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In OBS Studio, add your prerecorded video and a separate music file as media sources in the same scene, enable looping where needed, balance the music in the Audio Mixer, and test the complete setup before sending it to YouTube Live. Use music licensed for both the live broadcast and any archived copy; a license by itself may not stop YouTube from interrupting a live stream unless the rights holder has allowlisted your channel through Content ID.
What you need before you start
- A computer that can run OBS Studio for the full time you want to broadcast. With this do-it-yourself workflow, the video and music play from sources on that computer.
- Your prerecorded video and a separate music file. OBS Media Sources supports MP3, AAC, OGG, and WAV audio files; its media sources have looping controls. OBS Media Sources documentation
- A YouTube channel with live streaming enabled, plus a stream URL and stream key from YouTube Studio. Follow YouTube’s encoder setup for creating or scheduling the stream. YouTube’s encoder setup guide
- Music permissions that cover the intended live use and, if you keep an archive, that recording as well. Check terms for monetization and the relevant territories, too.
Choose music that can remain in the live stream
Do not assume a track is safe to broadcast because it is available online, credited in your description, or licensed for ordinary video use. Confirm that the permission covers continuous YouTube Live use and the archived stream. For copyright-protected music, YouTube for Artists recommends coordinating with the label or distributor. YouTube for Artists: Going live for music channels
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YouTube scans live streams for third-party content. A rights holder may need to allowlist your channel through Content ID; without that, YouTube says a live stream can be interrupted even if you have licensed the content. Archived live streams may also receive Content ID claims after the event. YouTube’s live-stream copyright guidance
Add and loop video and music in OBS
- Open OBS Studio and select the scene you intend to broadcast, or create a scene for the continuous stream.
- In the Sources panel, select + and add a Media Source for the prerecorded video. Choose the file and enable Loop if it should restart automatically after playback ends. Source labels can vary slightly by OBS version. See the Media Sources guide.
- Select + again and add another Media Source for the music file. Choose the audio file; enable Loop if the music should repeat. If the music is intended to run continuously while the video repeats, check both sources’ behavior at the end of playback so neither stops unexpectedly.
- Check the scene preview. Confirm the video is visible and that the intended sources are active. If the music source has visual dimensions, arrange or hide its visual element as appropriate for the scene while keeping its audio active.
Set the music level and test the complete scene
Balance music in the Audio Mixer
Use the music source’s fader and meter in OBS’s Audio Mixer to set its level. OBS’s guidance places background music and alerts in the green meter zone; avoid treating a fader position as a universal setting, because source loudness varies. Listen to the music through audio monitoring and adjust it so it supports rather than overwhelms any other sound in the scene. OBS Audio Mixer Guide
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Make a test recording and listen back
Record the whole scene in OBS and play it back before going live. Check that the music is audible, the video and music start and loop as intended, and there is no unwanted silence or overlap at the loop point. YouTube recommends testing with audio and video movement similar to the planned stream, rather than checking a silent or static setup. YouTube’s encoder settings and testing guidance
Connect OBS to YouTube Live
- In YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room, create or schedule the stream and copy its stream URL and stream key. Keep the key private; anyone with access to it may be able to send a feed to your stream.
- In OBS, open Settings > Stream, select the applicable YouTube connection method or custom server option, and enter the stream URL and key as required by the workflow. YouTube’s encoder setup guide explains the server URL and key workflow.
- Use RTMPS where available. For YouTube RTMP/RTMPS stereo audio, YouTube recommends 44.1 kHz stereo and 128 Kbps audio bitrate; it lists AAC or MP3 audio as supported. YouTube encoder settings
- Start streaming from OBS. If you created a scheduled stream, wait for the incoming feed and confirm the preview in Live Control Room before selecting the control to go live. Check YouTube’s stream-health indicators after the feed starts.
Keep the stream and archive in mind
Monitor YouTube’s stream health while broadcasting, and watch for copyright warnings or interruptions. YouTube says live streams under 12 hours are automatically archived; longer streams are not covered by that automatic-archive statement, so do not rely on it to preserve a longer broadcast. Check the finished archive for Content ID claims. YouTube’s encoder guide and copyright guidance
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If a third-party track is licensed, arrange any required Content ID allowlisting with the rights holder before the event and retain your license documentation. Permission and platform matching are related but separate issues: YouTube warns that an unallowlisted channel can still face a live interruption.
Common problems and fixes
| Symptom | What to check | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Video or music stops instead of repeating | The relevant Media Source’s loop setting and whether the file has finished. | Enable looping on each source that must repeat, then record and review a full playback cycle. |
| Music is missing from the stream | The source is active, the correct file is selected, and its Audio Mixer meter responds during playback. | Check the source and mixer state, monitor the audio, and make another test recording before going live. |
| Music is too loud or distorts | The music source meter and the recording playback. | Lower the music source fader and retest. OBS recommends keeping background music in the green meter zone. |
| YouTube warns about or interrupts the stream for music | Whether the track is covered for live use and whether the rights holder has allowlisted your channel through Content ID. | Contact the rights holder or label/distributor to resolve permissions and allowlisting. Do not assume a license alone prevents interruption. |
| The stream does not appear in the Live Control Room | The selected stream URL and key, and whether the scheduled stream is awaiting an encoder feed. | Verify the OBS stream configuration against the stream created in YouTube Studio, then start the encoder feed and check the preview. |
Or let it run in the cloud
If the aim is a continuous prerecorded YouTube stream but you do not want a computer running at home, StreamNeo keeps an uploaded video or playlist looping from the cloud. The setup is: upload your recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, then go live. It does not stream from a camera and is for YouTube.
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