Slideshow Sound issues

[mikecox]

I want there to be continuous background music; or a "Soundtrack" while my slide show plays.

I want my recorded narration to be heard over the "Soundtrack".

In the Soundtrack "Properties" there is a volume control, which I have set low. When I click the "Play" button; in Soundtrack Properties, the volume is exactly where I want it. :)

However, when I click the Run icon, to preview the slide show, the volume of the soundtrack is as loud as the narrative, and the latter can hardly be heard. :mad:

Since setting the Volume of the Soundtrack didn't work I thought maybe there was a way to adjust the narrative volume; but there are no options for changing recorded, or imported, narrations. :(

Have others had this problem, and how did they solve it? :confused:

[mikecox]

ps I have discovered another problem.

When I start the preview from the first "slide" the Soundtrack does no play.
However, when I start the preview from the second "slide" it does.

Is the soundtrack/narration option of the slide show feature in PSE buggy?

[efarnstrom]

Hi, Mike!

You don't state what software you are using, and your signature only lists PSE6. Have you searched this forum to see if anyone else has this problem?

If you are using Premiere Elements, it would be best to post in that thread. It might receive answers more promptly. I know ATR, Steve Grisetti and Chuck Engels follow that thread closely and might have an answer for you. Oh, yes, have you been to the muvipix.com site? There is a lot of info over there.

[ATR]

I just noticed this additional post on another aspect of your slideshow in preparation. Still need to know what programs are involved, but still going on the assumption that you are JUST in Photoshop Elements 6,

try this

Set your computer speaker volume at the normal level you use for hearing (probably mid scale).

In the Slideshow Editor, go to the Edit Menu and click on Select All Slides.
Then go down to and click on the audio bar to bring up the audio control area of the Properties. Try different volume slider positions.

Playback.

Did the volume for the audio that you set stay constant for the entire soundtrack?

It is difficult looking at this in pieces. Once we are on the same page, I think things will start to come together. Also, just checking, narration is for a given slide, not the whole works.

Depending on how these recent threads work out, we may want to consolidate all your issues in one thread in the Premiere Elements Forum here.

ATR

[Benny Pedersen]

I just noticed this additional post on another aspect of your slideshow in preparation. Still need to know what programs are involved, but still going on the assumption that you are JUST in Photoshop Elements 6,

try this

Set your computer speaker volume at the normal level you use for hearing (probably mid scale).

In the Slideshow Editor, go to the Edit Menu and click on Select All Slides.
Then go down to and click on the audio bar to bring up the audio control area of the Properties. Try different volume slider positions.

Playback.

Did the volume for the audio that you set stay constant for the entire soundtrack?

It is difficult looking at this in pieces. Once we are on the same page, I think things will start to come together. Also, just checking, narration is for a given slide, not the whole works.

Depending on how these recent threads work out, we may want to consolidate all your issues in one thread in the Premiere Elements Forum here.

ATR

I just did a show, but using also PowerPoint. However, If you want more control, you maybe could edit you sound in the "Windows Movie Maker", and then convert it back to a mp3 file :)

Benny,
PS: My free slide show is here: http://www.fineraw.com/stuff/free/pp0001.zip

[mikecox]

In the Slideshow Editor, go to the Edit Menu and click on Select All Slides.
Then go down to and click on the audio bar to bring up the audio control area of the Properties. Try different volume slider positions.
ATR

I tried this, though logic would dictate that it would not work; since the "Soundtrack" is common to all slides. Adjusting it should not effect any one or any group of slides.

But I did try it, and as I expected, nothing changed.

That's because the Soundtrack is common to the entire slide show, so adjusting it's volume should change the volume of the Soundtrack only; regardless of what slide is selected.

Since, apparently, the volume on the narration can not be changed, the volume on the Soundtrack must be changed, so it is lower; relative to the narrative volume.

Why it's doesn't work it the question. It is a bug or am I doing something wrong?

[mikecox]

You don't state what software you are using, and your signature only lists PSE6. I just added a disclaimer to my sig.

Have you searched this forum to see if anyone else has this problem?
No :o

If you are using Premiere Elements, it would be best to post in that thread. It might receive answers more promptly. My thinking was that this was a "Slide show" issue; guess that's why I didn't think to add the question to in that section.

Oh, yes, have you been to the muvipix.com site? There is a lot of info over there. Thanks for that link :) I checked it out but, at this point, I haven't done any video.

The clips I'm working with were made by a friend who was with me in France. He gave them to me to add to my slideshow.

