What audio fading does
A fade-in gradually ramps audio from silence to full volume over the first N seconds. A fade-out does the reverse at the end. Both prevent abrupt starts/stops that sound unprofessional.
When to use fades
- Podcast intros & outros — fade music behind voice introductions
- Ringtones — 1-2 second fade-out prevents jarring ringtone endings
- Music edits — smooth transitions between sections
- Background music — fade in under dialog, fade out at scene end