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JammehCow
Participant
May 27, 2015
Answered

Visualising audio as analog VU meter

  • May 27, 2015
  • 2 replies
  • 4663 views

Hey,

So I'm kinda new to AE, but I know enough to get around so that's clear now.

So I'm starting up a YouTube music channel and I'm trying to find out how to represent audio as an analog VU meter.

The image I am working with is below, and as you can see, it has 7 empty VU meters which I want to represent each track I have (7).

Does anyone know of how such thing would be done?

Thanks,

James.

background-VU.png

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Rick Gerard

Creating a moving VU Meter needle does not anything that does not come with AE. No need to purchase Trapcode Sound Keys or anything else. You simply create a needle in the at rest position with the anchor point at the bottom of the needle. A shape layer would be a good thing to use. Then you add your audio layer. For 7 view meters you need seven audio tracks. Then you convert the audio to keyframes using the Keyframe Assistant. This will create a layer named Audio Amplitude. You'll need to check the keyframes for the maximum value. The graph editor makes this easy.

Now add this expression to the Rotation Property of the shape layer:

t = thisComp.layer("Audio Amplitude 1").effect("Both Channels")("Slider");

v = ease(t, 0, 15, 1, 10);

Math.log(v)*50

VU meters are logrythmic and you'll need to add a multiplier to get the swing you want. Modify the second set of numbers and the multiplier to fit your audio tracks. Once you get the movement you want apply the expression to all 7 shape layers and you're done.

2 replies

Mathias Moehl
Community Expert
Mathias MoehlCommunity Expert
Community Expert
May 27, 2015

Here is a tutorial showing how to create these kinds of animations in sync with your audio with iExpressions

ATM_L.jpg

Animating to Music After Effects tutorial by Eran Stern

You can create a hand for your meter as a simple solid layer with a mask.

To rotate the layer instead of moving it just use the "Change on Beat 1D" expression instead of the "Change on Beat 2D" and apply it to the rotation instead of the position of the layer.

Here is part 2:

Animation to Music in After Effects - Part 2 | mamoworld

and part 3:

Animation to Music in After Effects - Part 3 | mamoworld

PS: if you want to make the meters react on individual frequency bands, you also need SoundKeys, as Mylenium said. This tutorial shows how to use SoundKeys with iExpressions:

Intro with Trapcode 3D Stroke | mamoworld

Mathias Möhl - Developer of tools like BeatEdit and Automation Blocks for Premiere Pro and After Effects
    R
    Community Expert
    Rick GerardCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
    Community Expert
    May 27, 2015

    Creating a moving VU Meter needle does not anything that does not come with AE. No need to purchase Trapcode Sound Keys or anything else. You simply create a needle in the at rest position with the anchor point at the bottom of the needle. A shape layer would be a good thing to use. Then you add your audio layer. For 7 view meters you need seven audio tracks. Then you convert the audio to keyframes using the Keyframe Assistant. This will create a layer named Audio Amplitude. You'll need to check the keyframes for the maximum value. The graph editor makes this easy.

    Now add this expression to the Rotation Property of the shape layer:

    t = thisComp.layer("Audio Amplitude 1").effect("Both Channels")("Slider");

    v = ease(t, 0, 15, 1, 10);

    Math.log(v)*50

    VU meters are logrythmic and you'll need to add a multiplier to get the swing you want. Modify the second set of numbers and the multiplier to fit your audio tracks. Once you get the movement you want apply the expression to all 7 shape layers and you're done.

    J
    JammehCowAuthor
    Participant
    May 28, 2015

    Thanks for that, I didn't think I needed anything out of AE.

    Well done sir!

    Mylenium
    Mylenium
    Legend
    May 27, 2015

    You will need to use Trapcode Soundkeys to extract the respective frequency band information and map it to the rotation of the needle or using elaborate manipulation of the source audio, the Audio to Keyframes keyframe assistant and expressions build your own stuff.

    Mylenium

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