Keep your Stream Sound BALANCED with OBS Audio Ducking - OBS Studio Side-Chain & Ducking Guide

A stream with inbalanced audio will not be a successful one. Learn how to keep your stream audio balanced with audio ducking in OBS Studio using the side-chain compressor filter!
The side chain filter allows you to automatically lower and raise background sounds (game sound, music, etc.) based on another sound source, usually your microphone.
► OBS Studio 21 Update, Audio Overhaul: • Multiview, Per-Scene T...
►► OBS Studio MASTER CLASS 2018: • ✪ OBS Studio MASTER CL...
Credit to Dolan Dark
Wanna send something for me to talk about on the channel? Or generally send me MAIL?! 📬 Shipping: P.O. Box 459 Jeffersonville, IN 47131
Edited w/ Premiere Pro CC: goo.gl/rJwkQjcc
Thanks for watching!
-------------------------
📧 For marketing/business/sponsorship inquiries, email [e-mail]
💻 Discord Server: / discord
📈 Support us on Patreon: goo.gl/XJlpSx
💵 Direct Donation: paypal.me/eposvox
🎥 Gear list: goo.gl/4uqK1k
🎬 Amazon Reviews: goo.gl/9B8acZ
-----
►► Follow Us! ◄◄
🐦 Twitter: goo.gl/UHDmHV
📷 Instagram: goo.gl/ppMlh9
🎭 Facebook: goo.gl/aVGqKh
📼 Live Stream: / eposvox
-----
★ Our Channels ★
✖ Technology Channel: goo.gl/YO51cB
✖ Pokemon TCG Channel: goo.gl/IbdcOC
🎤 Vlog Channel: goo.gl/cQfmP6
🎮 Gaming Channel: goo.gl/5NkxkH
-----
✖ Sponsors & Affiliate Links ✖
★ GOG - DRM-free Games! goo.gl/gGNYwb
★ Amazon Affiliate Link: goo.gl/bYwmGs
★ B&H Video Gear List: goo.gl/4uqK1k
★ TubeBuddy: goo.gl/et8Myv
-----
EposVox is a channel dedicated to making technology more accessible for anyone via product reviews, tutorials, guides, how-to videos and more!
Any links to products or services may be affiliate links that give me a small kickback at no cost to you, with no influence on the content.
Free #Tech_Education here! Or, #Techucation - #EposVox delivers it!

[@Atmoseeker]

The amount of time i've spent tweaking audio levels for livestreams. You just saved that for me, thank you!

[@izzytechguy4659]

Hey dude just want to thank you for the tutorial. I learned a lot and it’s definitely a game changer for my streams. Balancing audio was one of the biggest issues I had. Thank you again!

[@japanesefromzero]

Thank you so much for this! Great video.

[@tommylee7218]

I know Im kinda off topic but do anyone know a good site to watch newly released tv shows online ?

[@JamesLovesGames]

Thanks so much for this! I was so sick of adjusting the game audio every time the scene got too quiet or too loud. PERFECTION!

[@ProfessorKitchen]

Great info! I've been trying to figure out how to adjust sound automatically. Thanks!

[@Justiguy]

You may have just given me the miracle fix I've been looking for! Thanks a lot. Really appreciate how thorough and to the point your explanation here was.

[@shanksisnoteventhatstrongbruh]

Fantastic video ADAM, great work!

[@ArkangelBAYEM]

Awesome! I was specifically looking for this feature, not knowing if obs even had it, and I'm glad you had those recommended settings at the end! Thank you! 👍

[@DarkhuntersDen]

I just wanted to say thank you for making these videos about OBS Studio. I learned so much about the software as well as how to improve my recordings and livestreams. Keep up the good work! :)

[@EposVox]

Thanks for watching!

[@rio197]

Thanks! I've been using very agressive (30:1) ratios in my streams and this helped make me re-think my settings.

[@cubematrixstudio7605]

Very helpful and straightforward. THANK YOU!

[@KTSpeedruns]

This was the first sidechain ducking tutorial that didn't confuse me. Thank you.

[@Elliana2002]

So, so helpful!!! Even after four years! Thank you so much, my streams will be just lil bit more watchable now!

[@imunoriginal1859]

This man's channel is essential for any beginner streamer

[@AdinYusuf]

Awesome video, I need this when I'm streaming, I talk a lot and I can't always change the volume of my game, this makes it a lot easier, super thankful!!!

[@itsdeuceybaby758]

Dude you just saved my life! Thank you for making such a great informative and straight to the point video!

