Adding Background Music Underneath Narration on a Single Slide in Capt 5

[Guest]

I just finished putting together my first Adobe Captivate 5 project and  there is one last detail I need to learn how to do. I have recorded  narration on every slide. I now want to insert background music  underneath my title (first) slide and on the conclusion (last) slide.   Somehow I accomplished this on the first slide, but I cannot remember  how I did it and cannot seem to replicate it on the last slide. I  imported the jingle called Corporate Video2 from the Adobe library. When  I click on my last slide and go to Properties and click Edit Audio, I  hear my narration. When I click on my last slide and then go up to the  little music note icon up top on the toolbar called “Background Audio” I  see and hear the corporate video jingle. How do I meld these into one audio file? What is the  proper technique to add background audio? Should you lay down the  background music first and then record audio or the other way around? Is  there some little trick or glitch I’m missing? I only want to do this on one slide, not the entire project. When I preview the  project I only get narration, no music, even though when I go to  Background Audio, it looks like I have successfully imported the music  file. PLEASE HELP! I got this far and want to put this project to bed!  Thank you.

[Guest]

Hi there,

Welcome to Adobe Captivate Forums

In Captivate audio can be recorded to 1. Slides, 2. Objects and 3. Project background.

So you can record in whatever way you want to. In the case from what you mention, i can understand that you need to add background audio to first and last slide of your project.

First let me explain you that background audio will be for the entire project. So if you add an audio to project background then it plays for the project till the end of audio. If you want the audio to loop over and play again then you need to enable that option in background audio dialog. This way audio will play in background for the entire project.

Now considering your case i can understand that you have recorded audio for individual slides. So the slides already have a audio and you cant add two audio files to the slide. To accomplish this what you can do is to insert a text caption on first slide ( and last slide) of the project and make the text caption transparent. Later you can delete the text of the text caption . This way you have an object on slide which is not visible to others. Now you can import audio( background music) to this text caption and in the published output you can hear the audio from the text caption and the slide audio.

This will give you narration + Background audio on specific slides effect.

Try it out and let us know if you wanted anything more than this.

Thanks

Ashwin Bharghav B

Adobe Captivate Team

[Guest]

Thank you for getting back to me so quickly, Ashwin. This worked! I now have music playing continuously underneath my narration.  Thanks so much!

[WPS_MiriamC]

Hi Ashwin,

your answer helped me too- thank you so much! I have one last question as well: how can I make the text box invisible - I just can't find it anymore in Captivate 5 for Mac.

Thanks, Miriam

[Lilybiri]

Hello,

I'm not Ashwin and use the Win version of CP5, but think this screenshot could help: Transparent for a Text Caption is the first style in the General part of the Properties panel.

[estherau]

just above there there is a check box for visibility, that is ticked as visible. What is that for?

[RodWard]

That box refers to whether or not the object will be initially hidden in the published output.  If selected then the object will NOT be hidden, but if unchecked then the object will be hidden from view and to see it you would need to use a Show action.

[Lilybiri]

Visible in Output. Are you using that very old version yet? Because in recent versions (CP8/9) the work flow for Visible in Output has changed: you have to use the Eye button, top left of the Properties panel of the object to be hidden in output. Mostly that is wanted if on runtime an action is performed that makes that object visible.

[estherau]

Wow thanks!  that is really useful to know about.  I didn't know about that feature.

[Lilybiri]

Captivate has tons of hidden gems.

[TrainerMike]

This was super helpful.  How do I get the text caption audio to loop?  I don't see an option for that.  Thanks!

[Lilybiri]

Only background audio has a possiblity to loop automatically. For any other

audio type you need a workaround. Which version?