Clip volume matching, fading, and mixing

To fade individual audio files, see Visually fading and changing amplitude. (The topics below address multitrack clips.)

    Match multitrack clip volume

    If multitrack clips have very different volume, making mixing difficult, you can match their volumes. Because the Multitrack Editor is nondestructive, this adjustment is completely reversible. To instead permanently change the volume of source files, see Match volume across multiple files.

    1. Using the Move  or Time Selection  tool, Ctrl-click (Windows) or Command-click (Mac OS) to select multiple clips.

    2. Choose Clip > Match Clip Volume.

    3. From the pop-up menu, choose one of the following options:

      Loudness
      Matches an average amplitude you specify.

      Perceived Loudness
      Matches a perceived amplitude you specify, accounting for middle frequencies that the ear is most sensitive to. This option works well unless frequency emphasis varies greatly (for example, midrange frequencies are pronounced in a short passage, but bass frequencies are elsewhere).

      Peak Volume
      Matches a maximum amplitude you specify, normalizing the clips. Because this option retains dynamic range, it’s a good choice for clips you plan to process further, or for highly dynamic audio like classical music.

      Total RMS Amplitude
      Matches an overall root-mean-square amplitude you specify. For example, if the majority of two files is -50 dBFS, the total RMS values would reflect that, even if one file contains more loud passages.

    4. Enter a Target Volume.

    Fade or crossfade multitrack clips

    On-clip fade and crossfade controls let you visually adjust fade curves and duration. Controls for fade ins and fade outs always appear in the upper-left and upper-right corners of clips. Controls for crossfades appear only when you overlap clips.

    On-clip controls
    A.
    Drag controls in clip corners to fade in and out

    B.
    Overlap clips to crossfade

    To

    Fade a clip in or out

     In the upper-left or upper-right corner of the clip, drag the fade icon   inward to determine fade length, and drag up or down to adjust the fade curve.

    Crossfade overlapping clips

    When you crossfade clips on the same track, you overlap them to determine the size of the transition region (the larger the overlapping area, the longer the transition).

    1. Place two clips on the same track, and move them so they overlap. (See Select and move clips.)
    2. At the top of the overlapping area, drag the left  or right  fade icon up or down to adjust the fade curves.

    Fade options

    To access the following fade options, select a clip, and then either right-click a fade icon in the Editor panel, or choose Clip > Fade In or Fade Out.

    No Fade
    Deletes the fade or crossfade.

    Fade In, Fade Out, or Crossfade
    If clips overlap, lets you choose the fade type.

    Symmetrical or Asymetrical (crossfades only)
    Determines how the left and right fade curves interact when you drag them up and down. Symmetrical adjusts both fades identically, while asymetrical lets you adjust fades independently.

    Linear or Cosine
    Applies either an even, linear fade or an S-shaped fade that starts slowly, then rapidly changes amplitude, and ends slowly.
    To switch between Linear and Cosine modes while dragging fade icons, hold down Ctrl (Windows) or Command (Mac OS).

    Automatic Crossfades Enabled
    Crossfades overlapping clips. Deselect this option if automatic crossfades are undesirable or interfere with other tasks, such as trimming clips.

    Create a single audio clip from multiple clips

    You can combine the contents of multiple clips in the same time range, creating a single clip that you can quickly edit in either the Multitrack or Waveform Editor.

    Creating single clip from multiple clips in Multitrack Editor
    1. In the Editor panel, do any of the following:
    2. To combine the contents of the original clips, do either of the following:

      • To create a track and clip in the Multitrack Editor, choose Multitrack > Bounce To New Track.

      • To create a file in the Waveform Editor, choose Multitrack > Mixdown To New File.

    To mixdown an entire session, see Export multitrack mixdown files.

    Create an audio clip from a bus or master track

    If you want to edit audio from a bus or master track, create a clip from the track.

    1. In the Editor panel, select a time range for the new clip. (See Select ranges in the Multitrack Editor.)
    2. In the timeline, right-click a bus or master track, choose Bounce [track type] To New Track.

    Adobe Audition creates a new track with a clip that reflects the bus or master mix.