How do you add background music to a voiceover recording?

1 Choose Music

Selecting the right background music for your voiceover is crucial. You want something that supports the mood of your content without distracting from the message. Consider the tempo, genre, and instrumentation of potential tracks. A slower, instrumental piece might work well for a serious topic, while something upbeat could be perfect for lighter content. It's also important to ensure you have the legal right to use the music you choose. Royalty-free music libraries are a great resource for finding tracks that are safe to use in your projects.

2 Editing Tools

Before adding music to your voiceover, familiarize yourself with audio editing software. These tools allow you to import voice and music tracks, adjust volume levels, and edit the timing of each element. Popular audio editing programs offer features like multi-track editing and effects processing. While professional software can be complex, there are also more user-friendly options available that provide the necessary functionality for basic voiceover and music mixing.

3 Import Tracks

Once you have your voiceover recording and background music selected, the next step is to import both files into your audio editing software. Create a new project and add each file to its own track. This will allow you to manipulate each element independently. If your software supports it, you can also label each track for better organization. With both tracks in place, you're ready to start blending them together.

5 Fine-Tune Mix

With the levels set, listen to the entire recording to identify any parts where the music might clash with the voiceover. Look for moments where the music's tempo or intensity changes, which could affect how it interacts with the spoken words. Use your editing software to make fine adjustments, such as fading the music in or out at certain points or adjusting the equalization (EQ) to emphasize different frequencies in the music or voiceover track. This fine-tuning can greatly improve the overall quality of your mix.

6 Export Final

Once you're satisfied with the balance and mix of your voiceover and background music, it's time to export the final audio file. Choose a file format that suits your distribution method, such as MP3 for online use or WAV for high-quality needs. Use your editing software's export function to combine all tracks into a single audio file. Ensure that you select the correct output settings, like bitrate and sample rate, to maintain the quality of your audio. With your file exported, your voiceover with background music is ready to be shared with your audience.