Info & Help
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Welcome to the service desert... just kidding. Here you'll find answers to everything that regularly lands in my inbox. Short version: I'm just a guy, this is my hobby, and the music is for you.
Licence & credit
Can I really use the music for free? (License)
Short answer: Yes.
Long answer: All tracks here are licensed under the Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 License. In plain English: you may copy, use in videos, remix, and share the music. The only "catch" of the license is actually the attribution requirement – but please read the next point for details. Legal details are available here.
Long answer: All tracks here are licensed under the Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 License. In plain English: you may copy, use in videos, remix, and share the music. The only "catch" of the license is actually the attribution requirement – but please read the next point for details. Legal details are available here.
Do I have to credit you as the author?
Officially according to the license: Yes.
In my specific case: No, you don't have to.
I have chosen to make attribution voluntary. If you mention me in the credits, video description, or end screen, I'll be thrilled (that's my only reward). But if it ruins the design or you simply forget: no stress, I won't sue anyone.
In my specific case: No, you don't have to.
I have chosen to make attribution voluntary. If you mention me in the credits, video description, or end screen, I'll be thrilled (that's my only reward). But if it ruins the design or you simply forget: no stress, I won't sue anyone.
If I want to credit you: how do I do it correctly?
That's music to my ears! If you want to mention me, something like this is perfectly sufficient:
That's all it takes. Thank you for it!
Music: "Battlefield Heroes" by Sascha Ende\nWebsite: ende.appThat's all it takes. Thank you for it!
I bought a license in the past. Do I still need it?
No. You can hang the document on the wall as a souvenir or digitally shred it. Since I now offer all music under the very permissive CC BY 4.0 (with the addition "attribution voluntary"), old licenses are obsolete. You now essentially have "free-user premium rights" – and that's forever.
Can I also use the music for events, telephone hold lines and the like?
Yes, of course. The Creative Commons license (CC BY 4.0) covers all of that – events, telephone hold lines, background music in restaurants, podcasts, commercials, indie games, YouTube, TikTok, your flatshare cleaning-rota video... you get the idea.
Honestly, I don't want to start a complete list of every conceivable use case here – it would be longer than a phone book and nobody would read it to the end anyway. Just take a quick look at the license, everything important is in there. Rule of thumb: if it's not expressly forbidden there, you're allowed to do it.
Honestly, I don't want to start a complete list of every conceivable use case here – it would be longer than a phone book and nobody would read it to the end anyway. Just take a quick look at the license, everything important is in there. Rule of thumb: if it's not expressly forbidden there, you're allowed to do it.
Can you personally confirm in writing that I may use the music for my project?
Same answer again, sorry: No – and it really isn't meant in a bad way. This website already contains all the information you need: the license, the note about my hobby status, and the fact that I'm not a member of any collecting society. From a purely practical standpoint, it simply isn't feasible to issue an individual, personally signed confirmation to each of the roughly 10,000 daily visitors – and honestly, I don't want to either. My only reward for this entire project is joy, not paperwork.
The good news: you don't need that personal confirmation at all. The CC BY 4.0 license is an internationally recognized, fully valid legal contract – it is your written confirmation.
The good news: you don't need that personal confirmation at all. The CC BY 4.0 license is an internationally recognized, fully valid legal contract – it is your written confirmation.
Are you a member of GEMA or any other collecting society? Can you confirm that in writing?
Short answer: No – I'm not a member of any collecting society. Not GEMA, not GVL, nor any other organization on this planet.
However, I unfortunately don't issue individual written confirmations for each request – that would quickly blow up my hobby status (see also the section about support). The notice is clearly visible in the website footer, and the license (CC BY 4.0) already proves that you can use the music completely freely. You really don't need any more proof – promised.
However, I unfortunately don't issue individual written confirmations for each request – that would quickly blow up my hobby status (see also the section about support). The notice is clearly visible in the website footer, and the license (CC BY 4.0) already proves that you can use the music completely freely. You really don't need any more proof – promised.
Help, YouTube Content ID is annoying me!
