Hello,

Am new here.

I have used Photoshop Elements 4 for quite a while, but have never been able to achieve Narration for the Slide Shows.

I can add Music MP3 Audio via the click on line at the bottom of the screen.
I can add Narration by selecting an MP3 to go with the slide.

But the built-in Narration button doesn't seem to work. I record something and only silence plays.

Any tips please?

Thanks, Mags.

hi,
Well the first thing you have to determine is if the microphone setup is correct!!
Just go to your M$ sound recorder and clik record and start talking.... if it works then you know that part is ok... however if it not working then
1. makes sure the microphone is connected to the correct jack.. common mistake....
2. bring up the player control (double click speaker icon) make sure you have a mic column, and in it... that the volume is high (always adjusted later) the mute box is UNCHECKED!!!
note: if no mic column then go to options to activate it...
3. if you have any other mixers on your system.. check the mic columns in those mixers.....
4. then go back to M$ sound recorder do another test...! it should be working now...
5. if not.... then something was missed.. so recheck everything... now it possible , but rarely, the mic itself is bad..... a simple replacing, but generally the setup is the culprit...
at this point hopely you can now record in your other program..



Hello,

Am new here.

I have used Photoshop Elements 4 for quite a while, but have never been able to achieve Narration for the Slide Shows.

I can add Music MP3 Audio via the click on line at the bottom of the screen.
I can add Narration by selecting an MP3 to go with the slide.

But the built-in Narration button doesn't seem to work. I record something and only silence plays.

Any tips please?

Thanks, Mags.

Hello Jerryb,

Thank you for answering.

My microphone is fine, I use it a lot with Audacity and just checked it with the MS Sound Recorder, that is fine too.

It must be something to do with the Photoshop Elements setup, but what I don't know.

I have various recordings on my website that I've done - Welcome to My World (http://mags-scorey.myvnc.com)

Any other thoughts please?

hi,
sorry my answer didn't apply. since the mic works ok in other programs... well that suggestion of mine is dud.. smile....

I assume you double check your procedures... although it should be simple sometime adobe makes simple things complicated..

now I don't have elements... but some slide show programs will have a configuration section for there voice. and just like with audicity you may need to adjust the settings for the source or verify what sound card channel being used. most of the time a program will automatically pick the correct setting sometimes they don't or because of another installed program settings get changed... for example total recorder will change things drastically... so it well worth to check that out on what you can do in the configurations...

the only other thing I can think of is the software itself.. but don't see anything specific in your symptoms to suggest that yet..


Hello Jerryb,

Thank you for answering.

My microphone is fine, I use it a lot with Audacity and just checked it with the MS Sound Recorder, that is fine too.

It must be something to do with the Photoshop Elements setup, but what I don't know.

I have various recordings on my website that I've done - Welcome to My World (http://mags-scorey.myvnc.com)

Any other thoughts please?

Thanks Jerryb again ..

Trying to remember what I have done ...

I've browsed through Google with the words, 'Photoshop Elements Narration'

I've looked at Adobe Online Help(less) and it said, 'Your search of Entire Site for "Photoshop Elements" narration did not match any documents.'

I've hunted through the Help screen in the Organiser software.

I've joined two forums, this is the only one where someone has answered.

I've looked through all the Preferences in Organiser and Elements Editor (just in case it was there)

I've not yet eaten my hat.

I'm doing a DVD of my late Aunt's life, it's 91 years long and a very interesting life too and have added narrations via previously recorded MP3s but I can't do that for every slide, would be nice to use the inbuilt facility.

There must be someone .... ?

