AFTER EFFECTS: AUDIO WAVEFORM

[zhandrob67170253]

Hello fellow animators,

I have created an audio reactive waveform in after effects where I try to animate different effects that synchronize with the beat. I have a still vector shape I used to react to the highest frequency of the audio. Within the waveform itself I have added smoke effects that are short movie clips that I bought out of a pack. I was wondering if there is a possibility to make the smoke clip file react to the audio as well. Could anyone lend a helping hand or tell me if this is remotely possible?

I appreciate the help

Best regards,

Zhandro

[imeilfx]

It depends on what kind of reactivnes you are countin on. Remember that your smoke is jus a video clip so it can react just as standard layer.

[Mo Moolla]

The smoke will react as a normal layer just as imeilfx​ has mentioned

So don't expect the smoke to have different parts of it react.

To do this you would need to create smoke using particles and then have those react to the audio

Mo

[zhandrob67170253]

I want the smoke effect to automatically synchronize with the beat. This way I don't have to add many layers and adjust it manually. It is an audio waveform for a beat maker that wants to promote his work on Youtube and Instagram.

Just like I have set up a shape to react to the beat, I would like the movie clip also to react to the audio. If I have to do this manually for each beat for the client it will take a large amount of time. I am trying to be cost efficient.

[imeilfx]

Ok... but you can make your shape layer to react in almost unlimitles ways because you can asign shape layer to any parameter that is avaliable in shape layer, but in a videoclip (that is already rendered and have hist start, middle and end - you can make that clip only react with whatever that it have avaliable so on most basic way just position, anchor point, scale, rotation, opacity so please clarify what kind of a reaction do you expect from your videoclip?

[zhandrob67170253]

Sure I will clarify 🙂

What I am trying to do is that I have a smoke effects that lasts for 1-2 seconds. When the beat drops it opens up and spreads throughout the horizon of the composition that I have. The idea is that there is a hole in the bottom. Anto it should simulate that there is something cooking. (hence beat making) and from that hole smoke comes out but when the beat drops it spreads a fair amount of smoke throughout the "imaginary" floor. At the moment I have set different layers to accomplish this.

The only problem is that I'd have to manually adjust the keyframe of that 1-2 second smoke every time the beat drops. I can't make it to synchronize automatically as a preset. Basically I am creating a type of custom template where I only have to add a new audio and it will automatically adjust to the "bass" of the beat.

The main question I have is if this was possible using a movie clip. If it is not I will have to look into alternatives.

Finally I have to say thank you for your reply and engagement. It has helped me immensely

[Rick Gerard]

If you want to map frequencies you either have to take the audio into Audition and make some seriously equalized copies that cut out the frequencies you don't want to use so you can convert specific frequencies to keyframes or invest in Trapcode Sound Keys. The standard convert audio to keyframes keyframe assistant just uses loudness.

The smoke effects will also have to be driven with a particle system like Trapcode Particular or something from Borris FX to be done in a reasonable amount of time without a very extensive understanding of expressions, blend modes, and layering. It's not that you could not do everything you are describing with AE's standard set of tools, it is just that without spending some money on 3rd party tools you are going to need dozens of layers, a lot of advanced AE skills, a thorough understanding of the theory of motion, and many days of fiddling and experimenting.

[zhandrob67170253]

Hello Rick,

Thank you so much for your reply. This was extremely helpful! I will look into the Trapcode Suite.