As much as I'd love to argue with the YouTube legal robot: I have to pass on this one. Content ID and I are not friends. Since you have the license (see above), you're in the right. File a dispute, reference the license. You've got this! Google is your friend when searching for "how to dispute a Content ID claim".
Account & downloads
Is there a daily download limit? (Plans and limits)
Yes – and how many downloads you get per day depends on your plan. Every plan costs 0 € – today, tomorrow, forever. The only difference is the number of downloads per day.
Counting happens in a rolling 24-hour window: there is no cut-off at midnight – every download drops out of the count exactly 24 hours later.
Higher plans: V.I.P. is not something you apply for – I hand it out personally to friends and supporters of the site. There is no form for it.
You need an account to download. It is free and takes a few seconds.
Why all of this exists: I pay for the server out of my own pocket, and a single bot burns more traffic in a day than a thousand real visitors. The plans make sure the downloads go to the people who actually use the music.
Tip: the favourites feature costs no quota – bookmark songs there for later.
And no, several accounts are not the way around it – see "Can I create several accounts to get more downloads?".
- Starter – where every new account begins: 20 downloads per day.
- Higher plans – currently up to 100 downloads per day.
Counting happens in a rolling 24-hour window: there is no cut-off at midnight – every download drops out of the count exactly 24 hours later.
Higher plans: V.I.P. is not something you apply for – I hand it out personally to friends and supporters of the site. There is no form for it.
You need an account to download. It is free and takes a few seconds.
Why all of this exists: I pay for the server out of my own pocket, and a single bot burns more traffic in a day than a thousand real visitors. The plans make sure the downloads go to the people who actually use the music.
Tip: the favourites feature costs no quota – bookmark songs there for later.
And no, several accounts are not the way around it – see "Can I create several accounts to get more downloads?".
Can I create several accounts to get more downloads?
No. And this is the one place in this FAQ where I actually get unfriendly.
The daily limit (see "Is there a daily download limit? (Plans and limits)") does not exist because I am stingy, but because the server has to be paid for – by me, out of my own pocket. Anyone creating account after account to harvest that limit several times over is taking their advantage at the expense of every other visitor.
And a second account still gets you nowhere: the higher allowance (V.I.P.) is something I hand out personally to friends and supporters – signing up again will not get you there.
What happens if I spot it anyway: I delete all accounts involved – not just the most recent one – and put all email addresses used on the block list permanently. Registering again with those addresses is then no longer possible. There is no warning beforehand.
And yes, I do spot it. Multiple accounts stand out quite clearly from the interplay of downloads, recognition and IP address (details in the privacy policy, section 4).
The daily limit (see "Is there a daily download limit? (Plans and limits)") does not exist because I am stingy, but because the server has to be paid for – by me, out of my own pocket. Anyone creating account after account to harvest that limit several times over is taking their advantage at the expense of every other visitor.
And a second account still gets you nowhere: the higher allowance (V.I.P.) is something I hand out personally to friends and supporters – signing up again will not get you there.
What happens if I spot it anyway: I delete all accounts involved – not just the most recent one – and put all email addresses used on the block list permanently. Registering again with those addresses is then no longer possible. There is no warning beforehand.
And yes, I do spot it. Multiple accounts stand out quite clearly from the interplay of downloads, recognition and IP address (details in the privacy policy, section 4).
User accounts, privacy
- Delete account: You can do it yourself, any time — here's how. And if you do nothing: don't log in for 6 months, and you're history (in the data protection sense).
- Privacy: An account consists of a username, your email address and an internal number (UUID). No real names, no postal address, no payment data, no shoe sizes.
How do I delete my account?
Easily, and anytime, all by yourself – you don't need to ask me. Here's how:
What happens: Your account is deleted immediately and permanently – including your profile, email address, favorites and playlists. This action cannot be undone.
And if you do nothing at all: that's fine too. Any account that isn't logged into for 6 months disappears automatically (see "User accounts, privacy").
- Log in to your account.
- Open your settings.
- Scroll all the way down to the red-bordered "Delete account" section.
- Confirm the deletion (accounts with a password enter their current password for safety; for a quick-code account the checkbox is enough) and click "Permanently delete account".
