Studio 21.1.1
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AUDIO & DIALOGUE

How to fix no sound during playback

DaVinci Resolve Studio 21.1 · Original practical guide

Follow the signal from clip to speaker. Meters help separate a missing audio signal from a monitoring-device problem.

Before you begin

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

ACTUAL RESOLVE INTERFACEView full size ↗
Audio Mixer: track faders, meters, and output bus
Audio Mixer: track faders, meters, and output bus Reference example from the DaVinci Resolve 21.1 manual, page 1125. Software screenshot © Blackmagic Design. The demonstration media and selected settings may differ from your project.

Step by step

  1. Play a known audible section and inspect the clip waveform and track meter. Check clip gain, mute, and whether the track is enabled.
  2. If the track meter moves, inspect the main bus meter and confirm the track is routed to the intended output bus.
  3. If the bus meter moves but nothing is heard, check Resolve’s monitoring mute, output level, and Preferences > Video and Audio I/O device selection.
  4. Test a known good audio file and a short export. Compare it in another player to distinguish timeline routing from local speaker configuration.

Check your result

You can hear the intended mix and identify which part of the signal path caused the silence.

If it doesn’t work as expected

A visible waveform only proves the source contains audio data. It does not prove the clip, track, bus, or monitoring output is currently passing that signal.

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.