After Effects: Different options on my AE compared to video

[rocco123]

Hi, i am trying to achieve an effect where a logo will change it's scale among other things at the ryhtm of a beat following the audio amplitude. I was following this tutorial:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3Bxvn-bnLY&t=13m20s

here he adds a new solid, to link scale to the amplitude keyframe automated thing, the problem is when I look on my composition, it has "Transform" and a bunch of options, but no "Scale expression". He instead only has Scale and then Scale Expression. Here is a picture with his AE and my AE:



the actual effect im going affter is this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufKo8V15QtE

Please tell me how can I find Scale expression to find the whirl icon thing so I can link it to my audio amplitude keyframes.

[poisondeathray]

To activate expressions for a parameter of a layer, Hold the alt key and left mouse button click the stop watch . So for your logo.png layer, you would do that for scale , drag the pickwhip (what you call the whirl thing icon) , and link it to the slider of the audio amplitude controller layer

[rocco123]

Thanks. I want to know how the guy here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufKo8V15QtE

Is making the logo sort of have a motion blur effect. I got a template to test out, but it doesn't move, compare the video above with this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7wKUR1wPEk

The logo doesn't have that nice smooth blurry effect, also the background is not moving. Is the first video moving at the same rate as the logo, or are the settings different for the background and the logo?

[rocco123]

Also, I can't seem to find a way to make the logo be the actual logo and not a silhouette. Please somebody download this so you can know what im talking about:

https://mega.nz/#!glhwhJTb!3WY6DN2LDtTlSWbF8mUzvC-2eC8CP73jV7V-24DRE44

It's the template for this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7wKUR1wPEk

What I want to change on that template:

1) The logo being the actual image you use, and not used to get a transparency on the white circle
2) How to make the sounds react to bass-kick frequencies only
3) How does the guy get the logo be sort of blur effect (see the other video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufKo8V15QtE

Please help

[poisondeathray]

Also, I can't seem to find a way to make the logo be the actual logo and not a silhouette. Please somebody download this so you can know what im talking about:

https://mega.nz/#!glhwhJTb!3WY6DN2LDtTlSWbF8mUzvC-2eC8CP73jV7V-24DRE44

It's the template for this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7wKUR1wPEk

What I want to change on that template:

1) The logo being the actual image you use, and not used to get a transparency on the white circle
2) How to make the sounds react to bass-kick frequencies only
3) How does the guy get the logo be sort of blur effect (see the other video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufKo8V15QtE

Please help

1) This one uses a "cut out" for his logo. If you want a solid logo over the background: In the "spectrums" composition, change the BG2 layer track matte to none, disable the visibility of that layer. Enable the logo layer visibility

2) This one uses "convert audio to keyframes" to derive keyframes driven by audio - that method doesn't allow you to select from frequencies. Third party plugins such as trapcode soundcode allow more control. There are many tutorials on how to do this

3) AE internal layer motion blur only affects layer positions that are animated within AE (for example, you couldn't add motion blur too footage already shot by a camera, or done by effects) . Since this spectrum is done by effects, it won't work either. So in this case you would use other methods to add motion blur, such as effects like "cc force motion blur" (comes with AE) or 3rd party plugins such as real smart motion blur

[rocco123]

Also, I can't seem to find a way to make the logo be the actual logo and not a silhouette. Please somebody download this so you can know what im talking about:

https://mega.nz/#!glhwhJTb!3WY6DN2LDtTlSWbF8mUzvC-2eC8CP73jV7V-24DRE44

It's the template for this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7wKUR1wPEk

What I want to change on that template:

1) The logo being the actual image you use, and not used to get a transparency on the white circle
2) How to make the sounds react to bass-kick frequencies only
3) How does the guy get the logo be sort of blur effect (see the other video here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufKo8V15QtE

Please help

1) This one uses a "cut out" for his logo. If you want a solid logo over the background: In the "spectrums" composition, change the BG2 layer track matte to none, disable the visibility of that layer. Enable the logo layer visibility

2) This one uses "convert audio to keyframes" to derive keyframes driven by audio - that method doesn't allow you to select from frequencies. Third party plugins such as trapcode soundcode allow more control. There are many tutorials on how to do this

3) AE internal layer motion blur only affects layer positions that are animated within AE (for example, you couldn't add motion blur too footage already shot by a camera, or done by effects) . Since this spectrum is done by effects, it won't work either. So in this case you would use other methods to add motion blur, such as effects like "cc force motion blur" (comes with AE) or 3rd party plugins such as real smart motion blur

Hi, i've got the trapcode sound code, im trying this template out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8KjntBhne4

http://bertoxius.com/download/?track=audioreact

I think it's the 4mb file.

I can't seem to make it work. I've replaced the graphics I want and the logo, but it's shaking in a stupid way, it's not following the beat. The movement on that video is exactly how I want it (most movement is due sub frequencies and kick) so I don't think I have to tweak much, I just don't know what im missing to make it move properly.

I deleted the existing track in the timeline and replaced it with my track.

In "Sound Keys" in "Audio layer" I selected the track and clicked "apply".


