How to Layer Two and Multiple Soundtracks in iMovie

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How to Layer Two and Multiple Soundtracks in iMovie

Last Updated: 2023. 12. 28

How do I layer audio in iMovie?

How to stack audio in iMovie?

How do you overlap audio and background music on iMovie? - question from Quora forum

iMovie is a well-known video editor for Mac and iOS, offering awesome editing tools and effects. As an intuitive editing application, it enables you to adjust the audio files with great ease. You can increase or decrease the volume, fade the sound and add audio effects.

Among these features, audio overlapping is the most popular one that enables users to layer multiple audios in iMovie and play them simultaneously. Want to have a try? Follow our leads to explore it more.

Part 1. How to Layer An Audio in iMovie

Part 2. How to Overlap Audio in iMovie

Part 3. An Excellent Way to Layer Audio to Your Video

Part 4. Frequently Asked Questions About Layering Audio in iMovie

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Part 1. How to Layer Audio in iMovie

Audios perfect videos. You can simply layer an audio in your video using iMovie. Keep reading to know more.

Step 1

Open iMovie on your Mac and load the project you want to edit.

Step 2

Import and drag the desired audio onto your timeline.

Step 3

From here edit the length and change the volume as you need.

Step 4

After that, you've successfully layered audio in iMovie.

Part 2. How to Overlap Audio in iMovie

Most people would like to add iMovie multiple audio tracks to play at the same time. Be it a background music or a voiceover, iMovie can make it possible as below:

Step 1

Launch iMovie on your computer and import all the resources.

Step 2

Next add a track below the timeline and then dictate a voice-over or another music track to place in the well beneath it.

Step 3

Repeat overlapping audio tracks until all of them are placed well.

Note: If you fail to stack audio in iMovie, you might directly drag the soundtrack to the bottom which is the area for background track. Instead, try this workaround:attach it to a clip and then add multiple audio tracks in iMovie.

How to Layer Sounds in iMovie

Part 3. An Easy Way to Layer Multiple Tracks to Video

iMovie does provide a solution for layering two audio tracks but most people most people complain that iMovie, instead of layering multiple tracks, merges the sounds one by one or it's hard to trigger iMovie audio overlapping correctly. No matter what situation you meet, it's time to add audio layers with an iMovie alternative like FlexClip.

The Best iMovie Alternative to Add Multiple Audio Tracks to Video Online - FlexClip

Key Features of FlexClip:

User-friendly interface with easy operation: A clean interface to layer two or more audio tracks with a click operation.

Multiple audio input ways: Import audio tracks from PC, Google Drive or mobile; Capture a voiceover through your microphone; Use text to generate AI voices.

Basic tools to polish your audio: FlexClip allows you to trim, split, extract audio from video and replace the audio without quality loss.

Extensive library of music: It has millions of music soundtracks and sound effects with royalty-free licence that you can use for free.

4000+ Professional-looking templates to rely on: A lot of well-designed templates containing soundtracks to sparkle your creativity.

Rich media resources: The program has loads of resources that be applied for transition and overlay of the audio and videos with ease and perfection.

Advanced tool to take your audio to next level: Available for AI voices via text-to-speech, auto subtitle generator to get transcript from audio and curve speed to sync visuals with the music beat.

Multiple sharing paths: Once you finish editing, it can be directly shared to the social media platforms and saved to your local drive as an MP3 file or a video in MP4 format.

How to Overlap Two and More Audio Files Online

It's super easy to layer sound tracks in FlexClip. Simply follow the guide to learn how it works.

Create a Video

View Templates

Step 1

Upload your audio

Click on Create a Video icon to enter the editor page and then import all the resource you wish to use from computer, Google Drive, One Drive or mobile via a QR code.

Upload Audio Files to FlexClip

Step 2

Layer and edit the audio

Directly drag the uploaded audio one by one to layer it on the timeline. You can tap the Trim or Split icon to cut out unnecessary parts. Besides, feel free to apply the fade effects to your audio to level up the sounds.

Edit the Audio Tracks

Step 3

Find more audio tracks

Apart from that, FlexClip has loads of pre-made audio files, ranging from background music to audio effects. Just move your cursor to Audio and type in words to get desired audio files.

Add Audio Effects to Your Files

Or directly capture self-narration from microphone or use text-to-speech function to generate a realistic-sounding voice with 140+ language options in multiple accents, styles and tones.

You can overlap as many as audio tracks as you like..

Use Text to Speech Tool to Generate Natural-sounding Audios

Step 4

Export the audio

When you finished, click the "Export" to save the audio as an MP4 format or keep the soundtrack only by choosing MP3 as your option.

Export the Video to Local

Part 4. Frequently Asked Questions About Layering Audio in iMovie

#1. Can You Have Two Audio Tracks in iMovie?

Well it depends on what you mean. iMovie allows you to add multiple audio tracks in this editor. For example, you have a video with audio and you are permitted to add background music and sound effects in iMovie.

However, when exporting this edited video, you'll find the audio is mixed into a single stereo audio track. Therefore, there is no surround sound or no support for multiple audio tracks.

#2. How Many Audio Tracks Can You Have in iMovie?

There's no official limits for audio tracks. So you can layer audio tracks as many as you want.

#3. iMovie Won't Let Me Layer Audio. How to Fix it!

Firstly, you have to drag and drop each audio track under the position under where you wish it to start. If you misplace the sound tracks, you will encounter the problem.

Another situation is also common especially when making a slideshow. If your images and videos do not stretch to the end of the song, you'll find iMovie fails to add two or more audio tracks

If any of the solutions workable, you'd better try some iMovie alternatives like FlexClip to help you

#4. How to Put Music or Audio Anywhere in Timeline or Music Bed?

Timeline and music bed are two different sections in iMovie. You can add audio track to the music bed without any attachment point but you're only allowed to put one audio file in the music bed. While for the timeline section, you're free to layer various audio files as long as it attaches to some resources.

You can refer to this video:Put Audio and Music Anywhere in Timeline and Music Bed

The Bottom Line

Layering audio in iMovie is easy but it sometime occurs unknown glitches. Therefore, it's better to use an iMovie alternative - FlexClip for adding audio. It is professional and easy to use. Now it's your move.

Bella /

Full of vitality, curiosity and hope, Bella is an energetic copywriter at FlexClip. She mainly concentrates on video creation and troublesome issues related to video editing, providing users with practical solutions and tricks. Personally, Bella loves novels, sci-fi movies, cooking and travel. And, she believes that all her life is the best arrangement from God.