[mikecox]

My free slide show is here[/B]: http://www.fineraw.com/stuff/free/pp0001.zip

Loved your slide show! :cool:

Makes me want to pack it in :D

[ATR]

Michael

To clarify "Select All Slides" in the steps suggested, that was a wild suggestion to try to assure that the system was not frozen and was still responding to commands just prior to you going over to Properties to set volume level.

Do you have one continuous audio clip in that audio bar? If you have more than one, there is that possibility that you missed selecting one or more of the others and adjusting the volume since multiple audio clips in the bar need to be selected and volume adjusted individually.

Also, when your thinking gets more serious about Premiere Elements 4, you could download the free 30 day trial version from Adobe and use the Send to Premiere Elements option in Photoshop Elements 6 to get your slideshow into Premiere Elements 4. Since you will be using the trial version, any DVD-VIDEO that you produce there will have the Adobe watermark. Be sure to check System Requirements before you go down that road.

If you already have Nero Burn Software (with its Nero Vision application, including the DVD-VIDEO plugin), you could generate your DVD-VIDEO via Nero, using the wmv version of your Photoshop Elements 6 slideshow.

Other alternative, the usual lesser quality product VCD. Have you looked at the quality that you obtain going that route all within Photoshop Elements 6?

ATR

[Benny Pedersen]

Loved your slide show! :cool:

Makes me want to pack it in :D

Glad you liked it! :)

Its my first slideshow ever, and I had never seen PowerPoint (only heard about it), so the first 5 minutes I just stared on my screen.
About 25 hours later, I had figured out the sound and needed some sleep :eek:
Next day I uploaded it. However, I updated it today.

The url is still the same:
http://www.fineraw.com/stuff/free/pp0001.zip

Benny,
PS: two questions:
Should I have used PSE5 instead of PowerPoint ?
(didn't knew that PSE could make such because I use PSE for photos...)

[ATR]

Benny Pedersen

Before I responded to your two questions, I wanted to view your Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. Unfortunately, I could not. Folder unzipped fine, but the result had no video, just audio.

I have Windows XP Professional and Microsoft Power Point 2002. I have not done PowerPoint slideshows, so this gives me a whole new world to explore. Is your slideshow supposed to open in PowerPoint to view the slideshow? My biggest problem was closing out of what I opened. I had to use Ctrl Alt Delete, End Task to close it. Would not close by any other means.

Any hints on getting playback of your full slideshow?

Quality of audio is great.


ATR

[Benny Pedersen]

Benny Pedersen

Before I responded to your two questions, I wanted to view your Microsoft PowerPoint presentation. Unfortunately, I could not. Folder unzipped fine, but the result had no video, just audio.

I have Windows XP Professional and Microsoft Power Point 2002. I have not done PowerPoint slideshows, so this gives me a whole new world to explore. Is your slideshow supposed to open in PowerPoint to view the slideshow? My biggest problem was closing out of what I opened. I had to use Ctrl Alt Delete, End Task to close it. Would not close by any other means.

Any hints on getting playback of your full slideshow?

Quality of audio is great.

ATR

It seems something wrong with your system :eek:

I have now asked here:

http://groups.google.dk/group/microsoft.public.powerpoint/browse_thread/thread/41931d70dc5ae2c0?hl=da

The show is made in Microsoft Powerpoint.
While the slide show (PPT file) is under construction, the F5 key would start the show and then return to editor.
When the project is ready to e-mail / publish, the show is saved as a PPS file.

Double click PPS file to play music and show pictures. After about 2 minutes, it prompt: Press Escape to exit (or something like that).

The project file used for construction, don't play when double clicked, instead it open the Powerpoint editor.

What you could try: Open the final show in Editor mode like under construction, and press F5.
To do that, right click the PPS file thumbnail, and choose "new" from pop down menu.
So you would have converted the PPS show back to a project file for editor.

Benny,
PS. That tips about how to convert a slide show back to editor, maybe a great tips for someone, that you may wonder; "how did I knew that" --> answer simply is: I used 25 hours to learn that stuff, doing experiments...

[Benny Pedersen]

Hi Atr

The answer from the heavy pro folks, was:

I can only guess that person did not have
PowerPoint or the PowerPoint viewer installed.
Worked fine for me

Now that your powerpoint installation is not working at all, completly useless.
I would suggest the free Powerpoint viewer (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=428d5727-43ab-4f24-90b7-a94784af71a4&DisplayLang=en) by Microsoft.

Does it work ?

Benny

[ATR]

Benny Pedersen

Unfortunately the player download did not work. I got the same results as described before. The strangest part about all this is not being able to close the file once it is opened (only hearing the audio from the speakers) and having to resort to Ctrl Alt Delete to close out of it.

I enjoy a challenge, so I will put this project to the top of my troubleshooting list and report back with how I got this to work.

