Adding an Audio File
Once you’ve got all the sound files created for the animated sequence, you can add them to the project using the File, Import, Audio File menu command. This command automatically opens a file dialog box where you can choose the sound file to include. The supported sound file formats include .WAV files for Windows machines and .AIFF files for Macintosh machines. Anime Studio also lets you load and use MP3 files.
Note
Anime Studio Debut 6 allows two audio files and one video track to be added to the Sequencer, and Anime Studio Pro 6 allows an unlimited number of tracks.
The Library palette also includes a folder of sound effects. You can add audio files to your project by double-clicking an audio file in the Library palette. The loaded audio file will be set to start at the current frame.
Tip
If you select an audio file in the Library with a single click, the audio file will play through once. This helps to identify and select the correct audio file before importing it.
A third way to add an audio file to a project is by creating a new Audio layer using the Layers palette. When this option is selected from the New Layer button at the top of the Layers palette, a File dialog box opens where you can select an audio file. Each audio layer can only hold a single audio file.
When an audio file is added to a project, its file name appears in the Layers palette. When its layer is selected, you can see a waveform of the audio file displayed as a background in the Timeline palette, as shown in Figure 19.1. All audio files are identified in the Timeline and Layers palette with a small speaker icon.
Note
All audio files are set to start playing at the current frame when loaded. So, if the current frame is frame 20, then loading an audio file will cause the sound to begin at this frame. The Sequencer is an interface that lets you change the audio file’s start time.
Removing an Audio File
To delete an audio file from the project, simply select and delete its layer in the Layers palette.
Caution
Audio files cannot be deleted from the Sequencer panel in the Timeline palette. Selecting an audio file and clicking the Delete button at the top of the Timeline palette has no effect.
Muting Audio
When an audio file is added to a project, it plays whenever the animation is played. This can be bothersome if you’re working with the content, so the Animation, Mute Audio menu command may be used to quiet all sound files. The file is still attached to the project, but it just doesn’t play when the animation is played.
Clicking the Visibility icon (the googly eyes) next to an audio layer in the Layers palette lets you mute a single audio file without having to remove it from the project. Click again on the Visibility icon to make the audio file active again.
Caution
You may notice the Disable Audio Feedback option in the Options panel of the Preferences dialog box. This option has no impact on the scene’s audio files. When two points are welded, a click is heard; this option disables that click feedback instead.
Adding Video
Video clips are another way to add audio to your project. Video clips are loaded into a project using the File, Import, Movie menu command or by double-clicking them in the Library palette. Although movies appear on an image layer in the Layers palette, they are dealt with in the Sequencer panel of the Timeline palette exactly like audio files. You can learn more about working with image layers in Chapter 22, “Adding Image Layers.”