How to Add Intro Music to a Podcast

Knowing how to add intro music to a podcast comes down to a few steps in your editor: pick a track you have the rights to use, drop it on its own track at the start, fade it under your voice, and balance the levels so the music supports the words instead of burying them. This guide walks through the whole process and how to keep it copyright-safe.

Choose the right intro music

Your intro sets the tone in the first few seconds, so pick music that matches your show’s mood and energy. Keep it short — a strong intro is often just five to fifteen seconds before your voice comes in. Crucially, you must have the right to use the track. Do not grab a commercial song off the internet; use music that is properly licensed or royalty-free. Our guide on where to find royalty-free podcast music covers safe sources.

Import the music into your editor

Open your episode in your editor of choice — Audacity, Reaper, Hindenburg, or Descript all work. Import your intro track onto a separate track from your voice. Keeping music and speech on different tracks is essential, because it lets you fade and adjust the music without touching the voice. If you are new to multi-track editing, our beginner’s guide to editing a podcast covers the basics first.

Position and trim the music

Place the music at the very start of the timeline, then trim it to the length you want. A common structure is: music plays alone for a few seconds, your voice enters over the music, then the music fades out shortly after. Trim cleanly on a beat or a natural musical phrase so the cut does not sound abrupt.

Fade the music under your voice

This is the step that makes intros sound professional. As your voice comes in, bring the music down so it sits quietly underneath — this is called “ducking.” Then fade the music out smoothly once the intro is done. Two techniques:

• Manual fades — draw volume fades on the music track by hand. Simple and reliable in any editor.
• Ducking/automation — automatically lower the music whenever you speak. Faster once you learn it.

Always use a gentle fade rather than an instant cut, so the music eases in and out naturally.

Set the levels so speech stays clear

The voice is the priority. When music plays under speech, keep it noticeably quieter than the talking so every word is intelligible. Music playing alone (before the voice enters) can be louder. Listen on headphones and on phone speakers, since many people listen on the move. A little EQ on the music to carve space for the voice helps — our EQ and compression fundamentals guide explains how.

Match the loudness and export

Once the intro sits well, finish the episode and bring the whole thing to the standard podcast loudness target before exporting, so your music and voice are consistent with other shows. Our podcast loudness guide explains the target and how to measure it. Then export your final file ready for upload.

Keep it copyright-safe

Using a popular song without a licence can get your episode pulled or your show into legal trouble. Stick to royalty-free libraries, music you have licensed, or original music you commissioned. Keep a record of where each track came from and what its licence allows. Again, our guide on finding royalty-free podcast music points you to legitimate sources.

A reusable intro saves time

Once you have an intro you like, save it as a template or a single audio file so you can drop the same polished open onto every episode. Pair it with a matching outro, and consider using the same music in a short podcast trailer to build a recognisable sonic identity.

Frequently asked questions

How long should podcast intro music be?

Keep it short — usually five to fifteen seconds. A brief musical open before your voice enters sets the tone without making listeners wait. Long intros tend to get skipped, so favour something punchy and memorable.

Can I use any song as my podcast intro?

No. Commercial songs are copyrighted, and using them without a licence can get your episode removed or land you in legal trouble. Use royalty-free music, properly licensed tracks, or original music you own or commissioned.

How do I make the music quieter when I talk?

Put the music on its own track and either draw manual volume fades or use ducking automation to lower it whenever you speak. Keep the music well below your voice so every word stays clear and intelligible.