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kathya13203296
Participant
January 24, 2018
Question

How to control volume of audio recording?

  • January 24, 2018
  • 2 replies
  • 289 views

Using Captivate 9, version 9.0.2.437.

Creating audio recordings for my slides seems simple enough, however when I play back the recording in Preview, the volume increases as the slide progresses.  Therefore the volume is where I want it for the first sentence or two that I record, then it increases quite a bit as the slide plays on.  When the next slide starts the volume is where I want it again, and then again, it increases as the slide progresses.  I am hoping this is a simple setting in Captivate 9.  

Please do not provide any responses that involve a different software.  This is all I have and management will not approve spending more money on Audition or anything else, so I need help that involves only Captivate 9.

Thank you.

Kathy

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    2 replies

    Paul Wilson CTDP
    Community Expert
    Paul Wilson CTDPCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    January 24, 2018

    There are essentially three different types of audio in Captivate. Audio that has been imported for the background of the entire project can be adjusted to reduce its volume when other audio such as slide level audio is played. If this is the case just uncheck Adjust background audio volume on slides with Audio.

    2018-01-24 4-57-08 PM

    If you are talking about other forms of audio (Slide level audio or object level audio). There is a feature built-in to Captivate that allows you to normalize audio. From either the Object Audio window or Slide Audio window, click on Adjust Volume...

    2018-01-24 5-03-08 PM

    From there you will see the Adjust Volume window. You can select either Normalize (select best volume) or Dynamics (reduce loud sections). When selecting the latter you can select a ratio amount and a Threshold percentage. Experiment with this to see what results you get.

    2018-01-24 5-06-07 PM

    If you don't have success with that you can try freeware like Audacity as Lilybiri suggests.

    Paul Wilson, CTDP
    Lilybiri
    Lilybiri
    Legend
    January 24, 2018

    Just FYI, Audacity is free and a good audio application.


    I never did hear this when I record (sometimes happens) in Captivate. Did you calibrate the microphon? Stayed at the same distance from the mike while recording? Can you post a screenshot of the Audio dialog box, can you see the weve forum increasing its amplitude?

    K
    kathya13203296Author
    Participant
    January 24, 2018

    Hello, 

     

    Thank you for the suggestion of Audacity.  However my computer is set up so that only the administrator can download new programs, and I am not the administrator.

    Unfortunately I cannot post a screenshot.  Regardless of which file type I use, I get a message from adobe telling me that the upload failed and to try again later.  So, I will try again later.  But in the screenshot, when I am able to send it, you will see that the amplitude increases for no reason after a couple of seconds.  

    But to confirm, I have calibrated the mic, and I can confirm that I am staying the exact same distance from the mic.  In fact, I played the radio and set the mic next to it, didn't move either, and the same thing happened, so it is not where I am in relation to the mic.  

    In the meantime, any other suggestions?

    Kathy

    RodWard
    Community Expert
    RodWardCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    January 25, 2018

    Thank you!  Here is the image.

    I have found a workaround, in that I start each recording by waiting 10 seconds before I start actually saying anything.  Then once I'm done I simply edit out the first 10 seconds and the rest of the recording is fine (volume is consistent).  I'm sure I have simply missed a step or accidentally changed a setting.

    As you can see in the image below, the volume spikes after a few seconds.


    Over the many years I have used Captivate versions, and on many different PC desktops and laptops, any audio issues I have ever had always seemed to turn out to be due to audio drivers on the PC itself.

    Is it possible for you to see if you can get the IT gurus at your company to try installing more up-to-date drivers and see if that improves things?

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