How to Add a Second Sound on TikTok

You've scrolled past a dozen of them today: a TikTok with a trending song playing softly in the background while the creator provides their own funny commentary over the top. It seems simple, but when you try it yourself, the options feel hidden. This guide breaks down exactly how to add a second sound on TikTok, giving you the power to layer audio like a pro. We'll cover everything from the easy built-in voiceover tool to more advanced workarounds that let you combine any two sounds for truly stand-out content.

Why Bother with a Second Sound? It's All About Layering

Before getting into the how-to, it's worth understanding why layering audio is such a powerful creative tool. It's a technique that separates passive trend-hoppers from strategic content creators. Adding a second sound unlocks a new dimension for your videos, allowing you to innovate while still piggybacking on the reach of a trending audio.

Here's what layering audio helps you accomplish:

• Provide Narrative and Commentary: This is the most common use case. By lowering the volume of a trending song and adding your voice over it, you can explain a recipe, narrate a "day in the life" vlog, teach a new skill, or offer your hot take on a topic. Your voice personalizes the content and gives your audience a reason to connect with you, not just the sound.
• Create Humor and Atmosphere: Layering isn't just for voiceovers. You can combine a trending song with a perfectly timed sound effect - like a cartoon 'boing' or a dramatic drumroll - to create a punchline. Similarly, you can blend a lofi hip-hop track with the subtle sound of rain or coffee shop chatter to build a specific mood or aesthetic that a single track couldn't achieve on its own.
• Deepen Storytelling: Imagine a travel montage with an inspirational track. Now imagine it with that same track plus an ambient track of crashing waves, bustling city streets, or a crackling campfire. The second sound makes the experience more immersive and emotionally resonant.
• Stand Out in a Crowded Feed: When a sound goes mega-viral, the For You Page becomes a sea of similar videos. Adding your own audio layer - whether it's your voice, a sound effect, or a snippet of another track - is an immediate differentiator. It signals to the viewer that you've put in extra creative effort.

The Official Method: Mastering the TikTok Voiceover Tool

The simplest way to add your voice over another sound is by using TikTok's native Voiceover feature. This tool is designed specifically for this purpose and is perfect for tutorials, reaction videos, and personal anecdotes. It's straightforward, but mastering the volume mix is what makes it work.

Step-by-Step Guide to Adding a Voiceover:

1. Record or Upload Your Video Clip. Start your creation process as you normally would. Either tap the plus icon and record your video directly within the app or upload a clip you've already filmed from your phone's camera roll.
2. Add Your First Sound. Before moving to the editing screen, tap the "Add sound" button at the very top. Search for the trending song or commercial sound you want to use as your background music. Select it and proceed. This sound will be your primary audio layer.
3. Head to the Editing Screen. Once your video is filmed and your first sound is selected, tap the red checkmark and then "Next" to enter the main editing interface.
4. Locate the "Voiceover" Tool. On the right-hand side of the editing screen, you'll see a panel of icons. Tap the arrow to expand the options if you don't see it immediately. Look for a microphone icon labeled "Voiceover" (sometimes it appears under an "Audio Editing" or similar menu).
5. Record Your Voiceover. Tapping the Voiceover icon brings up a new screen. You can drag the timeline to the exact point where you want your voiceover to start. To record, just press and hold the record button. You can record your vocal track in one long take or in short, separate segments by stopping and starting. A useful tip: keep the "Keep original sound" checkbox at the bottom toggled on. This preserves the first sound you added, so you can mix it later.
6. Adjust the Volume Levels. This is the most important step. After you save your voiceover, go back to the main editing screen. On the right-hand panel, find and tap the "Volume" tool (it looks like a sound mixer-icon). Here, you will see two sliders:
   • Original sound: This controls the volume of the video's original audio, including the first sound you added from TikTok's library.
   • Added sound: This controls the volume of your voiceover recording.
   To create the classic voice-over-music effect, slide the "Original sound" down between 5% and 15% and keep the "Added sound" at 100% or higher. This makes the music a subtle background track and keeps your voice loud and clear.
7. Finish and Post Your Video. Hit "Save," add your caption, relevant hashtags, and thumbnail, and share your professionally layered video.

Beyond Voiceovers: Using an External Editor for Any Two Sounds

What if you want to mix two different songs together, or a song and a sound effect? The Voiceover tool won't work for that. For complete creative freedom, your best bet is to use a third-party video editing app before you even open TikTok. Apps like CapCut (TikTok's official sister app), InShot, or even iMovie on an iPhone are perfect for this.

The strategy here is to "bake" your first sound into the video file itself. Then, when you upload it to TikTok, that baked-in audio becomes the "Original Sound," which you can then layer with an "Added Sound" from TikTok's library.

Step-by-Step Guide with a Video Editor:

1. Create and Edit in a Third-Party App. Open your preferred editing app (CapCut is a fan favorite for its ease of use and features). Import your video clip.
2. Add Your First Audio Track. Use the app's audio tools to add your first sound. This could be a downloaded sound effect, an ambient noise track, or a piece of music you have the rights to. Adjust its timing and volume within the app.
3. Export the Video. Once you're happy with how the video and first sound look and sound together, export the final clip and save it to your phone's camera roll. This video now has its audio track permanently embedded in the file.
4. Upload it to TikTok. Open TikTok and upload the video you just created.
5. Add Your Second Audio from TikTok's Library. Tap the "Add sound" icon at the top of the screen and select your second track - this will likely be a trending song to help with reach and discoverability.
6. Mix the Volumes. Now, go to the "Volume" tool in the TikTok editor on the right-hand panel. Just like before, you'll see two sliders. This time:
   • Original sound: Controls the volume of the audio you baked in using CapCut or Inshot.
   • Added sound: Controls the volume of the trending sound you just added from TikTok.
   Adjust the levels to achieve your desired mix. For example, if you are making an aesthetic vlog, you might set the "Original sound" (your own baked sound of typing fingers) to 30% and the "Added sound" (a lofi music track) to 70%. Hit save, and you're ready to post.

Troubleshooting: Why Can't I Add a Second Sound?

Sometimes, TikTok can be finicky. If you're running into issues layering your sounds, here are a few common problems and their solutions:

• "The Voiceover disappears when I add a commercial song:" Many official songs from major artists are labeled with a "commercial Use" tag. When you use commercial sounds, several of TikTok's editing features, including the Voiceover tool, are sometimes disabled to respect licensing agreements. If needed, the external editing app workaround will be your best approach.
• The Voiceover button can't be seen: Most of the time, this happens simply because the editing app needs an update. Visit your phone's app store to be sure you are using the latest version of TikTok. Sometimes quitting and restarting the TikTok app can also fix this small glitch.
• The volume of the original audio is an issue: This often relates to the "Keep Original Sound" checkbox that you see when recording a voiceover. If you want the original audio that your camera recorded to be silenced completely, uncheck this box. If you want to blend the original audio with your voiceover and added music, keep it checked and then adjust the levels in the "Volume" screen.

Final Thoughts

Layering audio, whether you use the native voiceover tool or an external editor for more control, is more than just a trick - it's a powerful way to tell richer stories, develop your personal style, and capture your audience’s attention. By experimenting with different audio mixes, you can create a unique soundscape that becomes an essential part of your brand on TikTok.

Planning multi-layered content like this can get overwhelming, especially when you’re managing accounts across multiple platforms. That’s where a tool like Postbase can make a big difference. It helps you schedule and organize all your content, including TikToks, Reels, and Shorts, from a single visual calendar. By streamlining your workflow, you can spend less time wondering when to post and more time focusing on the creative details, like perfecting your audio.