How to join two interview clips for a radio ad

You have two interview recordings and want to turn them into one short radio advertisement. The clips may have different amounts of silence, uneven endings, or a noticeable jump in volume when played back to back.

Use the Audio Editor to place both clips on tracks, arrange and trim them, and listen to the transition before exporting one audio file. You can also use fades to soften an abrupt start or ending.

Join the interview clips

1. Open the Audio Editor and use its file-opening action to load both interview recordings. Keep the originals unchanged in case you want to start over.
2. Place the first clip on a track, then place the second clip after it on the timeline. Put them on the same track if you want one continuous sequence, or use separate tracks if you need to adjust their positions independently.
3. Listen to the end of the first clip and the start of the second. Move the second clip so the answer or quote follows naturally. Trim unwanted silence or repeated words at the clip edges.
4. Play the transition and listen for a long pause, a clipped word, or a sudden change in volume. Adjust the clip positions or use a short fade at an edge if the edit sounds abrupt.
5. Play the full sequence from beginning to end. When it sounds right, export it as WAV or MP3, using the format requested by the radio station or producer.

For a closer look at joining audio in the editor, see how to join several audio clips into one file. Keep the original recordings until you have checked the exported file, not just the project timeline.

Choose how the clips should fit together

A tight, continuous edit

If the second person or quote should follow immediately, trim the empty space between clips. Do not cut so close that you remove the start or end of a spoken word. Listen to the join a few times, because a cut that looks tidy on the timeline can still sound unnatural.

A brief pause between ideas

A short pause can make a change of speaker or topic easier to follow. Leave only as much silence as the message needs. A long gap may sound like a mistake in a short advertisement, especially if the listener expects a quick sequence of quotes.

A softer transition

If the first clip ends suddenly or the second begins with a click, try a short fade at the affected edge. A fade changes the sound level gradually. It can soften an edit, but it will not remove background noise or fix a word that was cut off.

WAV or MP3

WAV is usually a good choice when the station or producer wants an uncompressed file for further editing. MP3 is smaller and may be suitable when the recipient accepts it and file size matters. Check the delivery instructions before exporting, including any requested format or technical limits. If you need help choosing between them, see how to export edited audio as MP3 or WAV.

How to fix common editing problems

1. The second clip starts too early or too late. Move it along the timeline, then listen again from just before the join. The speaker's pause and the meaning of the sentence matter more than making the two clip edges touch.
2. A word sounds chopped off. Move the trim point away from the word and play the line again. If the original recording does not contain the missing sound, the edit cannot restore it. Choose another take or rewrite the ad around the usable words.
3. The voices sound different in volume. Check whether one recording is consistently quieter, and listen to both at the same playback level. The Audio Editor can arrange and edit clips, but do not assume a particular loudness target has been met. Ask the station for its delivery requirements if the levels need to meet a broadcast specification.
4. A clip will not open or play. Try opening the original file again and check whether the browser supports its audio format. Browser support can vary by file type. You can check codec support in Chrome on Windows 11 with this browser codec guide, or use a source file in a format your browser can read.
5. You cannot hear playback. Check that the computer is sending sound to the headphones or speakers you are using. In Windows 11, open Settings › System › Sound and check the selected output device and volume. On macOS, open System Settings › Sound › Output and select the intended device.
6. The exported file sounds different from the edit. Play the exported WAV or MP3 from start to finish, then compare it with the timeline. Confirm that you exported the full sequence and the format requested by the recipient. If something is missing, adjust the edit and export another copy rather than replacing your original recordings.

Check the finished ad before sending it

Listen once for the message and once for technical problems. On the first pass, check that the quotes make sense in the chosen order and that the ad ends cleanly. On the second pass, listen for clipped words, long gaps, clicks, background sounds, and level changes between speakers.

Check the total duration against the slot you were asked to make. If it is too long, remove a less important phrase or pause instead of speeding up a speaker until the words become hard to follow. If the ad must meet a station's loudness or peak-level rules, confirm those separately with the recipient. A smooth edit alone does not prove broadcast compliance.

The Audio Editor runs in your browser, and files you open stay on your device.