In a method for recording and reproducing a video format signal including audio data and a video data signal, the audio data is divided into groups of audio data, and identification codes for the groups of audio data are inserted into the video format signal as required. For reproducing the video format signal, a sound specifying instruction is compared with the identification codes to detect the group of audio data which has been specified so that the group of audio data thus detected is reproduced while the video data signal is reproduced, for instance, as a still picture.