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How to edit audio files with Adobe Captivate Classic

Last updated on 27 October 2023 | Also applies to Captivate

Edit audio files

You can edit the audio files in your Adobe Captivate Classic project at any time. Using the Edit Audio dialog box, you can listen to an audio file, insert silence, adjust volume, and change numerous other options.

Select Audio > Edit and then choose Object, Slide, Slides, Project, or Background depending on your requirement.

Note:

The Edit option is enabled if a question slide or a project slide contains an audio file. It is disabled for question pools and random question slides.
If you are editing slide audio and the slide contains both narration and system audio, then the Edit tab in the Slide Audio dialog box displays both the audio waveforms (in the patch for subscription and Adobe Software Assurance customers only).
- To edit only narration audio, click the system audio icon (). Only the narration audio waveform is displayed and you can continue editing the audio.
- To edit only system audio, click the narration icon (). Only system audio waveform is displayed and you can continue editing the audio.
- To perform editing operations simultaneously on both types of audio, click both narration and system audio icons. Both the audio waveforms are displayed. When you select a portion of one audio waveform, the portion of the other audio waveform corresponding to the selected time, also gets selected.
At any point in time, if you want to exclude an audio waveform from editing, click the Remove Selection icon () corresponding to the waveform.
Simultaneous edit of narration and system audio
Make any necessary edits in the Slide Audio dialog box.

You can cut and paste sections of the audio file, insert periods of silence to lengthen the audio file, adjust volume, import a different audio file, and use more options.

Cut Selection

Click to cut the selected portion of the audio file.

Copy Selection

Click to copy the selected portion of the audio file.

Paste Selection

Click to paste information from the clipboard. (For example, if you select a section of the audio file, and then click the Cut Selection or Copy Selection button, the selected audio is placed on the clipboard. You can then use the Paste Selection feature to place the audio located on the clipboard back into any location within the audio file.)

Delete Selection

Click to remove the selected portion of the audio file.

Undo

Click to undo the last action taken.

Redo

Click to redo the last action taken.

Insert Silence

Select the portion of the audio file where you want to insert silence, and click Insert Silence. Choose from one of the following options:

Start Of Audio

Adds silence to the beginning of the audio file.

End Of Audio

Adds silence to the end of the audio file.

Playhead Position

This option is available only when you have not selected a portion of the audio file. The silence is inserted at the playhead position. Use this option when you want to insert an extremely brief period of silence.

Adjust Volume

Click to increase or decrease the sound level of the audio file. There is also an option to fine-tune quieter portions of the audio file.

Adjust volume dialog

Normalize

Select this option to have Adobe Captivate Classic adjust the sound volume automatically. Normalizing audio helps keep the sound level consistent between slides.

Audio normalization is the application of a constant amount of gain to an audio recording in order to bring the average or peak amplitude to a target level (the norm).
- Loudness normalization: Loudness normalization changes the volume of an audio clip, where you bring down the average volume of an audio clip to the norm, not the highest peak.
- Peak normalization: Peak normalization changes the volume of an entire audio clip to bring down the highest peak to the norm.
Dynamics

Select this option to amplify quiet sections of the audio to help compensate for variations in audio volume.

Ratio

Specifies the maximum amplification that will be used. The default setting of 2.0 sets the quietest sections of the audio to be amplified by a factor of 2. A higher setting can improve projects with large differences between quiet and loud sections, but can also amplify background noise.

Threshold

Controls the amplification of background noise. Anything quieter than the noise threshold is not amplified. If background noise is amplified too much, setting a higher noise threshold may help solve the problem. Note that the Dynamics option does not work well with high noise levels.

Zoom In and Zoom Out

Use the slider to enlarge or shrink the waveform.

Settings

Click to set various options such as recording device, audio quality level, and recording device calibration.

Podcast

Export the audio file as a WAV or mp3. You can later use these files for podcasting. Podcasting refers to distributing files over the Internet through web feeds to portable media players, and computers.

Waveform

Displays the audio file graphically. The waveform is a visual representation of the audio file.

Record Audio

Click to begin recording audio. (To record, you need a microphone.)

Stop

Click to stop playing the audio file.

Play

Click to play the audio file.

Status

Displays the status of the audio file as playing, ready, and so on.

Playhead

Displays the selected location, in seconds, within the audio file. For example, if you are working with an audio file that is 10 seconds long and you click in the middle of the file, this playhead area displays approximately 00.05.00, or 5 seconds.

Duration

Displays the total amount of time it takes for the audio file to play.

Selected

Displays the total amount of time selected. For example, suppose you have an audio file that is 20 seconds long. If you click at the beginning of the file and drag to the middle, you will have selected approximately a 10-second span of the file.

Scale

Displays the scale at which the waveform is displayed. (To change the scale, use the Zoom slider).

Library

Displays the Select Audio From Library dialog box, where you can browse to a new audio file and import it.

Click Select Audio From Library to import an audio file from the project’s Library.
When you finish editing the audio file, click Save.

Note:

To add multiple audios to one slide, need to attach the audio to an object, or use the command Play audio.

