How To Automatically Remove Silences in Premiere Pro [2024]

2 Ways To Automatically Delete Silences In Adobe Premiere Pro?

With the rise in AI technology, there have been a few new ways that video editors can speed up their workflow. One way to use AI to streamline your editing process is by removing silences from your audio tracks. This can save significant time, especially in longer projects, by eliminating the need to manually cut out quiet sections. In this article, we'll explore two methods for achieving this: using Adobe Audition and FireCut. Both tools offer unique approaches to efficiently clean up your audio.

In This Article:

1. Importing and Preparing Audio in Adobe Audition
   • Import your video file and separate the audio.
2. Using the Diagnostics Panel
   • Configure the Delete Silence effect with specific settings.
   • Scan and delete silent passages.
3. Exporting and Reintegrating Audio
   • Export the edited audio and import it back into Premiere Pro.
4. Fast Method - Using FireCut
   • Install FireCut and utilize its "1-click" operation for quick silence removal.
5. Advanced Mode in FireCut
   • Detect, review, and cut silences with more control over the settings.

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Method 1 - Using Adobe Audition To Remove Silences

Importing and Preparing Audio in Adobe Audition

First, import your video file into Adobe Audition. Open Audition and go to File > Import > File, then select your video. Audition will separate the audio from the video, making it easier to work on just the audio track.

Using the Diagnostics Panel

The Diagnostics panel is where you’ll perform the silence removal. If it’s not already visible, enable it by going to Window > Diagnostics. This panel offers several tools, but the one we need is Delete Silence.

Configuring the Delete Silence Effect

Click on Delete Silence in the Diagnostics panel. You’ll see several parameters that you can adjust:

• Threshold: This determines the volume level considered as silence. I usually set this between -60dB and -70dB depending on the recording. You can adjust this slider to match the quietest parts of your non-silent audio.
• Minimum Duration: This sets the minimum length of time a segment needs to be silent before it’s removed. I find 200 milliseconds (ms) is a good starting point, but you might need to adjust based on your specific audio.
• Pre-Roll/Post-Roll: These settings add a bit of audio before and after each cut to ensure you don’t accidentally chop off parts of speech. I typically use 10ms for both.

Applying the Effect

After configuring your settings, click Scan. This will analyze your audio and highlight sections that meet the silence criteria. Review these sections to make sure they’ve been correctly identified. Once satisfied, click Delete All Silent Passages. This removes the silence from your audio.

Exporting the Edited Audio

Now that your audio is cleaned up, export it. Go to File > Export > File. Choose a suitable format (WAV is a good choice for maintaining quality), and save it to a location where you can easily find it.

Importing Audio Back into Premiere Pro

Open Premiere Pro and import the edited audio. You can do this by going to File > Import and selecting your audio file. Drag this file onto your timeline, aligning it with your original video. Mute or delete the original audio track to use the cleaned audio instead.

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Fast Method - Using Firecut To Automatically Remove Silences (I Recommend This Method)

First off, you need to install FireCut. It requires Adobe Premiere Pro 2022 or later. You can download the installer, manually copy the extension folder, or install it via the Adobe Exchange marketplace. After installing, restart Premiere Pro and access FireCut from the Extensions menu. I found using the installer straightforward, but the Adobe Exchange method is also convenient.

Basic Operation

For a quick start, use the "1-click" operation in FireCut. This feature automatically removes silences without needing much setup. You'll find this option in the FireCut panel under "Basic Mode". Set the "cutting tightness" – a loose setting at first, then tighter if needed. This is great for small projects where precision isn't crucial. I've used this method on several short clips, and it’s saved me a lot of time.

Advanced Mode

Advanced mode in FireCut offers more control. Here’s how you do it:

Step 1: Detect Silences

You need to set the silence threshold and minimum silence duration. The threshold (in dBFS) determines the audio level below which FireCut considers as silence. A good starting point is -30 dBFS. For the duration, start with 750ms to avoid cutting between words. You can access these settings in the FireCut panel under "Advanced Mode".

Step 2: Review Silences

After detection, review the silences. FireCut lists all detected silences, and you can click through them to decide which to keep. Use the "Padding" setting to add a buffer around detected silences if needed – 250ms at both start and end works well for most projects. This review step is critical for longer footage; I often spend time here to ensure smooth cuts.

Step 3: Cut Silences

Once you're satisfied, finalize the cuts. FireCut’s algorithm handles this efficiently. Choose from the available algorithms based on your footage length: "Original" for short clips, "Rapid" for medium, and "Turbo" for long sequences. I mostly use "Rapid" for projects around 20-30 minutes.