The Real Deal with DAWs: Separating Fact From Fiction in Audio Production

What Is DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) -Myth Solved

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

If you’re just starting in the field of music production, you must have heard about DAW. Every YouTube tutorial on music production talks about choosing the right DAW software before everything else.

So, what does DAW mean, and more importantly, why do you need DAW for music production? If you’re also struggling to find answers to these questions, let us help. In this guide, we’re going to explain what DAW is and how it can help a music producer in his career.

• Part 1: What is DAW
• Part 2: Types of DAW
• Part 3: How to Choose DAW
• Part 4: Which One is the Best DAW

Part 1: What is DAW

DAW stands for Digital Audio Workstation . It is a dedicated software that’s designed to handle various tasks associated with music production, including instrument recording, audio editing, audio mixing, looping, etc.

While many people compare DAW to audio editors, that’s not true. Audio editors are only used to edit an audio file. A DAW, on the other hand, can be used to record different audio tracks and mix them to compile a full song.

Digital Audio Workstations are used by the most popular DJs and music producers in the world, mainly for composing hip-hop and EDM tracks. Today, the market is stacked with dozens of Digital Audio Workstations, ranging from novice to professional level.

And, these tools are available for Windows as well as Mac operating systems. It means that regardless of your PC’s operating system, you have the liberty to choose the right DAW from a wide variety of options.

Part 2: Types of DAW

Now that you know what a DAW is in music let’s take a look at how DAW software first came into the picture and why they ended up becoming a vital tool for every music producer.

In the earlier years, there wasn’t a dedicated software for compiling the entire track. Usually, four different types of tools were used to perform different operations on a single music track. These four programs included:

• Digital Audio Processor (Used to record, edit, and mix audio files)
• MIDI Sequencer (Used to Record, edit, and mix MIDI information)
• Music Notation Editor (Used to put different notes on the digital audio sheet)
• Virtual Instrument (Used to record sounds from different virtual instruments by decoding the MIDI information)

For any music composer, these four tools were essential to compile a single track. However, with time tech-giants decided to compile these four different programs into a unique software and name it DAW (Digital Audio Workstation).

As a result, DAW became a one-stop-solution to create, edit, mix, record different audio tracks without having to manage four different stand-alone tools. Over the years, several companies have released their DAW tools, boasting an extensive range of features to help creators compile a full audio track with minimal efforts.

Part 3: How to Choose DAW

Since there are too many options to choose from, it is most likely to get confusing while choosing the right DAW for composing music. So, here are a couple of golden rules that you should always remember while choosing a Digital Audio Workstation from such full availability.

• First of all, it’s imperative to understand that every DAW will do the same thing at the end, i.e., produce music tracks. What separates these tools from each other is their set of features and the workflow. While some of these tools have a straightforward workflow, others have a steep learning curve. So, it’s better to familiarize yourself with the workflow and features of different DAWs and then make the right decision accordingly.
• For beginners, ease of use will also be one of the significant factors while deciding what DAW software that’ll help them compose tracks without going through too much hassle is. If you’re a beginner, it’s better to choose a DAW that offers a user-friendly interface and a smooth workflow.
• If you’re not sure, it’s better to use the free demo to decide if a particular DAW will be suitable for your requirements or not.

Part 4: Which One is the Best DAW?

Again, deciding which is the best DAW will depend on your objectives. Anyhow, here are the top three Digital Audio Workstations that offers an easy-to-use interface and a hassle-free workflow.

Free DAW Software

If you’re a beginner, it’s better to choose a free DAW software and get familiar with the features and work process of composing music. While these free tools don’t have advanced features, they’re perfect for people who want to compose music for hobby or want to learn the basics first. Since free software won’t have clutter like an advanced DAW, it would become easier to implement different functions and compile a 3-minute long track.

Some of the best free DAW software include:

• Garageband
• Cakewalk by BandLab
• Cubase LE
• Ableton 9 Lite
• Pro Tools First

1. Logic Pro X

Logic Pro X is one of the most popular DAWs, designed by Apple, which is exclusively available for Mac. If you’re a Mac user, there’s nothing that comes closer to the features of Logic Pro X.

With this software, Apple has focused on boosting the idea of automation, and that’s why the tech giant has added hundreds of built-in plug-ins. You can add these plug-ins to your audio tracks and directly add different sound effects.

Moreover, Logic Pro X offers a seamless workflow, thanks to its intuitive design, which makes it extremely easy for the user to work with different modules at the same time.

2. Avid Pro Tools

Avid Pro Tools is one of the earliest commercialized DAWs in the market. However, even after a long life-span, the tool remains a popular choice, especially in the world of hip-hop. From Dr. Dre to Kanye West, many iconic music producers use Pro Tools to place their beats and compose heart-touching audio tracks.

If you’re looking to enter the professional world and want to give your songs a professional-touch, there’s nothing more suitable than Avid Pro Tools.

Conclusion

We hope that the above guide helped you understand what does DAW mean. Although it’s important to understand that music production isn’t a piece of cake. It takes dedication, hard work, and creativity to compose an iconic music track. Of course, having the best DAW software will ease-out the process of compiling the entire track. So, analyze your requirements and choose the most appropriate DAW accordingly.

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

If you’re just starting in the field of music production, you must have heard about DAW. Every YouTube tutorial on music production talks about choosing the right DAW software before everything else.

So, what does DAW mean, and more importantly, why do you need DAW for music production? If you’re also struggling to find answers to these questions, let us help. In this guide, we’re going to explain what DAW is and how it can help a music producer in his career.

• Part 1: What is DAW
• Part 2: Types of DAW
• Part 3: How to Choose DAW
• Part 4: Which One is the Best DAW

Part 1: What is DAW

DAW stands for Digital Audio Workstation . It is a dedicated software that’s designed to handle various tasks associated with music production, including instrument recording, audio editing, audio mixing, looping, etc.

While many people compare DAW to audio editors, that’s not true. Audio editors are only used to edit an audio file. A DAW, on the other hand, can be used to record different audio tracks and mix them to compile a full song.

Digital Audio Workstations are used by the most popular DJs and music producers in the world, mainly for composing hip-hop and EDM tracks. Today, the market is stacked with dozens of Digital Audio Workstations, ranging from novice to professional level.

And, these tools are available for Windows as well as Mac operating systems. It means that regardless of your PC’s operating system, you have the liberty to choose the right DAW from a wide variety of options.

Part 2: Types of DAW

Now that you know what a DAW is in music let’s take a look at how DAW software first came into the picture and why they ended up becoming a vital tool for every music producer.

In the earlier years, there wasn’t a dedicated software for compiling the entire track. Usually, four different types of tools were used to perform different operations on a single music track. These four programs included:

• Digital Audio Processor (Used to record, edit, and mix audio files)
• MIDI Sequencer (Used to Record, edit, and mix MIDI information)
• Music Notation Editor (Used to put different notes on the digital audio sheet)
• Virtual Instrument (Used to record sounds from different virtual instruments by decoding the MIDI information)

For any music composer, these four tools were essential to compile a single track. However, with time tech-giants decided to compile these four different programs into a unique software and name it DAW (Digital Audio Workstation).

As a result, DAW became a one-stop-solution to create, edit, mix, record different audio tracks without having to manage four different stand-alone tools. Over the years, several companies have released their DAW tools, boasting an extensive range of features to help creators compile a full audio track with minimal efforts.

Part 3: How to Choose DAW

Since there are too many options to choose from, it is most likely to get confusing while choosing the right DAW for composing music. So, here are a couple of golden rules that you should always remember while choosing a Digital Audio Workstation from such full availability.

• First of all, it’s imperative to understand that every DAW will do the same thing at the end, i.e., produce music tracks. What separates these tools from each other is their set of features and the workflow. While some of these tools have a straightforward workflow, others have a steep learning curve. So, it’s better to familiarize yourself with the workflow and features of different DAWs and then make the right decision accordingly.
• For beginners, ease of use will also be one of the significant factors while deciding what DAW software that’ll help them compose tracks without going through too much hassle is. If you’re a beginner, it’s better to choose a DAW that offers a user-friendly interface and a smooth workflow.
• If you’re not sure, it’s better to use the free demo to decide if a particular DAW will be suitable for your requirements or not.

Part 4: Which One is the Best DAW?

Again, deciding which is the best DAW will depend on your objectives. Anyhow, here are the top three Digital Audio Workstations that offers an easy-to-use interface and a hassle-free workflow.

Free DAW Software

If you’re a beginner, it’s better to choose a free DAW software and get familiar with the features and work process of composing music. While these free tools don’t have advanced features, they’re perfect for people who want to compose music for hobby or want to learn the basics first. Since free software won’t have clutter like an advanced DAW, it would become easier to implement different functions and compile a 3-minute long track.

Some of the best free DAW software include:

• Garageband
• Cakewalk by BandLab
• Cubase LE
• Ableton 9 Lite
• Pro Tools First

1. Logic Pro X

Logic Pro X is one of the most popular DAWs, designed by Apple, which is exclusively available for Mac. If you’re a Mac user, there’s nothing that comes closer to the features of Logic Pro X.

With this software, Apple has focused on boosting the idea of automation, and that’s why the tech giant has added hundreds of built-in plug-ins. You can add these plug-ins to your audio tracks and directly add different sound effects.

