Canned laughter is all about timing and believability: the wrong transient, tail, or stereo image can make a joke feel forced. Use this guide to choose a ready clip or write prompts that produce the exact crowd size and reaction style your cut needs.
Match the edit point (attack and cutoff)
If the laugh arrives late or rings too long, it will smear your next line. Start by deciding whether you need a punchy sting, a quick titter, or a longer bed that can sit under action.
- For quick punchlines, prompt "fast attack" and "clean fade"
- For uncomfortable jokes, prompt "hesitant start" and "abrupt cutoff"
- If dialogue continues, choose drier laughs with shorter tails
Choose a believable crowd size and density
A tiny snicker feels intimate; a roaring crowd implies a big studio. Density is what makes laughter feel "canned" or natural—too dense and it masks everything, too sparse and it sounds fake.
- Prompt "small audience" for lighter texture and more space
- Prompt "large studio audience" for thicker midrange and width
- Avoid overly constant intensity if the scene should breathe
Control room tone and reflections
Room character sells the space. A dry laugh track can work anywhere, while a reflective one helps imitate a studio but can clash with an outdoor or dead room scene.
- Use "dry room tone" when you'll add your own ambience
- Use "slight room reflections" for a classic studio feel
- If it sounds pasted-on, regenerate with less reverb and a cleaner tail
Stereo width: phone vs headphones vs TV
Wide crowd stereo can feel exciting, but on small speakers it may blur. Narrower laughs keep the focus centered and reduce masking against music or voice.
- For mobile-first content, ask for "narrow stereo, centered"
- For sitcom parody, ask for "wide stereo crowd image"
- If music is present, reduce width and choose a thinner crowd texture