But something is off. How do I see the frequencies like this so I can select when the effect kicks in?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeSLxiXFLl4&t=1m40s

This guy does it in a very easy and visual way by putting the square inside the frequency when the kick makes the green bars go up, but I don't see any of that in here when I click on Sound Keys.

Also when on that template, for some reason when I try to do a RAM preview I get "RAM preview needs 2 or more frames to playback" error. Purging doesn't work and I have every other app closed, and my other previews for other projects work, so I don't really know what's going on without a legit preview which makes adjustment even more confusing.

[rocco123]

I've just realized the Output1 in Range1 and Output2 in Range2 are from the former track that the guy used on the template (I presume).
They have different values from each other. I generated keyframes of my song with "Convert Audio to Keyframes" and got a new "Audio Amplitude" thing. I dragged the pickwip of Output1 in the generated keyframes and Output2 two, now Output1 and 2 are the same which is not what I wanted because before I touched anything it was different. This is pretty confusing.

[poisondeathray]

But something is off. How do I see the frequencies like this so I can select when the effect kicks in?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeSLxiXFLl4&t=1m40s

This guy does it in a very easy and visual way by putting the square inside the frequency when the kick makes the green bars go up, but I don't see any of that in here when I click on Sound Keys.

Also when on that template, for some reason when I try to do a RAM preview I get "RAM preview needs 2 or more frames to playback" error. Purging doesn't work and I have every other app closed, and my other previews for other projects work, so I don't really know what's going on without a legit preview which makes adjustment even more confusing.

I'm not sure what else I can add - this is pretty straight forward - just follow the various sound keys tutorials. If the tutorial isn't any good, use another one. Maybe you missed a step or two. Watch them from the beginning or watch them again. The range selector, at least the 1st one , should automatically be there by default. The 2nd and 3rd selectors are not activated by default. Make sure the "active" box is checked. Also, did you apply it to an actual layer, like a solid? If you applied to to an audio track, you will see nothing - that might explain your problem

Just play with the settings and ranges until you get what you want. Another approach is to manipulate the audio in an audio editor, the use that track to drive the animation. Eg. you might filter out certain frequencies with a pass filter, or enhance the bass etc...That's also a workaround for someone that doesn't have sound keys

You can composite different layers - e.g. you can have low bass drive some part of the animation, some mid range drive another part of the animation - it doesn't have to be done in 1 instance.

In general, you disable all the unnecessary layers and effects and it will make your previewing and tweaking and work go faster. You re-enable them at the end. If you're running out of memory in AE, try increasing the disk cache for AE. If you're running out of system memory (open up task manager), you need to add more memory

[rocco123]

I've spent 2 days on this, i will never figure it out on my own. I want to know where the output 1 and 2 keyframes are coming from:



When I open the template I see those keyframes. I just want to know how did the guy got the keyframes there. Also as you can see they have different values.

This is very frustrating my computer is slow as ****. I just want to end the 30 second outro so I don't have to open AE again, my computer is trash.

Can you download the template and add any mp3 of like 30 seconds so I can see how it actually works a in functional template? also I don't know why the keyframes begin at 15 seconds.. this is so damn confusing.

[poisondeathray]

The keyframes are from soundkeys. At the bottom of the soundkeys controls (in the effects control panel), when you push "apply" it will generate keyframes. There are 2 outputs in that example because there are 2 range selectors used. Obviously, if you only have 1 activated (only 1 is enabled by default), you will only have 1 output

[rocco123]

The keyframes are from soundkeys. At the bottom of the soundkeys controls (in the effects control panel), when you push "apply" it will generate keyframes. There are 2 outputs in that example because there are 2 range selectors used. Obviously, if you only have 1 activated (only 1 is enabled by default), you will only have 1 output

I deleted the existing keyframes on output 1 and 2, clicked apply and no keyframes are generated on there (and output 1 and 2 are active).

[poisondeathray]

The keyframes are from soundkeys. At the bottom of the soundkeys controls (in the effects control panel), when you push "apply" it will generate keyframes. There are 2 outputs in that example because there are 2 range selectors used. Obviously, if you only have 1 activated (only 1 is enabled by default), you will only have 1 output

I deleted the existing keyframes on output 1 and 2, clicked apply and no keyframes are generated on there (and output 1 and 2 are active).

Did you specify the audio source in the soundkeys configuration ?

[rocco123]

I got the keyframes showing up on output 1 and 2 now but the logo and the background are static and i dont see the particles.

Actually I saw some frame with the logo shaking and stuff. Thing is I don't have RAM preview so I can't know whats really going on.

[poisondeathray]

The shaking is from twitch from videocopilot (3rd party, not included with default AE), and the particles are from trapcode particular (also 3rd party) . It's possible to do them with native plugins with a bit of work, but it's probably too much for you at this point

Try lowering the preview resolution to 1/4 or even lower. You might have to render out some preview segments to check if you don't have enough memory or resources

Many people don't like the newer version, AE CC for various reasons . But one great improvement is the way it handles memory and cache. Everything you do can be saved to disk cache (it's like a secondary ram preview). All states can be cached - eg. if you click off a layer, and click it back on - the old version would have to re-render everything all the effects, calculations - everything. This version remembers everything if you have enough HDD space. It's much faster for working