Moreover, Logic Pro X offers a seamless workflow, thanks to its intuitive design, which makes it extremely easy for the user to work with different modules at the same time.

2. Avid Pro Tools

Avid Pro Tools is one of the earliest commercialized DAWs in the market. However, even after a long life-span, the tool remains a popular choice, especially in the world of hip-hop. From Dr. Dre to Kanye West, many iconic music producers use Pro Tools to place their beats and compose heart-touching audio tracks.

If you’re looking to enter the professional world and want to give your songs a professional-touch, there’s nothing more suitable than Avid Pro Tools.

Conclusion

We hope that the above guide helped you understand what does DAW mean. Although it’s important to understand that music production isn’t a piece of cake. It takes dedication, hard work, and creativity to compose an iconic music track. Of course, having the best DAW software will ease-out the process of compiling the entire track. So, analyze your requirements and choose the most appropriate DAW accordingly.

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

If you’re just starting in the field of music production, you must have heard about DAW. Every YouTube tutorial on music production talks about choosing the right DAW software before everything else.

So, what does DAW mean, and more importantly, why do you need DAW for music production? If you’re also struggling to find answers to these questions, let us help. In this guide, we’re going to explain what DAW is and how it can help a music producer in his career.

• Part 1: What is DAW
• Part 2: Types of DAW
• Part 3: How to Choose DAW
• Part 4: Which One is the Best DAW

Part 1: What is DAW

DAW stands for Digital Audio Workstation . It is a dedicated software that’s designed to handle various tasks associated with music production, including instrument recording, audio editing, audio mixing, looping, etc.

While many people compare DAW to audio editors, that’s not true. Audio editors are only used to edit an audio file. A DAW, on the other hand, can be used to record different audio tracks and mix them to compile a full song.

Digital Audio Workstations are used by the most popular DJs and music producers in the world, mainly for composing hip-hop and EDM tracks. Today, the market is stacked with dozens of Digital Audio Workstations, ranging from novice to professional level.

And, these tools are available for Windows as well as Mac operating systems. It means that regardless of your PC’s operating system, you have the liberty to choose the right DAW from a wide variety of options.

Part 2: Types of DAW

Now that you know what a DAW is in music let’s take a look at how DAW software first came into the picture and why they ended up becoming a vital tool for every music producer.

In the earlier years, there wasn’t a dedicated software for compiling the entire track. Usually, four different types of tools were used to perform different operations on a single music track. These four programs included:

• Digital Audio Processor (Used to record, edit, and mix audio files)
• MIDI Sequencer (Used to Record, edit, and mix MIDI information)
• Music Notation Editor (Used to put different notes on the digital audio sheet)
• Virtual Instrument (Used to record sounds from different virtual instruments by decoding the MIDI information)

For any music composer, these four tools were essential to compile a single track. However, with time tech-giants decided to compile these four different programs into a unique software and name it DAW (Digital Audio Workstation).

As a result, DAW became a one-stop-solution to create, edit, mix, record different audio tracks without having to manage four different stand-alone tools. Over the years, several companies have released their DAW tools, boasting an extensive range of features to help creators compile a full audio track with minimal efforts.

Part 3: How to Choose DAW

Since there are too many options to choose from, it is most likely to get confusing while choosing the right DAW for composing music. So, here are a couple of golden rules that you should always remember while choosing a Digital Audio Workstation from such full availability.

• First of all, it’s imperative to understand that every DAW will do the same thing at the end, i.e., produce music tracks. What separates these tools from each other is their set of features and the workflow. While some of these tools have a straightforward workflow, others have a steep learning curve. So, it’s better to familiarize yourself with the workflow and features of different DAWs and then make the right decision accordingly.
• For beginners, ease of use will also be one of the significant factors while deciding what DAW software that’ll help them compose tracks without going through too much hassle is. If you’re a beginner, it’s better to choose a DAW that offers a user-friendly interface and a smooth workflow.
• If you’re not sure, it’s better to use the free demo to decide if a particular DAW will be suitable for your requirements or not.

Part 4: Which One is the Best DAW?

Again, deciding which is the best DAW will depend on your objectives. Anyhow, here are the top three Digital Audio Workstations that offers an easy-to-use interface and a hassle-free workflow.

Free DAW Software

If you’re a beginner, it’s better to choose a free DAW software and get familiar with the features and work process of composing music. While these free tools don’t have advanced features, they’re perfect for people who want to compose music for hobby or want to learn the basics first. Since free software won’t have clutter like an advanced DAW, it would become easier to implement different functions and compile a 3-minute long track.

Some of the best free DAW software include:

• Garageband
• Cakewalk by BandLab
• Cubase LE
• Ableton 9 Lite
• Pro Tools First

1. Logic Pro X

Logic Pro X is one of the most popular DAWs, designed by Apple, which is exclusively available for Mac. If you’re a Mac user, there’s nothing that comes closer to the features of Logic Pro X.

With this software, Apple has focused on boosting the idea of automation, and that’s why the tech giant has added hundreds of built-in plug-ins. You can add these plug-ins to your audio tracks and directly add different sound effects.

Moreover, Logic Pro X offers a seamless workflow, thanks to its intuitive design, which makes it extremely easy for the user to work with different modules at the same time.

2. Avid Pro Tools

Avid Pro Tools is one of the earliest commercialized DAWs in the market. However, even after a long life-span, the tool remains a popular choice, especially in the world of hip-hop. From Dr. Dre to Kanye West, many iconic music producers use Pro Tools to place their beats and compose heart-touching audio tracks.

If you’re looking to enter the professional world and want to give your songs a professional-touch, there’s nothing more suitable than Avid Pro Tools.

Conclusion

We hope that the above guide helped you understand what does DAW mean. Although it’s important to understand that music production isn’t a piece of cake. It takes dedication, hard work, and creativity to compose an iconic music track. Of course, having the best DAW software will ease-out the process of compiling the entire track. So, analyze your requirements and choose the most appropriate DAW accordingly.

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango

Mar 27, 2024• Proven solutions

If you’re just starting in the field of music production, you must have heard about DAW. Every YouTube tutorial on music production talks about choosing the right DAW software before everything else.

So, what does DAW mean, and more importantly, why do you need DAW for music production? If you’re also struggling to find answers to these questions, let us help. In this guide, we’re going to explain what DAW is and how it can help a music producer in his career.

• Part 1: What is DAW
• Part 2: Types of DAW
• Part 3: How to Choose DAW
• Part 4: Which One is the Best DAW

Part 1: What is DAW

DAW stands for Digital Audio Workstation . It is a dedicated software that’s designed to handle various tasks associated with music production, including instrument recording, audio editing, audio mixing, looping, etc.

While many people compare DAW to audio editors, that’s not true. Audio editors are only used to edit an audio file. A DAW, on the other hand, can be used to record different audio tracks and mix them to compile a full song.

Digital Audio Workstations are used by the most popular DJs and music producers in the world, mainly for composing hip-hop and EDM tracks. Today, the market is stacked with dozens of Digital Audio Workstations, ranging from novice to professional level.

And, these tools are available for Windows as well as Mac operating systems. It means that regardless of your PC’s operating system, you have the liberty to choose the right DAW from a wide variety of options.

Part 2: Types of DAW

Now that you know what a DAW is in music let’s take a look at how DAW software first came into the picture and why they ended up becoming a vital tool for every music producer.

In the earlier years, there wasn’t a dedicated software for compiling the entire track. Usually, four different types of tools were used to perform different operations on a single music track. These four programs included:

• Digital Audio Processor (Used to record, edit, and mix audio files)
• MIDI Sequencer (Used to Record, edit, and mix MIDI information)
• Music Notation Editor (Used to put different notes on the digital audio sheet)
• Virtual Instrument (Used to record sounds from different virtual instruments by decoding the MIDI information)

For any music composer, these four tools were essential to compile a single track. However, with time tech-giants decided to compile these four different programs into a unique software and name it DAW (Digital Audio Workstation).

As a result, DAW became a one-stop-solution to create, edit, mix, record different audio tracks without having to manage four different stand-alone tools. Over the years, several companies have released their DAW tools, boasting an extensive range of features to help creators compile a full audio track with minimal efforts.

Part 3: How to Choose DAW

Since there are too many options to choose from, it is most likely to get confusing while choosing the right DAW for composing music. So, here are a couple of golden rules that you should always remember while choosing a Digital Audio Workstation from such full availability.

• First of all, it’s imperative to understand that every DAW will do the same thing at the end, i.e., produce music tracks. What separates these tools from each other is their set of features and the workflow. While some of these tools have a straightforward workflow, others have a steep learning curve. So, it’s better to familiarize yourself with the workflow and features of different DAWs and then make the right decision accordingly.
• For beginners, ease of use will also be one of the significant factors while deciding what DAW software that’ll help them compose tracks without going through too much hassle is. If you’re a beginner, it’s better to choose a DAW that offers a user-friendly interface and a smooth workflow.
• If you’re not sure, it’s better to use the free demo to decide if a particular DAW will be suitable for your requirements or not.

Part 4: Which One is the Best DAW?

Again, deciding which is the best DAW will depend on your objectives. Anyhow, here are the top three Digital Audio Workstations that offers an easy-to-use interface and a hassle-free workflow.

