Extract and replace the audio in a video editor before your YouTube livestream, then export and test the finished audio-video file. The livestream encoder sends that completed file to YouTube; it is a separate step from editing the soundtrack.
Choose the right workflow
YouTube Studio’s built-in Editor can add music from the YouTube Audio Library to an existing upload. Its documented workflow is not a general tool for extracting a video’s original audio and replacing it with any audio file you choose. For that job, use a separate video editor with audio-track controls, prepare the finished video before the event, and send it through a live encoder. YouTube’s Editor instructions describe the Audio Library option.
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- Use Studio Editor if the video is already uploaded and you want to add a suitable Audio Library song.
- Use a separate editor if you need to separate the original audio, replace it with a supplied track, or make a finished file for a planned livestream. Choose an editor that supports track separation, timeline alignment, and an export compatible with your computer and streaming setup.
Replace the audio in a prerecorded video
1. Keep an untouched copy
Save a working copy of the video and keep the original video and audio sources. This gives you a recovery point if the replacement, sync, or export is wrong.
2. Separate the source audio and add the replacement
In your editor, separate or extract the video’s source audio, then place the replacement track on the timeline. Align it to the picture and set the start and end points deliberately. Listen for unwanted remnants of the original track, gaps, abrupt cuts, and audio that is too loud or too quiet relative to the program.
#1 Best Overall
- Pro performance with great pre-amps - Achieve a brighter recording thanks to the high performing mic pre-amps of the Scarlett 3rd Gen. A switchable Air mode will add extra clarity to your acoustic instruments when recording with your Solo 3rd Gen
- Get the perfect guitar and vocal take with - With two high-headroom instrument inputs to plug in your guitar or bass so that they shine through. Capture your voice and instruments without any unwanted clipping or distortion thanks to our Gain Halos
- Studio quality recording for your music & podcasts - Achieve pro sounding recordings with Scarlett 3rd Gen’s high-performance converters enabling you to record and mix at up to 24-bit/192kHz. Your recordings will retain all of their sonic qualities
- Low-noise for crystal clear listening - 2 low-noise balanced outputs provide clean audio playback with 3rd Gen. Hear all the nuances of your tracks or music from Spotify, Apple & Amazon Music. Plug-in headphones for private listening in high-fidelity
- Everything in the box: Includes Pro Tools Intro+, Ableton Live Lite, Cubase LE, and Hitmaker Expansion: a suite of essential effects, powerful software instruments, and easy-to-use mastering tools
The exact controls vary by editor; YouTube’s help page does not specify a third-party editor or a universal extraction procedure.
3. Export and review the finished file
Export a complete audio-video file and review it from beginning to end, checking synchronization, clipping, gaps, and the opening and closing moments. For a livestream, include representative motion and audio in a test so you can catch issues that a still frame or silent check would miss.
Rank #2
- The new generation of the songwriter's interface: Plug in your mic and guitar and let Scarlett Solo 4th Gen bring big studio sound to wherever you make music
- Studio-quality sound: With a huge 120dB dynamic range, the newest generation of Scarlett uses the same converters as Focusrite’s flagship interfaces, found in the world's biggest studios
- Find your signature sound: Scarlett 4th Gen's improved Air mode lifts vocals and guitars to the front of the mix, adding musical presence and rich harmonic drive to your recordings
- All you need to record, mix and master your music: Includes industry-leading recording software and a full collection of record-making plugins
- Everything in the box: Includes Pro Tools Intro+, Ableton Live Lite, Cubase LE, and Hitmaker Expansion: a suite of essential effects, powerful software instruments, and easy-to-use mastering tools
Set up YouTube Live and the encoder
- Create or select the stream: in YouTube Studio, open Go Live and create or select a stream. Follow YouTube’s encoder setup instructions.
- Connect the encoder: copy the stream URL and stream key from YouTube Studio into your encoder. Treat the key like a password: do not share it publicly, and replace it if it is exposed.
- Start the encoder and check the preview: send the finished file to YouTube, then confirm the picture and sound in Live Control Room before going live.
- Monitor the event: watch stream health and listen for audio or video problems throughout the event. YouTube recommends testing first and monitoring the stream. Its live streaming tips cover preparation and monitoring.
YouTube says streams shorter than 12 hours are automatically archived. Do not treat that as a guarantee of an archive for a stream that runs longer.
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Choose live encoder settings, not upload settings
For a live encoder feed, YouTube’s current live encoder recommendations list H.264, H.265/HEVC, or AV1 video; AAC or MP3 audio; constant bitrate (CBR); and a recommended two-second keyframe interval, not over four seconds. YouTube recommends RTMPS.
Rank #3
- PLUG IN AND HEAR SOUND IN SECONDS - USB Type-A connector with a 3.5mm stereo headphone output and a separate 3.5mm mono microphone input. No drivers, no software, no external power - the adapter is USB bus-powered and is recognized as a standard USB audio device.
- WORKS ON WINDOWS, MAC AND LINUX - Driverless on Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/Server 2003/Vista/7/8, Linux and Mac OSX, and compliant with the USB Audio Device Class 1.0 specification, so any system that supports class-compliant USB audio will see it. Select it as the sound output and input device after plugging it in.
