To reduce the duration of a song or audio track in Adobe Audition, the most effective method, particularly for music, is often using the Remix feature, which allows you to specify a target duration for your audio.
Adobe Audition's Remix feature intelligently analyzes your audio, identifying musical phrases and structure, and then automatically cuts and rearranges parts of the track to match your desired length. This is much more sophisticated than simple time stretching, which can distort the audio quality.
Using the Remix Feature to Shorten Audio
The reference material highlights the core concept of setting a "target duration" to control the final length of your track. This is the key function of the Remix feature.
Here's a step-by-step guide:
- Import Your Audio: Open your audio file in the Multitrack or Waveform view in Adobe Audition. For the Remix feature, using the Multitrack view is generally recommended, but it can also be applied in the Waveform editor for simple files.
- Access the Remix Tool:
- In the Multitrack view, select the audio clip you want to shorten.
- Go to the Properties panel (usually on the left side). If you don't see it, go to
Window > Properties. - Within the Properties panel, expand the Remix section.
- Enable Remix: Check the box that says Enable Remix. Audition will analyze the audio clip to find potential edit points. This may take a moment for longer files.
- Set the Target Duration: This is where you input the desired length for your track, as mentioned in the reference. Find the field labeled Target Duration within the Remix properties.
- Input the specific time value (e.g., 1:30.000 for 1 minute and 30 seconds).
- Audition will automatically adjust the audio clip's length in the timeline to match this target duration by adding edits.
- Refine Edits (Optional): Audition automatically makes cuts and splices to achieve the target duration. These are visible on the waveform. You can manually adjust these edit points by dragging them if you want to fine-tune the arrangement.
How Remix Works
The Remix tool doesn't just speed up the audio; it works by:
- Analyzing the musical content to understand its structure (beats, phrases, sections).
- Identifying points where the audio can be cut and seamlessly rejoined without sounding abrupt or unnatural.
- Creating edit points that remove sections of the song to reach the desired shorter length.
This method is particularly useful for shortening background music or songs for videos, podcasts, or presentations while maintaining musicality.
Other Methods (Less Ideal for Music Duration Reduction)
While Remix is best for musical tracks, other methods exist for general audio or sound effects:
- Time Stretching (Stretch Effect): You can use effects like the "Stretch and Pitch (Process)" effect (in Waveform) or clip stretching properties (in Multitrack). However, significant stretching (making audio much shorter) can introduce audible artifacts and distortion, especially on music.
- Manual Cutting and Editing: You can manually select sections of the audio you want to remove using the Razor Tool (R) and delete them. This requires musical knowledge to find appropriate cut points.
For most scenarios involving reducing the duration of a song or structured audio, the Remix feature with its Target Duration setting is the recommended and most efficient approach in Adobe Audition.
