize there is tons of royalty-free music out there, but if might be nice to experiement playing the BEach Boys while interviewing a surfer on the California coast.




As someone who has made "0" videos, those are all valid points.




Okay, THAT is a very valid point.




Also true.


But to counter your valid advice above, I was shooting at a small rodeo this summer where they played country music briefly after they released the bulls and it added A LOT to my video. And it wasn't overpowering or distracting and sounded very natural, because it was natural.

In fact, I think that and a couple other instances at county fairs is what inspired me to try this out and see if I can make it work in a small percentage of my videos.

True - I think that's a live thing though like getting an interview at the end of a sports game. You see the action in the background and the sweat on the player's face AND you get the background audio to go along with it.
When you're trying to emulate the natural feeling of live, that's hard.

Overall, if you want to experament, don't worry so much about the bluetooth speaker you're getting, just alter the EQ in Spotify or get sound source from Rogue amoeba and playback on your mac. Make it an inverse smile.
In the 90s, the popular EQ curve was a smile - boosted highs and lows with scooped mids.
In live events they do the opposite - boost mids slightly. This is where the human ear hears the best and doing a slight midrange boost improves clarity without becoming shrill.

 

[macsound1]

I'd also say the way people perceive sound quality is highly influenced by the format and by the device they used to listen to music when their tastes were forming.

Those who began by listening to MP3s played through laptop speakers or cheap earbuds might feel lossless AACs on an iMac's speakers sound pretty good. Similarly, I grew up listening mostly to records. So anything on vinyl sounds warm and inviting to me. But somebody who loves megabass and wants maxed-out levels on everything probably prefers CDs or uncompressed digital files.

For anybody interested in doing a deep dive on this stuff, this is a cool book:

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9780865479388
"In 1915, Thomas Edison proclaimed that he could record a live performance and reproduce it perfectly, shocking audiences who found themselves unable to tell whether what they were hearing was an Edison Diamond Disc or a flesh-and-blood musician."

Now, here's what early 1900s recordings actually sound like:
http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/

With these cylinder recordings - didn't the large horn give the sound a much more full feeling? I assume these clips are just a direct recording.

 

[macsound1]

I realize there is tons of royalty-free music out there, but if might be nice to experiement playing the BEach Boys while interviewing a surfer on the California coast.




As someone who has made "0" videos, those are all valid points.




Okay, THAT is a very valid point.




Also true.


But to counter your valid advice above, I was shooting at a small rodeo this summer where they played country music briefly after they released the bulls and it added A LOT to my video. And it wasn't overpowering or distracting and sounded very natural, because it was natural.

In fact, I think that and a couple other instances at county fairs is what inspired me to try this out and see if I can make it work in a small percentage of my videos.

Found a few fun songs from the Youtube library that kind of give me that surfer vibe.
Just sifting through the music makes me want to make videos to be able to use them.

 

[KaliYoni]

With these cylinder recordings - didn't the large horn give the sound a much more full feeling? I assume these clips are just a direct recording.

Well, if you really want to know:

Pilottech | UCSB Cylinder Audio Archive

cylinders.library.ucsb.edu

My guess is that even if a phonograph's horn added some resonance and reverberation to its output, the weak amplification and limitations of the recording process and media would mostly offset any improvements to the sound. In any case, I think it's interesting to discuss how the idea of "good" sound is actually very subjective, as we've been doing here.

----------
ETA: now that I'm thinking about this, maybe cylinders could sound close to live sound in an era without electric PA systems. Somebody who was accustomed to hearing unamplified music outdoors at long distances from the stage in large crowds probably could find wax cylinder recordings to be fairly accurate.

 

[Big Bad D]

Because the sound of soft music playing in a restaurant or cafe or in the distance at a park or music festival does not song the same as if you add a studio-quality song in post production.

I don't see how you can confuse the too.

Would a street fair or live concert off in the distance sound the same as a studio album from the same artist? Of course not!

I was confused because you are unclear. Your original posts mentioned speakers playing added background music, not ambient music such as street fair or live concert.

I try to help, and clearly you don’t have to agree with me, but last time I waste my time responding to you.

 

[macsound1]

Well, if you really want to know:

Pilottech | UCSB Cylinder Audio Archive

cylinders.library.ucsb.edu

My guess is that even if a phonograph's horn added some resonance and reverberation to its output, the weak amplification and limitations of the recording process and media would mostly offset any improvements to the sound. In any case, I think it's interesting to discuss how the idea of "good" sound is actually very subjective, as we've been doing here.

