Audio Description Ducking

Audio Description Ducking | Online Free Tool | Elysia Tools

Tool usage guide

Learn when to use this tool, what it supports, and how real users apply it.

Key facts

Category: Media
Input types: file, number, select
Output type: file
Sample coverage: 4
API ready: Yes

Overview

The Audio Description Ducking tool allows you to seamlessly mix an audio-description narration track into your main program audio. By using the narration track to drive a sidechain compressor, the tool automatically lowers the volume of the program audio whenever the description is active, ensuring clear accessibility without manual volume automation.

When to use

When creating accessible video content that requires a secondary audio description track for visually impaired audiences.
When you need to automate sidechain compression between a pre-recorded voiceover and a background music or program track.
When preparing broadcast-ready audio mixes that comply with accessibility standards without manually keyframing volume levels.

How it works

1Upload your main program audio file and the separate audio-description narration file.
2Set the desired ducking depth in decibels to control how much the program audio volume drops during narration.
3Choose your preferred output format, such as MP3, WAV, FLAC, M4A, or OGG.
4Process the files to apply sidechain compression and download the mixed audio track.

Use cases

Mixing descriptive narration into feature films or documentaries for visually impaired viewers.
Combining voiceover instructions with background music for e-learning modules.
Creating accessible audio tracks for museum guides or public broadcast programs.

Examples

1. Creating an Accessible Documentary Track

Video Producer

Background

A video producer needs to deliver an accessible version of a 10-minute documentary with an audio description track.

Problem

Manually keyframing the background audio to dip every time the narrator speaks is tedious and time-consuming.

How to use

Upload the main documentary audio as the Program Audio and the voiceover track as the Description Narration. Set the ducking depth to -15 dB and select WAV output.

Program Audio: doc_mix.wav, Description Narration: doc_ad.wav, Ducking Depth: -15 dB, Output Format: wav

Outcome

A single WAV file where the documentary audio automatically dips by 15 dB whenever the description narration plays, ensuring clear voice intelligibility.

2. E-Learning Module Voiceover Mix

Instructional Designer

Background

An instructional designer is building a training module with background music and a spoken instruction track.

Problem

The background music is too loud and masks the spoken instructions, making them hard to hear.

How to use

FAQ

Does this tool automatically generate the audio description text or voiceover?

No, this tool does not generate or synthesize speech. You must upload a pre-recorded narration track and a program audio track.

What does the ducking depth setting do?

It determines how many decibels (dB) the program audio is lowered when the narration track is active. A lower value like -18 dB ducks the program more than -6 dB.

What determines the length of the output audio file?

The output duration matches the duration of the uploaded program audio file.

Can I export the final mixed audio in lossless formats?

Yes, you can select WAV or FLAC as the output format, in addition to compressed formats like MP3, M4A, and OGG.

How does the tool detect when to lower the program volume?

It uses sidechain compression driven directly by the signal level of the uploaded description narration track.

Program Audio: bg_music.mp3, Description Narration: instructions.mp3, Ducking Depth: -10 dB, Output Format: mp3

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Inputs

Result

Learn when to use this tool, what it supports, and how real users apply it.

Key facts

Overview

When to use

How it works

Use cases

Examples

1. Creating an Accessible Documentary Track

2. E-Learning Module Voiceover Mix

FAQ

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