Fairlight · Recording
Recording voice-over and ADR in Fairlight
How recording actually works inside DaVinci Resolve: choose and patch the input, arm the correct track, record new takes into the timeline, work with track layers, then move into the dedicated ADR system when a simple voice-over workflow is no longer enough.
From microphone to a recorded clip
1. Recording path
Recording starts with input patching, not with the red button
Blackmagic's current Fairlight workflow is explicit: use the track's input control in the Mixer, choose Input, select the microphone or input device, click Patch, then arm the track with R and start recording from the toolbar. Press Space to stop.
This makes routing visible before recording begins. If the wrong device or channel is patched, arming and pressing Record correctly will still capture the wrong source or silence.
Choose the input
Select the actual microphone or interface channel rather than assuming the first available device is correct.
Patch
Patch connects the selected source to the Fairlight track you intend to record.
Arm the track
Use the R button in the track header or Mixer so Resolve knows exactly which track is ready to capture audio.
Record and stop
Start from the recording control in the toolbar; Blackmagic documents Space as the stop action when the take is finished.
From microphone to a recorded clip
2. Monitoring before the take
Make sure the signal is usable before you fill the timeline with takes
Input really reaches the track
Check that the selected input is the intended microphone/interface channel and that the track is armed.
No clipping
Leave enough headroom while recording. A distorted input cannot be repaired later by lowering the fader.
Headphones and feedback
Monitor in a way that does not feed the playback signal back into the microphone during voice-over.
Project context
Record while watching picture and listening to the guide mix at a practical monitoring level.
The exact microphone preamp, operating-system input permissions and interface driver setup depend on the hardware and OS. This page focuses on the Fairlight-side workflow documented by Blackmagic.
3. Multiple takes
Additional recordings can stay organized on track layers
Blackmagic states that a new recording is added to the selected track in the timeline, and additional takes are placed on different layers of that same track. Audio Track Layers can be shown from the View menu.
Track Layers are not just storage. They make it practical to split takes, move the best phrases to the top layer, add crossfades and build a composite performance while keeping alternative material underneath.
New takes can live on layers of the same track
Track Layers make it possible to compare takes, cut the best phrases together and keep alternate versions without destroying the original recordings.
4. ADR
When simple voice-over becomes dialogue replacement
Fairlight includes a dedicated ADR toolset. Blackmagic documents three core stages: Setup for recording and cue options, List for character/dialogue cues, and Record for selecting a cue and capturing multiple takes.
Setup can include beeps, countdowns, text prompts and streamers. Recorded takes can be marked and rated, which is much more practical for scene replacement than treating every take as a loose file.
Fairlight has a dedicated dialogue replacement workflow
I thought we had more time.
Blackmagic's ADR panel provides setup options for beeps, countdowns, text prompts and streamers, a cue list with character/dialogue information, and recording with multiple takes that can be marked and rated.
5. Elastic Wave
Retiming a take without changing pitch
Blackmagic specifically positions Elastic Wave as a way to stretch audio duration without changing pitch. For voice-over this can help match a line to picture; for ADR it can help tighten lip sync between the replacement performance and the original image.
The whole clip can be stretched from its edge, and keyframes can be added for local timing changes. This is more precise than changing speed for the entire performance when only one phrase drifts out of sync.
Retiming audio without changing pitch
Blackmagic specifically positions Elastic Wave for matching voice-over and sound effects to picture and for tightening ADR lip sync without pitch shifting.
6. Recording checklist
A clean take is cheaper than a heroic repair chain
Correct input
Patch the intended microphone/interface channel to the intended track.
Useful level
Record with headroom and verify the incoming meter before the take.
Clear monitoring
Use headphones or a monitoring setup that avoids microphone feedback.
Organize takes
Keep additional recordings in Track Layers instead of losing alternate performances.
After recording
Clean the voice, then place it in the mix
The dialogue section covers repair and Voice Isolation; Sound Library & Foley continues into effects and performed Foley; Mixer & Routing explains how the recorded track reaches buses and the final output.
Current Blackmagic Fairlight documentation is the source for input patching, track arming, recording, additional takes in Track Layers, the ADR Setup/List/Record workflow and Elastic Wave behavior. The official Resolve 20 Fairlight training remains useful for learning order, but current interface facts are checked against today's Fairlight documentation.