Thanks again .. I do think it must be somewhere in the software setup. And yes, I've recently uninstalled and re-installed APE4.

hi,
I am out of ideas, i looked over the thing you have done.....and you been covering most of the bases including reinstall and that didn't work which leads me to believe ovbiously.. something overlooked and some setting...!!

about the only thing i can suggest on the search is use different words instead of narration use recording, or problems etc.... and maybe try different search engine.. google for all the hype is not that superior compared to others... in fact I don't really like gogle all that much... too much hype,,,

I sort of did some learning on ae4.... I was able to find a tutorial on it and see how they did things... not that much difference but alittle compared to others.....

did you set your the time duration for your narration? if it was set to zero you would never be able to record or if it too short when started it too late...!

also i think you need to tag the frame or make sure the starting cursor position right, that you want the narration on.....


not a perfect solution but you can do your recording in M$sound and save and bring that wav file into your individuale frame.... the very least you can get it done that way untill you find out why you can record internally to the program....

something else to look at.... since a time is designated on long a voice is done on a frame by frame bases... I am wondering if the fram stays up long enough..... probably a useless thought but a thought...

you may be interested in the link it a good tutorial on using ae4 and how to do things... the only thing is it didnot have a trouble shooting section.. smile..
http://www.adobe.com/education/digkids/pdfs/multimedia_projects.pdf
you may want to save the pdf file it seems good for what it covers...

Thanks Jerryb again ..

Trying to remember what I have done ...

I've browsed through Google with the words, 'Photoshop Elements Narration'

I've looked at Adobe Online Help(less) and it said, 'Your search of Entire Site for "Photoshop Elements" narration did not match any documents.'

I've hunted through the Help screen in the Organiser software.

I've joined two forums, this is the only one where someone has answered.

I've looked through all the Preferences in Organiser and Elements Editor (just in case it was there)

I've not yet eaten my hat.

I'm doing a DVD of my late Aunt's life, it's 91 years long and a very interesting life too and have added narrations via previously recorded MP3s but I can't do that for every slide, would be nice to use the inbuilt facility.

There must be someone .... ?

Thanks again .. I do think it must be somewhere in the software setup. And yes, I've recently uninstalled and re-installed APE4.

Hi Jerryb,

Thanks again.

Yes, I'm doing exactly as that Tutorial says and highlighting the slide I need to narrate on.

But searching in a different Search Engine, I found this - they did eventually solve her problem, but it does not say how, someone helped her via Messenger, but this was back in 2005 Narration Problem APE4 (http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4960)

I'm on that forum too, but first suggestion was check microphone, replied to that ..

... oh um de dum am stuck -

hi again,
really out of ideas..... almost.. smiling....
did some more search , not with google that a waste,
I even found your posts using other search engines....

and looking at that one link you gave...
1. try sending a email either to the person that had the problem or the person that was helping and ask if they remember.. which devices they were talking about and where... I know it been a year but who know they maybe still around and remember...
2. did you try resetting the settings that they mentioned? it worth a try....
3. now not sure if this will work or not probably wasted effort... a reinstall, i know you reinstall once.. but sometime programs will only reinstall files if they see them missing... so uninstall the programs.. then with your windows explorer delete the main folder of ae4 ... then make sure there no programs running in the background including virus scanner and screen savers, firewalls etc... then reinstall!!



Hi Jerryb,

Thanks again.

Yes, I'm doing exactly as that Tutorial says and highlighting the slide I need to narrate on.

But searching in a different Search Engine, I found this - they did eventually solve her problem, but it does not say how, someone helped her via Messenger, but this was back in 2005 Narration Problem APE4 (http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4960)

I'm on that forum too, but first suggestion was check microphone, replied to that ..

... oh um de dum am stuck -

Thanks Jerryb,

I've Uninstalled and Reinstealled APE4 (disconnected from Internet with Norton Disabled) and I now have Narration but the Volume is too low, even with the Microphone setting at it's highest in C-Media 3D Audio Configuration (which I don't like doing, as too high a setting on Microphone doesn't work well).

hi,
Great! things are starting to work smile..... when you think about it that a lot of progress.. smile...

now the microphone issue......mmmm ......
note: not familiar with the cd media configuration.. so shaky on that..

Now i can not visualize how low the volumn is.. and that sort of hurts...

so let go back and look at how things work in general now.
1. so it too low in the ae4 program, how is it in audacity....? is it the same volume level? are there the same issue? how about the MS sound recorder?
2. did you go into your player control and ensure the mic volumne is high.? maybe too low for ae4
3. a work around maybe... now with some editor programs after the voice/music is recorded to the program you can manually adjust the amplitude/volumne .. I don't know if you can do that in ae4....
4. on the mic how good does it really work with the other programs you use... sometimes a mic doesn't work that well and maybe a different mic needed... although i never had that issue... I noticed on the audacity board certain mic works alot better than others.... do you have a extra mic laying around that you can try? or a friends mic..? I only buy one as a last resort because it may not be the issue..


