How to Shazam a Video on Your Phone: And Why You Should Probably Just Hum It Instead

In the age of instant gratification, where music and video content are at our fingertips, the ability to identify a song playing in a video has become a sought-after skill. Shazam, the popular music recognition app, has long been a go-to tool for identifying songs playing in the real world. But what about when the song is embedded in a video on your phone? Can you Shazam a video? The answer is yes, but it’s not as straightforward as you might think. In this article, we’ll explore the various methods to Shazam a video on your phone, discuss the limitations, and even ponder why you might want to consider just humming the tune instead.

1. Understanding Shazam’s Core Functionality

Before diving into the specifics of Shazaming a video, it’s important to understand how Shazam works. Shazam uses your phone’s microphone to capture a snippet of audio, which it then compares against a vast database of songs. When a match is found, Shazam provides you with the song’s title, artist, and other relevant information. This process is seamless when you’re trying to identify a song playing in your environment, but it becomes more complicated when the audio is coming from a video on your device.

2. The Challenges of Shazaming a Video

When you’re dealing with a video on your phone, the audio is often mixed with other sounds, such as dialogue, sound effects, or background noise. This can make it difficult for Shazam to isolate and identify the song. Additionally, the quality of the audio in the video can affect Shazam’s ability to recognize the song. If the audio is compressed or distorted, Shazam may struggle to find a match.

3. Method 1: Using Shazam’s Built-in Video Recognition

Shazam has evolved over the years, and one of its newer features is the ability to recognize songs in videos. To use this feature, follow these steps:

1. Open the Shazam App: Launch the Shazam app on your phone.
2. Tap the Shazam Button: The app will start listening to the audio around you.
3. Play the Video: While Shazam is listening, play the video on your phone. Make sure the volume is turned up so that Shazam can hear the audio clearly.
4. Wait for a Match: Shazam will analyze the audio and attempt to identify the song. If successful, it will display the song’s information.

Limitations: This method works best when the video is playing on a separate device or when the audio is clear and not mixed with other sounds. If the video is playing on the same device as Shazam, the app may struggle to isolate the song from the video’s audio.

4. Method 2: Using Screen Recording

If Shazam’s built-in video recognition doesn’t work, you can try using a screen recording to capture the audio from the video. Here’s how:

1. Record the Video: Use your phone’s screen recording feature to capture the video with the song you want to identify. Make sure the audio is enabled in the recording settings.
2. Play the Recording: Once the recording is complete, play it back on your phone.
3. Open Shazam: Launch the Shazam app and tap the Shazam button while the recording is playing.
4. Wait for a Match: Shazam will analyze the audio from the recording and attempt to identify the song.

Limitations: This method can be time-consuming, and the quality of the recording may affect Shazam’s ability to recognize the song. Additionally, screen recording may not be available on all devices.

5. Method 3: Using a Second Device

If you have access to a second device, such as another phone or a tablet, you can use it to Shazam the video playing on your primary device. Here’s how:

1. Play the Video: Play the video on your primary device.
2. Open Shazam on the Second Device: Launch the Shazam app on the second device and tap the Shazam button.
3. Hold the Second Device Near the Primary Device: Position the second device so that its microphone can pick up the audio from the video playing on the primary device.
4. Wait for a Match: Shazam will analyze the audio and attempt to identify the song.

Limitations: This method requires access to a second device, which may not always be convenient. Additionally, the quality of the audio picked up by the second device’s microphone can affect Shazam’s ability to recognize the song.

6. Method 4: Extracting Audio from the Video

If none of the above methods work, you can try extracting the audio from the video and then using Shazam to identify the song. Here’s how:

1. Extract the Audio: Use a video editing app or software to extract the audio from the video. Save the audio file to your phone.
2. Play the Audio File: Play the extracted audio file on your phone.
3. Open Shazam: Launch the Shazam app and tap the Shazam button while the audio file is playing.
4. Wait for a Match: Shazam will analyze the audio and attempt to identify the song.

Limitations: This method requires some technical know-how and access to video editing tools. Additionally, the quality of the extracted audio can affect Shazam’s ability to recognize the song.

7. Why You Might Just Want to Hum It Instead

While the methods above can help you Shazam a video on your phone, they all come with their own set of challenges and limitations. In some cases, it might be easier to just hum or sing the tune to yourself and use Shazam’s hum-to-recognize feature. Here’s how:

1. Open Shazam: Launch the Shazam app on your phone.
2. Tap the Hum Button: Shazam has a feature that allows you to hum or sing a tune, and it will attempt to identify the song based on your vocal input.
3. Hum or Sing the Tune: Hum or sing the part of the song you remember.
4. Wait for a Match: Shazam will analyze your vocal input and attempt to identify the song.

Advantages: This method is quick and doesn’t require any additional tools or devices. It’s also a fun way to test your musical memory!

8. Conclusion

Shazaming a video on your phone is possible, but it’s not always straightforward. Depending on the situation, you may need to use one of the methods outlined above, such as using Shazam’s built-in video recognition, screen recording, a second device, or extracting the audio from the video. However, if all else fails, you can always try humming the tune to Shazam and see if it can identify the song that way. In the end, the goal is to enjoy the music, and sometimes the journey to discovering a song can be just as rewarding as the song itself.

Related Q&A

Q1: Can Shazam identify songs in videos with background noise? A1: Shazam can sometimes identify songs in videos with background noise, but the accuracy may be reduced. The app works best when the song is clear and not mixed with other sounds.

Q2: Does Shazam work with all types of videos? A2: Shazam can work with most types of videos, but the success rate depends on the quality of the audio and whether the song is mixed with other sounds. Videos with clear, isolated audio are more likely to be recognized.

Q3: Can I use Shazam to identify songs in movies or TV shows? A3: Yes, you can use Shazam to identify songs in movies or TV shows, but the same limitations apply. The app may struggle if the song is mixed with dialogue or sound effects.

Q4: Is there a limit to how many times I can Shazam a video? A4: There is no limit to how many times you can Shazam a video, but repeated attempts may not yield different results if the audio quality remains the same.

Q5: Can Shazam identify songs in live performances or covers? A5: Shazam is designed to identify original recordings, so it may not always recognize live performances or covers. However, if the performance is close to the original, Shazam may still be able to identify the song.