Love this! So cool! Thanks for sharing!

While I never got my degree, I truly think I'd love working in a University because of projects like this, taking something old and forgotten into the modern age. While quality will obviously never increase, the ability to understand and gain knowledge through these pieces and the technology it was made with is priceless.

 

[grmatt]

Then why is it that everywhere I travel across the US, all I hear is BOOM, BOOM, BOOM?

Even out in the country side where all there are are cowboys, all I hear is BOOM, BOOM, BOOM.

And because nearly everyone listens to this low-frequency, mega-bass music, I can't even hear the sing itself or the lyrics.

I just assume that everyone under 30 in the US listens to thug music - which in and of itself is disturbing to me.

And as a result, it appears that most manufacturers of audio gear cater to this market and everything is MEGA BASS.

In the 70s and 80s, music hard very very little bass in it. I mean you might have a steady drum beat - like Led Zeppelin or AC/DC - but it was still all about the guitars, the synthesizers, the other instruments and the vocals. Can you imagine listening to The Eagles if all you heard was THUMP, THUMP, THUMP?

Partly because, as you mentioned, lower frequencies travel farther. You're not the one listening to it, so you're not close enough to hear the mix more like how the artist intended. Careful with your "thug music" assertions... at best, you sound like a crotchety old man, at worst, this sounds racist. When you were listening to Zeppelin, many of the older generation thought it was terrible and the world was going to hell because of it. Styles and tastes change.

 

[Euroamerican]

On the plus side, the tejano music being played now and then about 300 yards up the road at the next farm after Mom and Dad's, on Sunday afternoon during familia picnics, does NOT seem to have any/much bass. So when I stop running the lawnmower or weedwacker, I luckily don't hear the boom-boom!

 

[casperes1996]

Those who began by listening to MP3s played through laptop speakers or cheap earbuds might feel lossless AACs on an iMac's speakers sound pretty good. Similarly, I grew up listening mostly to records. So anything on vinyl sounds warm and inviting to me. But somebody who loves megabass and wants maxed-out levels on everything probably prefers CDs or uncompressed digital files.

Minor correction; AAC is never lossless. It's per definition lossy. You may have meant ALAC.

 

[casperes1996]

My guess is that even if a phonograph's horn added some resonance and reverberation to its output, the weak amplification and limitations of the recording process and media would mostly offset any improvements to the sound. In any case, I think it's interesting to discuss how the idea of "good" sound is actually very subjective, as we've been doing here.

Indeed. I've seen people hear mildly better laptop speakers than what they had before and go "wow now I don't need headphones or external speakers!" And I've darn near pulled my hair out, haha.

 

[TwoLaneHighway]

Careful with your "thug music" assertions... at best, you sound like a crotchety old man, at worst, this sounds racist.

Thug music is racist - that's the point. I don't appreciate music - or people who make it - that feel the need to use the "n" word to express themselves.

Motown had something most artists after 1990 lack... Talent! (Plus they didn't feel the need to rip down people.)

Study after study has shown that there will be one or two generations of deaf people by age 30 listening to all of this low bass and high volume junk you here everywhere you go.

It gives me a headache nearly everywhere I go. Today I had to listen to more racist crap coming out of some punks pickup truck as I filled up with gas.

There is never a justification to use certain works...

 

[TwoLaneHighway]

On the plus side, the tejano music being played now and then about 300 yards up the road at the next farm after Mom and Dad's, on Sunday afternoon during familia picnics, does NOT seem to have any/much bass. So when I stop running the lawnmower or weedwacker, I luckily don't hear the boom-boom!

I was in the library last Friday and BOOM, BOOM, BOOM coming from outside on the street...

 

[TwoLaneHighway]

Indeed. I've seen people hear mildly better laptop speakers than what they had before and go "wow now I don't need headphones or external speakers!" And I've darn near pulled my hair out, haha.

There are certain songs that take me back to my childhood that I would only ever want to hear on AM radio or a transistor radio - Google it!

And I think listening to music on my cheap rMBP speakers is just right.

How?

Because I like faint music in the background that you can hear and enjoy but that doesn't rattle your brain.

Now, yes, sometimes I like to crank up a good rock song, but I think good music often sounds best when it is subtle.