What happens: Your account is deleted immediately and permanently – including your profile, email address, favorites and playlists. This action cannot be undone.
And if you do nothing at all: that's fine too. Any account that isn't logged into for 6 months disappears automatically (see "User accounts, privacy").
Where did filmmusic.io go and why doesn't my login work anymore?
Okay, real talk: the old platform was a huge monster. 250,000 users, server costs, email delivery, support requests... and at the end of the month I was paying out of pocket.
I had to pull the plug to avoid going broke (or crazy). That's why all data was deleted. But: if you were a user before, just create a new account – it's free.
I had to pull the plug to avoid going broke (or crazy). That's why all data was deleted. But: if you were a user before, just create a new account – it's free.
About me & this site
Why do you put yourself through this stress? (Motivation)
The real starting point for this project, as it exists today, was honestly a life crisis. In 2011, after separating from my first wife, music became my most important therapy. I literally spent days and nights in front of the keyboard to clear my head and hammer emotions into the keys that had nowhere else to go. Looking back, I often wonder why I didn't do it much sooner – after all, I learned to play keyboard at age 7. But sometimes it takes hitting rock bottom to rediscover an old passion as a lifeline.
Today the pain has faded, but the passion has remained – and it has joined forces with my profession. As a full-time programmer, this website is my ultimate technical playground. I love experimenting with the latest technologies here at night, before they go mainstream: whether it's an AI-powered similarity search, fully automated music analysis, or complex UI optimizations. These are often features that large commercial services charge a lot of money for (or don't even offer), and I build them here in my spare time – simply out of curiosity to see if I can.
I'm often asked: "Sascha, why don't you sell this technology? You could get rich!" The answer is simple: I no longer want the stress of self-employment and business plans (you can read about why below in the website's "Story"). I want to program and make music, not have sales conversations.
The real "payoff" for me today is the result of this work: when I see that a song that once came from a crisis is now bringing joy to your funny vacation video, an important school project, or a creative indie game – then the circle is complete. That's better than any payment. That's my fuel. And one more thing makes me proud: my work has now even inspired my daughter to learn piano, sing, and compose her own songs. She is my biggest fan and my best critic at the same time.
Today the pain has faded, but the passion has remained – and it has joined forces with my profession. As a full-time programmer, this website is my ultimate technical playground. I love experimenting with the latest technologies here at night, before they go mainstream: whether it's an AI-powered similarity search, fully automated music analysis, or complex UI optimizations. These are often features that large commercial services charge a lot of money for (or don't even offer), and I build them here in my spare time – simply out of curiosity to see if I can.
I'm often asked: "Sascha, why don't you sell this technology? You could get rich!" The answer is simple: I no longer want the stress of self-employment and business plans (you can read about why below in the website's "Story"). I want to program and make music, not have sales conversations.
The real "payoff" for me today is the result of this work: when I see that a song that once came from a crisis is now bringing joy to your funny vacation video, an important school project, or a creative indie game – then the circle is complete. That's better than any payment. That's my fuel. And one more thing makes me proud: my work has now even inspired my daughter to learn piano, sing, and compose her own songs. She is my biggest fan and my best critic at the same time.
The story behind this website (History)
For context: I have a normal full-time job (and always have). This website is my "after-hours madness" – a one-man show that mostly happens at night.
2010 - The Beginning
My first small music portfolio goes live on ende.us. Still very basic.
2011 - Moving
We move to the domain ende.tv. Sounds more important, feels good.
2012 - 100,000 visitors
Suddenly things are really happening here. I notice: wow, people actually care about this.
2013 - The first mistake
Partnership with a media company. I thought "synergies", the reality was more like "headaches". In retrospect, not a good idea.
2016 - Solo again
Left the company. I move my music to sascha-ende.de. Back to the roots.
2017 - Birth of Filmmusic.io
A new platform emerges. Sascha-ende.de becomes a business card, the music moves.
2019 - Megalomania (almost)
Opening up to other artists & founding the "UG". Sounds like business, but it was the start of bureaucracy hell.
2022 - The crash
The UG is liquidated. I continue alone. Donation model introduced. Financially a flop.
