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How to use automatic ducking and Foley in DaVinci Resolve Fairlight

DaVinci Resolve Fairlight includes automatic ducking that lowers music during dialogue and Foley tools including the Foley Sampler for performing sound effects in real time. This guide covers setting up ducking and creating Foley.

How does automatic ducking work in DaVinci Resolve Fairlight?

Ducking automatically lowers the volume of a target track — typically music — whenever dialogue is present. Open the Track FX Ducker plugin on the music track. Select the dialogue track(s) as the source from the dropdown menu. Adjust the Duck Level to set how much the music volume drops (typically -6 dB to -12 dB), the Recovery control to set how quickly the music returns to full volume after dialogue ends, and the Threshold to determine the dialogue level that triggers ducking.

Automatic ducking eliminates the need to manually automate music volume around every dialogue section. The ducker responds to dialogue in real time, producing natural-sounding volume changes that follow the rhythm and dynamics of the spoken word.

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 ducking for multiple dialogue tracks?

The ducker plugin can accept input from multiple dialogue tracks. In the source dropdown, select multiple dialogue tracks by Shift-clicking. The ducker responds to whichever dialogue track has audio, ducking the music whenever any speaker is active.

For interview or podcast content with multiple speakers, this ensures the music ducks consistently regardless of who is speaking. Set a fast Attack time (1-5 ms) so the music ducks immediately when dialogue starts, and a moderate Release time (100-300 ms) so the music fades back naturally between sentences.

How does the Foley Sampler work in DaVinci Resolve Studio?

DaVinci Resolve Studio users can use the Foley Sampler plugin. It lets you assign Foley sounds — footsteps, clothing rustle, object handling — to keyboard keys or drum pads and perform them in real time while watching the video. Connect a MIDI keyboard or use the on-screen pads. Load Foley samples into the sampler, assign them to keys, and play them live against the picture.

For productions without access to a Foley stage, the Foley Sampler provides a practical alternative. Record your own Foley sounds or use the Fairlight Sound Library. The sampled approach is faster than recording Foley to picture and provides consistent, repeatable performances.

FAQ

Is automatic ducking available in the free version of DaVinci Resolve?

Yes. The Track FX Ducker plugin is available in both free and Studio versions.

Is the Foley Sampler available in the free version?

No. The Foley Sampler is available in DaVinci Resolve Studio only.

Can I use ducking with more than one music track?

Apply the ducker plugin to each music track individually. Each track can use the same dialogue source tracks.

What MIDI controller works with the Foley Sampler?

Any standard MIDI keyboard or drum pad controller works. Connect via USB and map the pads in the Foley Sampler settings.

Can I record Foley directly to the timeline in Fairlight?

Yes. Arm a track for recording and perform Foley sounds live against the video playback. The ADR tool can also be configured for Foley cue management.