[@UCMF4SIJqf75d5wWKVzbTtDg]

Dude, thank you. I had auto-ducking setup on wrong device (I was lowering my mic instead sound, lol). You explained it very perfectly. You're amazing. Your voice too!

[@Proditae]

Thanks, worked like a charm!

[@MindruMusic]

Thank you very much for this! This helped me in setting up my music stream to perfection for tonight!

[@dairyblitz]

Used this for streamlabs and it works the exact same! thanks!

[@bielxcorrea]

Very helpful, clear and to the point. Thanks!

[@KageriTsukikage]

Very good tutorial actually helped thx a lot man

[@zekemvrtinez]

just used this and it was pretty easy to understand homie preciate you

[@JohnnyJice]

I knew this had to exist somewhere on OBS. Tyvm!

[@naavnakomala]

Thanks. This really helped!

[@colinhughessimracing2757]

great guide thank you so much!

[@NewGameTag]

thank you.. very clear and to the point

[@DaneliusUK]

Enjoyed it, thank you.

[@lowkeyletsplays]

LIFE SAVER THANKS BRO

[@pierre.berlin]

Perfectly described and shown. Thank you!

[@Hiiiro]

Big thank you! Still usefull in 2022 and simple to follow.

[@cherico94]

This was an amazing tutorial! Thank you so much!

[@nolanlewis4292]

very cool, didn't know of this feature..thanks a bunch

[@Hoshi_Poshi]

I know this video is "old" now but wow, thank you so much I fianlly balanced my streams audio!

[@WiseMGaming]

amazing video! Thank you for sharing!

[@discjoctv]

You should be hitting a million subscribers, your videos are so on point! and have helped me a lot, your so underrated! Keep up the great work! :)

[@SirMetalKing]

The video I needed. Thanks lad

[@derpymoose9948]

Thank you, well explained

[@CritRock]

Oh my lord that's so much better, thank you

[@citizenkane4382]

great explaining, tx man

[@BunchoMitch]

this helps! a lot. I have it in my essentialness play list

[@SIDEWAYS255]

Thanks for the tip. I used to keep my game sound really low so it never drowned me out, but now I can give them that sweet game boops without drowning out my voice.

[@spellhaus]

this video rocked, thank you for making it!

[@Elevaated]

GREAT video !

[@billyjbryant]

Thank you, this helped me so much! Love your videos, they are super helpful! :)

[@RickKent]

Thank's! I'm from Brazil, you help me so much.

[@danarief]

Thanks! Very handy

[@realdadgaming]

Just what i need! You earned my sub!

[@EposVox]

Thanks for the sub!

[@01FrozenFuze]

Thanks so much! It is super hard to get my mic and background sound to be equal! This is super helpful!

[@rmdee]

This is what I need! Thanks a lot!

[@EposVox]

Thanks for watching!

[@DerekBeins]

Game changer! Thanks man! :)

[@mitzycasanova9041]

thanks bro, I personally found I like to up the release time a little and lower the threshold a little more, but your video helped heaps! :)

[@sierm020]

Great video, thanks for the break down!

[@KillerKrieg]

Thank you so much dude. This video was SO helpful and SO (necessarily) streamlined that it's incredible. You have greatly inproved the quality of my youtube videos on my very (very) humble channel. Thank you.

[@EposVox]

:D Glad to help!

[@PapaMGTOW]

thanks for the help been having probs with ducking for awhile

[@ChancioGames]

Appreciate this very much, going to test it out in my next Alan Wake Remastered stream!

[@stanlexgreenson]

Thank you!

[@MaveyReal]

This is amazing

[@Demonstrate326]

Good job

[@ches4101]

this is worth saving. thanks man!

[@EposVox]

Thanks for watching!

[@ThiagoLionheart]

Thank you very much, work very nice for me.

[@arsonistyt8161]

Congrats on the growth man. You helped alot of us small creators out. You deserve it

[@EposVox]

Thanks!

[@arsonistyt8161]

EposVox You helped me way more than you know. I will for ever be grateful. I was here back when you only had a few hundred subs. Since then, I shared every video you've made with my friends and thier friends and they all decided for themselves that your videos are helpful. No need to thank me, you did it all and I will always share.

[@EposVox]

Well I greatly appreciate that :) I try to help

[@Jed05]

Hey man, thanks a bunch for this. Been using an external ducking program forever and just not trying to refresh my settings and such. This was super helpful and def implemented far better than what I was using before. Def earned a subscription from me. :)

[@EposVox]

Thanks :)

[@akashdeeph.2865]

Bow to the kind-hearted OBS Sensei!!! keep up this gr8 work!!