Free DAW Software

If you’re a beginner, it’s better to choose a free DAW software and get familiar with the features and work process of composing music. While these free tools don’t have advanced features, they’re perfect for people who want to compose music for hobby or want to learn the basics first. Since free software won’t have clutter like an advanced DAW, it would become easier to implement different functions and compile a 3-minute long track.

Some of the best free DAW software include:

• Garageband
• Cakewalk by BandLab
• Cubase LE
• Ableton 9 Lite
• Pro Tools First

1. Logic Pro X

Logic Pro X is one of the most popular DAWs, designed by Apple, which is exclusively available for Mac. If you’re a Mac user, there’s nothing that comes closer to the features of Logic Pro X.

With this software, Apple has focused on boosting the idea of automation, and that’s why the tech giant has added hundreds of built-in plug-ins. You can add these plug-ins to your audio tracks and directly add different sound effects.

Moreover, Logic Pro X offers a seamless workflow, thanks to its intuitive design, which makes it extremely easy for the user to work with different modules at the same time.

2. Avid Pro Tools

Avid Pro Tools is one of the earliest commercialized DAWs in the market. However, even after a long life-span, the tool remains a popular choice, especially in the world of hip-hop. From Dr. Dre to Kanye West, many iconic music producers use Pro Tools to place their beats and compose heart-touching audio tracks.

If you’re looking to enter the professional world and want to give your songs a professional-touch, there’s nothing more suitable than Avid Pro Tools.

Conclusion

We hope that the above guide helped you understand what does DAW mean. Although it’s important to understand that music production isn’t a piece of cake. It takes dedication, hard work, and creativity to compose an iconic music track. Of course, having the best DAW software will ease-out the process of compiling the entire track. So, analyze your requirements and choose the most appropriate DAW accordingly.

Benjamin Arango

Benjamin Arango is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Benjamin Arango

The Ultimate Guide to Auditory Acquisition: Downloading and Organizing the Latest Podcast Content on PCs

Listening to Podcasts is a great way to gather information. Name a topic, and you will find a Podcast on it. You can always count on the best Podcast shows to get quality knowledge.

You can listen to those Podcasts online. But, sometimes, users want to download the Podcast. The reason can be anything; you might want to listen offline. There are various ways to get the job done. We will walk you through different methods to download Podcasts to the computer.

Can you download a Podcast as a file?

Yes, it’s possible. But the process is a bit different for many platforms.

If you’re downloading Podcasts from Podcast manager apps like Spotify and Apple Play. These apps will save your Podcast in the app’s library and make it available for offline listening.

Yet, you can’t get access to the saved Podcast on the PC. For this, you need third-party tools to download them to your computer. A step-by-step process of using apps and tools is given below!

But if you’re downloading a Podcast from a video platform like YouTube, then yes. You can download it as a file. Here are a few methods to download podcasts. Let’s walk you through them one by one.

Method 1- Direct Download Podcasts From Podcast Manager Apps

You can save Podcasts to your computer from Podcast manager apps. Various Podcast manager apps, such as iTunes, Spotify, Apple Podcast, and many others, allow such an operation. However, it is important to note that some podcast managers require a premium subscription to be able to download podcasts.

For example, if you’re using a Windows computer, you can use iTunes to download Podcasts. While Mac users can use Apple Podcasts. The steps below allow you to save Podcasts from Podcast manager apps like Spotify;

Step1 Install the Spotify app on your PC or Mac.

Step2 Open the Spotify app and login to your account.

Step3 Locate the Podcast show you wish to download.

Step4 Move your cursor over the Podcast episodes and click the download button to download them to your computer.

The backward of using Podcast manager apps is that it can only save your Podcast in the manager app. If you uninstall the app accidentally, you lose access to the saved Podcast because it won’t be available on your PC.

To cope with this problem, we provide third-party apps to directly download the Podcast to your computer from the manager apps.

Method 2- Download Podcasts From Popular Podcast Manager Apps Using Third-Party Tools

To download Podcasts in unprotected formats from Spotify, you need a third-party tool to alter Spotify .ogg audio. The most helpful and commonly used tool is TuneFab Spotify Music Converter. It is free for 30 days, and you can purchase it after discovering it is compatible with you!

It will convert Podcasts and as well as download songs, audiobooks, and playlists into MP3, WAV, FLAC, and M4V. Follow the below instructions to get your hands on it!

Step1 First, download TuneFab Spotify Music Converter , then follow the outlines on the screen to get set up on your computer. Then launch this tool to start the conversion process.

Step2 Now, log in to your Spotify account in this tool to easily access your download list.

Step3 After that, find out the required Podcast and click on the “Add” button in front of the Podcast. You can also directly drag and drop the file into the “Add” button.

Step4 You can now get the download and convert option adjacent to every Podcast episode. You must check the file format and click on the available option to continue the process.

You can also change the output location of the Podcast on a PC, where you’ll find out easily.

Step5 Then click on the “Convert” button and get your Podcast on your device in your required format.

Alternatives third-party tools

You can also use other third-party tools to download the Podcasts, such as:

1. UkeySoft Spotify Music Converter.
2. Leawo’s Prof. DRM .
3. AudKit SpotiLab Music Converter.

If you want to download your Podcast in video format, then read more to get access!

Method 3- Download Podcasts From Video Platforms

Downloading Podcasts from video platforms is also simple. All you have to do is copy the link to the Podcast and paste it into a downloading tool. Let’s see this process in detail.

Here are the steps to download Podcasts from YouTube to the computer.

Step1 Open YouTube and locate the Podcast video you want to download.

Step2 Click the Share icon next to the video and click Copy Link from the pop-up on your screen.

Step3 Open SSYouTube in your browser and paste the copied link in the relevant area. Then, select MP3 as the preferred output format.

Step4 Download the Podcast video according to your preferred quality and save it to your computer.

Method 4- Download the Podcast With an Audio Recorder

You can also download Podcasts from websites by streaming with an audio recorder. Various tools like Filmora , Apowersoft, Audacity, and many others ease audio streaming. All it takes is only a few clicks!

Free Download For Win 7 or later(64-bit)

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

We’ve shown steps to download Podcasts from websites by streaming using a tool like Filmora;

Step1 Download the Wondershare Filmora on your computer.

Step2 Launch the installed app and open the home interface of Filmora.

Step3 Then find the “Microphone” icon on the home screen of Filmora below the video display on the right side as shown below:

Step4 After clicking on the icon, the Record Audio box will pop up. Now, you have to start the podcast in the background on any Podcast Manager app. Adjacently, click on the Red button of the recorder on Filmora too.

Note: Make sure that background is noise-free to capture the Podcast audio easily.

Step5 After you are all done with the Podcast recording, now again click on the Red button to stop the recording, and your audio will be recorded in the audio track as shown below:

Step6 Then click on the Export button at the top middle side to export it on your device in the required format.

It’s all done, and you’ve successfully exported the podcast to your computer in a few steps!

FAQs

When you save a Podcast, where does it go?

Saved Podcasts are usually added to the saved list in your Podcast library and will be available for offline listening. But if you want to get access directly on your computer, then you need a third-party tool to download it from the Podcast manager app to your PC, as mentioned above in the article.

Is listening to a Podcast the same as downloading?

No. Podcast download involves saving a Podcast episode to your Podcast app. But listening to a Podcast refers to the number of times you played a Podcast.

Final words

You can download the Podcast from a Podcast manager app, an audio recorder, or a video platform. You can also use third-party tools to get directly downloaded Podcasts on your Computer.

Ensure you follow all the steps mentioned above smoothly. Now, enjoy your Podcast with high audio formats wherever you are!

Free Download For macOS 10.14 or later

We’ve shown steps to download Podcasts from websites by streaming using a tool like Filmora;

Step1 Download the Wondershare Filmora on your computer.

Step2 Launch the installed app and open the home interface of Filmora.

Step3 Then find the “Microphone” icon on the home screen of Filmora below the video display on the right side as shown below:

Step4 After clicking on the icon, the Record Audio box will pop up. Now, you have to start the podcast in the background on any Podcast Manager app. Adjacently, click on the Red button of the recorder on Filmora too.

Note: Make sure that background is noise-free to capture the Podcast audio easily.

Step5 After you are all done with the Podcast recording, now again click on the Red button to stop the recording, and your audio will be recorded in the audio track as shown below:

Step6 Then click on the Export button at the top middle side to export it on your device in the required format.

It’s all done, and you’ve successfully exported the podcast to your computer in a few steps!

FAQs

When you save a Podcast, where does it go?

Saved Podcasts are usually added to the saved list in your Podcast library and will be available for offline listening. But if you want to get access directly on your computer, then you need a third-party tool to download it from the Podcast manager app to your PC, as mentioned above in the article.

Is listening to a Podcast the same as downloading?

No. Podcast download involves saving a Podcast episode to your Podcast app. But listening to a Podcast refers to the number of times you played a Podcast.

Final words

You can download the Podcast from a Podcast manager app, an audio recorder, or a video platform. You can also use third-party tools to get directly downloaded Podcasts on your Computer.

Ensure you follow all the steps mentioned above smoothly. Now, enjoy your Podcast with high audio formats wherever you are!

Audio Wizardry in iMovie: Expert Advice on Editing and Enhancing Soundtracks

All You Need to Know About iMovie Audio Editing

Marion Dubois

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

iMovie offers a fantastic platform for video editing where you can merge multiple video clips to create something very phenomenal. Plus, it’s simply here to navigate between different scenes, edit video clips and save results directly to the digital format without making any videotape transformations.