2023 - The dark year
Ads gone, revenue in the basement (€150/month), depression. Guest artists cause Content ID strikes for my users. Loss of trust.
January 2024 - The liberation
All guest artists are out. Platform belongs exclusively to my compositions again.
August 2024 - Tech restart
The old site is history. New site, anonymous accounts, no more data protection stress.
September 2024 - Hobby status: activated
Business deregistered. License relaxed (attribution optional). Finally having fun again without business pressure.
July 2025 - Rebranding
filmmusic.io becomes ende.app. To make it clear: this is me, personally.
January 2026 - ENDE.APP 2.0
Modernization complete. Playlists, faceted search, turbo accounts. We have arrived.
2010 - The Beginning
My first small music portfolio goes live on ende.us. Still very basic.
2011 - Moving
We move to the domain ende.tv. Sounds more important, feels good.
2012 - 100,000 visitors
Suddenly things are really happening here. I notice: wow, people actually care about this.
2013 - The first mistake
Partnership with a media company. I thought "synergies", the reality was more like "headaches". In retrospect, not a good idea.
2016 - Solo again
Left the company. I move my music to sascha-ende.de. Back to the roots.
2017 - Birth of Filmmusic.io
A new platform emerges. Sascha-ende.de becomes a business card, the music moves.
2019 - Megalomania (almost)
Opening up to other artists & founding the "UG". Sounds like business, but it was the start of bureaucracy hell.
2022 - The crash
The UG is liquidated. I continue alone. Donation model introduced. Financially a flop.
2023 - The dark year
Ads gone, revenue in the basement (€150/month), depression. Guest artists cause Content ID strikes for my users. Loss of trust.
January 2024 - The liberation
All guest artists are out. Platform belongs exclusively to my compositions again.
August 2024 - Tech restart
The old site is history. New site, anonymous accounts, no more data protection stress.
September 2024 - Hobby status: activated
Business deregistered. License relaxed (attribution optional). Finally having fun again without business pressure.
July 2025 - Rebranding
filmmusic.io becomes ende.app. To make it clear: this is me, personally.
January 2026 - ENDE.APP 2.0
Modernization complete. Playlists, faceted search, turbo accounts. We have arrived.
You're a programmer – do you also use A.I. for the website?
Of course! Since I've specialized in this professionally, this is my playground. It's just a lot of fun to build these technologies yourself instead of buying them in.
In the past, audio analysis ran through external service providers; today my own code handles it "in-house". My A.I. now handles almost everything fully automatically:
The similarity search is also based on A.I.: I calculate vectors for each song and compare them in high-dimensional space (taking genres into account) to suggest the perfect next track.
When programming itself (and often in music too), A.I. is my constant co-pilot. It makes me effectively 10 to 20 times faster. Honestly: I don't know any developer who doesn't use it today – it would be wasted lifetime not to. :)
In the past, audio analysis ran through external service providers; today my own code handles it "in-house". My A.I. now handles almost everything fully automatically:
- Analysis: It breaks down the music technically into its components.
- Texts: Introduction texts and detailed descriptions are generated.
- Organization: Topics, genres, and moods are automatically recognized.
- Highlights: It finds the most exciting moments in the song for the previews.
- Language: All translations on this site come from the machine.
The similarity search is also based on A.I.: I calculate vectors for each song and compare them in high-dimensional space (taking genres into account) to suggest the perfect next track.
When programming itself (and often in music too), A.I. is my constant co-pilot. It makes me effectively 10 to 20 times faster. Honestly: I don't know any developer who doesn't use it today – it would be wasted lifetime not to. :)
Nerd talk: what equipment do you use?
In case anyone is curious what I use to make noise here at night:
Hardware
Software (DAW)
Favorite libraries:
Hardware
- Keys: M-AUDIO Oxygen Pro61
- Interface: Focusrite Scarlett 8i6
- Mics: Røde PodMic, NT1-A, NT-5
Software (DAW)
- Cubase: For all things orchestral (Hans Zimmer mode)
- FL Studio: For beats & electronic (party mode)
Favorite libraries:
- 8dio (Unbeatable choirs & solo strings)
- Spitfire Audio (BBC Symphony Orchestra – a dream)
- Native Instruments (The standard, basically)
Why are you no longer on Spotify and other music streaming services?
