How to Do Automatic Audio Ducking in Final Cut Pro X

If you are working in post-production, then you might be familiar with the concept of automatic ducking. In nutshell, it is a process in which the background sound of a clip is reduced and the voiceover is amplified. Therefore, with the help of sound ducking, we can focus on the dialogues without a noisy background track.

Lately, a lot of people have asked us about the process to do automatic audio ducking in Final Cut Pro X. Since it is a clip-based editing tool, it lacks a dedicated mixer to help us do FCPX audio ducking. Thankfully, there are third-party plugins and tools (like the FCPX AutoDuck) that can help us do the same. In this post, I will let you know how to do audio ducking in Final Cut Pro and its best alternative.

If you don't want to use any plugins, see this article: How to sync in FCPX.

Part 1. How to Perform Audio Ducking in Final Cut Pro X?

Part 2. The Best FCPX Alternative for Mac to Perform Automatic Audio Ducking

Part 1: How to Perform Audio Ducking in Final Cut Pro X?

When editing videos for your vlogs or social posts, having clear dialogues is essential, but the background sound is also important to look at. In such cases, you can lower the audio of the music in the parts where you are speaking using the audio-ducking functionality of Final Cut Pro. This ensures that speech remains clear and intelligible without manual volume adjustments throughout the timeline.

However, the tool does not provide automated audio ducking, so a third-party plug-in named FCPX AutoDuck is required. This plug-in takes the music, speech files, and inputs and ducks the audio of the music where there is speech by integrating the 2 files.

Steps for Using FCPX AutoDuck - Detailed

This plug-in comes in handy to lower the volume of the background music and make the speech clear. Mentioned below is a stepwise guide to using Final Cut Pro for audio ducking:

Step 1. Start by importing the video to the Final Cut Pro's interface and head to the "File" menu in the top right corner. Next, select the "Share" option from the expanded list and click the "Master File" option.

Step 2. In the next small window, select the "Roles" as separate audio files and press the "Next" button to save the files separately.

Step 3. Next, launch the FPCX AutoDuck and import both files within the small window by dragging them. Adjust the decibels using the designated slider and press the "Duck" button.

Step 4. Finally, launch the tool and import the ducked audio file under the video track on the tool. Now, save the final video with ducked audio using the "Export" icon located at the top-right corner.

Part 2: The Best FCPX Alternative for Mac to Perform Automatic Audio Ducking

As the audio ducking Final Cut Pro is manual and you need a third-party tool for that, you might consider a better alternative. One such tool is Wondershare Filmora, which offers instant audio ducking for the sound of your video using advanced technology. The tool analyzes the dialogues and music in the video and ducks the audio accordingly where necessary.

Besides auto-ducking, users can manually adjust the intensity and level of ducking. Moreover, you get a comprehensive equalizer that lets you adjust each element in the audio according to your preferences. You can add multiple background tracks to duck and adjust the volume according to your needs and requirements.

Steps For Performing Auto Audio Ducking Using Filmora

To perform audio ducking in a comprehensive way along with applying other editing features, you can use the desktop version of Filmora. Provided below is the guide on how to duck audio using this FCPX AutoDuck alternative:

Step 1. Create a New Project For Audio Ducking

To begin the process, launch the tool on your device and select the "New Project" tab from the tool's homepage. Next, import your video with dialogues to the tool and drag it to the editing timeline for further procedure.

Step 2. Add Background Music to the Video

Fill the silence between the dialogues by adding background music from your device's storage or accessing the "Audio" section from the toolbar. Next, select the sound of your choice and drag it to the timeline to add it to your video.

Step 3. Apply Filmora's Auto Audio Ducking

Once the sound is added, click it to enable the "Audio" panel on the right side. Locate the "Audio Ducking" function in the panel, activate it, and adjust the level of ducking by dragging its slider. The tool will automatically duck the music where there is speech in the video. After you are satisfied with the results, click the "Export" button located at the top-right.

Step 4. Apply Export Settings and Save Video

In the export window, apply the output settings according to your preferences, and finally, hit the "Export" button to save the video.

Guide to Duck Audio Using Smartphone With Filmora App

If you are looking for a solution to lower the background music right from your smartphone, Filmora App [Android/iOS] is the right resource. The app offers easy manual adjustment of volume for the audio extracted from the video. To learn how to use this Final Cut Pro audio ducking mobile alternative, read the steps mentioned below:

Step 1. Start by Creating a Project and Importing Your Video

After you have launched the Filmora App on your smartphone, tap the "New Project" option and then import your video with dialogues.

Step 2. Add Background Music to the Video

Once the video is imported, sipe through the toolbar below and select the "Audio" option. Now, add the music of your choice and press the "+" icon on the right.

Step 3. Extract the Audio from The Video

Now, access the same toolbar, locate the "Extract Audio" option, and tap it to detach the audio from the video.

Step 4. Adjust the Volume of The Music

Moving forward, use the "Volume" icon to open the volume adjustment slider. Slide it to configure the volume according to your preference. Once done, press the small "Tick" on the right to save the changes made. Finally, save the video using the "Export" button in the top right corner.

Part 3. Comparison Table Between The Audio Ducking Resources

Having understood the audio ducking process using FCPX AutoDuck and Filmora mobile and desktop versions, let us now look at their tabular comparison.

	Final Cut Pro	Wondershare Filmora [PC]	Filmora App
Automation	X	✔	X
Customization	Limited Customization Options	Extensive Customization Options for Video Audio and other Elements	Offers limited customization
AI-Integration	No	AI-Powered Features	Limited AI features as compared to the desktop version
Platforms	macOS	macOS, Windows	iOS, Android
Stock Media Library	No Built-In Stock Library	Extensive Stock Library including Music, effects, Images, and more	Offers a library for filters, effects, and sounds
Dedicated Magnetic Timeline	Offers Simple Editing Timeline	Offers an intuitive magnetic timeline for multiple clip editing.	Clip-based editing timeline

Conclusion

To conclude, this article discussed the methods of using Final Cut Pro for audio ducking. Since it requires additional setups and performs manual adjustments, using automated audio ducking tools like Wondershare Filmora has become essential, especially to newcomers in the field.