Playing an audio file across multiple slides

If the narration for your entire course in a single audio file, you can split the file across multiple slides.

Click Library and locate the audio file.

Audio files in library
Drag the audion file from the library to the timeline, as shown below:

Audio file in timeline
In the Audio Import Options dialog, choose the option Distribute the audio file over several slides.

Audio Import Options dialog
Drag the slide playhead to the appropriate timeline, as shown below:

Slides Audio
Edit the video further, insert silence wherever needed, and click Save to save the changes made.

Edit audio for slide

Edit audio timing

Adobe Captivate Classic lets you edit the timing of audio files after you record or import them. Having control over the timing of audio files gives you the ability to use audio files of different lengths and incorporate them smoothly into projects.

After you record or import an audio file, the file appears as a waveform in the Slide Audio dialog box. If your project contains multiple audio files, you can see which audio files are assigned to specific slides.

Select Audio > Edit and then choose Slide, Slides, Project or Background (depending on your requirement) and then use the Edit tab.

Note:

Edit is enabled if a question slide or a project slide contains an audio file. It is disabled for question pools and random question slides.

Audio files in the Adobe Captivate Classic project are displayed as waveforms. Slide numbers are shown along the top of the waveform so you can see exactly how the audio files are currently distributed across the slides.

To change how audio files are distributed across slides, click a slide divider and move it to the left or right. The waveform remains static, but you change where the audio file begins to play within the Adobe Captivate Classic project. This option is particularly useful if you have a long audio file and need to experiment with assigning the file to one slide or having it play over multiple slides.
To listen to audio, click a location within the waveform and then click Play Audio. The audio plays from the location you selected to the end of all the audio in the project. (You can stop the playback at any time by clicking Stop.)
To zoom in on a particular area of the waveform, click in the waveform and then drag the zoom slider bar.
To cut or copy and paste audio, select a section of an audio file directly in the waveform, click Cut Selection or Copy Selection, click in a different location on the waveform, and click Paste Selection.
To delete audio, select a section of an audio file directly in the waveform and click Delete.
You can insert a silent period within an audio file. If you want the silent period to begin in a specific location within an audio file, click the location directly in the waveform. Click Insert silence. Type in the length of the silent period you want to add and then select from the pop-up menu a location for the silent period: the location you clicked in the waveform, the beginning of audio, or the end of audio.
To adjust the sound level of audio files, click Adjust Volume. Use the slider bar to increase or decrease the volume and select audio processing options.
To set recording device and audio quality options, click Settings.
To add a new audio file, click a location within the waveform, click Library, navigate to a file, and click Open. The audio file is imported directly into the Adobe Captivate Classic project in the location you specified.

Fading in/out an audio

To any audio file on a slide, you can insert a fade in or fade out effect.

In the Property Inspector, in the Options tab, you can see the fade in and fade out options for the audio file, as shown below:

Audio fade in out
Modify the times for Fade In and Fade Out, and save your changes.

Add silence to an audio file

You can add a period of silence to any audio file that is part of an Adobe Captivate Classic project. This feature is particularly useful if you have imported an audio file and need to synchronize the audio with objects and slides. By adding silent periods, you can make the existing audio file work in an Adobe Captivate Classic project without having to edit the audio extensively.

Select Audio > Edit and then choose Slide, Slides, Project or Background (depending on your requirement) and then go to the Edit tab.
(As per your requirement) Add silence to the beginning of the audio file, to the end, or to a specific location within the audio file.

If you want to add silence within the file, click the exact location directly on the waveform.

Note:

The Playhead and Selected information boxes near the bottom of the dialog box can help you choose a precise location in the audio file. For example, if you want to add a silent period four seconds into the audio file, click the waveform until the Playhead information box displays a number close to four seconds (that is, 00:04.00).
Click Insert Silence.
Select the portion of the audio file where you want to insert silence, and click Insert Silence.

Start Of Audio

Adds silence to the beginning of the audio file.

End Of Audio

Adds silence to the end of the audio file.

Playhead Position

This option is available only when you have not selected a portion of the audio file. The silence is inserted at the playhead position. Use this option when you want to insert an extremely brief period of silence.

Note: When you select a part of an audio file, and then click Insert Silence, the selection is replaced with silence.
Click Save.

The silent period is added to the audio file and you can see the silent period in the waveform. The audio file with added silence is saved under a new file name.
To test the audio file with the silent period added, click the audio icon.

Note:

If you find that you frequently want to add silence at the same position and of the same duration, press S to add it without using the Insert Silence dialog box.

Edit audio using Adobe Audition

You can use Adobe Audition CC to edit audio when you want to go beyond the audio editing options available in Adobe Captivate Classic. For example, to apply filters or remove noise, you need an advanced audio editor such as Adobe Audition. You can either edit the audio files from slides or batch process by opening multiple files in Adobe Audition CC using the Library panel.

The changes reflect in Adobe Captivate Classic library and the associated slides where the audio files are being used. The saved files are reimported to Adobe Captivate Classic with the slide associations intact.

For more information on how to round-trip audio in Captivate Classic with Audition, see the blog post.

