Sounds are added in Frames in the Timeline, after the file with the sound was imported in the Library panel.
You can use sounds from the Sounds Library integrated in the Adobe Flash program or they can be imported from your computer (with File -> Import -> Import to Library).
Flash recognize the following types of audio files: MP3, WAV, AU, ASND (obtained with Adobe's Soundbooth).
- In this tutorial we use sounds from Flash Sounds Library.
Buttons have a specific Timeline, with 4 special frames: Up, Over, Down and Hit. To add sounds to buttons usually we use the "Over" and/or "Down" frames.
- "Over" performs the efect when the mouse is over the button.
- "Down" trigger the effect when the button is clicked.
In the following example we create a simple button, and add in it a sound effect for the moment when the mouse is positioned over the button, and another sound when the user clicks on the button.
Follow these steps:
Open a new Flash document. Then add in the Library panel 2 sounds from the Flash Sounds Library.
To add the sounds, click on the menu Window -> Common Libraries -> Sounds, open the Library panel (Ctrl+L), and then from the Sounds Library drag with the mouse two sounds in the Libray panel (for example "Animal Dog Bark 26.mp3" and "Animal Mammal Carnivore Domestic Cat Meow 02.mp3").
- You can test the sounds by clicking on them, and then on the "Play" button (top-right corner).
Close the Sounds Library, and choose the tool for drawing oval shapes (Oval Tool) and draw a circle on the Stage.
Now the circle must be convertet into a button.
Make sure the circle is selected (if not, select it with "Selection Tool"), click on the menu Modify -> Convert to Symbol, select the Button type option (you can also give it a name, in the Name box) and click OK.
The button is added in the Library. Double click on it to enter its editing page. In this page, right-click on the "Over" frame in the Timeline and choose Insert Keyframe. Also change the color of the circle (from "Fill Color"), to see the diference when the mouse will be over it.
Now we add a sound in the "Over" frame, that will be heard when the mouse is over the button.
With this frame selected, open the Properties panel, then go to Sound, click on the list of options from Name, and choose one of the added sounds. Then, set Start to Sync (it is explained at the end of this tutorial what the options from "Sync" make).
Now we add a sound in the "Down" frame, that will be heard when the button is clicked.
Right-click on the "Down" frame in the Timeline and choose Insert Keyframe. In Properties panel, go to Sound, and chose the other sound in the options list from Name, then select Start from Sync.
The button was made, the sounds added; so press "Ctrl+Enter" to test the result.
- Flash will display a presentation like this (click on the green button):
- Tutorial adding sound in Button
- In the following presentation you can see how to do this example (click on the picture below).
- To download the FLA file with this example, click: Adding sound in Button.
Options for sound
The Sound sub-menu in the Properties panel contains a few options to define individual properties for every sound in your Flash document:
- Name - contains a list with the sounds included in the Library.
- Synk:
Event - give the sound its very own timeline. The sound plays when the Playhead reaches the keyframe containing the sound, and continues to play until the sound finishes, regardless of whether or not the animation has ended.
If the Playhead reaches another keyframe that contains the same sound, it will begin playing on top of the original sound.
Start - similar to Event, but doesn't allow the sound to play on top of itself.
Stop - stops playing the sound specified at the Name option, without affecting any other sounds.
Stream - causes the sound to remain synchronized with the Timeline. If the video can not keep up with the audio, Flash will automatically drop video frames to keep the audio synchronized.
- Effect:
Left channed - to play the sound through the left speaker.
Right channed - to play the sound through the right speaker.
Fade Left to Right - to begin playing the sound through the left speaker, and then switch midway through the clip to the right speaker.
Fade Right to Left - to begin playing the sound through the right speaker, and then switch midway through the clip to the left speaker.
Fate in - to start playing the sound softly, and then build to full volume.
Fate out - to start playing the sound at full volume, and then taper off toward the end.
Custom - opens the Edit Envelope window, which lets you to define effect for the sound.
- Repeat - specifies how many times the sound will be repeated. Loop sets to repeat the sound forever.