Sound design

Audio editing software lets you cut, clean, and mix recordings for podcasts and video. Compare the best tools and edit audio by text in Descript.

Learn how to mix audio step by step. Set levels, use EQ and compression, and get dialogue sitting cleanly over music without clipping or riding faders.

Sound design for nonfiction podcasts can borrow from audio fiction. See which techniques transfer, what ambience replaces in narration, and where to stop.

Choosing video background music comes down to licensing, tempo, and vocals. See five questions that narrow the field before you audition fifty tracks.

Learn how to use sound effects and ambience in a podcast. See how soundscapes set a scene, where to source effects, and how to keep levels believable.

EQ shapes frequency, compression controls dynamics. See how to use both on dialogue, which order to apply them in, and the settings that fix most audio.