In the process of video editing, sound is just as important as the visuals.
A smooth audio experience can make the difference between a project that feels amateur and one that seems professional.
One of the most fundamental techniques in audio editing is the audio fade.
Whether you need to gently introduce music, smoothly transition between speakers, or eliminate abrupt sound cuts, learning how to fade audio in DaVinci Resolve is an essential skill.
Many video editors find themselves needing to apply an audio fade to an audio clip to ensure a clean final product.
This guide provides a comprehensive look at the different methods for creating audio fades in DaVinci Resolve.
We will cover everything from the basic functions on the Edit Page to more advanced controls on the Fairlight Page.
Our goal is to give you the knowledge to handle any audio fading task with confidence, regardless of your experience level.
We’ll walk through using simple on-screen controls, the precision of the Inspector, and the power of the Effects Library.
Understanding the Fundamentals of Audio Fading
Before we get into the step-by-step instructions, it’s helpful to know the basics of audio fading. This foundation will make the practical steps clearer and help you make better creative decisions in your sound design.
What is an Audio Fade?
An audio fade is a gradual increase or decrease in the volume of an audio clip.
A fade-in starts with silence and slowly raises the volume to its full level, while a fade-out starts at full volume and slowly lowers it to silence.
This technique is applied to prevent abrupt starts and stops, making the listening experience much more pleasant and professional.
Without fades, an audio track can sound jarring when it suddenly appears or disappears.
Why Fading is Essential For Professional Audio?
Fades are a cornerstone of professional audio editing. They serve several key purposes.
- First, they create smooth beginnings and endings for music tracks or ambient sounds. Imagine a scene opening with a song that just starts abruptly—it would feel jarring. A gentle fade-in makes the music feel like a natural part of the scene.
- Second, fades help eliminate unwanted noises like clicks and pops that can occur at the start or end of an audio clip. These imperfections are common but can be easily hidden with a quick fade.
- Finally, fades are instrumental in blending multiple audio elements, ensuring that dialogue, music, and sound effects work together seamlessly.
Key Terminology: Fade In, Fade Out, and Crossfade
To effectively work with audio, you need to know the language. Here are the three main terms you’ll encounter when dealing with fades:
- Fade In: This is the gradual increase of volume at the beginning of an audio clip. It’s used to ease the listener into a sound.
- Fade Out: This is the gradual decrease of volume at the end of an audio clip. It provides a smooth conclusion to a sound, preventing an abrupt stop.
- Crossfade: A crossfade (or cross fade) is a specific type of audio transition where one audio clip fades out while another simultaneously fades in. This technique is used to create a seamless transition between two adjacent clips on the same audio track, so the listener doesn’t notice the cut. It is a very common standard transition.
How to Fade Audio in DaVinci Resolve: 3 Easy Methods On The Edit Page
DaVinci Resolve offers several ways to create an audio fade directly on the Edit Page. After you import media, you can choose the method that best fits your needs, from quick adjustments to precise control.
Method 1: Using the Interactive On-Screen Fade Handles
This is the fastest and most intuitive way to add a fade. DaVinci Resolve provides simple on-screen controls directly on the audio clip in the timeline.
- Select Your Audio Clip: Go to the timeline and click on the audio clip you want to fade.
- Find the Fade Handles: Hover your mouse over the upper corners of the audio clip. You will see small white fade handles appear. These handles are your primary fade tool.
- Apply the Fade:
- To create a fade-in, click and drag the handle at the top-left corner of the clip to the right.
- To create a fade-out, click and drag the handle at the top-right corner to the left.
- Adjust the Fade Curve: After creating a fade, a small white dot will appear on the fade line. You can drag this dot up or down to change the shape of the fade curve. A straight line is a linear fade, while a curved line creates a more logarithmic or exponential fade, which can sound more natural.
Method 2: Adjusting Fades With Precision in the Inspector
For more precise control over the fade, you can use the Inspector panel. This method involves setting the volume and fade properties with exact numerical values.
- Select the Clip and Open Inspector: First, select the audio clip in your timeline. Then, open the Inspector by clicking the “Inspector” button in the top-right corner of the interface.
- Navigate to the Audio Tab: In the Inspector, make sure you are in the “Audio” tab.
