How to Make a Podcast Intro (Audacity, GarageBand, Descript, Riverside)

To make a podcast intro, write a short script, pick licensed intro music, record your voice, then combine the two in an editor. Lower the music while you speak, fade it out, and export. The whole job takes an afternoon the first time and minutes after that.

Below, we go through each step, then show exactly how to do the mix in four popular editors: Audacity, GarageBand, Descript and Riverside.

Step 1: Plan What Your Intro Says

Decide what listeners need to hear in the first few seconds. For most shows, that's the show name, the host and what the show is about.

Write it down and read it aloud. Most people speak two to three words a second, so a 15-second intro has room for about 30 to 40 words, with a little music on its own. Our podcast intro script templates give you ready-made wording, timed to the music.

Step 2: Choose Your Intro Music

Pick music that suits the mood of your show, and make sure you have a licence for it. Your intro plays in every episode, so a licensing problem would affect your whole catalogue.

Think about length too. Most intros land between ten and thirty seconds. We compare the options in 10, 15 or 30 seconds: which length works best.

Every track in the Introbleep store comes as a WAV file with a commercial licence, so you can drop it straight into any of the editors below. You can check what the licence covers on the licensing page.

Step 3: Record Your Voice

Record the intro in the same room and with the same microphone as your episodes, so it sounds like part of the show.

• Record three or four takes. Pick the best one later.
• Leave a second of silence before and after each take. It makes editing easier.
• Smile while you speak. It really does change how you sound.

Step 4: Put It Together in Your Editor

The basic moves are the same in every app. Put the voice and music on separate tracks, line them up, turn the music down under the voice, add fades, then export. Here's how that looks in each one.

Audacity

Audacity is free and runs on Windows, Mac and Linux. The menus below are from Audacity 3. Audacity 4 came out in September 2026 with a new look, so some items have moved. In version 4, for example, volume envelopes sit in Clip gain mode.

1. Import both files. Go to File, then Import, then Audio, or drag the files into the window. Each one gets its own track.
2. Line them up. Drag the voice clip so it starts a few seconds into the music.
3. Lower the music under your voice. Put the music track above the voice track. Select the music, then go to Effect, then Volume and Compression, then Auto Duck. Audacity turns the music down wherever the voice plays. You can also draw the dip by hand with the volume envelope.
4. Fade the ending. Select the last few seconds of the music. Go to Effect, then Fading, then Fade Out.
5. Export. Go to File, then Export Audio. Choose WAV to keep a master copy and MP3 for publishing.

GarageBand

GarageBand is free on Mac. It has no dedicated podcast template any more, but an empty project works well.

1. Start a project. Choose Empty Project, then pick an audio track for your microphone. Record your voice, or drag in a recording.
2. Add the music. Drag the music file from Finder into the empty space below your tracks. It gets its own track.
3. Show volume automation. Press A on your keyboard. A volume line appears on each track.
4. Dip the music. On the music track, click the line to add points. Pull the line down where you speak and back up when you stop.
5. Fade out. Add two points at the end and drag the last one to the bottom.
6. Export. Go to Share, then Export Song to Disk, and pick your format.

Descript

Descript lets you edit audio by editing a transcript. Music sits on its own layer under your speech.

1. Add your files. Open your project and drag in the music file. Place it at the start of the timeline, on its own layer.
2. Trim it. Drag the edges of the music clip to the length you want.
3. Turn the music down while you talk. Select your voice layer and open the Properties panel. Under Audio Effects, click the plus icon, choose Dynamics, then Lower audio of other layers.
4. Adjust volume and fades. Select the music clip and set its volume and fades in the Properties panel.
5. Export or publish as you would any other project.

One thing to know: Descript lowers the music wherever your voice clip is present, even during pauses. If the music stays down too long, trim the end of the voice clip.

Riverside

Riverside is a recording platform with a built-in editor. You can add your own music as an intro.

1. Open your recording in the Riverside editor.
2. Upload your track. Click Your Media in the toolbar on the right and upload your music file.
3. Add it at the start. Click the plus icon at the start of the timeline and choose Music. To play it before you speak, drop it on "Insert to timeline". To play it under your voice, drop it on "Add overlay".
4. Set volume and fades. Hover over the music track and click the three dots. Set the volume, fade in and fade out.
5. Export when you're happy.

Riverside also has its own music library. Tracks from that library need a credit when you publish on YouTube, so read its terms. Music you've licensed elsewhere follows your own licence instead.

Step 5: Check the Mix

Listen back on headphones, then on a phone speaker. These two show up most problems.

• Can you hear every word clearly?
• Does the music jump in volume when you stop talking?
• Does the intro end cleanly, on a phrase, without a sudden cut?
• Is the intro about as loud as the rest of the episode?

If the music fights your voice, turn it down further. It's almost always too loud the first time.

Step 6: Save It as a Template

Export the finished intro as its own file, then save the project. Next week, you can drop the same intro into a new episode in seconds.

While you're set up, make your ending too. Our guide to podcast outro music covers how to close the show with the same track.

Common Mistakes When Making a Podcast Intro

• Too many words. Cramming a long script over a short track makes you rush.
• Music too loud. Listeners turn down loud intros, then miss your first words.
• Unlicensed music. A song you love from the radio can get your episodes claimed.
• A hard cut at the end. Always fade, or end on a natural phrase.

FAQs

What's the easiest free way to make a podcast intro?

Use Audacity on Windows or Linux, or GarageBand on a Mac. Both are free. Put your voice and music on separate tracks, lower the music under your voice and export.

How long should a podcast intro be?

Most intros run between ten and thirty seconds. Shorter is better for chat shows and short episodes. Keep the script short enough that you don't rush.

Can I use any song for my podcast intro?

No. You need a licence from whoever owns the music. Buy a track with a commercial licence, or use free music whose licence allows it.

Should I talk over my intro music?

Many shows do. Start with a few seconds of music on its own, then speak over it with the music turned down. Bring it back up briefly when you finish.

What file format should I use for intro music?

Edit with a WAV file if you can, because it keeps full quality. Export your finished episode in the format your host asks for, which is usually MP3.