Amplify video projects with audio

To put it plainly: Audio makes video better. Sounds and music can trigger emotions of grief or nostalgia, add rhythmic elements to visual pieces, and provide information in ways that text and dialogue can’t. In fact, when it comes to visual media, some argue that the audio is as important as the video.
Think about your favorite movie, an eye-catching TV ad you saw last week, or a video file from the YouTuber who constantly tops your Recommended list. What do these media have in common? They all use audio to take their video content to the next level.
Because of high-quality audio, all of these pieces of content are more than just videos. They’re experiences. The voices, music, and sound effects that creators layer in work in harmony with the visual aspect. After all, when you take a walk down the block, you don’t just see what’s around you. You hear it, too. That’s why the correct use of audio in any video project is essential—it brings the overall viewing experience that much closer to reality.

There are countless examples of when to use audio file to spice up your video content. When there’s no one speaking (for example, during a high-octane chase scene, a travel vlog, or a montage), music can help you curate a narrative throughline. And even when there is dialogue, soft music and sound effects can help with pacing and engagement.
Realistically, you should almost always add audio to your videos. Music and sound FX can take any visual project to the next level—whether it’s a vlog, a short film, a TikTok dance, or a marketing clip.
These are pretty much the only times you wouldn’t add audio to a video clip:

• When you’re looking to capture and present only the live sound you recorded (for example, when taking footage of a concert or play)
• When you want to use the absence of sound (i.e. silence) to draw focus to a particular moment
• When you want the “unpolished feel” of the background noise captured by the camera (artists often take this approach when they add narrative, music-free moments to their music videos)

New to the world of audio and video editing? No problem. Here are some technical terms that will help you navigate learning how to add audio to video:

• Location sounds – A location sound is anything captured on the camera during the initial shooting. A conversation between two characters, the sound of a train going by, someone playing the guitar—these are all examples of location sounds. Some of them may make the final cut, while others might be edited, improved, or removed altogether.
• Sound effects (SFX) – The term “sound effect” encompasses most of the non-dialogue sounds in a video. From rustling leaves and babbling brooks to explosions and rocket launches, SFX helps creators add life to scenes and shorts. Creators generally take SFX from a pre-recorded library of sounds.
• Foley – Foley is sound recorded in post-production that replaces location sounds made by characters. For example, an actor’s footsteps may be overdubbed by foley artists to give sound editors more control over the audio. Unlike with SFX, foley is usually recorded in a studio by professionals as they watch back the raw video footage.
• Environmental sounds – Also called ambient noise, the environmental sound is almost imperceptible. Still, it’s incredibly important. It’s the sound of a room, the hum of an air conditioner, and the whoosh of cars as they speed by outside. When there’s no ambient sound in a video—for example, during a moment of dialogue—the result can be jarring. It’s almost like your characters are speaking to each other in a vacuum. To that end, environmental sounds make your scenes feel natural and real.
• Musical score – Songs, beats, and other musical elements make up the score of a film, documentary, or TV show. There are two types of songs in a musical score. First, you have the original score; creators of feature films will often hire a composer to write music for the movie. Second, there’s the film soundtrack. This is a collection of pre-recorded songs chosen and licensed specifically for the project.
• Diegetic sound – Have you ever seen a TV show where the main character drops the needle on a vinyl record and music starts playing? That's a diegetic sound. Any time you hear a sound that belongs to the world of the film (in other words, what the people in the video would be listening to), you’re experiencing diegetic sound.
• Soundtrack – Put it all together, and you have the soundtrack. While you’ll most often hear the word “soundtrack” in the context of films, it’s a term used in all video production, whether you’re editing a TV series, a video game stream, or a music video.
• Voice over - A voice-over is an audio narration, but the speaker is out of frame. It’s a storytelling technique commonly used in film and television.

Audio can elevate video in so many ways. However, there are a few tricks you can use to really wow your audience.
The first option is to choose an audio clip or audio effect that perfectly matches the tone of your video. Using songs with lyrics or themes that correspond with the content of your video track can create a pleasing sense of unity. To make this process go faster, it helps to stock music and audio clips in an audio library. That way, you can easily add music and any audio file quicker instead of scouring the net for multiple audio tracks.
Another tactic is to use contrasting audio effects (also known as contrapuntal sound) to intentionally throw the viewer off. For example, if you’re filming a shootout scene between an armed fugitive and the police, the more obvious choice might be to have a high-energy rock song in the background. However, a calming classical piece would give the action-packed moment a surreal, disquieting effect.
And sometimes, the best option for audio is no audio. If you’ve ever seen a horror film, you know that the moments of silence right before the monster strikes are just as terrifying as the ear-splitting scream that comes soon after. It’s also important to note that “silence” is another sonic aspect to be added to the soundtrack in post-production rather than just a lack of sound effects and music.

Depending on the video’s purpose, the feel of the footage, and your budget, you might have anywhere from a single audio track to a hundred different snippets—and Runway can handle it all.
If you’re editing a music video, the focus is the music. As such, your sole audio track would probably be the song you’re showcasing.
For personal vlogs and videos, ad materials, and gaming clips, you’ll rarely surpass ten audio tracks. Factor in some background music, a voiceover, and a few sound effects, and you have your finished product.
Longer projects and feature-length films tend to have hundreds or thousands of audio tracks. From foley and SFX to music and dialogue (both from location and overdubbed), you’ll have your hands full of audio.
No matter what you’re creating and how many tracks you need, Runway makes editing audio and video easier than ever.