Play back audio files

Preview an audio file before adding it to a project

You can listen to, or preview, an audio file in the File Browser before adding it to a project.

File Browser showing preview area
  • In the File Browser, select an audio file.

    If “Play items automatically on a single click” in the General pane of Motion Preferences is selected, the file begins to play. If the file does not play, move the pointer over the preview area and click the Play button on the image thumbnail. You can click the Play button again to pause playback or click the Mute button to mute or unmute the sound.

Play audio in your project

  • Click the Play button in the transport controls under the Canvas.

    All audio tracks in the project that are turned on and not muted play back.

Scrub an audio track

You can scrub an audio track to hear the audio in your project as you move the playhead.

  • Hold down the Option key while dragging the playhead right or left in the mini-Timeline or Audio Timeline.

    Pausing the drag while continuing to hold down the mouse button and Option key loops the five frames adjacent to the current frame.

Audio looping while scrubbing is turned on by default. You can turn off looping by choosing Motion > Preferences, clicking the Time icon, then deselecting the “Loop audio while scrubbing” checkbox.