Apple Pro Training Series: Getting Started With Motion

Lesson 9. Working with Audio and Keyframe Basics

Time Goals

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This lesson takes approximately 1 hour to complete.

Import audio files into a Motion project

Adjust audio levels in the Project pane

Work with keyframes in the Audio Editor

Animate objects with keyframes

Group particles with an object in the Timeline

Add keyframes to Transform parameters in the Inspector

Show keyframes in the Timeline

Record keyframes in the Canvas

In previous lessons, you applied behaviors to animate objects, layers, and text. While behaviors are easy to apply and manipulate, sometimes you need a little more precision as you manipulate parameters in a project. What if you need to set a precise parameter value at a specific frame? If your project requires exact timing, you'll probably need to add keyframes to get the job done. Ah yes, the dreaded keyframe. Many hours, days, and years have been dedicated to keyframing projects not out of joy, but necessity. Fortunately, the Motion interface offers several user-friendly methods for applying keyframes.

So why combine audio and basic keyframing in the same lesson? Because one of the most common uses of basic keyframing is to adjust audio levels. So we'll start our Keyframing 101 course with Audio parameters; then we'll graduate to keyframing Transform parameters in the Canvas.

This lesson includes two projects. The first focuses on working with audio, the second on manipulating images with keyframes. Both projects are based on real-world keyframing exercises.