It's not dissimilar to how "sophisticated" people enjoy eating a tiny sliver of cheesecake versus gobbling down an entire cake.

I think music that sounds distant so often sounds better - almost as good as eavesdropping in on a secret. It makes it sound like you are eavesdropping in on the past...

But back on topic, any music in my interviews or other videos should be subtle and not overpowering.

Guess I will have to experiment and see how things go.

And I can also see that I have lots to learn about audio - I hope you guys hang around in the Audio forum for later help!

 

[KaliYoni]

There's a reason why 60s Motown mono releases sound great on cheap speakers: the songs were deliberately mixed to be best heard on AM radios in cars. And I gotta say, I don't ever relegate Marvin & Tammi to background music! Or anything with the Funk Brothers on it for that matter.

 

[casperes1996]

There are certain songs that take me back to my childhood that I would only ever want to hear on AM radio or a transistor radio - Google it!

I don't need to Google anything.

But I get the point you're making. Dr. Hook sounds the best when it has the slight crackling of the pickup of a turntable against the vinyl record. It's got charm and authenticity.

 

[KeesMacPro]

Personally I think there are different aspects / points of view to be considered that lead to the definition of a " good speaker"...

Sound:
First of all , technically speaking sound recording and reproduction was already at a High End level around the 50's of the last century.
Due to hightech materials and techniques ,one of the main things that has improved since then is the power rating for loudspeakers.
Audiophiles still prefer some hardware from that period for that very reason e.g. Tube amps , analog recordings, turntables etc.
A typical feature of a tape recording is the way the tape gets saturated and starts to compress music in a "natural" way.
Prince used to master (or even record IINM) all recordings on analog tape devices before converting it to digital for CD's.
Every device used for amplification will produce harmonics(distortion) , but e.g. a Tube does that very differently compared to a transistor or a MOSFET...
Loudspeakers produce distortions too, and as with all devices : distortion increases non-proportionally with higher sound levels.
Digital techniques have developed a lot in the meantime, but are still far from 100% perfect in terms of distortion either....(not to mention digital compression e.g. mp3 = sound killer).


Personal sound preferences:
I agree that Motown sounds ok on a small radio, but it sounds good on a good stereo too, as far as i'm concerned.
Love to put Fela Kuti at very high sound levels : )
Of course there is this charm and ambient aspect too...
As a side note: for decades every professional Studio got these small Yamaha monitors for mixing and mastering.
Honestly these speakers dont sound very good, but it's still common to use them to get a mix that even on "limited" devices sounds more or less balanced .

Context where music is reproduced/sound level:
Naturally , music used in films generally plays a supporting kind of role , and thus stays at lower sound levels , except for Quentin Tarantino productions ; )
At a romantic dinner for two you choose certain music and sound levels too..
In most cases sound level may come down to personal preferences ,but IMO a typical high quality set up will reproduce music at a very high sound level, while it "feels" as if it was not so loud (perception of distortion is "agressive" to our ears) : no fatigue effects.

Short version: IMO music reproduction on a higher quality (=less distortion) device will always sound better.
The way "fat beats" are made more recently is purely synthetic and to put it subtle tiresome to the human senses.
Add these "bass boost" loudspeakers in cars and ghettoblasters and the recipe is perfect....
These loudspeakers (obviously) are far from natural reproduction devices and not only cause hearing damage , but in lots of cases are a sign of "modern" coolness and antisocial behaviour.

So looking for a "good" loudspeaker I'd focus on a clean, neutral and balanced sound reproduction.


Just my point of view...

 

[TwoLaneHighway]

@KeesMacPro,

Excellent post!

The way "fat beats" are made more recently is purely synthetic and to put it subtle tiresome to the human senses.

VERY tiresome!

Add these "bass boost" loudspeakers in cars and ghettoblasters and the recipe is perfect....
These loudspeakers (obviously) are far from natural reproduction devices and not only cause hearing damage, but in lots of cases are a sign of "modern" coolness and antisocial behaviour.

Yep! Couldn't have said it better myself! ??

So looking for a "good" loudspeaker I'd focus on a clean, neutral and balanced sound reproduction.

Are there any portable, Bluetooth speakers out there that aren't mega heavy in bass, and that at least approach what you describe above? (And which will help me to achieve what I am looking to do?)

Just my point of view...

Excellent post!

 

[KeesMacPro]

Excellent post!

