Choosing a length
How long your music video should be, for social, for a release and for your first try, and what each length costs in credits.
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Longer isn't better. The right length depends on where the video will live, and a short one is the cheapest way to see what Melodious makes of your song.
A rule of thumb
| Length | Best for |
|---|---|
| 15 to 30 seconds | TikTok, Reels, Shorts, a teaser, your first video |
| About 60 seconds | A longer social cut, a pre-release trailer |
| The full song | YouTube and your release |
Start short
Make 30 seconds first. You'll see the look, the pacing and your characters for a fraction of the cost of a full song, and you can make the long one once you love the short one.
What it costs
A finished video at 720p costs 20 credits per second, so:
| Length | Credits |
|---|---|
| 15 seconds | 300 credits |
| 30 seconds | 600 credits |
| 60 seconds | 1,200 credits |
| 3 minutes | 3,600 credits |
How credits work shows the split between keyframes and the render.
Pick the part people know
For a short video, use the chorus or the drop. It's the part that makes someone look up the song.
More detail, platform by platform: How long should a music video be?