[@EposVox]

Haha thanks

[@wignorant]

I am not sure if you get this often. But thank you. I wish i had any money at all. I'm currently laid off. but you sir, you have 100% done more to help my stream become more polished than ANY other single person on the planet and I just wanted you to know that. You make awesome content, and for me it was a game changer. I'm sure I cant be the only one either. Thank you again sir.

[@EposVox]

Glad to help :) enjoy the streaming!

[@Ripply]

Thought I was gonna have to buy software to do this but thank god this tutorial exists.

[@conway1505]

Thanks man, you're a life saver

[@DeinieI]

Hey man, thx for the video. Been looking this for a long time :)

[@EposVox]

Thanks for watching!

[@enkera]

Great Video! Thanks a lot | Thumbs up

[@noenken]

This is extremely helpful. Thank you.

[@EposVox]

Thanks for watching!

[@NathanRiveraMelo]

Word, thank you!

[@TechsavvyGaming91]

Thank You, all the videos I seen they didn't help,, I didn't change any of my noise suppression, ,didn't even have to mess with Voicemeeter like others said, it worked solid First try, I also have a deeper voice, Thanks again bro

[@Sound_Pusha]

Thank you

[@RyanBrain]

Thanks, this was super useful!

[@EposVox]

Thanks for watching!

[@theoforestier8766]

Thanks!

[@theepsilonprime]

dude... YES this helped me massivly!

[@DantasLevi]

thx, help a lot

[@sophiew.1499]

fantastic tutorial!

[@EposVox]

Thank you!

[@RaceSmokie]

thank you very much

[@zenmorte2793]

Dude thank you so much I am a roockie DJ and this is a major upgrade for my streams

[@cuzconice]

thanks man

[@NambiOficial]

Saving my life one more time

[@andreidumitrescu9465]

Thank you so much!

[@EposVox]

Glad it helped!

[@eaglevp]

Thanks for the tutorial

[@EposVox]

Thanks for watching!

[@Helskrim]

Wow, the 5 ratio settings worked fantastic for me, it sounds just like as if you were listening to a radio and host talking in between the track!

[@Helskrim]

I have a question though, is it possible to make audio ducking activate only for music so it won't affect in-game audio? I assume I'd need to somehow route audio to some other sound source?

[@zombiemachinery4868]

I'm a musician so I was like "Could it be possible to have sidechaining in OBS?", typed on the search bar and my boy Epox shows up LOL!

[@trashmasterashgayming4462]

Same hahaha

[@CMDRRustyDog]

Thanks for this, now I can sim-race and talk normally :)

[@CoriolisAffectment]

I had watched the original and had incorporated the usage into my setup...and had naturally played around with it as well. I think one of the issues for confusion is perhaps how to use a compressor for 'voice' and it's ideal configuration in the first place - fast attack, fast release, and ratio dependent on environmental (or vocal peculiarities - i.e. are you a 'yeller') would then clarify generally how to approach this generally. Thanks for the update.

[@NickRhodes-oo3xf]

😅

[@rembostory]

thanks 👍

[@RawSpaceVideos]

Most excellent tutorial! Thank you! 👍

[@EposVox]

Thanks for watching!

[@Nobulilo]

I was using the ratio incorrectly. Thank you Mr. Epos!

[@ZeroKonekoChannel]

I started streaming a couple of days ago. I still can't get my volume right, i hope this works. Thanks a lot bro.

[@Grumpei]

thank you very much. great vid

[@EposVox]

Thanks for watching!

[@Grid21]

I made a video pretty similar to this about the sidechain ducking, I am happy you also made one. In my video about it, I also mentioned what I found to be a good level for most video games and music too. Thanks for making another great OBS tutorial my dude!

[@geekfoolish]

You're an OG.

[@pastorporter97]

Very informative thanks keep up the awesome work 🖒🖒🖒💯💯💯💯👍💜

[@EposVox]

Thanks for watching!

[@Grey-The-Skeleton]

The audio sounded so good, I didn't even notice that the video was 5 years old until he pulled out ye olde OBS!

[@unik9018]

Thx

[@idmooseman]

Excellent info. I would like to see a more in-depth video on voice/audio setup. For example, you have a deep voice. What changes would someone with a higher-pitch voice need to make in order to obtain good results?

[@Music7yrics]

ty :D