# What is audio ducking?

> Audio ducking lowers the music while someone speaks, then raises it again. See how it works, the Premiere Pro steps and a worked example in decibels.
- **Author**: Marxx
- **Published**: 2026-11-09
- **Category**: Video editing
- **URL**: https://marxx.ai/library-glossary/audio-ducking

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Audio ducking lowers the music while someone speaks, then raises it again in the pauses. The voice stays clear and you do not ride the volume by hand.

## How it works

The editor listens to the voice. When speech starts, it turns the music down by a set amount. When speech stops, the music fades back up.

You control three things: how far the music dips, how sensitive the editor is to speech, and how long each fade takes.

## A worked example

Say your music sits at -10 dB and you set a dip of 12 dB.

-10 − 12 = **-22 dB**

While someone speaks, the music plays at -22 dB. In the gaps it returns to -10 dB. If the fade lasts 0.5 seconds, the music rises over half a second after each line.

## Steps in Premiere Pro

Premiere Pro (now called Adobe Premiere) has ducking in its Essential Sound panel (Adobe Help, checked 3 Nov 2026).

1. Open Window > Essential Sound.
2. Tag each clip's type. Only clips tagged Music or Ambience can be ducked.
3. Turn on Ducking.
4. Set Duck Against (for example Dialogue), Sensitivity, Duck Amount, Fade Duration and Fade Position.
5. Select Generate Keyframes.

Premiere writes the volume changes as [keyframes](/glossary/keyframe) in an Amplify effect. Generate again and it overwrites your hand edits.

Marxx's [AI video editor](/features/ai-video-editor) has automatic ducking on the Match plan, $29 a month at launch prices (checked 3 Nov 2026). Its assistant can also duck music under speech when you ask. We make Marxx.

## FAQ

### Is ducking the same as lowering the music?

No. Lowering sets one fixed level for the whole clip. Ducking changes the level with the speech.

### How much should I duck?

There is no fixed number. Listen on a phone speaker and deepen the dip until every word is clear.

### Can I duck by hand?

Yes. Add [keyframes](/glossary/keyframe) to the music volume at the start and end of each line. It takes longer but gives exact control.

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