# Illustrator - Shapes & Gradients Problem

**URL:** <https://forum.kirupa.com/t/illustrator-shapes-gradients-problem/289814>\
**Category:** design\
**Created:** [June 5, 2009, 1:16am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/illustrator-shapes-gradients-problem/289814 "2009-06-05T01:16:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![GGMcGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ba8739/32.png) [@GGMcGee](https://forum.kirupa.com/u/GGMcGee)\
**Post date:** [June 5, 2009, 1:16am UTC](https://forum.kirupa.com/t/illustrator-shapes-gradients-problem/289814/1 "2009-06-05T01:16:23Z")

</div>

Hi,

Using: Illustrator CS3.

I’m creating a vector image of equalizer bars in Illustrator, similar to this picture:  
 ![](http://www.ipodtouchfans.com/forums/imgcache/31530.png)

I’ve created the bars using the rectangle tool. They’re all spaced right and set up, but I’m struggling to find a way to put a gradient over all of the bars as a whole.

Whenever I try to add a gradient it adds the gradient to the bars separately, rather than as a whole. I can do it in Photoshop in half a second, but creating a vector of it in Illustrator is proving difficult.

Attached is:  
**bad.jpg** : What I’m getting, gradients over each bar, but don’t want.  
**good.jpg** : What I want, a gradient over all the bars as a whole, but aren’t getting.

I’ve tried grouping them which didn’t work… I’m all out of ideas.