How to Find a Song Without Lyrics: 7 Ways to Name an Instrumental Track

Searching for a song is easy when you remember a line from the chorus. Paste it into Google and you're done. But what about an instrumental you heard in a video, a piano piece from a movie, an electronic track at a party, or a melody stuck in your head with no words at all?

Without lyrics, you need a different approach. The right one depends on what you have: the song playing right now, a recording or video, only the melody in your head, or just a vague memory of where you heard it.

Quick answer

• The song is playing now: use Shazam, SoundHound or Google's song search.
• It's in a video: check the video's music credits, or find the song from the video with the link or file.
• It's only in your head: hum, whistle or sing "da da da" into Google's hum to search.
• You remember where you heard it: look up the show, game, ad or video's soundtrack list.
• Nothing works: describe it to a community like r/tipofmytongue or r/whatsongisthis.

1. Use a music recognition app while it plays

If the track is playing now, music recognition doesn't care whether it has lyrics. Apps like Shazam, SoundHound and the Google app create an audio fingerprint and match it against released recordings. Instrumentals, film scores and electronic tracks work just as well as pop songs, as long as the recording is in their catalog.

For the best result, record a section where the main melody or beat is clear, with no talking over it. If the song is playing on your own phone, see how to Shazam a video for ways to identify it without a second device.

2. Identify the song from the video it was in

Many wordless songs people search for come from videos: a TikTok edit, a YouTube vlog's background track, a Reel or a game trailer. If you still have the video:

• Check the credits first. TikTok and Instagram show a sound or audio name at the bottom of the screen. Many YouTube videos list songs in the description under a Music section.
• Paste the link. If the credits are missing or say "original sound," paste the link into a song finder by video to identify the track. It works with TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X (Twitter) links.
• Upload the file. For a saved clip or screen recording, upload the audio or video file instead.

Background music under a voiceover is harder to match, but it often works if the music is audible for several seconds.

3. Hum, whistle or sing the melody

If the song is only in your head, melody search is the tool for wordless tracks:

• Google app or Google Assistant: tap the microphone, choose Search a song (or ask "what's this song?") and hum for 10 to 15 seconds.
• YouTube Music: the search bar has a song search option on supported devices.
• SoundHound: lets you sing or hum into the app.

Humming works best with the most memorable part of the tune, usually the hook rather than the intro. You don't need to be in tune, but keep a steady rhythm. If the first try fails, hum a different section or whistle instead.

Hum to search is less precise than recognizing a recording. It returns several candidates, so listen to the top few before giving up.

4. Search where you heard it

Context is often faster than audio. Think about where the song came from:

• TV shows and movies: sites like Tunefind list songs scene by scene. End credits and official soundtrack albums help with scores.
• Video games: search the game's name plus "OST" and the level or scene.
• Ads: search the brand, product and "commercial song" plus the year.
• Streams and YouTube channels: creators often credit music in the description, a pinned comment or their channel's FAQ.
• Stores, gyms and restaurants: some use licensed playlists that staff can look up.

Add a description to your search, such as "upbeat piano," "lo-fi beat," "violin," "80s synth" or "epic choir," together with the source.

5. Describe it to people who are good at this

Communities that identify songs are surprisingly good at it, even from a vague description. Try r/tipofmytongue, r/whatsongisthis or WatZatSong. Include:

• Where and roughly when you heard it.
• The genre, tempo and instruments.
• Anything distinctive: a drop, a whistle, a key change, a vocal sample without words.
• A recording if you have one, even a hummed one.

6. Look for the sample or the original

Many wordless tracks on social media are edits of something else: a slowed-down pop song, an instrumental version, a remix or a piece of classical music. If recognition returns a song you don't recognize, it may be the original that the edit was based on. Listen to the instrumental or slowed version of that song before deciding it's wrong.

Classical pieces are a special case. They have many recordings, so you may get a match for a different orchestra or pianist than the one in your clip. The composition is still the answer you need.

7. Accept that some tracks are hard to find

Some music is genuinely difficult to identify:

• Production music made for videos and ads, which isn't on streaming services.
• Original creator audio that was never released.
• Heavily edited audio, such as sped-up, pitched or mixed with effects.
• Unreleased tracks or live performances.

For these, credits, the creator and the community are your best bets, because no recognition tool can match a recording that isn't in a catalog.

Which method fits your situation?

What you have	Try this
The song is playing	Shazam, SoundHound or Google song search
A video link	Check credits, then paste the link into a song finder
A saved clip	Upload the file
A melody in your head	Hum to search
A movie, show or game	Soundtrack lists and Tunefind
Only a vague memory	Describe it on r/tipofmytongue

FAQ

Can Shazam find songs without lyrics?

Yes. Shazam matches the recording itself, not the words, so instrumentals work as long as the recording is in its catalog.

How do I find a song by humming?

Open the Google app, tap the microphone, choose Search a song and hum for 10 to 15 seconds. SoundHound and YouTube Music also support singing or humming.

How do I find an instrumental song from a TikTok or YouTube video?

Check the sound name on TikTok or the Music section in the YouTube description first. If it isn't credited, paste the link into a YouTube song finder or TikTok song finder. For YouTube specifically, see how to find a song from a YouTube video.

Why can't any app find my instrumental song?

It may be production music, original creator audio or an edit that doesn't match any released recording. Try the video credits, the creator or a song identification community.

Heard it in a video? Paste the link or upload the file and identify the song from the video.