It provides lots of things to beginners and professionals with its easy-to-use interface without any quality loss for your results even after adding lots of transitions, changes, and effects.

However, it is not accessible to master software, precisely when you’re not familiar with it, or you’re not its professional user. So today, we’d like to explore or pay attention to iMovie’s audio editing steps, tips, and tricks to help you become an iMovie master quickly.

What’s more, a practical yet professional iMovie alternative software is also advisable in this guide. So when the iMovie cannot fulfil your editing requirements, why don’t you hop on an iMovie alternative software?

Now, let’s get started!

Part 1: How to Edit Audio Clips in iMovie?

To learn how to edit audio clips in iMovie, you can use actions in the menu along with the quick shortcuts to make adjustments to your audio clips in iMovie on Mac. It’s a tip for your convenience!

Trim Audio Clips

There are a couple of options to trim an audio clip in iMovie.

#1. Trim to Playhead

You can place the playhead in your timeline. Now, trim an audio clip to that exact spot. Next, start moving the playhead and do one from the following.

• Select Modify > Trim to Playhead option in the menu bar.
• Right-click the audio clip and select the option of Trim to Playhead in the shortcut menu.

#2. Use the Clip Trimmer

You can use the Clip Trimmer to trim an exact section of the clip.

Step 1. Right-click the audio clip and select Show Clip Trimmer in the shortcut menu.

Step 2. After the Clip Trimmer shows, select a section you wish to trim by dragging the arrows right and left while holding the white lines. The area within those lines is what will get entirely deleted.

Move the entire clip but keep the trim area in place if arrows turn to a film strip icon.

Step 3. Click Close Clip Trimmer after you finish this section.

Shorten or Lengthen Audio Clips

You can easily shorten or lengthen an audio clip in iMovie. Just choose the pin in the timeline and drag one of its edges. The duration of the clip change will change as you carry. And a new course will be displayed after you finish in the upper left menu.

You can also set the clip’s duration to an exact time. Select the clip in the timeline and hit the Clip Information (small letter “i”) tab located above the Viewer. Put the value of the time you want in seconds in the Duration box on the right.

Change the Speed of an Audio Clip

You may want to speed up or slow down an audio clip while editing music in iMovie. So, here’s what you need to do!

Method 1. Click the Speed button above the Viewer. Next, select Custom in the Speed drop-down box and enter a percentage next to it. You can also set a different speed in that box if you prefer.

Method 2. Right-click the clip and select Show Speed Editor from the shortcut menu. A slider will then display at the top of the clip that you can move to change the speed.

Adjust the Volume of an Audio Clip

You can set the audio clip’s volume at higher or lower, or even mute it. Just select the clip and then do one of the following.

• Select the Volume tab above the Viewer option and move the slider to the percentage of volume. Hit the Mute button to mute the audio clip.
• Tap inside the clip, and when the two-sided arrow appears, drag up or down to adjust the volume.

Fade an Audio Clip

While editing audio in iMovie, you can also fade in or out the clip. Choose a clip in the timeline and then drag the fade handle (small circle) at either the ending or the beginning of the clip to make a fade-out or a fade-in effect.

As you drag, you will see the arcs displaying the shadow for the clips fade in or fade out.

How to Edit Audio Clips in iMovie on iOS?

The iMovie timeline is where you sort or organize all your audio clips, such as the special effects and background music. Audio clips are always present below the video clips in the timeline. To edit audio clips in iMovie on your iPhones or iPads, you can follow the guide belo

Move an Audio Clip

You can transfer the whole audio clip, except the background music, to another location.

• Touch and hold the purple or blue audio clip with your project open in the timeline until it comes over the timeline bar.
• Drag the clip to another place and release.

Adjust the Audio Clip’s Duration

Step 1. While the project is launched in the timeline, tap the audio clip (in blue or purple) or the background music clip you wish to adjust.

Step 2. Now, you can see the display of yellow trim handles. Drag them either at the end of the clip to the points where you wish the audio to start and end. If a trim handle won’t move left or right, it simply indicates there is no additional audio to work with on that clip’s end.

Step 3. Tap outside the audio clip and let the trim handles disappear.

Split an Audio Clip

There are around two options to split audio clips in iMovie. You can remove unwanted parts or adjust each section’s duration, volume, or speed while you split a clip.

Step 1. With your launched project in the timeline, scroll the timeline to the playhead’s position where you want to split the audio.

Step 2. Click the audio clip to display the inspector at the screen’s bottom.

Step 3. Now, click the Actions button, and select the Split tab.

Or, you can tap the clip (it becomes outlined in yellow), then swipe above the playhead as if you were placing your finger to slide over it.

Detach the Audio Part from a Video

You can detach the video clip’s audio to remove or edit it as a separate video clip.

Step 1. When the project is open in the timeline, select a video clip and display the inspector at the screen’s bottom.

Step 2. Tap the Actions button, then tap Detach.

Step 3. A new blue-colored audio clip will then appear below the video project. You can now move, edit, or delete the audio clip separately from its parent video clip.

Move Audio to the Foreground or Background

To ensure the sound in your video clips can listen above the background music, iMovie implies audio “ducking”. Ducking lowers the background music clips’ volume whenever there’s a video clip whose sound is playing simultaneously.

You can select which audio clips are in the foreground or the background.

Step 1. Select the timeline’s audio clip to display the inspector at the screen’s bottom.

Step 2. Hit the Actions tab and proceed with selecting the Foreground or Background.

The clip color changes to indicate whether it’s the background music (green) or foreground audio (blue or purple).

Part 2: An Easier Way to Edit Audio Clips

Windows users might be wandering for an alternative to iMovie as this software tool is only compatible with Mac and iOS devices. You will be thrilled to know that Wondershare Filmora can serve you with all synonymous and extra features more than the iMovie, and it works significantly in the Windows environment.

This latest software tool also assists users with easy video editing tricks and the intuitive interface that best serves quality editing to beginners and professionals.

Despite the basic video editing features, such as trimming, splitting, merging, cutting, and cropping, Filmora also offers various advanced editing elements that are far better than iMovie. And, with its video editing features, you can make a green screen effect, stabilize your video footage, reverse your video clip, and more.

Moreover, you can enjoy royalty-free music tracks for different themes, such as Young and Bright, Tender and Sentimental, Rock, Folk, Electronic Rock, and Hipster Folk, for selection.

All this will be available with a single program called Wondershare Filmora to take advantage of them for free. You do not have to search the background music files like a needle in a haystack. The program has nicely organized the music themes into six different folders. You can apply it for your video and make advanced editing, such as split/trim the clip, adjust the playback speed, pitch, volume, etc.

How to Edit Audio with Wondershare Filmora?

In Wondershare Filmora, you can insert background music and other files from the audio library or your computer. You can even record your voiceover using it.

Add Background Music

Filmora provides a royalty-free music library you can access or import your music within the program. You can select a song from the royalty-free audio library and use it for free.

The audio library has categorized into: YOUNG & BRIGHT, TENDER & SENTIMENTAL, ROCK, FOLK, and ELECTRONIC. The different kinds of sound effects are also available under the Sound Effects tab.

Once you find a sound effect or a song, either right-click on it and go with the Apply or drag and drop it into an audio track in the timeline.

Or, you can click the Import button above the Media Library panel to browse for audio files in your PC system. Then, select and import it into the Media Library when you find the song or other audio files you wish to add.

Once you place the song in the timeline, double-click to edit it in the Audio editing panel. You can apply fade-in or fade-out effects or adjust the pitch and volume. Filmora lets you add up to 100 audio tracks.

Split Audio Clips

Choose your audio clip and place the playhead where you want to split it, then right-click on the clip and choose the Split tab or click the Split icon right above on the toolbar.

Adjust Audio Settings

Double click on the audio clip to make adjustments to your audio. Open a panel with adjustment sliders in the timeline for pitch and volume.

Another element that you’ll find in this panel is Denoise, which is a feature that can remove background noise from your audio clips.

For a more professional audio editing experience, you can also access the Audio Equalizer from this panel. Select from presets or make manual adjustments by hitting the Customize tab.

Play it when you are done and, if you’re not happy with the results, tap the Reset button to start over.

Audio Equalizer (EQ)

All videos have plenty of sounds like speech, music, or sound effects. Changing the strength of sound waves will help you to mix these sounds within a coherent soundtrack.

Locate your audio clip in an audio track and double-click on it to open the Audio settings menu window. A drop-down menu next to the Equalizer feature will display presets such as Classic, Default, Rock’n’Roll, Techno, Sparkle, Bass, Hard Rock, Pop, Ska, Blues, Folk, Acoustic, Custom, or Country. Choose the preset that best fits your current needs and hit the OK tab to apply it.

Now, hit the Customize tab next to the drop-down bar to adjust the Audio Equalizer manually. Drag the sliders up or down and make the adjustments until you find their ideal value. Finally, hit OK and save your settings.

Besides the included music tracks and sound effects in Filmora initially, you can also find more audio files from Filmora’s effects store – Filmstock, and even get some free music and sound.

Part 3: iMovie Audio Editing Tips & Tricks

iMovie is a great video editor for Mac computers. After understanding the best alternative of iMovie sound editin g, let’s check out some tips on editing audio in iMovie best.

