sound effects?

You can add any sound file you want as a build, and set that file to "appear" simultaneously with any regular visual build. However, there are no sound effects that come with Keynote. (For some reason, with Keynote Apple provides gorgeous templates but not any other auxiliary material.)

That is correct. Keynote has no built-in sound effects library. You need to create (or find) the sound effects you want to use and import them into your slides as individual soundfiles.

Soundfiles can be brought into Keynote from your iTunes library (via the Media manager) or dragged in from the desktop. Each becomes a separate object in the presentation and must be played with a Build (Start Audio). They can be played individually on their own, or to create the sound-effect-with-object-appear that you want, their Build can be set to occur simultaneously with the Build of the graphic.

Good luck.

I've had good luck using AIFF, WAV, and SDII files. You also can create files in Garage Band (and other similar applications) and the import them to Keynote via iTunes. I've not tried other formats, but I think MP3 files also work. Just go ahead and experiment. Have fun.

While Keynote doesn't have any built in sound effects, many effects are available when you install iLife, and these are available to you as CAF files. If you have iLife 08 installed, you can find a bunch of nice sound effects at /Library/Audio/Apple Loops/Apple/iLife Sound Effects. You can insert these files directly into Keynote - no conversion needed.

Categories are Ambience, Animals, Booms, Foley, Jingles, Machines, People, Sci-Fi, Sports, Stingers, Textures, Transportation, and Work - Home.

Hey Mark, thank you these are fun. I had never looked at them before.
Mireille

Mark: (and anybody at Apple who might be monitoring this thread)

Thanks for the tip about the SFX included with iLife. Too bad that Apple doesn't provide these also with Garage Band and iWorks. It would make good sense to make these available for use with GB and KN.

Oh well, another item for the Keynote Feedback Forum.

can we copy these sounds in itune in order to access them easily from KN. Sorry I am musicaly challenged.
Mireille

I've had great luck with http://findsounds.com .

Great variety of sound effects. If you collect choice sounds from there, you're presentations won't suffer PowerPoint Affliction #237: "We've heard all these sound effects in everyone else's presos a zillion times before."

Thank you Phyz 2 working with HS students I can never have enough interesting or bizarre sounds to make them happy.
Mireille

If you use SFX on a regular basis, don't overlook the professional libraries. True, they cost a bit more, but they offer you an unlimited supply of SFX in all genre from realistic to wholly fanciful.

One extensive library that I have used for decades to create sound design for radio drama and theatre is the Sound Ideas company (www.sound-ideas.com)

Thanks Ron, I'll check it out.
Mireille