How to make a soundboard sound
- Drop in an audio or video file: a stream clip, a voice line, a meme video.
- Drag the handles to the moment you want. The selection is capped at 5 seconds.
- Leave the volume settings on their defaults (normalized to −16 LUFS with light compression), press Make soundboard clip, and save the MP3.
- In Discord, open Server Settings, then Soundboard, then Upload Sound.
Discord’s soundboard requirements
| Requirement | Discord’s limit | What FitVideo does |
|---|---|---|
| Format | MP3 or OGG | Saves MP3, which always works |
| Length | 5.2 seconds | Caps the clip at 5.0 seconds, so encoder padding never pushes it over |
| File size | 512 KB | Shows the size first; 5 seconds at 128 kbps is about 80 KB |
Why the volume settings matter
Clips from streams and games swing from whispers to explosions, and a sound that’s much louder than everything else in a voice channel is the fastest way to get it removed. Loudness normalization measures how loud the clip sounds to people (in LUFS, the standard used by streaming services) and adjusts it to a consistent level. Tame loud moments is a compressor: it turns down sudden peaks and lifts quieter parts, so a scream doesn’t clip. A safety limiter always stops the result from distorting.
- −16 LUFS (default) suits most soundboards and matches typical voice chat levels.
- −14 LUFS is louder; use it if your sounds get lost under game audio.
- Strong compression is for clips with huge jumps, like whisper-then-yell memes.
Tips for better soundboard sounds
- Keep reactions to 1–3 seconds; timing is everything.
- Start right on the sound; silence at the start makes a button feel slow.
- Mono is fine for soundboards and halves the data; set it under Advanced.
- Only use clips you have the right to share, and respect your server’s rules.
Questions
What are Discord’s soundboard limits?
MP3 or OGG, up to 5.2 seconds and 512 KB per sound.
Why is my clip capped at 5 seconds, not 5.2?
MP3 encoding adds a few milliseconds of padding, and Discord rejects anything even slightly over 5.2 seconds. Five seconds always passes.
Can I make a sound from a YouTube or Twitch video?
From a file you already have, yes. FitVideo doesn’t download from links; it works with files on your device.
Why normalize the volume?
So your sound plays at a similar loudness to others and doesn’t blast people’s ears or clip.
Is it free?
Yes. Free, with no sign-up and no watermark. Nothing is uploaded.