The explanations and screenshots below are for iMovie 10 only. However, the steps are a bit similar to older versions.

So, here we go!

1. Use Waveforms to See What You Hear

To properly edit the audio track in iMovie, you need a good pair of headphones and speakers to hear the sound, but you also need to check the sound.

You can check the sound in iMovie by considering the waveforms on each clip. If the waveforms can’t be seen, go to the View drop-down menu and choose the Show Waveforms option. The clip size for your project can also adjust to get an even better appearance for each video clip.

The waveforms will display the volume level of a clip and give you a good idea of what sections will require to turn up or down. You can also check how the levels of different clips compare to one another.

2. Audio Adjustments

With the help of Adjust tab in the top right, you can access some basic audio editing tools for changing your selected clip’s volume or changing the volume of other relative clips in the project.

The adjustment window of audio also provides basic audio equalization and noise reduction tools, along with a range of effects - from echo to robot - that will change the way people in your video sound.

3. Edit Audio with the Timeline

iMovie assists you in adjusting the audio within the clips themselves. Each pin has a volume bar, moving up and down to decrease or increase the audio level. The clips also contain Fade In and Fade Out tabs at the beginning and end, dragging to adjust the fade’s length.

By adding a short fade effect, whether in or out, the sound becomes relatively smoother and less conflicting to the ear when a new clip begins.

4. Detach the Audio

By default, iMovie keeps the video and audio sections of clips together for convenience. Yet, you want to use the video and audio sections of a clip separately sometimes.

For this purpose, choose your clip in the timeline, visit the Modify drop-down menu, and hit the Detach Audio button. You’ll now have two clips - one with the images and another with the sound.

A lot you can do with the detached audio. For instance, you could extend the audio clip to begin before the video plays, or so that it plays for a few seconds even after the video fades out. You could also cut out pieces from the audio’s middle portion while leaving the video intact.

Conclusion

Coming towards the end of the discussion, after understanding iMovie audio editingand going through an elaborated alternative of iMovie application, we decided that Wondershare Filmora sounds the best out of it. It allows you to flawlessly edit video and audio files on your desktop, with various inbuilt royalty-free music tracks to select from that can further improve your project’s presence.

Marion Dubois

Marion Dubois is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Marion Dubois

Marion Dubois

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

iMovie offers a fantastic platform for video editing where you can merge multiple video clips to create something very phenomenal. Plus, it’s simply here to navigate between different scenes, edit video clips and save results directly to the digital format without making any videotape transformations.

It provides lots of things to beginners and professionals with its easy-to-use interface without any quality loss for your results even after adding lots of transitions, changes, and effects.

However, it is not accessible to master software, precisely when you’re not familiar with it, or you’re not its professional user. So today, we’d like to explore or pay attention to iMovie’s audio editing steps, tips, and tricks to help you become an iMovie master quickly.

What’s more, a practical yet professional iMovie alternative software is also advisable in this guide. So when the iMovie cannot fulfil your editing requirements, why don’t you hop on an iMovie alternative software?

Now, let’s get started!

Part 1: How to Edit Audio Clips in iMovie?

To learn how to edit audio clips in iMovie, you can use actions in the menu along with the quick shortcuts to make adjustments to your audio clips in iMovie on Mac. It’s a tip for your convenience!

Trim Audio Clips

There are a couple of options to trim an audio clip in iMovie.

#1. Trim to Playhead

You can place the playhead in your timeline. Now, trim an audio clip to that exact spot. Next, start moving the playhead and do one from the following.

• Select Modify > Trim to Playhead option in the menu bar.
• Right-click the audio clip and select the option of Trim to Playhead in the shortcut menu.

#2. Use the Clip Trimmer

You can use the Clip Trimmer to trim an exact section of the clip.

Step 1. Right-click the audio clip and select Show Clip Trimmer in the shortcut menu.

Step 2. After the Clip Trimmer shows, select a section you wish to trim by dragging the arrows right and left while holding the white lines. The area within those lines is what will get entirely deleted.

Move the entire clip but keep the trim area in place if arrows turn to a film strip icon.

Step 3. Click Close Clip Trimmer after you finish this section.

Shorten or Lengthen Audio Clips

You can easily shorten or lengthen an audio clip in iMovie. Just choose the pin in the timeline and drag one of its edges. The duration of the clip change will change as you carry. And a new course will be displayed after you finish in the upper left menu.

You can also set the clip’s duration to an exact time. Select the clip in the timeline and hit the Clip Information (small letter “i”) tab located above the Viewer. Put the value of the time you want in seconds in the Duration box on the right.

Change the Speed of an Audio Clip

You may want to speed up or slow down an audio clip while editing music in iMovie. So, here’s what you need to do!

Method 1. Click the Speed button above the Viewer. Next, select Custom in the Speed drop-down box and enter a percentage next to it. You can also set a different speed in that box if you prefer.

Method 2. Right-click the clip and select Show Speed Editor from the shortcut menu. A slider will then display at the top of the clip that you can move to change the speed.

Adjust the Volume of an Audio Clip

You can set the audio clip’s volume at higher or lower, or even mute it. Just select the clip and then do one of the following.

• Select the Volume tab above the Viewer option and move the slider to the percentage of volume. Hit the Mute button to mute the audio clip.
• Tap inside the clip, and when the two-sided arrow appears, drag up or down to adjust the volume.

Fade an Audio Clip

While editing audio in iMovie, you can also fade in or out the clip. Choose a clip in the timeline and then drag the fade handle (small circle) at either the ending or the beginning of the clip to make a fade-out or a fade-in effect.

As you drag, you will see the arcs displaying the shadow for the clips fade in or fade out.

How to Edit Audio Clips in iMovie on iOS?

The iMovie timeline is where you sort or organize all your audio clips, such as the special effects and background music. Audio clips are always present below the video clips in the timeline. To edit audio clips in iMovie on your iPhones or iPads, you can follow the guide belo

Move an Audio Clip

You can transfer the whole audio clip, except the background music, to another location.

• Touch and hold the purple or blue audio clip with your project open in the timeline until it comes over the timeline bar.
• Drag the clip to another place and release.

Adjust the Audio Clip’s Duration

Step 1. While the project is launched in the timeline, tap the audio clip (in blue or purple) or the background music clip you wish to adjust.

Step 2. Now, you can see the display of yellow trim handles. Drag them either at the end of the clip to the points where you wish the audio to start and end. If a trim handle won’t move left or right, it simply indicates there is no additional audio to work with on that clip’s end.

Step 3. Tap outside the audio clip and let the trim handles disappear.

Split an Audio Clip

There are around two options to split audio clips in iMovie. You can remove unwanted parts or adjust each section’s duration, volume, or speed while you split a clip.

Step 1. With your launched project in the timeline, scroll the timeline to the playhead’s position where you want to split the audio.

Step 2. Click the audio clip to display the inspector at the screen’s bottom.

Step 3. Now, click the Actions button, and select the Split tab.

Or, you can tap the clip (it becomes outlined in yellow), then swipe above the playhead as if you were placing your finger to slide over it.

Detach the Audio Part from a Video

You can detach the video clip’s audio to remove or edit it as a separate video clip.

Step 1. When the project is open in the timeline, select a video clip and display the inspector at the screen’s bottom.

Step 2. Tap the Actions button, then tap Detach.

Step 3. A new blue-colored audio clip will then appear below the video project. You can now move, edit, or delete the audio clip separately from its parent video clip.

Move Audio to the Foreground or Background

To ensure the sound in your video clips can listen above the background music, iMovie implies audio “ducking”. Ducking lowers the background music clips’ volume whenever there’s a video clip whose sound is playing simultaneously.

You can select which audio clips are in the foreground or the background.

Step 1. Select the timeline’s audio clip to display the inspector at the screen’s bottom.

Step 2. Hit the Actions tab and proceed with selecting the Foreground or Background.

The clip color changes to indicate whether it’s the background music (green) or foreground audio (blue or purple).

Part 2: An Easier Way to Edit Audio Clips

Windows users might be wandering for an alternative to iMovie as this software tool is only compatible with Mac and iOS devices. You will be thrilled to know that Wondershare Filmora can serve you with all synonymous and extra features more than the iMovie, and it works significantly in the Windows environment.

This latest software tool also assists users with easy video editing tricks and the intuitive interface that best serves quality editing to beginners and professionals.

Despite the basic video editing features, such as trimming, splitting, merging, cutting, and cropping, Filmora also offers various advanced editing elements that are far better than iMovie. And, with its video editing features, you can make a green screen effect, stabilize your video footage, reverse your video clip, and more.

Moreover, you can enjoy royalty-free music tracks for different themes, such as Young and Bright, Tender and Sentimental, Rock, Folk, Electronic Rock, and Hipster Folk, for selection.

All this will be available with a single program called Wondershare Filmora to take advantage of them for free. You do not have to search the background music files like a needle in a haystack. The program has nicely organized the music themes into six different folders. You can apply it for your video and make advanced editing, such as split/trim the clip, adjust the playback speed, pitch, volume, etc.

How to Edit Audio with Wondershare Filmora?

In Wondershare Filmora, you can insert background music and other files from the audio library or your computer. You can even record your voiceover using it.

Add Background Music

Filmora provides a royalty-free music library you can access or import your music within the program. You can select a song from the royalty-free audio library and use it for free.

