Enter a song’s full length and how much you plan to cut from the intro and/or outro to see the exact final length and percentage removed.
This tool subtracts the intro and outro trims you specify from the full song length, then reports the final length and what percentage of the song those cuts represent.
Full song length (mm:ss):
Intro to cut (mm:ss, optional):
Outro to cut (mm:ss, optional):
How It Works
This tool subtracts the intro and outro trims you specify from the full song length, then reports the final length and what percentage of the song those cuts represent.
How to Use This Tool
- Enter the full length of the song in minutes and seconds.
- Enter how much you plan to trim from the intro (leave blank for none).
- Enter how much you plan to trim from the outro (leave blank for none).
- Click Calculate to see the final length.
This is a simple planning tool for edits you already have in mind; for hitting a specific target length instead, use the Radio Edit Trimmer section above.
The Formulas
- Final length = full length − intro cut − outro cut
- Percent removed = (intro cut + outro cut) ÷ full length × 100
Worked example: a song runs 4:30 (270 seconds). You want to drop a 0:15 intro and a 0:20 outro, which is 35 seconds in total. The final length is 270 − 35 = 235 seconds, or 3:55, and you have removed 35 ÷ 270 = about 13% of the song.
Need to Hit a Target Length? Radio Edit Trimmer
Radio and playlist edits often aim for roughly three to three-and-a-half minutes, though there is no strict rule. If you know the length you want, enter the full song and your target to see exactly how much time has to come out, both in seconds and as a share of the song.
Radio Edit Trimmer
Full song length (mm:ss):
Target edit length (mm:ss):
Formulas: time to cut = full length − target length, and percent to cut = time to cut ÷ full length × 100.
Worked example: a song runs 4:32 (272 seconds) and you want a 3:30 edit (210 seconds). You need to remove 62 seconds, or 1:02, which is about 23% of the song. That is a meaningful trim, so one cut is usually not enough; you might shorten the intro and drop one chorus repeat together.
Where to Find the Time
- Long intros: start closer to the first verse or the hook.
- Second solo or instrumental: shorten it to a few bars or drop one repeat.
- Extra choruses: remove one repeat of the final chorus.
- Bridges and outros: shorten, or end on the last chorus with a short tail instead of a long fade.
Trimming an Intro or Outro Without Hurting the Song
Cutting time is easy on paper and harder in an audio editor. A few practical rules keep the edit sounding natural:
- Cut on the beat: Trim on a bar line so the groove stays intact, rather than at an arbitrary second.
- Use short fades: A fade of half a second to a few seconds hides the edit point, especially on an outro.
- Keep the hook: If the intro contains a signature riff, shorten it rather than removing it completely.
- Listen in context: Play the trimmed version right after the original to make sure nothing important disappeared.
Trimming an intro is common for DJ sets, playlists, and video soundtracks, where the song needs to start quickly. Trimming an outro is common when a track needs to end cleanly in a set or a scene rather than fading for a long time.
Did You Know?
- Radio edits and clean edits are common in the music industry specifically to fit broadcast time slots or remove explicit content.
- Many DJs trim long intros and outros from tracks specifically to make beatmatching and transitions easier.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use this for just an intro cut or just an outro cut?
Yes, leave the field you are not using blank and it will be treated as zero.
What if my cuts add up to more than the song length?
The tool will let you know the cuts exceed the song length rather than showing a negative result.
What time format should I use?
Enter minutes and seconds separated by a colon, such as 4:30 or 0:15. For a song under a minute, use 0:45.
How is this different from the Radio Edit Trimmer?
This tool starts with the cuts you already plan to make and shows the result. The Radio Edit Trimmer starts with a target length and tells you how much to remove.
Does the tool include fade time?
No. It only subtracts the cuts you enter. If you add a fade-out at the end, count that time as part of the outro you keep.