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How to record ADR in DaVinci Resolve Fairlight

DaVinci Resolve Fairlight includes professional Automatic Dialog Replacement tools with visual cue systems, beeps, countdowns, and multi-take recording. This guide covers setup, cue lists, recording, and take management.

How do you record ADR in DaVinci Resolve Fairlight?

Click the ADR button at the top of the Fairlight page to open the ADR panel. Use the Setup panel to configure recording and visual cue options — beeps before each take, countdown numbers, text prompts, and streamers that sweep across the video. Create cues on the List tab with character names, dialogue text, and timing. Switch to the Record tab, select a cue, arm the track, and start recording. Multiple takes can be recorded, marked, and rated.

The ADR toolset includes everything needed for professional dialog replacement without leaving DaVinci Resolve. Visual streamers and countdown numbers help actors time their performance to the picture. The cue list organizes all lines that need replacement across the entire project.

For more DaVinci Resolve tips, read our guide on DaVinci Resolve AI Tools for Colorists and Editors.

Improve your audio workflow with How to adjust clip level, pan, and pitch in DaVinci Resolve Fairlight.

How do you set up ADR cues and recording in Fairlight?

Create cues in the List tab by entering the character name, dialogue text, and in/out timecodes based on the timeline. The cue list can be organized by scene, character, or recording session priority. Each cue shows the duration and status — not recorded, recorded, or approved.

In the Setup tab, configure the visual cues. Streamer mode displays a moving line across the video frame that reaches the edge exactly at the cue's start. Beep mode plays audible countdown tones. The number of pre-roll seconds and beeps are adjustable. Text prompts display the dialogue on screen for the actor.

In the Record tab, select a cue from the list. The video plays with the configured cues. The actor performs the line, and Fairlight captures the recording on the armed track. Each take is saved as a separate layer on the same track.

How do you manage ADR takes in Fairlight?

After recording multiple takes, use the Take column to rate each one — mark favorites with a star, rate takes 1-5, or flag unusable takes. Takes appear as layers on the track. Use the track layers view to comp the best sections from different takes into a single seamless performance.

The ADR tools are designed for the full replacement workflow. For pre-production planning, Cutsio can help identify which sections of dialogue need replacement by searching transcripts for specific lines. Export an EDL with the identified sections, and the ADR cues in Fairlight align precisely with the timeline.