The audio library has categorized into: YOUNG & BRIGHT, TENDER & SENTIMENTAL, ROCK, FOLK, and ELECTRONIC. The different kinds of sound effects are also available under the Sound Effects tab.

Once you find a sound effect or a song, either right-click on it and go with the Apply or drag and drop it into an audio track in the timeline.

Or, you can click the Import button above the Media Library panel to browse for audio files in your PC system. Then, select and import it into the Media Library when you find the song or other audio files you wish to add.

Once you place the song in the timeline, double-click to edit it in the Audio editing panel. You can apply fade-in or fade-out effects or adjust the pitch and volume. Filmora lets you add up to 100 audio tracks.

Split Audio Clips

Choose your audio clip and place the playhead where you want to split it, then right-click on the clip and choose the Split tab or click the Split icon right above on the toolbar.

Adjust Audio Settings

Double click on the audio clip to make adjustments to your audio. Open a panel with adjustment sliders in the timeline for pitch and volume.

Another element that you’ll find in this panel is Denoise, which is a feature that can remove background noise from your audio clips.

For a more professional audio editing experience, you can also access the Audio Equalizer from this panel. Select from presets or make manual adjustments by hitting the Customize tab.

Play it when you are done and, if you’re not happy with the results, tap the Reset button to start over.

Audio Equalizer (EQ)

All videos have plenty of sounds like speech, music, or sound effects. Changing the strength of sound waves will help you to mix these sounds within a coherent soundtrack.

Locate your audio clip in an audio track and double-click on it to open the Audio settings menu window. A drop-down menu next to the Equalizer feature will display presets such as Classic, Default, Rock’n’Roll, Techno, Sparkle, Bass, Hard Rock, Pop, Ska, Blues, Folk, Acoustic, Custom, or Country. Choose the preset that best fits your current needs and hit the OK tab to apply it.

Now, hit the Customize tab next to the drop-down bar to adjust the Audio Equalizer manually. Drag the sliders up or down and make the adjustments until you find their ideal value. Finally, hit OK and save your settings.

Besides the included music tracks and sound effects in Filmora initially, you can also find more audio files from Filmora’s effects store – Filmstock, and even get some free music and sound.

Part 3: iMovie Audio Editing Tips & Tricks

iMovie is a great video editor for Mac computers. After understanding the best alternative of iMovie sound editin g, let’s check out some tips on editing audio in iMovie best.

The explanations and screenshots below are for iMovie 10 only. However, the steps are a bit similar to older versions.

So, here we go!

1. Use Waveforms to See What You Hear

To properly edit the audio track in iMovie, you need a good pair of headphones and speakers to hear the sound, but you also need to check the sound.

You can check the sound in iMovie by considering the waveforms on each clip. If the waveforms can’t be seen, go to the View drop-down menu and choose the Show Waveforms option. The clip size for your project can also adjust to get an even better appearance for each video clip.

The waveforms will display the volume level of a clip and give you a good idea of what sections will require to turn up or down. You can also check how the levels of different clips compare to one another.

2. Audio Adjustments

With the help of Adjust tab in the top right, you can access some basic audio editing tools for changing your selected clip’s volume or changing the volume of other relative clips in the project.

The adjustment window of audio also provides basic audio equalization and noise reduction tools, along with a range of effects - from echo to robot - that will change the way people in your video sound.

3. Edit Audio with the Timeline

iMovie assists you in adjusting the audio within the clips themselves. Each pin has a volume bar, moving up and down to decrease or increase the audio level. The clips also contain Fade In and Fade Out tabs at the beginning and end, dragging to adjust the fade’s length.

By adding a short fade effect, whether in or out, the sound becomes relatively smoother and less conflicting to the ear when a new clip begins.

4. Detach the Audio

By default, iMovie keeps the video and audio sections of clips together for convenience. Yet, you want to use the video and audio sections of a clip separately sometimes.

For this purpose, choose your clip in the timeline, visit the Modify drop-down menu, and hit the Detach Audio button. You’ll now have two clips - one with the images and another with the sound.

A lot you can do with the detached audio. For instance, you could extend the audio clip to begin before the video plays, or so that it plays for a few seconds even after the video fades out. You could also cut out pieces from the audio’s middle portion while leaving the video intact.

Conclusion

Coming towards the end of the discussion, after understanding iMovie audio editingand going through an elaborated alternative of iMovie application, we decided that Wondershare Filmora sounds the best out of it. It allows you to flawlessly edit video and audio files on your desktop, with various inbuilt royalty-free music tracks to select from that can further improve your project’s presence.

Marion Dubois

Marion Dubois is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Marion Dubois

Marion Dubois

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

iMovie offers a fantastic platform for video editing where you can merge multiple video clips to create something very phenomenal. Plus, it’s simply here to navigate between different scenes, edit video clips and save results directly to the digital format without making any videotape transformations.

It provides lots of things to beginners and professionals with its easy-to-use interface without any quality loss for your results even after adding lots of transitions, changes, and effects.

However, it is not accessible to master software, precisely when you’re not familiar with it, or you’re not its professional user. So today, we’d like to explore or pay attention to iMovie’s audio editing steps, tips, and tricks to help you become an iMovie master quickly.

What’s more, a practical yet professional iMovie alternative software is also advisable in this guide. So when the iMovie cannot fulfil your editing requirements, why don’t you hop on an iMovie alternative software?

Now, let’s get started!

Part 1: How to Edit Audio Clips in iMovie?

To learn how to edit audio clips in iMovie, you can use actions in the menu along with the quick shortcuts to make adjustments to your audio clips in iMovie on Mac. It’s a tip for your convenience!

Trim Audio Clips

There are a couple of options to trim an audio clip in iMovie.

#1. Trim to Playhead

You can place the playhead in your timeline. Now, trim an audio clip to that exact spot. Next, start moving the playhead and do one from the following.

• Select Modify > Trim to Playhead option in the menu bar.
• Right-click the audio clip and select the option of Trim to Playhead in the shortcut menu.

#2. Use the Clip Trimmer

You can use the Clip Trimmer to trim an exact section of the clip.

Step 1. Right-click the audio clip and select Show Clip Trimmer in the shortcut menu.

Step 2. After the Clip Trimmer shows, select a section you wish to trim by dragging the arrows right and left while holding the white lines. The area within those lines is what will get entirely deleted.

Move the entire clip but keep the trim area in place if arrows turn to a film strip icon.

Step 3. Click Close Clip Trimmer after you finish this section.

Shorten or Lengthen Audio Clips

You can easily shorten or lengthen an audio clip in iMovie. Just choose the pin in the timeline and drag one of its edges. The duration of the clip change will change as you carry. And a new course will be displayed after you finish in the upper left menu.

You can also set the clip’s duration to an exact time. Select the clip in the timeline and hit the Clip Information (small letter “i”) tab located above the Viewer. Put the value of the time you want in seconds in the Duration box on the right.

Change the Speed of an Audio Clip

You may want to speed up or slow down an audio clip while editing music in iMovie. So, here’s what you need to do!

Method 1. Click the Speed button above the Viewer. Next, select Custom in the Speed drop-down box and enter a percentage next to it. You can also set a different speed in that box if you prefer.

Method 2. Right-click the clip and select Show Speed Editor from the shortcut menu. A slider will then display at the top of the clip that you can move to change the speed.

Adjust the Volume of an Audio Clip

You can set the audio clip’s volume at higher or lower, or even mute it. Just select the clip and then do one of the following.

• Select the Volume tab above the Viewer option and move the slider to the percentage of volume. Hit the Mute button to mute the audio clip.
• Tap inside the clip, and when the two-sided arrow appears, drag up or down to adjust the volume.

Fade an Audio Clip

While editing audio in iMovie, you can also fade in or out the clip. Choose a clip in the timeline and then drag the fade handle (small circle) at either the ending or the beginning of the clip to make a fade-out or a fade-in effect.

As you drag, you will see the arcs displaying the shadow for the clips fade in or fade out.

How to Edit Audio Clips in iMovie on iOS?

The iMovie timeline is where you sort or organize all your audio clips, such as the special effects and background music. Audio clips are always present below the video clips in the timeline. To edit audio clips in iMovie on your iPhones or iPads, you can follow the guide belo

Move an Audio Clip

You can transfer the whole audio clip, except the background music, to another location.

• Touch and hold the purple or blue audio clip with your project open in the timeline until it comes over the timeline bar.
• Drag the clip to another place and release.

Adjust the Audio Clip’s Duration

Step 1. While the project is launched in the timeline, tap the audio clip (in blue or purple) or the background music clip you wish to adjust.

Step 2. Now, you can see the display of yellow trim handles. Drag them either at the end of the clip to the points where you wish the audio to start and end. If a trim handle won’t move left or right, it simply indicates there is no additional audio to work with on that clip’s end.

Step 3. Tap outside the audio clip and let the trim handles disappear.

Split an Audio Clip

There are around two options to split audio clips in iMovie. You can remove unwanted parts or adjust each section’s duration, volume, or speed while you split a clip.

Step 1. With your launched project in the timeline, scroll the timeline to the playhead’s position where you want to split the audio.

Step 2. Click the audio clip to display the inspector at the screen’s bottom.

Step 3. Now, click the Actions button, and select the Split tab.