Thanks Jerryb,

I've Uninstalled and Reinstealled APE4 (disconnected from Internet with Norton Disabled) and I now have Narration but the Volume is too low, even with the Microphone setting at it's highest in C-Media 3D Audio Configuration (which I don't like doing, as too high a setting on Microphone doesn't work well).

Thanks Jerryb,

Quoting you, then replying ...

Now i can not visualize how low the volumn is.. and that sort of hurts...
> Well, have a look here then - Test Slideshow with Narration (http://www.mydatabus.com/public/MagsTyger/z/TEMP.wmv) - occasionally not available.
This shows both Audacity recorded Narration imported into APE4 and the inbuilt APE4 naffation, I mean narration!

so let go back and look at how things work in general now.
1. so it too low in the ae4 program, how is it in audacity....? is it the same volume level? are there the same issue? how about the MS sound recorder?
> No, it's fine in all BUT APE4.

2. did you go into your player control and ensure the mic volumne is high.? maybe too low for ae4
> Yes, I said that in previous posting ... smile

3. a work around maybe... now with some editor programs after the voice/music is recorded to the program you can manually adjust the amplitude/volumne .. I don't know if you can do that in ae4....
> I can see no setting in APE4 to change input volume, have really hunted for that.

4. on the mic how good does it really work with the other programs you use... sometimes a mic doesn't work that well and maybe a different mic needed... although i never had that issue... I noticed on the audacity board certain mic works alot better than others.... do you have a extra mic laying around that you can try? or a friends mic..? I only buy one as a last resort because it may not be the issue..
> I have two microphones and the one I used to record my CD, which people in UK buy, profits to Hospice and I've tried both mikes ... smiles..

hi,
I listen to your clip... and i can see it really looooooow.. i have my all vol control high my speakers, line setting and wmp and it still way too low just barely hear it......... I wonder if we still have the same issue!! and were just getting some bleed thru..

I really don't know what to say.... i am out of new ideas...
I went in to some of my other editing programs and see if anything new to look at. but there all about the same I think you have check yours.. ie: making sure the correct sound card channel, making sure source is the mic and not something else, master setting if any , for the volumn in the program for example in my programs they'll have the regular mic control but farther deep they'll have master controls....

I really don't know what else to say.... just no new ideas to look at... I am fairly positive it a setting but i just don't where in ae4 to look...

Thanks Jerryb,

Quoting you, then replying ...

Now i can not visualize how low the volumn is.. and that sort of hurts...
> Well, have a look here then - Test Slideshow with Narration (http://www.mydatabus.com/public/MagsTyger/z/TEMP.wmv) - occasionally not available.
This shows both Audacity recorded Narration imported into APE4 and the inbuilt APE4 naffation, I mean narration!

so let go back and look at how things work in general now.
1. so it too low in the ae4 program, how is it in audacity....? is it the same volume level? are there the same issue? how about the MS sound recorder?
> No, it's fine in all BUT APE4.

2. did you go into your player control and ensure the mic volumne is high.? maybe too low for ae4
> Yes, I said that in previous posting ... smile

3. a work around maybe... now with some editor programs after the voice/music is recorded to the program you can manually adjust the amplitude/volumne .. I don't know if you can do that in ae4....
> I can see no setting in APE4 to change input volume, have really hunted for that.

4. on the mic how good does it really work with the other programs you use... sometimes a mic doesn't work that well and maybe a different mic needed... although i never had that issue... I noticed on the audacity board certain mic works alot better than others.... do you have a extra mic laying around that you can try? or a friends mic..? I only buy one as a last resort because it may not be the issue..
> I have two microphones and the one I used to record my CD, which people in UK buy, profits to Hospice and I've tried both mikes ... smiles..

I don't know where to look in APE4 either !

Recordings work fine with other software ...

Hey Ho !