Learn how to edit audio in iMovie. You can change the volume of the audio in your clips, as well as apply filters. You can add additional audio, such as sound effects and music. You can layer audio by combining several pieces of sound.
Want to know more about how to use iMovie on your Mac? Check out this MacMost course!
Comments: 13 Responses to “Editing Audio In iMovie”
Francis conde
11 years ago
Spent hours trying to fade a music track, there did not seem to be any instructions in the help menu. Thank you
Joseph
11 years ago
I noticed in the video you put all audio tracks below the video clips. In other videos, I see secondary video clips placed above the main video clips... Is this the expected way to add additional audio or video clips, or is it just for "house-keeping" purposes?
Audio clips fall below video in the timeline. You can't put them above. It is how iMovie works, and for the most part is how all video editors work. Just a visual organization thing.
Norm Dinger
11 years ago
I have had problems trying to do what you have fully described. It will now make the program more user friendly for me. Thanks Gary
Dawn
11 years ago
Thank you SO much! I didn't know about the option key on the audio to create points! I've been taking a million extra steps to accomplish the same thing-way easier do it this way!
Junaid
11 years ago
in previous iMovie this option of adjusting audio was simple, i have been scratching my head for these little indents but i was totally failed, thanks Garry another awesome tutorial from Macmost.
David K
11 years ago
Thank You Gary - Audio Handles were simple before - been trying for ages to figure how to do it now - it seems you are the only one who knew! I'm happy again.
Diane
11 years ago
RE: iMovie 10 default sound effects library does not contain many of the sound clips I saw in this video when you accessed your Content Library/Sound Effects/Ambiance. For example: beach with children, fireworks, airport, bank, birds FX 01, Crowd Festival, Fair, Fairground FX 02, Factory and Machines, Forest Day, etc. Where are they from? It is a package?
Thank you for your podcasts. You are the best!
DIANE
It is hard to say where each is from. They could be from any previous version of iLife dating back to the first one, or from some other things I have created, added or purchased.
Diane Sands
11 years ago
ISSUE - Built In Sound Effects
In Episode #981 / Editing Audio in iMovie (ver. 10), you demonstrated adding “built in audio effects”. You added “Beach with Children” and “Fireworks FX 01” to the movie clips.
Where is “Beach with Children” and “Fireworks FX 01” (and also other related effects on the same screen, such as Birds FX 01, Barn Yard, Auto Garage Shop) OR ALTERNATIVELY, where can we get these effects?
THANK YOU, and congrats on your 1000th episode.
DIANE
Diane
11 years ago
Sorry for asking the same question that was just answered above.
Randy Larson
11 years ago
I need to sync and "lock" an audio clip. I can sync fine, just can't find a way to lock. In the example you give, I can do it, but if I trim off a few seconds of the beginning of the video clip, it doesn't clip the audio - it just pushes the audio forward thereby un-syncing the rest of the movie. Also, if you split the video to add a photo or something, it doesn't split the audio with the video, again, un-syncing the audio.
Sounds like you might be looking for more advanced editing features like in Final Cut Pro. I don't think that there is a way to lock separate video and audio tracks in iMovie.
Spent hours trying to fade a music track, there did not seem to be any instructions in the help menu. Thank you
I noticed in the video you put all audio tracks below the video clips. In other videos, I see secondary video clips placed above the main video clips... Is this the expected way to add additional audio or video clips, or is it just for "house-keeping" purposes?
Thanks, in advance, for your response. JML
Audio clips fall below video in the timeline. You can't put them above. It is how iMovie works, and for the most part is how all video editors work. Just a visual organization thing.
I have had problems trying to do what you have fully described. It will now make the program more user friendly for me. Thanks Gary
Thank you SO much! I didn't know about the option key on the audio to create points! I've been taking a million extra steps to accomplish the same thing-way easier do it this way!
in previous iMovie this option of adjusting audio was simple, i have been scratching my head for these little indents but i was totally failed, thanks Garry another awesome tutorial from Macmost.
Thank You Gary - Audio Handles were simple before - been trying for ages to figure how to do it now - it seems you are the only one who knew! I'm happy again.
RE: iMovie 10 default sound effects library does not contain many of the sound clips I saw in this video when you accessed your Content Library/Sound Effects/Ambiance. For example: beach with children, fireworks, airport, bank, birds FX 01, Crowd Festival, Fair, Fairground FX 02, Factory and Machines, Forest Day, etc. Where are they from? It is a package?
Thank you for your podcasts. You are the best!
DIANE
It is hard to say where each is from. They could be from any previous version of iLife dating back to the first one, or from some other things I have created, added or purchased.
ISSUE - Built In Sound Effects
In Episode #981 / Editing Audio in iMovie (ver. 10), you demonstrated adding “built in audio effects”. You added “Beach with Children” and “Fireworks FX 01” to the movie clips.
Where is “Beach with Children” and “Fireworks FX 01” (and also other related effects on the same screen, such as Birds FX 01, Barn Yard, Auto Garage Shop) OR ALTERNATIVELY, where can we get these effects?
THANK YOU, and congrats on your 1000th episode.
DIANE
Sorry for asking the same question that was just answered above.
I need to sync and "lock" an audio clip. I can sync fine, just can't find a way to lock. In the example you give, I can do it, but if I trim off a few seconds of the beginning of the video clip, it doesn't clip the audio - it just pushes the audio forward thereby un-syncing the rest of the movie. Also, if you split the video to add a photo or something, it doesn't split the audio with the video, again, un-syncing the audio.
Sounds like you might be looking for more advanced editing features like in Final Cut Pro. I don't think that there is a way to lock separate video and audio tracks in iMovie.