- Adjust the Fade In and Fade Out Values: You will see sliders or input boxes labeled “Fade In” and “Fade Out.” Here, you can type in the exact duration of your fade-in frames or seconds. This gives you consistent results every time and is great for matching fade durations across multiple clips. The Inspector acts as a powerful volume control center.
Method 3: Applying Audio-Only Transitions From the Effects Library
DaVinci Resolve includes a library of pre-built effects, including audio transitions that can be applied quickly.
The most common of these is the crossfade effect.
- Open the Effects Library: Make sure the Effects Library is visible. If not, you can open it from the top-left of the screen.
- Find Audio Transitions: In the Effects Library panel, go to Toolbox > Audio Transitions. Here, you’ll find a few options, such as “Cross Fade +3 dB” and “Cross Fade 0 dB“.
- Apply the Transition: To create a fade-out, you can drag one of these crossfade transition effects to the very end of a single audio clip. To create a cross fade between two clips, place the transition over the cut between them. You can then adjust the duration of the transition by dragging its edges on the timeline. This is a very effective way to apply a standard transition.
Precision Control: Fading With Audio Keyframes
When you need complete control over how your audio behaves over time, keyframes are the best tool for the job.
They allow you to create custom volume changes, including complex fades that go beyond a simple linear adjustment.
What Are Audio Keyframes?
Audio keyframes are markers that you place on the volume line of an audio clip. Each keyframe stores a specific volume level at a specific point in time. By setting two or more keyframes with different volume levels, you create a transition between them. For instance, a keyframe at 100% volume followed by a second keyframe at 0% volume will produce a fade-out. These markers are sometimes referred to as fade markers.
Step-by-Step: How to Add and Adjust Keyframes On A Clip?
Adding keyframes directly on the Edit Page timeline is a straightforward process that grants you detailed control.
- Make the Volume Line Visible: First, you may need to increase the height of your audio track to clearly see the volume automation line, which is a thin white line running horizontally across the audio clip.
- Add the First Keyframe: Hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac) and click on the volume line at the point where you want your fade to begin. A small dot—your first keyframe—will appear.
- Add a Second Keyframe: Move your playhead to where you want the fade to end. Hold Alt/Option and click again on the volume line to place a second keyframe.
- Adjust the Volume: Now, you can click and drag the second keyframe up or down to adjust its volume level. To create a fade-out, you would drag the second keyframe all the way down. This gives you precise volume control over the fade’s start and end points.
Creating Custom Fade Shapes and Curves With Keyframing
The real power of keyframes lies in their flexibility.
You are not limited to just two points. You can add multiple keyframes to create custom volume ramps.
For example, you could make an audio track fade out partially, hold at a lower volume while someone speaks, and then fade back in.
This level of control is essential for sophisticated sound design. You can also adjust the fade curve between keyframes.
Right-click on a keyframe to change its curve type, allowing you to fine-tune the transition from a sharp, linear change to a smooth, gradual one. This is one of the more advanced methods for shaping audio.
Advanced Fading Techniques in the Fairlight Page
For the most advanced audio work, DaVinci Resolve has a dedicated digital audio workstation built right in: the Fairlight Page. This page offers a suite of professional tools for mixing, mastering, and repairing audio.
An Introduction to the Fairlight Audio Workspace
The Fairlight Page transforms DaVinci Resolve into a professional audio post-production suite. It provides a much more detailed view of your audio tracks, with access to mixers, equalizers, dynamics processors, and more.
While you can perform most basic audio editing on the Edit Page, Fairlight is where you go for complex tasks and perfect audio quality.
Its interface is designed specifically for sound design professionals.
Using the Range Selection Tool For Batch Fades
One of Fairlight’s powerful features is the ability to apply changes to multiple clips at once. If you have a series of clips that all need the same fade-out, you don’t have to do them one by one.
- Select the Range Selection Tool: In the Fairlight toolbar, select the Range Selection tool.
- Highlight the Clips: Click and drag across the timeline to select the range of audio across one or more tracks that you want to fade.
- Apply Fade: With the range selected, you can go to the top menu and select “Fairlight > Fade In to Range” or “Fade Out from Range” to apply a batch fade to everything you’ve selected.
Adjusting Fade Curves (Linear, S-Curve) For Natural Sound
Fairlight offers more advanced control over the fade curve.