- TWO JACKS, TWO JOBS - The green jack is stereo OUT for headphones or powered speakers; the pink jack is mono microphone IN for a 3.5mm mic. It does NOT support 4-pole headsets on a single combo plug, it does NOT power passive speakers, and it does NOT add surround sound - it is a stereo 2-channel adapter.
- FOR LAPTOPS AND DESKTOPS THAT NEED AN AUDIO PORT BACK - Adds a headphone and mic port to a laptop, desktop, or mini PC whose onboard jack has failed or was never there. Managed and work-issued computers can block new USB audio devices by policy - check with your IT department before ordering for a company machine.
- SABRENT SUPPORT AND WARRANTY - What is in the box: one USB audio sound adapter. Backed by a 1-year limited warranty, extended to 2 years when you register within 90 days on the manufacturer's website.
| Setting | YouTube live guidance |
|---|---|
| Video codec | H.264, H.265/HEVC, or AV1 |
| Audio codec | AAC or MP3 |
| Bitrate mode | CBR |
| Keyframe interval | Two seconds recommended; no more than four seconds |
| Audio sample rate | 44.1 kHz for stereo; 48 kHz for 5.1 |
| Audio bitrate | 128 kbps for stereo; 384 kbps for 5.1 |
| Protocol | RTMPS recommended |
Choose settings your encoder supports, and ensure your upload connection can sustain the combined stream. Test the selected configuration with the actual file and audience interaction needs; latency and stability choices should be evaluated against the connection you have.
Do not confuse live ingest settings with YouTube’s separate upload recommendations. The cited upload guidance lists MP4 with AAC-LC, Opus, or Eclipsa Audio at 48 kHz, but the page says those features are available to Studio Content Manager partners. Those are not a substitute for the live encoder settings above.
Rank #4
- Podcast, Record, Live Stream, This Portable Audio Interface Covers it All - USB sound card for Mac or PC delivers 48kHz audio resolution for pristine recording every time
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- Everything you Demand from an Audio Interface for Fuss-Free Monitoring - 1/4" headphone output and stereo 1/4" outputs for total monitoring flexibility; USB/Direct switch for zero latency monitoring
- Get the best out of your Microphones - M-Track Duo’s transparent Crystal Preamps guarantee optimal sound from all your microphones including condenser mics
- The MPC Production Experience - Includes MPC Beats Software complete with the essential production tools from Akai Professional
When YouTube Studio Editor is enough
On a computer, open YouTube Studio → Content → select the video → Editor → Audio. You can preview Audio Library songs, add a selection, move its start, trim its duration, and save. YouTube says this option is available only for videos shorter than six hours. For a video with more than 100,000 views, saving edits may be unavailable unless you are in the YouTube Partner Program. The mobile app cannot change the audio track, so use a computer.
YouTube’s help page states that, as of June 2025, saved Studio Editor changes could no longer be undone with Revert to original. Keep your source files and check the preview before saving.
Best Value
- The new generation of the artist's interface: Connect your mic to Scarlett's 4th Gen mic pres. Plug in your guitar. Fire up the included software. Start making your first big hit
- Studio-quality sound: With a huge 120dB dynamic range, the newest generation of Scarlett uses the same converters as Focusrite’s flagship interfaces, found in the world's biggest studios
- Never lose a great take: Scarlett 4th Gen's Auto Gain sets the perfect level for your mic or guitar, and Clip Safe prevents clipping, so you can focus on the music
- Find your signature sound: Air mode lifts vocals and guitars to the front of the mix, adding musical presence and rich harmonic drive to your recordings
- With Scarlett 4th Gen, you have all you need to record, mix and master your music: Includes industry-leading recording software and a full collection of record-making plugins
Troubleshooting before you go live
- The original sound is still audible: check whether the editor muted or removed the source track, rather than merely adding the replacement over it.
- Music and picture drift out of sync: review the timeline alignment and exported file, then test the same file through the encoder before the event.
- The replacement sounds clipped or too quiet: adjust levels in the editor and listen to the export at a normal monitoring volume. Avoid relying only on the timeline waveform.
- YouTube receives no feed: verify that the encoder has the correct stream URL and stream key, and that it is actively sending. Check the Live Control Room preview.
- The preview has sound or picture problems: confirm the encoder supports your selected codec and settings, then test again while monitoring stream health.
- The upload connection cannot sustain the feed: reduce the outgoing stream settings to a level the connection can maintain and repeat the test. YouTube’s recommendations are not a substitute for available upload bandwidth.
Or let it run in the cloud
If the goal is to keep a prerecorded video looping as a YouTube livestream, StreamNeo runs it from the cloud after you upload the finished video. The audio replacement still needs to be completed in your editor first.
- Upload the finished video.
- Add your YouTube stream key once.
- Go live; StreamNeo loops the video from the cloud.
Your computer and home connection do not have to stay on. Every slot streams the uploaded file as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot; there are no quality tiers. StreamNeo automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly service is $9.99 per month. StreamNeo streams to YouTube only. See StreamNeo or start your free first day.
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