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I want to implement value nodes and baked F-curves that trigger object visibility following How to make baked sound f-curve trigger a layer's visibility? using 2D animation but, being new to Blender, I cannot find Value Nodes. I found Geometry Nodes in Modifiers following this short video and I can add a Geometry Node, but I don't see a menu item to edit that node. This is what I see:

screenshot of Blender 2D animation after creating a geometry node

If I start a 3D animation (File > New > General), then I can see the Geometry Nodes menu on the top bar. I have Blender 3.2.2.

Are geometry nodes and the nodes editor reserved for 3D animation? If not, how can I access them in 2D animation?

Are nodes specific to 3D

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I think you're confusing a few things, so let me explain them before answering your questions.

Blender comes with pre-built setups (App Templates) focused on specific types of work. They can be accessed from the splash screen shown below. It seems that you're using the 2D Animation App Template.

App Templates

The 2D Animation App Template includes four pre-built Workspaces which are the tabs you see at the top. Each Workspace is just an arrangement of Editors. The Workspace tabs are marked red in the screenshot below, while the Editors are indicated by blue borders.

Workspaces and Editors

You can customize any of these. You can customize an App Template by adding other pre-built Workspaces to it by clicking the + tab. You can also customize a Workspace by switching the Editor types it includes. The + tab is marked red, and the Editor type button is marked blue in the screenshot below. Clicking the Editor button for any of the Editors allows you to select a different Editor to switch to.

Adding Workspaces and switching Editors

With the UI concepts out of the way, I want you to know that the 2D Animation App Template is intended for 2D animation by drawing with Grease Pencil. I don't think that's what you're doing, since your puppet is a mesh. I suggest to start with the General App Template. Just because you're working in 3D doesn't mean you have to output a 3D animation. In fact, the 2D Animation App Template is still in 3D, but it is set up in such a way that the 3rd dimension is ignored.

The answer you received on the question you linked to is not using Geometry Nodes. It is using Shader Nodes. Please note that Nodes are used in a number of Editors in Blender.

Are geometry nodes and the nodes editor reserved for 3D animation? If not, how can I access them in 2D animation?

No, they are not. You can access them by clicking the Editor type icon. You can also add the Geometry Nodes Workspace as shown below. I don't think that's what you need to do, though. I explained above.

Geometry Nodes Workspace

Are nodes specific to 3D

No. There are different node systems in Blender (Shader nodes, Geometry nodes, and Texture nodes). They can be used for 3D or 2D. I suggest to stick with the Shader nodes for now, as the answer your received is using it.

If you want to continue following the answer you received. Switch one of the Editors to the Shader Editor or add the Shading Workspace. The Value node can be found in the add menu as shown.

Value Node

If something is not clear, please feel free to comment below.

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  • $\begingroup$ All is clear, thanks MrA! Side question: my object looks like a mesh but is actually a raster serving as texture on a plane object. I want to animate a series of raster images, similar to what Adobe Character Animator does with photo-realistic puppets, and I don't need the 3rd dimension, moving images left and right, swapping images, etc. Do you still suggest using the General 3D template instead of the 2D animation template? $\endgroup$
    – emonigma
    Commented Nov 20, 2023 at 14:12
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    $\begingroup$ @miguelmorin I think you're already familiar enough with the Blender UI that you can start with any template. I think the 2D Animation template may be easier, since you already have the camera set up to render 2D. If you start with the General template, you'll have to manually do that. Based on the answer for your other question, you will only need one plane mesh that will show one of the images you have based on how loud the sound is. All of this can be done in either templates. $\endgroup$
    – Mr A
    Commented Nov 20, 2023 at 15:19
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I found it by chance: in the bottom window segment, left of "Grease Pencil", I have an icon. Clicking on it shows several menus, such as Graph Editor and including Geometry Node Editor.

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