Thx , much appreciated!

Are there any portable, Bluetooth speakers out there that aren't mega heavy in bass, and that at least approach what you describe above? (And which will help me to achieve what I am looking to do?)

Definitely, but this is not an easy one .
Personally I'd trust my ears i.e. check some reviews to get an idea and (if possible) try to find a store where you could hear and compare a view.
As a reference I'd bring some audio you know very well to the store to play and see what happens.
Brands like B&W (Bowers&Wilkins) , Dynaudio, Audio Pro Addon, Dali (to name a few) make excellent sounding products that might be within your budget.
You could test Bose too, but compared to these brands I doubt you'll choose Bose.
Besides your personal sound preferences there are other considerations too like the price, weight , aesthetics etc etc

 

[macsound1]

The other reason many speakers have trended toward being bass heavy is because as we've advanced through technology - tinny music was regarded as sounding cheap.
So cheap computer speakers were lacking bass.
This was recognized by designers and engineers but often misinterpreted that we wanted more bass, really we wanted a better representation of all frequencies, yes that includes bass but not as much as some people might think.
Bose is an example of a great engineering company that made a speaker that could reproduce lots of bass with a small driver. See the Bose Wave Radio from 1993.

Bluetooth Speaker Suggestion because everyone in my family got one for Christmas because they were well reviewed and I loved their neutral sound: Oontz Angle

OontZ Ultra Bluetooth Speaker, Portable Wireless Bluetooth 5.0 Speaker, 14 Watts, up to 100 ft Bluetooth Range, IPX7 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker (Black)

The OontZ Angle 3 ULTRA Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker, Designed and Engineered by Cambridge Soundworks Our Best Sounding Speaker Ever Bluetooth 4.2 – Play up to 100 feet away from your iPhone/Smartphone Crystal Clear Distortion-Free Sound Exceptionally well balanced OontZ Dual Wireless Ster...

www.amazon.com

Question - are you filming on your iPhone? Where are you playing your music from? Another iPhone?

 

[TwoLaneHighway]

The other reason many speakers have trended toward being bass heavy is because as we've advanced through technology - tinny music was regarded as sounding cheap.

Yeah.

So cheap computer speakers were lacking bass.
This was recognized by designers and engineers but often misinterpreted that we wanted more bass, really we wanted a better representation of all frequencies, yes that includes bass but not as much as some people might think.

Yep.

Bose is an example of a great engineering company that made a speaker that could reproduce lots of bass with a small driver. See the Bose Wave Radio from 1993.

Yeah, I actually owned a Bose desktop computer speaker, but it was too bass-ee for me, so I returned it.

Bluetooth Speaker Suggestion because everyone in my family got one for Christmas because they were well reviewed and I loved their neutral sound: Oontz Angle

OontZ Ultra Bluetooth Speaker, Portable Wireless Bluetooth 5.0 Speaker, 14 Watts, up to 100 ft Bluetooth Range, IPX7 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker (Black)

The OontZ Angle 3 ULTRA Portable Wireless Bluetooth Speaker, Designed and Engineered by Cambridge Soundworks Our Best Sounding Speaker Ever Bluetooth 4.2 – Play up to 100 feet away from your iPhone/Smartphone Crystal Clear Distortion-Free Sound Exceptionally well balanced OontZ Dual Wireless Ster...

www.amazon.com

I hate Jeff Bezos, and found this direct link...

https://shop.theoontz.com/products/...ble-bluetooth-speakers?variant=37824968556731

So if I buy this speaker that you and your family seem to like, what else would I need to make it work?

(See my answer below so you can answer this question.)

Question - are you filming on your iPhone? Where are you playing your music from? Another iPhone?

Right now I shoot video on an iPhone 11 Pro Max which is usually on a tripod with a shotgun mic and LED's.

For this ambient/background music idea that I have, I would be using an old iPhone 6S Plus.

Ironically I have no clue about mobile technology since I bought these phones to take pictures which later evolved into shooting video.

Would I need to transfer mp3 files from my MacBook Pro onto the iPhone 6S Plus and then use an app like iTunes?

And how would I set up the speakers to work for any wireless speaker mentioned above?

And how would I adjust things like volume and would there be an EQ I could tweak to adjust the sound like I want, or do you do that on this speaker itself?

 

[macsound1]

Yeah.




Yep.




