# Audio Podcast Intro/Outro Ducker

Automatically duck a music bed under voice/dialogue using sidechain compression, with fade-in/out templates for intros and outros.

> Canonical page: https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/audio-podcast-intro-outro-ducker

- **Category:** Media

- **Keywords:** audio, podcast, ducking, sidechain, music bed, intro, outro, voiceover, fade, mix

## Overview

Mixes a music bed underneath a voice track. In "sidechain" mode the music level drops automatically whenever the voice is active (classic radio/podcast ducking) — you set the ducking depth, attack and release. In "static" mode the music sits at a fixed gain throughout. The music bed can be faded in at a custom start point and faded out at an end point, making it perfect for podcast intros, outros, and background beds under dialogue segments.

## Inputs

- **Voice / Dialogue** (file): Select the voice/dialogue track
- **Music Bed** (file): Select the music bed / intro music
- **Ducking Mode** (select)
- **Ducking Depth (dB)** (number)
- **Attack (ms)** (number)
- **Release (ms)** (number)
- **Music Gain (dB)** (number)
- **Music Start (s)** (number)
- **Music End (s)** (number)
- **Output Format** (select)

## When to use

- When mixing a podcast episode and you need the background music to automatically quiet down whenever the host speaks.
- When creating a professional intro or outro segment where music needs to fade in, duck under a voiceover, and then fade out.
- When producing audiobooks or voice-guided presentations that require a constant, low-level background music track.

## How it works

- Upload your primary voice or dialogue audio file along with the music bed track.
- Choose between sidechain mode for voice-driven volume ducking or static mode for a fixed background music level.
- Configure the ducking depth, attack, release times, and set optional start or end fade times for the music.
- Select your preferred output format, such as MP3 or WAV, and process the mixed audio file.

## Use cases

- Creating a polished 30-second podcast intro with a voiceover and a fading music bed.
- Mixing background music under a long-form interview dialogue track without manual volume automation.
- Adding a fading outro music track to the end of an audiobook chapter.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the difference between sidechain and static ducking modes?

Sidechain mode automatically lowers the music volume only when voice activity is detected, while static mode keeps the music at a constant, pre-set volume throughout the track.

### How do I control how quickly the music volume drops when I start speaking?

Adjust the Attack parameter; a lower millisecond value makes the music volume drop faster as soon as speech begins.

### Can I set the music to start or end at specific times?

Yes, you can configure the Music Start and Music End parameters in seconds to control exactly when the music bed fades in and out.

### What audio formats are supported for the final output?

You can export your mixed audio file in MP3, WAV, FLAC, M4A, or OGG formats.

### How do I prevent the music from pumping up and down too quickly during short pauses?

Increase the Release parameter to keep the music ducked longer during brief pauses in your dialogue.

## Related tools

- [Audio Compressor](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/audio-compressor): Apply dynamic range compression with configurable threshold, ratio, attack/release, and makeup gain
- [Audio Deverb Lite](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/audio-deverb-lite): Light de-reverb using EQ, compression, and denoise
- [Audio Podcast Mastering Chain](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/audio-podcast-mastering-chain): Apply a configurable podcast mastering chain: high-pass, denoise, de-ess, compression, EQ tilt, LUFS normalization, and true-peak limiting.
- [Audio Sidechain Compress](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/audio-sidechain-compress): Mix two tracks using sidechain compression (e.g., voice or ads audio when overlaying sidechain audio)
- [Video Bitrate Changer](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/video-bitrate-changer): Change video and audio bitrate with preset values or custom settings, supporting both CBR and VBR modes
- [Audio Telephone Effect](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/audio-telephone-effect): Simulate the sound of a telephone call
- [Convert GIF to WebM](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/gif-to-webm): Convert GIF images to WebM video format with modern compression and web optimization
- [MP3 to WAV Converter](https://elysiatools.com/en/tools/mp3-to-wav): Convert MP3 audio to uncompressed WAV with optional resampling and channel selection

## Samples

- [Copyright-Free FLAC Audio Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/flac-samples): Lossless FLAC audio samples for testing and development, mirrored from MP3 set with nature sounds and meditation music
- [Copyright-Free MP3 Audio Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/mp3-samples): Collection of royalty-free audio samples for testing and development purposes including nature sounds, meditation music, and ambient audio
- [Copyright-Free WAV Audio Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/wav-samples): Uncompressed PCM WAV audio samples for testing and development, mirrored from MP3 set with nature sounds and meditation music
- [Copyright-Free Raw PCM Audio Samples](https://elysiatools.com/en/samples/pcm-samples): Raw PCM s16le audio samples featuring nature ambience and relaxing music for waveform, playback, and conversion workflows

## Related content

- [Podcast Recording, Editing, and Delivery](https://elysiatools.com/en/hubs/podcast-recording-editing-delivery): Rescue remote voices, clean speech artifacts, shape the edit, master loudness, add show assets, and validate podcast files before delivery.