Thanks for your help.

ATR

[ATR]

Benny Stilling Pedersen

I decided to figure this out now, rather than later. I did.

The ultimate answer came in the configuration and settings in Microsoft PowerPoint. Since this revelation came after downloading and installing the player that you suggested, I would have to go back to check out the "before player" before I signed off on a final diagnosis. Be that as it may, I can now view/listen to your presentation as well as close it normally rather than with Ctrl Alt Delete.

Back to your original question about PowerPoint versus Photoshop Elements 5. I viewed your presentation with its magnificent video and audio. The work is a testimony to your technical skills, but more importantly displays your artistic inner gifts in how you go about capturing this celebration of the beauty of life.

Photoshop Elements 5 may offer more editing and output options. But, in the final analysis, your technical and artistic gifts will shine through in whatever you create.

Thank you.

ATR

[ATR]

I just did a quick uninstall of the player and found that your presentation continues to play fine. So, my conclusion is that my initial problem was in the configuration and settings of my Microsoft PowerPoint.

ATR

[Benny Pedersen]

I just did a quick uninstall of the player and found that your presentation continues to play fine. So, my conclusion is that my initial problem was in the configuration and settings of my Microsoft PowerPoint.

ATR

Thanks for your kind words about my work :)

The most interesting now is about the problem you had, and how it was solved. If I understand your description, it was like this:

1: No photos, but sound okay.
2: Installed the Viewer. Same problem
3: Uninstalled the Viewer.
4: Now it worked.

Im not sure about numb 4 above. What setting was it that you changed.

Benny S. Pedersen

[ATR]

Benny S. Pedersen

The sequence of events went like this when trying to watch/listen to your PowerPoint presentation:
Open unzipped presentation......
1. No photos/no slideshow, just computer interface showing unzipped file in saved location (Desktop), but slideshow audio coming from the computer speakers. File could not be closed unless Ctrl Alt Delete/End Task was used. I also tried saving the unzipped file to My Documents. Same problem.

2. Installed Viewer. Same Problem. Then worked with settings within Microsoft PowerPoint. Settings: Monitor (I have two monitors); At bottom of Slide Transition Area, the Advance Slide options and duration between slides with the auto advance. Now everything worked great. File could be closed in routine manner.

3. Uninstalled the Viewer. Everything continued to work great.

Looking back I do not think it was the Monitor setup. It was something in those settings that I mentioned that was not activating with initial attempts. The file closing part of the initial problem remains my biggest piece of the puzzle. But, now everything is communicating with each other and working.

Thanks again.

ATR

[mikecox]

About 25 hours later, I had figured out the sound and needed some sleep :eek:
Next day I uploaded it. However, I updated it today.


It's mesmerizing isn't it; I mean the process. :cool:

There are so many spectacular slides in that collection. I'm a cat person, so I loved the very first slide. I also liked the Swan images.

Your a pro!

Thanks for sharing this Benny. :D

[mikecox]

Good morning ATR,

I'm back; with the same issue. :(

I've been focused on research, and creating narrations, for my slide show. Now I'm ready to start adding them.

I have figured out how to add a narration to a single slide and adjust the time, etc., but I want to add a narration to a group of slides.

I want several slides pass while a single narration plays; so I don't have to break up the narrative between slides. I'm not even sure that can be done.

I tried fooling with the background volume, again, thinking that maybe I could add several short narrations and play them across a group of slides, but that didn't seem possible.

I haven't tried selecting a group of slides to add a narration to, but before I try that I'd like to figure out why I can't adjust the volume of the background material; so the narrations can be heard.

Should I be looking for a tutorial on this? :confused:

I mean, it looks pretty simple; especially the volume control for the background, but the slider just doesn't change anything. It just doesn't respond as expected and I don't know if it's me or the program. :(

Everything else seems to be working ok.

[ATR]

Michael,

First regarding having a common narration for a group of slides....yes and no.

As I see it, you have one audio bar and no narration track in PSE6. A Narration is attached to the individual photo.

So, Yes to your question, but you sacrifice having a background soundtrack with your narration, and you make your own narration (audio clips) with another software. Via PSE6 Slideshow Editor Add Media (from files and folders), you can bring your audio clips to the audio bar and adjust them to go under a certain slide or certain groups of slides. I found it a bit tricky, but you can do it, especially if you start the arrangement from the end. The "Soundtrack will repeat until end" will trip you up if you start at the other end. All and all, PSE6 gives you much more flexibility in handling the audio than previous versions.

