Should audio ducking be on?
What is Audio Ducking?
Audio ducking is a technique used in audio mixing and production where the volume level of one audio signal is automatically reduced when a second audio signal is detected https://www.izotope.com/en/learn/what-is-audio-ducking.html. This allows the second signal to be heard more clearly by lowering the volume of the first signal. It is commonly used to duck background music when a voiceover or dialogue begins speaking. Technically, a sidechain compressor or downward expander is used to achieve ducking. The compressor detects the presence of the second “trigger” audio signal, and lowers the gain of the first “ducked” signal based on the compressor’s threshold and ratio settings.
For example, in a radio commercial with background music and a voiceover, the music would be ducked down automatically whenever the voice begins, allowing the voice to cut through the mix clearly. This creates a clean dialogue/music balance without having to manually ride the music volume. Ducking creates rhythmic pumping and energy, and is a staple technique in dance music and radio/TV production.
Pros of Using Audio Ducking
One of the main benefits of using audio ducking is that it listens for voice and lowers other audio when someone speaks. This can greatly improve the intelligibility of speech in situations where there are multiple audio sources competing for attention. As this article explains, audio ducking detects the presence of vocals or dialogue and automatically turns down background music or other sounds. This ensures the voice can be clearly heard and understood without getting lost under loud background audio.
Audio ducking is especially useful when there is ongoing background music or sound effects that need to dip momentarily when an announcement or speech begins. Rather than having to manually adjust multiple faders, audio ducking provides a smoother, more natural transition. It can make listening much easier for audiences trying to comprehend speech or commentary over underlying audio tracks.
Cons of Audio Ducking
While audio ducking can help prioritize voices over background music, it also comes with some drawbacks:
One of the main cons is that ducking can make the transitions between music and voice sound unnatural. When the music volume abruptly drops down and then comes back up, it can be jarring and ruin the sense of immersion for the listener. As one Reddit user noted on r/obs, “Ducking can be awkward and obvious and uneven.”
Finding the right thresholds and settings to create smooth, natural-sounding ducks takes some trial and error. If the music ducks too early or comes back too late, it will feel disruptive. According to experts on Gearspace.com, “The ducks you can hear are the ones that start too early.” Careful tuning is required to achieve seamless ducking.
Audio ducking may also make the changes in music volume too noticeable. Some listeners find the constant up and down of the background track distracting and fatiguing when done excessively.
In situations where maintaining a consistent atmosphere is important, like during musical performances, ducking can undermine the intended emotion and dynamics. For those scenarios, other audio mixing techniques may be preferable over aggressive ducking.
When is Audio Ducking Most Useful?
Audio ducking can be very useful in situations where there are multiple audio sources that need to be heard clearly. Some of the most common uses cases for audio ducking include:
Gaming streams – When a streamer is playing a game and providing live commentary, it’s important that both the game audio and the streamer’s voice can be heard. Audio ducking allows the game audio to automatically lower in volume when the streamer speaks, preventing their voice from being drowned out.[1]
Podcasts – Podcast hosts often conduct interviews or have co-hosts join them. Ducking allows the guest’s voice to be clearly heard when they speak while the host is silent. This improves listenability and speech intelligibility.[2]
Voice chat apps – In multiplayer voice chat apps, audio ducking allows players to communicate clearly even when game sound effects are playing. As soon as someone speaks, the game audio dims so their voice is prioritized.
When May You Want to Avoid Ducking?
Cinematic Games and Music Listening
There are certain use cases where audio ducking may detract from the listening experience rather than enhance it. Two examples are cinematic video games and music listening.
In story-driven or cinematic games, ducking dialogue and sound effects may break immersion. Gamers often want to fully experience the game’s narrative and audio design without interruption. Suddenly lowering the volume could be jarring. Some games like Red Dead Redemption 2 even have options to disable ducking during cutscenes and key story moments.
Music listening is another scenario where ducking may be undesirable. When enjoying music, people usually don’t want unexpected dips in volume. Ducking could make the music sound uneven or distracting, disrupting the flow. Many streaming services and audio players either turn ducking off by default or allow users to disable it.
In general, any situation where maintaining consistent volume is important, ducking should be avoided or minimized. Gamers, music lovers, and video/audio editors are examples of users who may prefer ducking to be turned off for certain applications.
Tips for Fine-Tuning Audio Ducking
Audio ducking works by automatically reducing the volume of one audio track when another track starts playing. How quickly and deeply the volume is reduced depends on the attack, hold, and release settings.
The attack determines how fast the volume drops when the primary audio starts. A shorter attack time will duck the volume more abruptly. For a subtle effect, use a slower attack of around 200-500ms. For more dramatic ducking, try an attack around 10-50ms.