Or, you can tap the clip (it becomes outlined in yellow), then swipe above the playhead as if you were placing your finger to slide over it.

Detach the Audio Part from a Video

You can detach the video clip’s audio to remove or edit it as a separate video clip.

Step 1. When the project is open in the timeline, select a video clip and display the inspector at the screen’s bottom.

Step 2. Tap the Actions button, then tap Detach.

Step 3. A new blue-colored audio clip will then appear below the video project. You can now move, edit, or delete the audio clip separately from its parent video clip.

Move Audio to the Foreground or Background

To ensure the sound in your video clips can listen above the background music, iMovie implies audio “ducking”. Ducking lowers the background music clips’ volume whenever there’s a video clip whose sound is playing simultaneously.

You can select which audio clips are in the foreground or the background.

Step 1. Select the timeline’s audio clip to display the inspector at the screen’s bottom.

Step 2. Hit the Actions tab and proceed with selecting the Foreground or Background.

The clip color changes to indicate whether it’s the background music (green) or foreground audio (blue or purple).

Part 2: An Easier Way to Edit Audio Clips

Windows users might be wandering for an alternative to iMovie as this software tool is only compatible with Mac and iOS devices. You will be thrilled to know that Wondershare Filmora can serve you with all synonymous and extra features more than the iMovie, and it works significantly in the Windows environment.

This latest software tool also assists users with easy video editing tricks and the intuitive interface that best serves quality editing to beginners and professionals.

Despite the basic video editing features, such as trimming, splitting, merging, cutting, and cropping, Filmora also offers various advanced editing elements that are far better than iMovie. And, with its video editing features, you can make a green screen effect, stabilize your video footage, reverse your video clip, and more.

Moreover, you can enjoy royalty-free music tracks for different themes, such as Young and Bright, Tender and Sentimental, Rock, Folk, Electronic Rock, and Hipster Folk, for selection.

All this will be available with a single program called Wondershare Filmora to take advantage of them for free. You do not have to search the background music files like a needle in a haystack. The program has nicely organized the music themes into six different folders. You can apply it for your video and make advanced editing, such as split/trim the clip, adjust the playback speed, pitch, volume, etc.

How to Edit Audio with Wondershare Filmora?

In Wondershare Filmora, you can insert background music and other files from the audio library or your computer. You can even record your voiceover using it.

Add Background Music

Filmora provides a royalty-free music library you can access or import your music within the program. You can select a song from the royalty-free audio library and use it for free.

The audio library has categorized into: YOUNG & BRIGHT, TENDER & SENTIMENTAL, ROCK, FOLK, and ELECTRONIC. The different kinds of sound effects are also available under the Sound Effects tab.

Once you find a sound effect or a song, either right-click on it and go with the Apply or drag and drop it into an audio track in the timeline.

Or, you can click the Import button above the Media Library panel to browse for audio files in your PC system. Then, select and import it into the Media Library when you find the song or other audio files you wish to add.

Once you place the song in the timeline, double-click to edit it in the Audio editing panel. You can apply fade-in or fade-out effects or adjust the pitch and volume. Filmora lets you add up to 100 audio tracks.

Split Audio Clips

Choose your audio clip and place the playhead where you want to split it, then right-click on the clip and choose the Split tab or click the Split icon right above on the toolbar.

Adjust Audio Settings

Double click on the audio clip to make adjustments to your audio. Open a panel with adjustment sliders in the timeline for pitch and volume.

Another element that you’ll find in this panel is Denoise, which is a feature that can remove background noise from your audio clips.

For a more professional audio editing experience, you can also access the Audio Equalizer from this panel. Select from presets or make manual adjustments by hitting the Customize tab.

Play it when you are done and, if you’re not happy with the results, tap the Reset button to start over.

Audio Equalizer (EQ)

All videos have plenty of sounds like speech, music, or sound effects. Changing the strength of sound waves will help you to mix these sounds within a coherent soundtrack.

Locate your audio clip in an audio track and double-click on it to open the Audio settings menu window. A drop-down menu next to the Equalizer feature will display presets such as Classic, Default, Rock’n’Roll, Techno, Sparkle, Bass, Hard Rock, Pop, Ska, Blues, Folk, Acoustic, Custom, or Country. Choose the preset that best fits your current needs and hit the OK tab to apply it.

Now, hit the Customize tab next to the drop-down bar to adjust the Audio Equalizer manually. Drag the sliders up or down and make the adjustments until you find their ideal value. Finally, hit OK and save your settings.

Besides the included music tracks and sound effects in Filmora initially, you can also find more audio files from Filmora’s effects store – Filmstock, and even get some free music and sound.

Part 3: iMovie Audio Editing Tips & Tricks

iMovie is a great video editor for Mac computers. After understanding the best alternative of iMovie sound editin g, let’s check out some tips on editing audio in iMovie best.

The explanations and screenshots below are for iMovie 10 only. However, the steps are a bit similar to older versions.

So, here we go!

1. Use Waveforms to See What You Hear

To properly edit the audio track in iMovie, you need a good pair of headphones and speakers to hear the sound, but you also need to check the sound.

You can check the sound in iMovie by considering the waveforms on each clip. If the waveforms can’t be seen, go to the View drop-down menu and choose the Show Waveforms option. The clip size for your project can also adjust to get an even better appearance for each video clip.

The waveforms will display the volume level of a clip and give you a good idea of what sections will require to turn up or down. You can also check how the levels of different clips compare to one another.

2. Audio Adjustments

With the help of Adjust tab in the top right, you can access some basic audio editing tools for changing your selected clip’s volume or changing the volume of other relative clips in the project.

The adjustment window of audio also provides basic audio equalization and noise reduction tools, along with a range of effects - from echo to robot - that will change the way people in your video sound.

3. Edit Audio with the Timeline

iMovie assists you in adjusting the audio within the clips themselves. Each pin has a volume bar, moving up and down to decrease or increase the audio level. The clips also contain Fade In and Fade Out tabs at the beginning and end, dragging to adjust the fade’s length.

By adding a short fade effect, whether in or out, the sound becomes relatively smoother and less conflicting to the ear when a new clip begins.

4. Detach the Audio

By default, iMovie keeps the video and audio sections of clips together for convenience. Yet, you want to use the video and audio sections of a clip separately sometimes.

For this purpose, choose your clip in the timeline, visit the Modify drop-down menu, and hit the Detach Audio button. You’ll now have two clips - one with the images and another with the sound.

A lot you can do with the detached audio. For instance, you could extend the audio clip to begin before the video plays, or so that it plays for a few seconds even after the video fades out. You could also cut out pieces from the audio’s middle portion while leaving the video intact.

Conclusion

Coming towards the end of the discussion, after understanding iMovie audio editingand going through an elaborated alternative of iMovie application, we decided that Wondershare Filmora sounds the best out of it. It allows you to flawlessly edit video and audio files on your desktop, with various inbuilt royalty-free music tracks to select from that can further improve your project’s presence.

Marion Dubois

Marion Dubois is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Marion Dubois

Marion Dubois

Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions

iMovie offers a fantastic platform for video editing where you can merge multiple video clips to create something very phenomenal. Plus, it’s simply here to navigate between different scenes, edit video clips and save results directly to the digital format without making any videotape transformations.

It provides lots of things to beginners and professionals with its easy-to-use interface without any quality loss for your results even after adding lots of transitions, changes, and effects.

However, it is not accessible to master software, precisely when you’re not familiar with it, or you’re not its professional user. So today, we’d like to explore or pay attention to iMovie’s audio editing steps, tips, and tricks to help you become an iMovie master quickly.

What’s more, a practical yet professional iMovie alternative software is also advisable in this guide. So when the iMovie cannot fulfil your editing requirements, why don’t you hop on an iMovie alternative software?

Now, let’s get started!

Part 1: How to Edit Audio Clips in iMovie?

To learn how to edit audio clips in iMovie, you can use actions in the menu along with the quick shortcuts to make adjustments to your audio clips in iMovie on Mac. It’s a tip for your convenience!

Trim Audio Clips

There are a couple of options to trim an audio clip in iMovie.

#1. Trim to Playhead

You can place the playhead in your timeline. Now, trim an audio clip to that exact spot. Next, start moving the playhead and do one from the following.

• Select Modify > Trim to Playhead option in the menu bar.
• Right-click the audio clip and select the option of Trim to Playhead in the shortcut menu.

#2. Use the Clip Trimmer

You can use the Clip Trimmer to trim an exact section of the clip.

Step 1. Right-click the audio clip and select Show Clip Trimmer in the shortcut menu.

Step 2. After the Clip Trimmer shows, select a section you wish to trim by dragging the arrows right and left while holding the white lines. The area within those lines is what will get entirely deleted.

Move the entire clip but keep the trim area in place if arrows turn to a film strip icon.

Step 3. Click Close Clip Trimmer after you finish this section.

Shorten or Lengthen Audio Clips

You can easily shorten or lengthen an audio clip in iMovie. Just choose the pin in the timeline and drag one of its edges. The duration of the clip change will change as you carry. And a new course will be displayed after you finish in the upper left menu.

You can also set the clip’s duration to an exact time. Select the clip in the timeline and hit the Clip Information (small letter “i”) tab located above the Viewer. Put the value of the time you want in seconds in the Duration box on the right.

Change the Speed of an Audio Clip

You may want to speed up or slow down an audio clip while editing music in iMovie. So, here’s what you need to do!