Note:

For batch processing with Audition CC, refer to the article.

Editing slide audio

Editing slide audio is helpful when you apply filters that do not affect audio timing.

Note:

The following steps are also applicable for editing background audio.

Select the slides with the audio files (that you want to edit).
Select Audio and then slide, slides, or project depending on your requirement.

The Slide Audio dialog box appears.
In the Edit tab, click Edit With Adobe Audition:
Read the instructions and then proceed.
Edit the slide audio in Adobe Audition and then save.
In the Adobe Captivate Classic prompt, click OK.

Note:

If you have edited slide markers in Adobe Audition, the prompt displays a check box to let you import the marker changes as well.

When you edit the slide audio file in Adobe Audition:

If the audio file applies to multiple slides, ensure that you do not modify the audio duration.
If the audio file applies only to a slide, you can increase the audio duration. If the audio duration exceeds the slide duration, on reimport, Adobe Captivate Classic increases the slide duration to accommodate the audio. But if the audio is attached to an item, duration of item is not increased even if the reimported item audio has a longer duration. However, Adobe Captivate Classic prompts you to increase the display time when you click OK or Apply for the item in the Properties dialog box.

When you edit audio using Adobe Audition, any change in the length of the audio clip, made by moving the slide markers, can be imported to Adobe Captivate Classic. However, when you rename, delete, or change the order of slide markers, such changes cannot be imported back. For example, if you move the Slide3 marker before Slide2, you are prompted to ignore or cancel the edits, or reposition the markers.

Editing audio files from library

In the Adobe Captivate Classic library, select the audio files that you want to edit.
Right-click (Windows) or Control-click (Mac OS), and then click Edit With Adobe Audition.

Adobe Audition launches. The files you selected are imported and are available for editing.

Note:

If this option is not available, select Edit With and choose an appropriate program.
Edit the files in Adobe Audition.
Select Save All.

While you edit the audio files in Adobe Audition, you can continue working on your Adobe Captivate Classic project.

If you modify the exported audio files in Adobe Captivate Classic, they are overridden by the files edited and reimported from Adobe Audition. But, if you delete or break the audio files into clips in Adobe Captivate, then those files are not reimported.

Add closed captions to an audio file

You can improve the accessibility of your project by adding closed captioning. Closed captioning lets you create transcripts for audio files associated with the slides in your project. When an audio file is played for a slide, the transcripts are displayed, thus aiding hearing-impaired users.

The option that enables closed captioning is available in the Show Playback Control section of the Skin Editor. For more information, see Slides.

Note:

You cannot add closed captions to system audio (available in the patch for subscription and upgrade plan only).

Select Audio > Audio Management.
Select the slide that contains an audio file to which you want to add a closed caption from the list and then click the Closed Caption button .

The following options are available in the Closed Captioning tab of the Slide Audio dialog box:

Add Closed Caption

Click the ‘+’ icon to add a caption. A new row appears in the caption window below. Type the closed caption text in the row.

Delete Close Caption

Click the ‘-’ icon to delete a selected caption row.

Zoom In and Zoom Out

Use the slider to increase or decrease magnification of the waveform.

Playbar

Use these controls to test the audio file.

Caption & Slide Notes Window

Each slide note appears as a row in this window. Click any row to edit or delete the text. You can also add Captions to include for your reference.
If you want to test the audio file, click the Play button.
Click the specific spot in the waveform where you want to add a caption and click ‘+’.

A new caption row appears with the start time you selected on the waveform.
Enter the caption you want to attach to the audio file.
To add another row to the caption for the audio file, click add. To remove a row from the caption for the audio file, click “-.”

Note:

For more precision, you can drag the end and start time markers of your caption if you want to manually adjust the timing of each caption.
When you have added all the rows you want, click Save.

Note:

In the Closed Captioning dialog box, you can add closed captions while the audio is playing by clicking “+’”or by pressing Alt+A.

Note:

Multiple closed captions must be contiguous. If you do not want a closed caption for an intermediate duration, add a blank closed caption for that duration.

Delete audio from a slide

In an open project, do one of the following.
- On Filmstrip (Window > Filmstrip), select a slide and click the audio symbol in the lower-right corner of the slide and then select Remove.
- Select the slide that contains the audio and then click Remove Audio in the Audio area of the Property Inspector (Window > Properties).
Note:

Deleting audio using the Property Inspector deletes both narration and system audio (available in the patch for subscription and Adobe Software Assurance customers only). To delete any one of the audio, right-click the audio waveform in the Timeline and select Remove.

Adding background audio

To add a background audio to your slide, choose Audio > Import to > Background and open the audio file ( wav or mp3).

When importing background audio, you can raise or lower the background audio by dragging the slider left or right.

Delete background audio

In an open project, select Audio > Remove > Background.

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How to edit audio files with Adobe Captivate Classic

Edit audio files

Playing an audio file across multiple slides

Edit audio timing

Fading in/out an audio

Add silence to an audio file

Edit audio using Adobe Audition

Editing slide audio

Editing audio files from library

Add closed captions to an audio file

Delete audio from a slide

Adding background audio

Delete background audio

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