Can’t get auto lip sync feature to work with character using bone tool/armature layer.

[Monica101]

Hi. As a test, I created a very simple character using the bone tool – so it sits on an armature layer on the main timeline.

I want to use the auto lip sync feature with the character. As a dry run, I set up a graphic symbol with all the mouth shapes on the main timeline, went through the auto lip sync process and it works fine. (The audio is also on the main timeline.)

I tried to do the same thing inside the "head" graphic symbol on my character. The problem I’m having is, after setting up the labeled key frames and picking the visemes etc., when I click on the "mouth shapes" symbol, (inside the head)  then hit the Lip Syncing button, it’s not seeing the audio on the main timeline -- I get "No audio layers found."

So again – the "head" graphic symbol is on the main timeline. The "mouth shapes" symbol with 12 labeled frames and individual mouth shapes on key frames etc. is inside the head graphic symbol.

Maybe there’s a problem with using the bone tool and auto lip sync?

Thanks!

PS -- tried to attach the file and got this error:

• The attachment's testy_4_talk.fla content type (application/octet-stream) does not match its file extension and has been removed.

[Joseph Labrecque]

Can you share the file with us? 

[Monica101]

Thanks! I've tried. I keep getting this error message. Just tried again. It has the .fla extention...

The attachment's testy_4_talk.fla content type (application/octet-stream) does not match its file extension and has been removed.

Any ideas about that?

[Mario_CR · Accepted solution]

With auto lip-sync, make sure the audio is located at your current "level" and the visemes one level deeper than that. What do I mean by that? Symbols have their own internal timeline, when you nest things inside symbols, you're going one level deeper. If you click the auto lip-sync button while inside the head symbol it will only look for audio in that internal timeline, it can't find it anywhere else, in this case because it only exists on the main timeline.

So what to do? Copy the audio layer from the main timeline and paste it inside the head symbol and try again. The audio copy will play inside the symbol and you can use auto lip-sync there. Don't worry, the sound won't be doubled when you go back to your main stage, Animate mutes all sounds that are not at root level by default.

[Monica101]

Thank you for the detailed explanation. That makes sense. I was told you could only place the audio on the main timeline. I'm on the road now -- but will try this ASAP. 

Thanks again!

[Nick Gioia · Accepted solution]

 You don't have to put the audio in the main timeline, you can put it on any timeline you want especially if you're doing a lip-synch with different mouths, you definitely want to put it inside that symbol with those mouths to get auto lip sync to work. Now what you can do after you're done with all the animation you can bring the audio to the top timeline if you like but most people just leave it with the mouth. its all a preference thing. 

[Monica101]

Sorry. Thought I was replying to the post above. I did as you suggested and tried it with the audio inside the head, no audio on the timeline -- and it didn't work. Any suggestions? Thanks!

[Monica101]

I meant "no audio on the main timeline."

[Monica101]

That worked. Thank you!

[Nick Gioia]

Cool glad I could help!