Now for manufacturing those audio clips for your narration...two ways come to mind:
1. I have Windows XP. If I go Start Menu/All Programs/Accessories/Entertainment/Sound Recorder, I can use the Windows Sound Recorder to make/save my narration clips.
2. There is a free program called Audacity that you could use. But, you need to export/save the clip as .wav in order to get it accepted by PSE6. The .aup file initially generated is not supported by PSE6.

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

There is no reason why you should not be able to adjust the volume of the soundtrack. I will re-read your details on that again and see if I can figure out what is happening in your setup.

ATR

The above is just a summary of what does and does not work for me.

[mikecox]

Ok, this is what I've worked out.

I can play background; and control the duration and volume levels; as long as there is no narration on a slide.

I can add additional backgrounds (music or narration) and adjust each, individually, for duration and volume level; as long as there is no narration on a slide.

However, when I add narration to a slide, the volume slider on the background audio stops responding and no longer adjust background audio. The narration and the background remain at the same level.

That seems odd to me, why doesn't the slider adjust the volume on the background when there is narration on the slide? Why can't I turn the background down during the narration?

I tried adding background with the volume turned down, before adding a narration track; thinking that might work, but it didn't.

So I guess I will have to record my narration and mix the music background and add it as a slide narration and use background music when there is no narration on a slide.

I could also put background on either side of a narration; and add the narration in between.

Is that how is works for you?

[ATR]

In Photoshop Elements 6, I can lower the soundtrack to be able to hear the Narration (added via Add Narration) better.

What is the format of the soundtrack that is in the Audio Bar? When you click on it, do you see the Name of the soundtrack in Properties and all the options available there (not grayed out)?

I will be back later.

To be continued....

ATR

[mikecox]

In Photoshop Elements 6, I can lower the soundtrack to be able to hear the Narration (added via Add Narration) better.

What is the format of the soundtrack that is in the Audio Bar? When you click on it, do you see the Name of the soundtrack in Properties and all the options available there (not grayed out)?

I will be back later.

To be continued....

ATR
I'm working with mp3 files.

I have discovered that I can add a number of mp3 "sound bites" to the Audio Bar, then adjust the display time of the slides to remain on screen until the associated sound bite has finished. :cool:

However, I am still unable to lower the volume of a sound bite, in the Audio Bar, so that narratives, added to a particular slide, can be heard over the sound bite.

[mikecox]

In Photoshop Elements 6, I can lower the soundtrack to be able to hear the Narration (added via Add Narration) better.

ATR
I have discovered that I can add a number of "sound bites" to the Audio Bar, and adjust the display time of the slides to remain on screen until the associated sound bite has finished. :cool:

However, I am still unable to lower the volume of a sound bite, in the Audio Bar, so that narratives, added to a particular slide, can be heard over the sound bite.

What is the format of the soundtrack that is in the Audio Bar? mp3

When you click on it, do you see the Name of the soundtrack in Properties and all the options available there (not grayed out)?
Yes, as I said, I can adjust the volume of the audio track and nothing is grayed out.

I will play with it some more and get back to you.

[isnoozu]

I merged 4 songs as 1 in a sound editor to lay under a long slideshow in PSE6. Though one track, when previewing, only the first song plays and the slideshow continues without sound, unless I pause the show and click play again during what would have been the second song...

The track (4 merged songs) plays continuosly in any other sound player such as Roxio, Windows Media Player, etc. I checked the slideshow after *.wmv output and the same interruption occurs except that other places along the audio track do not play sound.

This is very frustrating after spending hours syncing the pictures with certain points in the music. Can I salvage my work? What can/should I do? Thank you in advance for your help.

Erwin

[ATR]

First, it is not to your advantage to post your problem at the end of someone else's old and long thread, in spite of the temptation to do so because of the thread title. But, let us see if we can resolve your problem exchanging a few posts here in this thread. If not, then maybe you should start a new thread.

Second, several questions.
1. What is this sound editor that you used and what is the format of this merged music, mp3, wma? Did all 4 songs start out in the same format?
2. What are you going to do with this slideshow created in Photoshop Elements 6? Do you have Premiere Elements 4 and are going to generate a DVD-VIDEO there?
3. What is your operating system, Windows XP or Vista? How much installed RAM and available RAM do you have as well as how much free hard drive space do you have? How do you have Photoshop Elements 6/Edit Menu/Preferences/Performance set up? Have you updated your audio drivers lately.
4. How many photos went into this slideshow and what were their pixel dimensions? Did the pixel dimensions of each exceed 1000 x 750 pixels? This merged music track, how long is it in minutes?

Before answering all these questions, the first thing I would like you to do is place your merged music track in the audio bar of the Slideshow Editor in Photoshop Elements 6 WITHOUT the video part. Then in preview, hit play. Do you then get complete playback of the merged music?

To be continued.....

ATR