When it comes to working with audio, there are few options as popular as Adobe Audition. Whether you’re learning how to add music to Adobe Audition or figuring out how to add a track in Adobe Audition, this powerful editor in the Adobe Creative Cloud is the service’s go-to audio editor, serving as a powerful option for those looking to supplement their work in other apps, such as Premiere Pro, After Effects, Express, or even Photoshop.
Adobe Audition is also a top choice for those looking to edit audio-based projects, such as podcasts, radio programs, or commercials, as well as any other multimedia projects that incorporate audio.
Still, despite its popularity, Adobe Audition can be a bit intimidating to dive into if you’ve never tried it before. Learning the basics of Adobe Audition is the first step to confidently creating, editing, and mixing audio projects. Even if you’ve used it before, revisiting these fundamentals can help you work more efficiently.
Let’s go over how to add audio into Adobe Audition, as well as further insights into how to create, open, import, and work with music and sound effects in your audio projects in Audition.
The basics of Adobe Audition
Before we dive into all of the necessary steps to work with audio in Adobe Audition, let’s quickly go over some of the fascinating history behind Adobe’s well-known audio editing app. Adobe Audition actually began as an audio editing program called “Cool Edit” that was founded in the early 1990s.
Cool Edit was acquired by Adobe in 2003 and renamed Adobe Audition. Ever since then, Audition has been Adobe’s flagship digital audio workstation featuring both a multitrack editing environment and a destructive-approach waveform editing view.
With such diversity, Adobe Audition attracts both beginners and high-end audio engineers as a solid option, offering a wide array of tools and features while still maintaining simplicity to avoid confusion or intimidation for those seeking basic audio editing needs.
How to add audio in Adobe Audition
As you can see in the video above, getting started with Adobe Audition is quite simple. It’s not too hard to figure out how to create, open, and import files to Adobe Audition. Still, if you’ve never tried before, we’ve outlined the steps for how to add audio in Adobe Audition, with the following directions below for each individual task to help you get started.
How to create a new blank audio file
- A new blank audio file is perfect for recording new audio or combining pasted audio.
- Choose File > New > Audio File.
- Enter a filename, and set the following options:
- Sample Rate: Determines the frequency range of the file. To reproduce a given frequency, the sample rate must be at least twice that frequency. (See Understanding sample rate.)
- Channels: Determines if the waveform is mono, stereo, or 5.1 surround. Adobe Audition saves the last five custom audio channel layouts that you have used for quick access.
- Bit Depth: Determines the amplitude range of the file. The 32‑bit level provides maximum processing flexibility in Adobe Audition. For compatibility with common applications, however, convert to a lower bit depth when editing is complete. (See Understanding bit depth and Change the bit depth of a file.)
How to create a multitrack session
- Choose File > New > Multitrack Session.
- Enter a filename and location, and set the following options:
- Template: Specifies either a default template or one you've created. Session templates specify source files and settings such as Sample Rate and Bit Depth.
- Sample Rate: Determines the frequency range of the session. To reproduce a given frequency, the sample rate must be at least twice that frequency. (See Understanding sample rate.)
- Bit Depth: Determines the amplitude range of the session, including recordings and files created with the Multitrack > Mixdown To New File command. (See Understanding bit depth.)
How to open existing audio files and multitrack mixes
- Choose File > Open.
- Select an audio or video file. (See Supported import formats.)
Best royalty free music for Adobe Audition
Once you’ve opened Adobe Audition and figured out how to add background music in Adobe Audition or simply how to add a new track in Adobe Audition, the next major step for many using Audition is to find the right music for your projects.
Unless you’re using Audition to record your own music (which is a popular option), your best bet for high-quality, fully licensable music that is covered for all your marketing and social media channels is royalty free music from Soundstripe.
Here’s a helpful guide that explains what royalty free music is and whether you can use it for commercial projects. For now, let’s give you some top options to let you hear what it sounds like. Here are some of the best royalty free music for Adobe Audition.
- Description: A medium-energy, acoustic song that is best described as inspiring and hopeful. Guitar and acoustic guitar are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 138
- Key: D Major
- Listen and license here
- Description: A low-energy, hip-hop song that is best described as chill and fun. Drums and drum kits are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 90
- Key: E Minor
- Listen and license here
- Description: A medium-energy, classical song that is best described as inspiring and hopeful. Piano and strings are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 200
- Key: Bb/A# Minor
- Listen and license here
4. Cause For Celebration by Reveille
- Description: A medium-energy, acoustic song that is best described as hopeful and happy. The acoustic guitar and banjo are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 105
- Key: G Major
- Listen and license here
- Description: A high-energy pop song best described as happy and fun. Horns and guitar are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 115
- Key: Bb/A# Major
- Listen and license here
6. Reckless Adventure by Lunareh
- Description: A medium-energy pop song that is best described as hopeful and happy. Piano and bass are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 120
- Key: C Minor
- Listen and license here
- Description: A high-energy rock song that is best described as happy and fun. Horns and drums are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 163
- Key: C Minor
- Listen and license here
- Description: A high-energy rock song that is best described as fun. Synth and guitar are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 165
- Key: B Major
- Listen and license here
9. Faux Cow Chair by Tony Sopiano
- Description: A low-energy, hip-hop song that is best described as chill and inspiring. Synth and bass are the primary instruments in this track.
- BPM: 78
- Key: B Minor
- Listen and license here
10. Fuel The Fire by Adrian Walther
- Description: A medium-energy rock song that is best described as happy and fun. The guitar and electric guitar are the primary instruments on this track.
- BPM: 142
- Key: B Minor
- Listen and license here
These are just a few top songs from our Soundstripe library. With over 60,000 tracks from Grammy-winning talent and rising independent musicians, there will be plenty of additional styles, tones, and genres for you to explore. To find more, you can go and listen to our full catalog of royalty free music on our Soundstripe app here.
Tips for working with audio in Adobe Audition
To further help you with your audio for video editing journey, here are some additional tips and tricks to keep in mind.
- Consider downloading preview tracks to use as placeholders in your edits before deciding if a track is right for your project.
- Explore our library of royalty free sound effects to add extra emphasis to your audio.
- Try out Soundstripe’s AI Song Editor to instantly get the right length for your music.
Hopefully, with the advice and resources above, you’ll be well on your way to creating awesome audio projects in Adobe Audition.