I hate Spotify – for many reasons – and no longer have a private subscription there. I no longer want to support this rip-off music industry in general, so I've removed all my music from everywhere. Besides, it's all completely free here anyway.
Contact & getting involved
I need help / support. Can I contact you?
Please don't take it personally, but: No. This website is a pure hobby project alongside my full-time job. If I start providing individual support, I won't get around to making music (or sleeping). The website and music come "as is" – without warranty, but made with a lot of love.
Can I hire you for custom music commissions?
That's flattering, but I've deregistered my business. I no longer take commissions, accept money, or write invoices. I only do what I feel like doing – and then upload it here.
Can I upload my own music as an artist? / I'd like to apply for upload permission
Thank you, really – I'm genuinely flattered that you'd want to share your work here. But the answer is a clear and final No.
There's a reason this website carries my last name: it's my personal portfolio, my hobby, my little corner of the internet – not a platform or a marketplace for other artists. From 2019 to 2023 I did open it up to guest musicians, and that experiment ended badly: guest uploads triggered YouTube Content ID strikes against my users, who suddenly got copyright claims on music they were promised was free. That broke the trust people had placed in me (you can read the whole story under "The story behind this website", especially the dark year 2023).
In January 2024 I removed every guest artist and made a promise to myself and to you: never again. To protect my users, everything on this site is, and will remain, exclusively my own compositions. There are no exceptions, no application process, and no "but my case is different" – sorry. I won't reply individually to upload requests either; please consider this FAQ entry the answer.
If you make great music: that's wonderful, keep going! Just somewhere else. 🙂
There's a reason this website carries my last name: it's my personal portfolio, my hobby, my little corner of the internet – not a platform or a marketplace for other artists. From 2019 to 2023 I did open it up to guest musicians, and that experiment ended badly: guest uploads triggered YouTube Content ID strikes against my users, who suddenly got copyright claims on music they were promised was free. That broke the trust people had placed in me (you can read the whole story under "The story behind this website", especially the dark year 2023).
In January 2024 I removed every guest artist and made a promise to myself and to you: never again. To protect my users, everything on this site is, and will remain, exclusively my own compositions. There are no exceptions, no application process, and no "but my case is different" – sorry. I won't reply individually to upload requests either; please consider this FAQ entry the answer.
If you make great music: that's wonderful, keep going! Just somewhere else. 🙂
I want to give you money! (Donations)
You're awesome! But since I no longer have a registered business, I'm legally not allowed to accept donations for my "work" (Germany and its bureaucracy, sigh).
My suggestion: Donate the money to a non-profit of your choice (animal shelter, cancer research, education). If you send me a screenshot of it, I'll be happier than if you sent me any amount of money.
My suggestion: Donate the money to a non-profit of your choice (animal shelter, cancer research, education). If you send me a screenshot of it, I'll be happier than if you sent me any amount of money.
Can you link to my website (SEO)?
No. (Long version: No, really not. Not for money, cookies, or kind words either. I only link to projects that directly keep this site alive.)
The music is annoying. Now what?
Harsh words, but fair. Hans Zimmer was unfortunately unavailable and my budget for the London Symphony Orchestra only stretched to a cheese sandwich.
The good news: you're the DJ here. In the app you can switch tracks or – if you prefer complete acoustic emptiness – just mute everything. The mute button is basically my "John Cage 4′33″ remix" for you.
I'm constantly tinkering alone with new sounds (no elves, just lots of coffee). So if nothing suits you: hit mute, breathe deeply, and enjoy the silence. I'll just cry quietly in the server room for a moment.
The good news: you're the DJ here. In the app you can switch tracks or – if you prefer complete acoustic emptiness – just mute everything. The mute button is basically my "John Cage 4′33″ remix" for you.
I'm constantly tinkering alone with new sounds (no elves, just lots of coffee). So if nothing suits you: hit mute, breathe deeply, and enjoy the silence. I'll just cry quietly in the server room for a moment.