Yeah, I actually owned a Bose desktop computer speaker, but it was too bass-ee for me, so I returned it.




I hate Jeff Bezos, and found this direct link...

https://shop.theoontz.com/products/...ble-bluetooth-speakers?variant=37824968556731

So if I buy this speaker that you and your family seem to like, what else would I need to make it work?

(See my answer below so you can answer this question.)




Right now I shoot video on an iPhone 11 Pro Max which is usually on a tripod with a shotgun mic and LED's.

For this ambient/background music idea that I have, I would be using an old iPhone 6S Plus.

Ironically I have no clue about mobile technology since I bought these phones to take pictures which later evolved into shooting video.

Would I need to transfer mp3 files from my MacBook Pro onto the iPhone 6S Plus and then use an app like iTunes?

And how would I set up the speakers to work for any wireless speaker mentioned above?

And how would I adjust things like volume and would there be an EQ I could tweak to adjust the sound like I want, or do you do that on this speaker itself?

If it's a song that you have on your computer, you could transfer onto your iPhone with iTunes. Or dropbox. Or iCloud Files.
If the song is on Spotify or some other streaming service, there should be an ability to favorite a song or album so it downloads to the phone when on WiFi and will playback when you're at your filming location.

I'm not certain on the iOS music app's ability to apply EQ to the song playing if it's over bluetooth. As I recall, spotify disables EQ unless you're using the headphone jack.

Also seeing that you're using a shotgun mic, you'll really need to finesse your background music placement because a shotgun mic is designed to reject off-axis audio. Not sure how you'll do that since you can't monitor audio live while recording on the iPhone. Might need to do a few takes.

The Oontz is a bluetooth speaker so you'd connect to it using the bluetooth menu on your iPhone.

Also rtings.com has a poor review for the oontz 3, but it seems to be for the exact reason you'd like it. Poor bass response.

edit: added link for review

 

[TwoLaneHighway]

If it's a song that you have on your computer, you could transfer onto your iPhone with iTunes. Or dropbox. Or iCloud Files.
If the song is on Spotify or some other streaming service, there should be an ability to favorite a song or album so it downloads to the phone when on WiFi and will playback when you're at your filming location.

I'm not certain on the iOS music app's ability to apply EQ to the song playing if it's over bluetooth. As I recall, spotify disables EQ unless you're using the headphone jack.

Also seeing that you're using a shotgun mic, you'll really need to finesse your background music placement because a shotgun mic is designed to reject off-axis audio. Not sure how you'll do that since you can't monitor audio live while recording on the iPhone. Might need to do a few takes.

The Oontz is a bluetooth speaker so you'd connect to it using the bluetooth menu on your iPhone.

Also rtings.com has a poor review for the oontz 3, but it seems to be for the exact reason you'd like it. Poor bass response.
View attachment 1828474
edit: added link for review

I use a broadcaster headset with mic to record my voice and monitor sound through whatever mics I am using (e.g. shotgun, reporter, wireless lavs), so I could monitor the Bluetooth speaker, although if it is outside the pattern of the shotgun mic, that gets harder.

If I'm going to do this, I think I need to just do it and see how it goes.

For $40, I really can't go wrong if it doesn't work, plus I could still use the speaker in my car when I travel, I suppose. (My car has no radio, so maybe I could use my iPhone and a speaker like this to simulate a normal car with a radio?!)

 

[Boyd01]

You see, if I add copyrighted music to a video, it is either impossible to get licensing rights, or the royalties would be mega expensive.

However, if music happens to be playing in the background, then it is fair game if it can be heard in a video I am creating.

I think you are way off base here. I've been a moderator at DVinfo.net for almost 20 years. It has been an ongoing complaint that YouTube and Vimeo will take your video down if there is recognizable copyrighted music playing in the background. From what I've seen, they have gotten much more aggressive about doing this in recent years. And people who live-stream events have complained their streams get cut off when recognizable music is playing.

There are some services that sell licenses that allow you to use copyrighted music but there are complaints of YouTube/Vimeo taking videos down nonetheless. I have no personal experience with this but have sure read a lot of first-hand reports. So give it a try and see what happens, but I think copyrighted music is copyrighted music regardless of how it gets into your video.

