If you are used to using Final Cut Pro you will no doubt prefer to control your audio channels in the timeline rather than on the effects tab. At first this appear difficult if you use the button to the left of the timeline depicted here you shall reveal further controls in Adobe Premiere Pro.
This will allow you to control the levels from the timeline over time which is very handy if you have a soundtrack or voice over that needs to be taken in and out during your edit. Often these level changes will be clip dependent, meaning that if you move the clip around the point at which the levels need to change will remain the same. Sometime these changes in sound level will be relevant to the edit and if you move certain clips you will still require the levels to change at that point. Using the drop down here you have access to show clip toggles or show timeline toggles. Remember that clip levels works on that clips audio independent of the timeline and the timeline audio works on the timeline audio independently of the clips.
Add keyframes at the playhead using the black diamond next to the track or by using the Pen Tool.
There are two main ways to control the sound levels in Adobe Premiere Pro over time outside of a simple constant gain, expositional fade transition.
Firstly, it is not straight away that obvious that this can be done in the timeline in much the same way as in Final Cut Pro and the use of pushpins.
Locate the button to the left of the timeline and highlight it. You should now be able to place pushpins along the levels line.
Place the playhead where you would like your fade or gain to begin and then click the grey diamond where you see the text “Audio” to the left of the timeline. You will notice a pushpin / keyframe appear on the audio track and the grey diamond turn black.
Move the playhead and the diamond will turn grey again, place the playhead where you would like your fade to finish and add another pushpin / keyframe in the same way. Grab the level beyond your second pushpin / keyframe and drag it down.
You have created a gradual fade over time.
The second way is much the same as creating motion with images and takes place in the effects tab. If you have the Show Clip Keyframes drop down selected, you will notice this in the timeline to. With your clip selected place your playhead where you would like the fade to begin.
Expand the levels controls under effects and locate the stopwatch symbol. Press this and a small black diamond (keyframe) will appear in the clip timeline. Drag the playhead to the end of the fade and repeat. You should now be able to reduce the levels beyond your second keyframe without affecting the sound before the first. The diagonal fall between the two signifies the fade over time.
