Descript Overdub
By Descript
Overdub is a voice-cloning feature within the Descript audio and video editing platform that lets users generate synthetic speech in their own cloned voice, or edit spoken recordings by typing text changes.
Definition
Overdub is a voice-cloning feature within the Descript audio and video editing platform that lets users generate synthetic speech in their own cloned voice, or edit spoken recordings by typing text changes.
Overview
Overdub is Descript's AI voice-cloning capability, built to solve a specific pain point in podcast and video editing: fixing a flubbed word or adding a short line of narration without re-recording. A user trains an Overdub voice model on a sample of their own recorded speech, and can then generate new spoken audio in that voice simply by typing text, which Descript's editor treats as an extension of its broader "edit audio like a text document" workflow — deleting a word from the transcript deletes it from the audio, and typing a new word can insert Overdub-generated speech in its place. This places Overdub within the broader category of AI voice cloning and synthetic speech tools, alongside products like Resemble AI and Murf AI, though Descript's implementation is notable for being embedded directly into a transcript-based editing workflow rather than offered as a standalone text-to-speech generator. Descript requires users to record and submit a voice sample and undergo a consent process before a cloned Overdub voice can be created, reflecting the ethical and identity concerns inherent to voice-cloning technology. Because synthetic voice cloning raises consent and misuse concerns — a cloned voice could plausibly be used to impersonate someone without authorization — companies like Descript have implemented verification requirements before activating a custom Overdub voice, a pattern common across the voice-cloning tool category including Resemble AI and Speechify. As with other actively developed AI features, the exact technical details of Overdub's current voice model and consent process should be confirmed against Descript's current documentation.
Key Features
- Voice cloning trained from a user's own recorded speech sample
- Text-to-speech generation in the cloned voice for inserting new lines
- Integrated with Descript's transcript-based audio and video editing
- Consent and verification process required before a custom voice is activated
- Useful for fixing mistakes or adding narration without re-recording
- Part of Descript's broader AI-assisted podcast and video production suite