AuditionPerfecto

🎙️ How to Record Voice in Adobe Audition (Step-by-Step)

Recording clean, professional audio is the foundation of every great podcast, voiceover, or video project.
With Adobe Audition, you can capture studio-quality sound right from your desktop — even if you’re just starting out. In this tutorial, we’ll walk through how to set up your mic, adjust levels, and record your first voice track step by step.

1. Choose the Right Editing View

Adobe Audition offers two main views:

  • Waveform View — for recording and editing a single clip.
  • Multitrack View — for layering multiple tracks, like vocals, background music, or effects.

For simple voice recording, start in Waveform View. You can switch between views using the tabs at the top or by pressing 9 (Waveform) and 0 (Multitrack) on your keyboard.

2. Set Up Your Microphone

Before you press record, make sure Audition recognizes your input device:

  1. Go to Edit → Preferences → Audio Hardware (Windows) or Audition → Preferences → Audio Hardware (Mac).
  2. In Default Input, select your microphone or audio interface.
  3. For Default Output, choose your headphones or speakers.
  4. Click OK to confirm.

💡 Pro Tip: Avoid using your laptop’s built-in mic for professional work. A USB condenser microphone or XLR mic with an audio interface will give you far better sound quality.

3. Create a New Audio File

To begin recording:

  1. Click File → New → Audio File.
  2. Give your file a name, such as “Podcast Intro.”
  3. Choose Sample Rate: 44100 Hz, Channels: Mono, and Bit Depth: 32-bit (float).
  4. Click OK.

You’ll now see a blank waveform — this is your recording canvas.

4. Adjust Input Levels

Good audio starts with proper levels. Speak into your mic while watching the Levels Meter on the right side of the screen.

  • Aim for peaks around -12 dB to -6 dB.
  • Avoid red peaks — they mean clipping, which causes distortion.

If it’s too quiet or too loud, adjust the input gain on your microphone or audio interface.

5. Record Your Voice

When ready:

  1. Press the Record button (the red circle at the bottom of the Editor).
  2. Speak clearly and steadily into the microphone.
  3. When finished, click Stop or hit the Spacebar.

Your waveform will display the amplitude (volume) of your recording in real time.

💬 Optional: If you make a mistake, don’t stop — keep recording. You can trim or cut unwanted parts later in the Waveform Editor.

6. Listen, Trim, and Save

Press Play to listen to your recording. Use the Selection Tool to highlight and delete unwanted sections like silence or mistakes.

To save:

  • Go to File → Save As.
  • Choose WAV for highest quality or MP3 for smaller file size.

7. Optional: Record in Multitrack Mode

If you plan to mix your voice with music or effects:

  1. Go to File → New → Multitrack Session.
  2. Add your microphone to Track 1, your background music to Track 2, etc.
  3. Arm the track by clicking the R button.
  4. Hit Record — each track will be captured separately for easy mixing.

8. Next Steps: Clean Up and Polish

Once your voice is recorded, explore Audition’s effects:

  • DeNoise: Reduces constant background hum.
  • DeReverb: Minimizes room echo.
  • Parametric EQ: Shapes tone and clarity.

We’ll cover all of these in upcoming tutorials on AuditionPerfecto.com.

If you’re not yet subscribed, consider starting a free Adobe Audition trial

Conclusion

Recording in Adobe Audition is simple once your hardware and levels are set up correctly.
Whether you’re producing a podcast intro or narration for a video, these steps help you capture clear, professional sound every time.
Ready to take it further? Check out our next article: “Setting Up Your Microphone and Audio Hardware in Adobe Audition.”

Ben Kemp
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