 

[TwoLaneHighway]

I think you are way off base here. I've been a moderator at DVinfo.net for almost 20 years. It has been an ongoing complaint that YouTube and Vimeo will take your video down if there is recognizable copyrighted music playing in the background. From what I've seen, they have gotten much more aggressive about doing this in recent years. And people who live-stream events have complained their streams get cut off when recognizable music is playing.

That may very well be the case, and since it is their platform, they can do that if they want. However, from a legal standpoint, it is acceptable if copyrighted music/material is playing in the background of a video/slive stream and is captured if the videographer would have no reasonable way of blocking out said background/ambient music/material.

So maybe the weak link is YouTube and Vimeo and not the lawyers from the record labels.

There are some services that sell licenses that allow you to use copyrighted music but there are complaints of YouTube/Vimeo taking videos down nonetheless.

Again, you may very well be correct about this.

And fwiw, this is yet another reason why in the long-term, I want to host my own videos, because I don't want Google/YouTube/Vimeo controlling my content (or profiting off of it).

I have no personal experience with this but have sure read a lot of first-hand reports.

I am sure you are right on this, and thanks for the heads up!

So give it a try and see what happens, but I think copyrighted music is copyrighted music regardless of how it gets into your video.

Well, as said above, what the courts say and what YouTube/Vimeo decide to do are separate things.

It will be interesting to see if I post my rodeo videos what happens to them, because I know that they were playing country songs in the background as the cowboys would chase the steers around, but then the music ended once the announcer comments on the last contestants and introduced the next ones.

Lisening in this country is a total FUBAR. And the record companies and copyright holders are IDIOTS in that they don't make it EASY for common people to be able to license music in vidoes, as it would likely be a windfall for the copyright owners.

There has been talk for a number of years that this will be coming soon, as it is the only practical way to protect copyrighted material and still generate revenue, but the propblem is that a glacier moves faster than the record companies and their lawyers.

As I learn more about edit and cinematography, I am sure I will find it easier to just use royalty-free music, or music where I can indeed buy the rights to use music in my videos, and I already know there are numerous sources out there that provide millions of songs that can be purchased for a reasonable price or subscription price and used indefinitely.

But alas, there is still no way to use "Surfin Safari" in a video unless you have LOTS of money AND if you can even agree to get the record labels to use it in your video, which is almost impossible to do.

Fortunately this entire topic is not a priority to me, and I probably have spent too much time idscussing it, but at least I am learning about sound and bass and Bluetooth speakers, and that has applications beyound putting music into my videos! So all of this is a good learning experience thanks to everyone here in this thread!

 

[casperes1996]

Lisening in this country is a total FUBAR. And the record companies and copyright holders are IDIOTS in that they don't make it EASY for common people to be able to license music in vidoes, as it would likely be a windfall for the copyright owners.

There has been talk for a number of years that this will be coming soon, as it is the only practical way to protect copyrighted material and still generate revenue, but the propblem is that a glacier moves faster than the record companies and their lawyers.

As I learn more about edit and cinematography, I am sure I will find it easier to just use royalty-free music, or music where I can indeed buy the rights to use music in my videos, and I already know there are numerous sources out there that provide millions of songs that can be purchased for a reasonable price or subscription price and used indefinitely.

But alas, there is still no way to use "Surfin Safari" in a video unless you have LOTS of money AND if you can even agree to get the record labels to use it in your video, which is almost impossible to do.

Fortunately this entire topic is not a priority to me, and I probably have spent too much time idscussing it, but at least I am learning about sound and bass and Bluetooth speakers, and that has applications beyound putting music into my videos! So all of this is a good learning experience thanks to everyone here in this thread!

I once talked to Sony about getting the rights to use the Elvis song "Are You Lonesome Tonight" for non-commercial use with a short film. I hadn't made any money off it and had no intention to - i.e. non-commercial - I just wanted to submit it to a film festival. In the end I wound up needing to use the alternate edit without the song because the figure Sony quotes for using the song in this way was astronomical for a student project. I can't remember the exact figure off top my had but in dollars it would probably be around the equivalent of $60k. I couldn't justify spending that much on one bit of audio for the short film - Hell, I didn't have that much to spend even if I wanted to. And they phrased the email something like "Since it's for a non-commercial student project we can offer licensing rights for as little as".
This was quite a few years ago now and I was dealing with the Danish office for Sony Music Entertainment - I have no clue with any other region, company or anything like that, but yeah - I also only have this one experience with SME, and Elvis may not exactly be the cheapest artist in their catalogue to License music from