There are a lot of different ways to remove and delete silences in Davinci Resolve, but none of them worked as good as they should have. However, DaVinci Resolve 20.2 finally introduced a proper method that automatically removes the silent portions from audio clips. This feature is called Ripple Delete Silence, and it makes it easy to clean up recordings quickly, saving time in the editing process. The best part is that it is available in both the free and Studio versions of DaVinci Resolve. So follow along as we show you how to use it.
Takeaways:
- What's the best way to remove quiet sections from clips in Davinci Resolve?
- Automatically remove silent and quiet bits from clips in Davinci Resolve Free.
Table of Contents
The Best Way to Remove Silences in DaVinci Resolve (Free & Studio Versions)
This process is quick and easy, but there are a few things you can do to tweak the end result. (I highly suggest doing so)
- Begin by placing your clip on the timeline in the Fairlight or Edit page. To access the tool, select the clip, go to the top menu, choose Clip, then Audio Operations, and select Ripple Delete Silence.
- A floating window will appear, allowing you to adjust the settings while still navigating your timeline.
Note: The red sections on your clip indicate areas that the software detects as silence. Adjusting the settings changes which sections are marked for deletion. Now the work begins. As you adjust things on the sliders, the red section will also change, so pay attention to it.
Floating Window Options Explained
Threshold: Determines how quiet the sound must be to count as silence. A higher threshold means more of your clip will be treated as silent. Lower it until only genuine pauses or gaps are highlighted.
Pre Head and Post Tail: Control how much audio is kept before and after the detected silence. Adjust these to preserve natural breathing or short pauses that should remain in your dialogue. Many editors prefer tight transitions, such as a single frame before and after speech.
Minimum Frames to Strip: Defines how short a silent section must be before it is ignored. Increasing this value prevents minor pauses or breaths from being deleted.
Crossfade: You can enable crossfades between clips to smooth the transitions, though this is optional. It might be a bit of a problem with overlap, though, so double-check when you use it.
When you are happy with everything, click Remove, and the silent portions will be deleted. The remaining audio segments will ripple together, closing the gaps automatically.
Fine-Tuning with Trim Edit Mode
If a section was cut too tightly, use Trim Edit Mode to adjust it. Activate it by clicking the Trim Edit icon or pressing T on your keyboard. Hover near the edge of an edit point and drag to extend or shorten the clip. This moves surrounding clips without disrupting sync. When finished, press A to return to the standard selection mode.
Applying to Multiple Clips
You can apply the Ripple Delete Silence function to multiple clips simultaneously by turning them into a Compound Clip. Highlight all clips, right-click, and select New Compound Clip. Once combined, apply Ripple Delete Silence as before. Afterwards, right-click the compound clip and choose Decompose in Place to return to the original individual clips with the silences already removed.
Creating a Keyboard Shortcut
To streamline your workflow, assign a shortcut. Open Keyboard Customisation from the DaVinci Resolve menu. In the search box, type “silence” and locate Clip > Audio Operations > Ripple Delete Silence. Assign a key combination such as Alt + N or Alt + S and save. You can now launch the tool instantly without opening menus.
Protecting Tracks from Ripple Effects
Since Ripple Delete Silence closes gaps, it can shift other clips in your timeline. If you want to protect certain tracks, disable Sync Lock on those tracks before applying the function. This ensures only the selected audio track is edited while your B-roll, background music, or other layers remain untouched.
