Appearance
Audio Tracks
Add music, sound effects, and voiceover to your storyboard for a more complete animatic experience.
Note
Audio tracks are rendered as an audio layer with waveform visualization and clip trimming support.
Overview
Audio tracks allow you to import MP3 or WAV files and synchronize them with your storyboard timeline. Whether you need background music, temp tracks, or sound effects, audio tracks help you create a more immersive preview of your project.
Use cases:
- Background music for mood and pacing
- Temp score for client presentations
- Sound effects for key moments
- Voiceover/dialogue scratch tracks
- Music timing reference for editing
Importing Audio
Add an Audio Track
- Position the playhead where you want the audio to start
- Click the + Audio button in the timeline controls
- Select an MP3 or WAV file from your computer
- The audio appears as a block in the timeline
Audio Positioning
Audio tracks are imported at the current playhead position. Position the playhead exactly where you want the audio to begin before importing.
Supported Formats
- MP3 - Compressed audio, good for music and voice
- WAV - Uncompressed audio, highest quality
Audio files are embedded directly into your project file as base64 data, ensuring your project remains self-contained and portable.
Timeline Editing
Visual Representation
Audio tracks appear as clips with waveform visualization in the timeline:
- Position - Below title tracks, above beat tracks
- Waveform - White waveform shows audio amplitude over time
- Width = Duration of the audio file
- Color - Grey (darker when muted, orange when selected)
- Trimmed sections - Dark overlay on trimmed portions of the waveform
Drag to Move
Click and drag an audio track block to change its start time. The audio will maintain its internal duration while moving to a new position on the timeline.
Trim Handles
When an audio track is selected, resize handles appear on the left and right edges:
- Left handle (◀) - Trims the start of the audio. Drag left to cut more from the beginning, right to restore. The track's timeline position adjusts automatically as you trim.
- Right handle (▶) - Trims the end of the audio. Drag left to shorten the clip.
Visual indicators:
- Trimmed sections appear darker (dimmed overlay)
- Minimum clip length: 0.5 seconds
- Original duration is preserved - trimming is non-destructive
Delete
Select an audio track and press Delete or Backspace key to remove it.
Audio Controls
Track Controls
Each audio track has individual controls:
| Control | Description |
|---|---|
| Mute Toggle | Silences this track while keeping it in the timeline |
| Volume Slider | Adjust track volume from 0% to 100% |
| Volume Display | Shows current volume percentage |
Master Volume
When audio tracks exist in your project, a Master Volume slider appears in the timeline header:
- Controls overall playback volume for all tracks
- Affects the mix of all audio during preview
- Does not affect individual track settings
Synchronized Playback
Timeline Integration
Audio tracks play in sync with your storyboard:
- Multiple tracks can play simultaneously
- Audio follows the timeline playhead during scrubbing
Project Integration
Saving & Loading
Audio tracks are automatically saved with your project:
- File Save (.emberboard) - Audio embedded as base64 data
- Auto-Save - Audio tracks included in browser storage
- Load Project - Audio tracks restored with all settings
File Size
Audio files increase project file size significantly. A 3-minute MP3 (~3MB) becomes ~4MB when base64 encoded. Keep this in mind when sharing project files.
Tips
Audio Workflow
- Rough Cut First - Complete your storyboard before adding audio
- Temp Tracks - Use placeholder music for timing, replace later
- Mute Unused - Keep alternate tracks muted until needed
Performance
- Long audio files work fine but increase project size
- For best results, trim audio files to needed length before importing
Organization
- Use descriptive filenames - they become track names
- Position music tracks at consistent start times for easy comparison
- Mute tracks you're not currently reviewing
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|---|
| Delete selected audio track | Delete / Backspace |