editing audio

[johnnysn80]

I am curious about editing audio. While editing video, if I add an audio in the timeline what is the rule? Let say audio is 100% total, if I add a music file, should I set its volume as 50% and its original audio as 50%, or should I just ignore its volume?

[ChapmanDolly]

That's mixing not audio editing. You balance your audio tracks to compliment each other varying the volume to suit. If you have dialogue in your video that would be left at a set volume and the music raised and lowered in level appropriately so as not to drown it out.

[johnnysn80]

Then, does it have a rule as how to set the audio mixing percentage?

[DeJay]

No, you balance the audio tracks until you achieve the sound you want on a clip-by-clip basis.

[smrpix]

Then, does it have a rule as how to set the audio mixing percentage?

It's more art than science.

One piece of advice,

Get your important sound (narration, dialogue) to a comfortable, legal level, and then do not touch the volume control on your speakers, monitors or headphones.

[johnnysn80]

To tell you guys the truth, I have been editing video for a long time. I am always wondering is there a rule on mixing sound so I can do it quick, instead like you guys suggested I always have to test the level of sound by hearing back then adjust the volume until it sounds as it should. That is why I am asking from the beginning is there any rule as to how to balance the sound, that's all.

[Cornucopia]

There are rules, but they encompass a whole lot of information, probably enough to cover many textbooks. There is a whole department within film studio sound dedicated to movie sound leveling, audition and finalizing (where they balance the "stems" or D-M-E/dialog,music,effects). Similarly, one needs reference levels when doing Music Mastering.

If you want to google some terms that are relevant, try "optimal gain structure", or "audio headroom", or "monitoring levels", or "dynamic range best practices"...

Scott