While the Edit page offers a basic curve adjustment, Fairlight provides presets like Linear and S-Curve. An S-Curve fade is particularly useful because it eases in and out of the fade, making the volume change feel exceptionally smooth and natural to the human ear.
You can right-click on a fade in Fairlight and select different curve shapes to hear which one works best for your audio track.
Saving Custom Fade Presets For Future Use
If you create a specific type of fade with a custom curve that you know you’ll need again, you don’t have to recreate it every time.
In Fairlight, you can save your custom fades and other effects as presets. This allows you to build your own library of go-to audio transitions, speeding up your workflow significantly, especially on large projects.
This is a feature that many professional video editors rely on.
Troubleshooting Common Audio Fading Issues
Even with a powerful program like DaVinci Resolve, you might occasionally run into issues.
Here are solutions to some common problems related to audio fading.
Why Aren’t My Fade Handles Showing?
This is a very common issue, especially for new users. If you hover over the corners of the audio clip and the white fade handles do not appear, it’s almost always because the audio track height is too small.
To fix this, simply place your mouse on the bottom border of the track header in the timeline and drag it down to increase the track’s height.
Once the audio waveform is clearly visible, the fade handles should appear as expected.
How to Fix Unwanted Clicks and Pops in Your Fades?
Sometimes, even after applying a fade, you might hear a small click or pop at the edge of the audio clip. This often happens if the fade is too short or if the audio waveform is cut at a point other than a zero-crossing.
The easiest fix is to slightly extend the duration of the fade.
Making the fade just a few frames longer usually smooths out the transition and eliminates the pop. If that doesn’t work, you can use the Fairlight page to zoom in on the waveform and ensure the clip starts and ends at a “zero-crossing” point, where the wave is on the center line.
Reverting Or Completely Removing an Audio Fade
If you’ve added a fade and want to remove it, the process is simple.
- For Fade Handles: If you used the on-screen fade tool, simply drag the white fade handles back to the corners of the clip. The fade will be removed.
- For Keyframes: If you used keyframes, you can right-click on a keyframe and select “Delete Keyframe.” Alternatively, you can drag the keyframes back to their original volume levels.
- For Transitions: If you applied a crossfade transition from the Effects Library, simply click on the transition in the timeline and press the Delete or Backspace key to remove it.
FAQ’s:
Can I Batch Apply Fade Effects to Multiple Audio Clips?
Yes. The most efficient way to do this is on the Fairlight page.
By using the Range Selection tool, you can highlight multiple audio clip sections at once and apply a uniform fade-in or fade-out to all of them simultaneously. You can also select multiple clips on the Edit Page, go to the Inspector, and type in the same fade duration value for all of them.
How Can I Fade Audio Without Completely Muting It?
This is a common need in sound design, such as when you want to lower music to make dialogue clearer. The best way to do this is with audio keyframes. Instead of dragging the second keyframe all the way down to silence, just lower it to the desired volume level.
For example, you can create a fade from 0dB (full volume) down to -18dB (background volume).
Are There Shortcuts For Adding Audio Fades Quickly?
Yes. DaVinci Resolve allows you to set up keyboard shortcuts for many actions. You can go into the Keyboard Customization settings and assign a key to apply a default fade-in or fade-out.
By default, you can select a cut point between two clips and press Ctrl+T (Windows) or Cmd+T (Mac) to apply a default crossfade transition.
What’s the Difference Between Crossfade and Simple Fade Effects?
A simple fade affects only one clip, either by fading it in from silence or fading it out to silence.
A crossfade effect, on the other hand, is a standard transition that works on two clips at once. It simultaneously fades out the end of the first video clip or audio clip while fading in the beginning of the second one.
This is used to blend two adjacent clips on the same audio track.
Conclusion
Learning how to fade sound is an important step for making good videos.
DaVinci Resolve has many simple tools for this job. You can use fade handles on the Edit Page if you want a quick way. The Fairlight Page lets you do more with sound, like using keyframes and handling many clips at once.
No matter if you are doing basic cutting or adding detailed sounds, these ways help you control sound levels in your work.
You can use the fade tool to change how each sound clip starts and ends. This makes every sound smooth and clear in your timeline. You may also add audio changes from the Effects Library. These extra steps will help you get better results in your video.
When you use these skills, there are no rough cuts between clips. The music and voices mix well together in your project. Fades help make your video look neat and sound sharp. Your work will be clean and ready to share with others.