Method 1. Click the Speed button above the Viewer. Next, select Custom in the Speed drop-down box and enter a percentage next to it. You can also set a different speed in that box if you prefer.

Method 2. Right-click the clip and select Show Speed Editor from the shortcut menu. A slider will then display at the top of the clip that you can move to change the speed.

Adjust the Volume of an Audio Clip

You can set the audio clip’s volume at higher or lower, or even mute it. Just select the clip and then do one of the following.

• Select the Volume tab above the Viewer option and move the slider to the percentage of volume. Hit the Mute button to mute the audio clip.
• Tap inside the clip, and when the two-sided arrow appears, drag up or down to adjust the volume.

Fade an Audio Clip

While editing audio in iMovie, you can also fade in or out the clip. Choose a clip in the timeline and then drag the fade handle (small circle) at either the ending or the beginning of the clip to make a fade-out or a fade-in effect.

As you drag, you will see the arcs displaying the shadow for the clips fade in or fade out.

How to Edit Audio Clips in iMovie on iOS?

The iMovie timeline is where you sort or organize all your audio clips, such as the special effects and background music. Audio clips are always present below the video clips in the timeline. To edit audio clips in iMovie on your iPhones or iPads, you can follow the guide belo

Move an Audio Clip

You can transfer the whole audio clip, except the background music, to another location.

• Touch and hold the purple or blue audio clip with your project open in the timeline until it comes over the timeline bar.
• Drag the clip to another place and release.

Adjust the Audio Clip’s Duration

Step 1. While the project is launched in the timeline, tap the audio clip (in blue or purple) or the background music clip you wish to adjust.

Step 2. Now, you can see the display of yellow trim handles. Drag them either at the end of the clip to the points where you wish the audio to start and end. If a trim handle won’t move left or right, it simply indicates there is no additional audio to work with on that clip’s end.

Step 3. Tap outside the audio clip and let the trim handles disappear.

Split an Audio Clip

There are around two options to split audio clips in iMovie. You can remove unwanted parts or adjust each section’s duration, volume, or speed while you split a clip.

Step 1. With your launched project in the timeline, scroll the timeline to the playhead’s position where you want to split the audio.

Step 2. Click the audio clip to display the inspector at the screen’s bottom.

Step 3. Now, click the Actions button, and select the Split tab.

Or, you can tap the clip (it becomes outlined in yellow), then swipe above the playhead as if you were placing your finger to slide over it.

Detach the Audio Part from a Video

You can detach the video clip’s audio to remove or edit it as a separate video clip.

Step 1. When the project is open in the timeline, select a video clip and display the inspector at the screen’s bottom.

Step 2. Tap the Actions button, then tap Detach.

Step 3. A new blue-colored audio clip will then appear below the video project. You can now move, edit, or delete the audio clip separately from its parent video clip.

Move Audio to the Foreground or Background

To ensure the sound in your video clips can listen above the background music, iMovie implies audio “ducking”. Ducking lowers the background music clips’ volume whenever there’s a video clip whose sound is playing simultaneously.

You can select which audio clips are in the foreground or the background.

Step 1. Select the timeline’s audio clip to display the inspector at the screen’s bottom.

Step 2. Hit the Actions tab and proceed with selecting the Foreground or Background.

The clip color changes to indicate whether it’s the background music (green) or foreground audio (blue or purple).

Part 2: An Easier Way to Edit Audio Clips

Windows users might be wandering for an alternative to iMovie as this software tool is only compatible with Mac and iOS devices. You will be thrilled to know that Wondershare Filmora can serve you with all synonymous and extra features more than the iMovie, and it works significantly in the Windows environment.

This latest software tool also assists users with easy video editing tricks and the intuitive interface that best serves quality editing to beginners and professionals.

Despite the basic video editing features, such as trimming, splitting, merging, cutting, and cropping, Filmora also offers various advanced editing elements that are far better than iMovie. And, with its video editing features, you can make a green screen effect, stabilize your video footage, reverse your video clip, and more.

Moreover, you can enjoy royalty-free music tracks for different themes, such as Young and Bright, Tender and Sentimental, Rock, Folk, Electronic Rock, and Hipster Folk, for selection.

All this will be available with a single program called Wondershare Filmora to take advantage of them for free. You do not have to search the background music files like a needle in a haystack. The program has nicely organized the music themes into six different folders. You can apply it for your video and make advanced editing, such as split/trim the clip, adjust the playback speed, pitch, volume, etc.

How to Edit Audio with Wondershare Filmora?

In Wondershare Filmora, you can insert background music and other files from the audio library or your computer. You can even record your voiceover using it.

Add Background Music

Filmora provides a royalty-free music library you can access or import your music within the program. You can select a song from the royalty-free audio library and use it for free.

The audio library has categorized into: YOUNG & BRIGHT, TENDER & SENTIMENTAL, ROCK, FOLK, and ELECTRONIC. The different kinds of sound effects are also available under the Sound Effects tab.

Once you find a sound effect or a song, either right-click on it and go with the Apply or drag and drop it into an audio track in the timeline.

Or, you can click the Import button above the Media Library panel to browse for audio files in your PC system. Then, select and import it into the Media Library when you find the song or other audio files you wish to add.

Once you place the song in the timeline, double-click to edit it in the Audio editing panel. You can apply fade-in or fade-out effects or adjust the pitch and volume. Filmora lets you add up to 100 audio tracks.

Split Audio Clips

Choose your audio clip and place the playhead where you want to split it, then right-click on the clip and choose the Split tab or click the Split icon right above on the toolbar.

Adjust Audio Settings

Double click on the audio clip to make adjustments to your audio. Open a panel with adjustment sliders in the timeline for pitch and volume.

Another element that you’ll find in this panel is Denoise, which is a feature that can remove background noise from your audio clips.

For a more professional audio editing experience, you can also access the Audio Equalizer from this panel. Select from presets or make manual adjustments by hitting the Customize tab.

Play it when you are done and, if you’re not happy with the results, tap the Reset button to start over.

Audio Equalizer (EQ)

All videos have plenty of sounds like speech, music, or sound effects. Changing the strength of sound waves will help you to mix these sounds within a coherent soundtrack.

Locate your audio clip in an audio track and double-click on it to open the Audio settings menu window. A drop-down menu next to the Equalizer feature will display presets such as Classic, Default, Rock’n’Roll, Techno, Sparkle, Bass, Hard Rock, Pop, Ska, Blues, Folk, Acoustic, Custom, or Country. Choose the preset that best fits your current needs and hit the OK tab to apply it.

Now, hit the Customize tab next to the drop-down bar to adjust the Audio Equalizer manually. Drag the sliders up or down and make the adjustments until you find their ideal value. Finally, hit OK and save your settings.

Besides the included music tracks and sound effects in Filmora initially, you can also find more audio files from Filmora’s effects store – Filmstock, and even get some free music and sound.

Part 3: iMovie Audio Editing Tips & Tricks

iMovie is a great video editor for Mac computers. After understanding the best alternative of iMovie sound editin g, let’s check out some tips on editing audio in iMovie best.

The explanations and screenshots below are for iMovie 10 only. However, the steps are a bit similar to older versions.

So, here we go!

1. Use Waveforms to See What You Hear

To properly edit the audio track in iMovie, you need a good pair of headphones and speakers to hear the sound, but you also need to check the sound.

You can check the sound in iMovie by considering the waveforms on each clip. If the waveforms can’t be seen, go to the View drop-down menu and choose the Show Waveforms option. The clip size for your project can also adjust to get an even better appearance for each video clip.

The waveforms will display the volume level of a clip and give you a good idea of what sections will require to turn up or down. You can also check how the levels of different clips compare to one another.

2. Audio Adjustments

With the help of Adjust tab in the top right, you can access some basic audio editing tools for changing your selected clip’s volume or changing the volume of other relative clips in the project.

The adjustment window of audio also provides basic audio equalization and noise reduction tools, along with a range of effects - from echo to robot - that will change the way people in your video sound.

3. Edit Audio with the Timeline

iMovie assists you in adjusting the audio within the clips themselves. Each pin has a volume bar, moving up and down to decrease or increase the audio level. The clips also contain Fade In and Fade Out tabs at the beginning and end, dragging to adjust the fade’s length.

By adding a short fade effect, whether in or out, the sound becomes relatively smoother and less conflicting to the ear when a new clip begins.

4. Detach the Audio

By default, iMovie keeps the video and audio sections of clips together for convenience. Yet, you want to use the video and audio sections of a clip separately sometimes.

For this purpose, choose your clip in the timeline, visit the Modify drop-down menu, and hit the Detach Audio button. You’ll now have two clips - one with the images and another with the sound.

A lot you can do with the detached audio. For instance, you could extend the audio clip to begin before the video plays, or so that it plays for a few seconds even after the video fades out. You could also cut out pieces from the audio’s middle portion while leaving the video intact.

Conclusion

Coming towards the end of the discussion, after understanding iMovie audio editingand going through an elaborated alternative of iMovie application, we decided that Wondershare Filmora sounds the best out of it. It allows you to flawlessly edit video and audio files on your desktop, with various inbuilt royalty-free music tracks to select from that can further improve your project’s presence.

Marion Dubois

Marion Dubois is a writer and a lover of all things video.

Follow @Marion Dubois

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