Set voice-over music levels
Plan how far music should drop when narration or a host voice begins.
Result preview: The music bed gets a practical target drop so narration stays clear without muting the background completely.
Audio Ducking Calculator
Set background music under speech.
Local processing · no file upload needed
These are starting points for intelligibility. Always listen on phone speakers and headphones before publishing.
Pain Point
Music beds often fight the voice.
Creators can add intro music or ad beds quickly, but choosing a duck amount by ear takes repeated exports. This gives a starting target before the mix pass.
- Measure approximate average voice and music levels first.
- Use deeper ducking for dense speech and small speakers.
- Use slower release for narration so music does not pump.
- Check final loudness after ducking and fades are applied.
How to use
Use the Audio Ducking Calculator in four practical steps.
- Step 1 Enter voice and music levels
Start with approximate average levels for the spoken voice and background music. This calculator uses the numbers to plan a mix target, not to process a file.
- Step 2 Choose the speech and music style
Pick a speech-first, balanced, or music-forward target, then adjust speech density so the suggested ducking and release timing fit the content.
- Step 3 Read the ducking target
Use the recommended music-under-speech level, reduction amount, attack time, and release time as starting values in your editor or mixer.
- Step 4 Listen before publishing
Test the final mix on headphones and phone speakers. If speech still feels buried, increase the ducking or lower the music bed.
Use Cases
When the Audio Ducking Calculator is useful.
Choose fade timing
Estimate attack and release times before automating a mix.
Result preview: Attack and release values give the mix a smoother ducking shape before automation is added.
Keep ads understandable
Check safer background levels for sponsor reads, intros, and transitions.
Result preview: Sponsor reads, intros, and transitions can keep speech intelligible while music or ambience sits underneath.
Create repeatable mix notes
Use target values as a starting point for similar episodes or videos.
Result preview: The result gives reusable starting values for future episodes, videos, ads, or voice-over projects.
Best-in-class benchmark
How this tool closes the gap.
Checked against mature online audio tools for the same job: the goal is not only to complete the task, but to make the next decision obvious.
The strongest calculators do more than output one number: they compare presets, explain tradeoffs, and produce settings a user can copy into an editor or recorder.
Single-purpose calculators often leave the user with a number but no next action.
This page now pairs the calculation with practical result previews, copy-ready workflow notes, and routes to the next Cinch tool instead of stopping at math.
FAQ
Questions about the Audio Ducking Calculator.
When should I use this free online Audio Ducking Calculator?
Use it before recording, exporting, mixing, or editing when you need a practical estimate or setting to copy into another workflow.
Do I need to upload an audio file?
No. This calculator works from values you type into the page, such as duration, bitrate, storage size, offset, level, timing, or format settings.
Are the results exact?
They are planning estimates. Real files can vary because of encoder overhead, variable bitrate, metadata, artwork, lossless compression, or the way another editor applies settings.
What should I do with the result?
Use the number as a starting point for storage planning, recording settings, time-stretch correction, or mix automation, then check the final audio in the tool or editor you actually use.