Stopping sound on other layers

Mar 26, 2014

  • I have the base layer and two slide layers each with their own sound track and some text and graphics.
  • The slide layers are opened by hot spots on the base layer.
  • The slide layers are set up to stay open after being clicked - opening one does not hide the other.
  • But if sound is playing on a layer I want it to stop while the new layer sound plays so that there is no overlapping sound.

The Stop Media triggers in Storyline only let you stop a sound on the current layer.  I can't seem to find a way to stop a sound playing on one of the slide layers from the base layer - it only sees the sound on the current timeline.

Does anyone have a fix for this?  I checked other posts and only one person had this problem but no one had a solution.

39 Replies
Michael Hinze

See attached a quick example on how to play/stop audio on two layers. This solution is based on a variable that is changed by clicking the two shapes on the base layer. As the variable changes, a layer is displayed and the audio on that layer is either played or stopped. Hope that helps.

ray laurencelle

I found an easier solution:


  • create layers with only sound in them

  • create the graphics and keep on the base layer but set their state to hidden

  • set the buttons to open the desired layer and set  the desired graphic state to normal

Result is that graphics will remain visible and separate sound tracks can play individually without playing over current sound  (which is normal layer behavior).

Greg Hagar

This is very puzzling.

Apparently on some slides in my project, I'm able to create stop media trigger on a new layer (when the layer timeline starts) that stops audio on the base layer. On other slides in the same project, when I try to create the same trigger on a new layer, the base layer audio is not listed as a target for the stop media trigger.

Has anyone else encountered this or am I missing something?

Greg Hagar

After some digging around in my storyline file, I think I may have found a clue - but it's weird.

It seems that if you create the stop media trigger on the base layer, and then copy it to the new layer (and then delete the original base layer trigger) this seems to stop the base layer media from the new layer -- > however, you can't edit that trigger - if you try to edit the trigger - the media field is blank (and base layer media doesn't appear as an option in the drop down). However, this doesn't seem to affect the functionality - the base layer media will still stop! 

Can anyone else confirm this?

Walt Hamilton

The blank fields in the copied trigger represent normal behavior for a trigger that is attached to an object and copied to a new location without that object. The "gotcha" part of this is that in the trigger panel, the blanks are usually filled in and the trigger looks normal. Then when you try to edit it, you find out that it is not attached to an object.

I'm amazed that it still works, but if it does, don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

Meghan Kane

Hello! I'm struggling with this issue as well. I want all layers to stay visible as learners click through each layer. But each layer on my slide has audio, and the audio tracks are playing over each other. I can stop the audio on the base layer, but the audio for the other layers plays simultaneously. Checking the "Hide other slide layers" box works to only play audio for one layer at a time, but then only one layer shows at a time. If Layer 1 opens and then users click on the trigger for Layer 2, I want only the Layer 2 audio playing while the contents of Layer 1 to stay visible.

I've tried creating layers with only sound in them and setting audio to play when the button state is "Selected" and nothing works. The twolayeraudio_mh.story file uploaded earlier in this thread seems to work, but I don't understand how to apply the settings to my own project. I cannot share my project due to client confidentiality, but any suggestions are appreciated.

Ashley Terwilliger-Pollard

Hi Meghan,

You'd need to set the trigger to show the layer with the audio once the button is selected. You could then set the layer to hide once the audio has completed. 

Which settings in the other project are stumping you? Could you make a sample project to share here with no real client info in it? Or could you s hare your file privately with our team and upload it here? 

Alyssa Gomez

Hi Meghan!

Instead of adding the explanations on separate layers, you could include them on the base layer with an initial state of Hidden. Then, as you click each tab, the explanation will change to the Normal state. 

Have a look at the changes I made in your file, and let me know if that'll work for you!

Amy Harry
Michael Hinze

See attached a quick example on how to play/stop audio on two layers. This solution is based on a variable that is changed by clicking the two shapes on the base layer. As the variable changes, a layer is displayed and the audio on that layer is either played or stopped. Hope that helps.

Thanks! The variable and triggers were a great solution for me, since my layers had visuals synced to the layer audio. :)

Jen McIntosh

Michael's twolayeraudio file process worked great for me as well. Had 3 buttons on the base layer that triggered 3 different slide layers (each with audio) that all needed to stay visable. Just posting so that people know this works no matter how many slide layers you have, just adjust the variables appropriately. Thanks!