Before you begin, ensure you are respecting copyright laws. Always use audio that falls under Creative Commons or the YouTube Audio Library if you plan to redistribute it.
If you are editing audio specifically for social media, these platforms allow you to trim and fade audio directly within your video project. Step-by-Step Workflow download and edit youtube audio
For tech-savvy users, this command-line tool is the most powerful option. It bypasses many restrictions and ensures you get the highest bitrate available (usually 128kbps to 256kbps for YouTube audio). Before you begin, ensure you are respecting copyright laws