How to put an MP3 file used on scene load on the timeline?

Scenes
1

I’m using an audio narration on scene load and designing an animation which is aligned with the script.

Is there a way to see the waveform of the MP3 file in the timeline so that it’s easier for me to see where to create animation keyframes? As of now I have to write down specific timings for animation by listening to the script separately. Surely there must be an easier way to use audio in HYPE.

Thanks for help.
Greg

2

Hi Greg!

Surely there must be an easier way to use audio in HYPE.

Unfortunately there is not a way - using Hype's built-in features - to have an audio waveform appear. There are a few workarounds such as those in the thread below. I have not read~viewed any info re: Hype 4 that indicates this situation will change.

1 Like
3

I use a commonly available downloadable app called Audacity for audio. I can’t see any reason why you could not screen shot the Audacity wave form, size it to match and import the png and use it

Might try it myself.

4

@grzesiek.rogala

Hi Greg!

I started to create an example for You using the techniques I discussed in the thread that I linked to in my first post… and made a disappointing find: When “.mp4” files are brought into Hype they no longer correctly display the wave form that was pasted into the audio file using QuickTime Pro (which created a synthetic “.mp4” video file).

The point to this approach was to allow real time sound while using just Hype’s animation pane with the waveform in the Timeline as the guide. The only way I know how to do this is with (audio in) a video file - regular audio files will not play (to do so You must take the extra step of previewing - not an efficient set-up).

The fallback I’ve come up with is not great by any means -
but better than Hype’s current feature set in this regard (i.e. nothing).

Waveform.hype.zip (180.5 KB)

Instead of pasting the screen grab of the wave form into QuickTime Pro we will simply place it in a group with the overflow set to hidden (Metrics Inspector). The flow of the timeline is set to match the length of the audio track - which still needs to be a “.mp4” video file.

Note 1: You can of course create whatever size waveform You wish. This example is what I considered the least obtrusive and yet large enough to view the peaks & troughs.

Note 2: When You are finished designing in the Animation pane the “Waveform” group can simply be hidden using the “eye” icon in the Timeline layer.

Note 3: Audio files can also be placed in a “.mp4” wrapper but they will not play in real time in Hype’s Animation pane. You do not need an actual video just save the audio file in the “.mp4” video format.

Note 4: Because we have to use a video format Hype will not preload our “.mp4” file; even when designing in the Animation pane this has a consequence - the first time You play the audio it will have a bit of latency. So play a short section of the audio first then start again and sync elements in the Animation pane. Using the "Loop"button in the Timeline’s transport controls (i.e. where the Play, Pause, etc. buttons are) will make for easier syncing.

Note 5: In order to preload the audio on a web page (when you are finished designing the animation) You could swap out the video “.mp4” for an audio version (i.e. a “.m4a” in a “.mp4” wrapper, or an “.mp3”, etc.)

Note 6: If You create a Symbol from the group (or just from the waveform image and “playhead” elements) it would make this waveform tool easy to reuse.

1 Like
5

Thanks a lot JimScott!

1 Like