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Sync Text to Audio
I’m having some problems….I am trying to create a video of a 9-1-1 call. I want text to typewrite over black but I need it to sync with the audio of the voice. I can get as far as having the text appear on the screen one character after the other like a typewriter but I don’t know where to go from there. Please help! I am using AE 6.5 (not pro)
Thanks,
Anthony -
9 Replies
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im guessing you are using the typewriter animation preset.
this sets 2 keyframes for the start property of the range selector.
what you need to do is the set keyframes for when you want the words to start and stop typing, and if you need a pause between words, set the end keyframe to a hold keyframe
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I am using the typewriter preset. It does provide two keyframes. I guess the biggest problem is finding out the easiest way to move on the timeline. It’s hard to sync text to audio when I can’t hear the audio unless I do a ram-preview all the time. Is there a way around that? I like FCP-type editing programs because it’s easier to sync things up. Any ideas are appreciated.
Thanks!
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I am using the typewriter preset. It does provide two keyframes. I guess the biggest problem is finding out the easiest way to move on the timeline. It’s hard to sync text to audio when I can’t hear the audio unless I do a ram-preview all the time. Is there a way around that? I like FCP-type editing programs because it’s easier to sync things up. Any ideas are appreciated.
Thanks!
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Use the type tool.
Apply the text animator “opacity” in the little “animate” flyout.
Animator 1: Advanced:Units: index, Based On: characters, smoothness=0. Opacity: 0%.Animate the offset of the range selector *by hand* to make the letters appear in time to the audio. You may want to use hold keyframes when there’s a pause. There’s no way to do it automatically.
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When previewing the audio using . on the numeric keypad, press the * key on the numeric keypad to make markers. You can also scrub with audio on the timeline by holding down the apple key (ctrl on Windows) as you scrub the current-time indicator.
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That’s how I have been doing it but for some reason I’m experiencing difficulties.
I’ve been using the “Start” keyframes in range selector 1. That’s how I have been animating the text. What is the offset – what’s the difference?
Also, I’m not sure I’m adding the pause keyframes correctly either. When I put them in “End”, it still goes past them and runs the text til the end….
And is there an easier way to sync to the audio in terms of hearing the audio as you go while seeing the type? Or do I have to ram-preview every time and guess?
Thanks again.
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I didn’t animate the start or end keyframes at all. Just the offset.
Regarding hearing & seeing, RAM preview is the only way to do both at the same time.
You don’t need to see it in realtime, you just need to see the text match the audio. You can do that while scrubbing the timeline.
Start at the beginning. Scrub through the audio until you hear a pause. Place a marker. Or scrub and place a marker at the start of each word. The you go back and set keyframes for the offset value. Then you scrub to make sure it’s all right, then you move on.
To help, you might want to see the audio waveform: select the audio layer and hit LL. Don’t show too much waveform along the timeline, or AE might slow down.It’s time consuming, but that’s the tradeoff with AE: much more powerful than an editor, but not realtime.
If you want realtime, go to an editor. Sorry. 🙂
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if you only adjust the start property (what was set by the preset) then it will work.
for example it may go from 0 to 5 for teh first 2 keyframes, then hold then start agagin later on from 5 to 13, hold, 13 to 27, etc…
i am making up the numbers but that will work.
and i think as steve said earlier, do an audio preview and tap out some markers using the * on the keypad. you can go back and label those if you like by doubel clickign them. he mentioned how you can scrub audio. the only other thing that might help is opening the waveform but selecting the layer that has your audio and hitting L twice ( or you can twirl down to it)
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I synch a lot of text to audio for TV spots. I STRONGLY recommend playing the audio in an editor (or RAM preview the audio directly in AE) and writing timecode or frame number cues (whichever you prefer) on your script. Usually the cue for the first word of a sentence or phrase is all you need. Its a lot more accurate with the waveform visible (shortcut “ll” in AE). It takes me about 5 minutes to do and saves me hours of RAM previews and tweaks. You can then animate all of your text without even listening to audio… just following the cues on your script.
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