The hold setting controls how long the volume stays ducked. This can be set based on the length of the primary audio clip. Make sure to leave enough time for the release after the primary clip finishes.
The release determines how long it takes for the volume to return to normal after the primary audio ends. For most uses, a release time of 200-500ms works well. Faster releases around 50-100ms are better for scenarios like voiceovers. Slower releases may sound unnatural.
It’s generally best to start with moderate attack and release times around 300ms. From there, tweak the settings while monitoring the results to find the right balance for your audio mix. The goal is to make the ducking smooth, not jarring.
Some apps like LumaFusion also allow you to adjust the ducking level, or how much the volume is reduced. Start with a moderate level around -12dB. Higher values like -24dB can make the ducking very noticeable.
Audio Ducking on Popular Platforms
Many popular platforms and apps implement audio ducking to improve the listening experience for users. Here’s an overview of how some of the most common platforms handle ducking:
Twitch uses ducking to lower the volume of background music when someone speaks into a microphone during a stream. This helps ensure the speaker’s voice is clearly heard over the music. Twitch’s ducking system is automatic and doesn’t require any special configuration by streamers.https://www.izotope.com/en/learn/what-is-audio-ducking.html
Discord’s ducking system works similarly for voice channels. When someone speaks, it automatically lowers the volume on any background music playing in that voice channel so the speaker is more audible. Discord also allows users to configure the strength of the ducking effect in the app settings.https://support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/360045138571-How-do-I-use-Discord-s-sound-settings-
Zoom likewise implements ducking during video calls and webinars. It detects speech and lowers background noise like music so participants can hear each other clearly. The degree of ducking on Zoom can be configured in the settings menu.https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/115003279466-Audio-echo-in-meeting
Many other popular apps and services like Microsoft Teams, Skype, Slack, and Spotify also use audio ducking technology in different ways to optimize the audio experience.
Third-Party Apps for Audio Ducking
In addition to built-in audio ducking features in programs like OBS and Discord, there are also third-party apps you can use for more advanced audio ducking capabilities:
Voicemeeter – This is a free audio mixer tool that allows you to manage multiple audio sources and apps on your PC. It has a “Gate” feature that provides audio ducking to lower the volume of one source when another is speaking. You can finely tune the threshold, release time, etc. for the ducking. More info: https://www.reddit.com/r/pcmasterrace/comments/dre0ia/how_to_do_automatic_audio_ducking_between_two/
Krisp – This is an AI-powered noise cancellation app that can remove background noise from your mic input. It also has an audio ducking feature that automatically lowers other sounds when you speak. Krisp has a free version but the pro version unlocks more features. More info: https://fixthephoto.com/best-audio-ducking-software.html
There are other apps like Auto Duck, VOL, and Sound Ducker that provide similar capabilities. The advantage of third-party audio ducking apps is the ability to finely customize the ducking to work across many programs and audio sources on your system. They give you more control compared to built-in ducking features.
The Future of Audio Ducking
Audio ducking technology will likely continue to advance in the coming years through the use of artificial intelligence and contextual awareness. AI could enable ducking systems to become more nuanced in determining how much and when to lower background audio. Rather than just detecting speech and uniformly lowering other sounds, AI-powered ducking could evaluate the relative importance of all incoming audio streams and duck strategically.
Contextual ducking could also allow systems to duck audio intelligently based on the type of content, nature of the speech, and user preferences. For example, ducking could be more aggressive during an important business video call versus muting music while casually talking to a friend. Ducking strength may also be adjusted based on speech analysis to preserve audio clarity. Users may even be able to set contextual ducking rules, like music never ducking podcast speech.
Overall, audio ducking technology has significant room to evolve in providing tailored, nuanced experiences. Systems will likely continue leveraging AI and contextual awareness to determine optimal ducking behavior for a given situation and user. More seamless, intuitive ducking should emerge to enhance speech and audio clarity without negatively impacting listening experiences.
Conclusion
In summary, audio ducking is a useful feature that lowers the volume of background audio when voice or other priority sounds are detected. It helps emphasize important audio by minimizing distractions. Audio ducking can enhance clarity and listening comprehension in a variety of situations, from video conferences to podcasts.
Based on the pros and cons discussed, audio ducking is recommended for settings where intelligibility of speech is critical. However, it may not be ideal for music or scenarios where a more seamless, integrated audio experience is preferred. The degree of ducking can be customized to find the right balance for your needs.
Overall, audio ducking is a valuable tool when used mindfully. Adjust settings thoughtfully, evaluate regularly if it is enhancing or detracting from your audio experience, and disable if it is creating a disjointed effect. With care and proper implementation, audio ducking can optimize audio intelligibility and listening enjoyment.