Studio 21.1.1
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AUDIO & DIALOGUE

How to adjust clip volume and track levels

DaVinci Resolve Studio 21.1 · Original practical guide

Clip volume balances individual recordings; a track fader changes their shared contribution to the mix. Use the two stages intentionally so later adjustments remain predictable.

Before you begin

Use headphones and a short section containing speech, silence, and any music.

ACTUAL RESOLVE INTERFACEView full size ↗
Audio Inspector: clip Volume control
Audio Inspector: clip Volume control Reference example from the DaVinci Resolve 21.1 manual, page 1109. Software screenshot © Blackmagic Design. The demonstration media and selected settings may differ from your project.

Step by step

  1. Select an audio clip and open its Audio Inspector. Adjust Volume for a useful starting level without clipping.
  2. Compare neighboring dialogue clips and use clip-level adjustments to make their apparent loudness reasonably consistent.
  3. Open the Mixer and use the track fader to place the whole dialogue or music track within the mix.
  4. Listen to the combined bus output and inspect its meters. Leave headroom for multiple sounds playing at once, then verify the final mix during export.

Check your result

Individual clips are balanced and the summed output is clear without overload.

If it doesn’t work as expected

Lowering the monitoring volume only changes what you hear locally. Use clip or track controls when the exported sound level needs to change.

BUILD THE UNDERLYING SKILL

Fairlight: clear, intentional sound

Go deeper with the course’s explanations, exercises, and knowledge checks.

Open module 11 →
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Technical reference: DaVinci Resolve 21.1 Reference Manual, Blackmagic Design, September 2026. Screenshot page numbers refer to that manual. Independently written guidance; specific controls may vary by platform and build. Authorship & image credits.