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Audio Wavefrom – need 2 fill the shape: HELP!
Hi,
I am using the audio waveform effect, and using the layer’s mask as a path. The thickness of the analog line is 4 (relatively thin). It results in a great animated ‘burst’ shape.
I need to fill the interior of the waveform shape that’s created, in order to use it as an animated track matte on another layer.
How can I do this?
Is there an effect in AE to select only the interior of the shape (like the magic wand in Photoshop)? Or some other way???
Thanks!
QB -
8 Replies
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U can precompose the layer that contains your waveform fx, then use it as track matte in your fill layer.
Have a nice post-day 😉 -
Yes, I know. but how do I fill the inside of the waveform???
It is just a thin line and I need a solid shape.
(I can’t simply thicken the line because it gets all blobby and rounded corners.) -
OK…
tried that, but auto trace traces the outline of the shape (of the closed path) on the layer, not the waveform shape (which is tied to the closed path on the layer).
The waveform effect is connected to the path, but it’s shape does not actually exist on the layer… it’s generated by the effect.
Also it’s only a 4 pix thick jagged line.
How do I fill the interior of the wavefrom shape? Is there a way? -
You need to do Auto-Trace, but with a little prep work first.
On the layer with AudioWaveform (a solid?) with the Pen Tool, draw a little bucket shaped mask, 4 point and open, not closed. This should look like the cross section of a bucket (or box), with the waveform ad water that’s bouncing in the bucket, so you just want the sides and bottom, no top. The tops of each side need to stick up above the ends of the AudioWaveform a bit as the end jump up and down a bit.
Add stroke (or another Audio Waveform, no Audio referenced) to give the shape a visible line.
Now run Auto-trace (threshold and Tolerance at 1).
There should be two masks on the new Auto-traced layer, copy either (I usually use the inner 1, mask 2)and paste into a new solid. Apply Fill.
If you don’t like the looks on each end you can mask off a bit on each side.
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Hi,
I think I’m missing something here.
I have a waveform that references a path (path is a closed free form oval). The waveform ends up looking like a burst, like something on a consumer package that would say NEW! inside. Know what I mean?
The burst (wavefrom) is connected to audio andanimates ovet time.
The size varies a great deal. Some times it’s small and other times it’s wild and even goes outside of the layer.
So I’m confused about the bucket/water shape. I need to fill my animated burst shape so I can use it as a track matte…
Hope I’ve been clear.
Any suggestions? -
OK, I see what you’re doing. I was making mine on the default flat line that audiowaveform uses.
Audio Waveform on an Oval Mask, got it.
I think the main problem is when it jumps outside the frame or screen, then you don’t get a big closed mask to fill, but many masks, still closed but only as wide as the line (4 pixels for you).
Also, with audiowaveform, with Maximum Height cranked up, a waveform from the inside of the oval can jump up and over the other side of the oval, then when you auto trace you get a ga-zillion masks. So try to take it easy on Maximum Height.
If you really like the look where it jumps offscreen and expands beyond the edge of the screen, then do the oval mask in a larger comp, large enough so the waveform never jumps outside the frame, then import that into your finished-sized comp. It will look like it jumps outside the screen in the finished comp.
Also I noticed Audio Waveform really encourages that jumping over the opposite-side thing I mentioned before, but Audio Spectrum lets you limit the waveform to only expand outward, by choosing Display Options: Analog Lines, Side Options: Side B. So there is no cross over, no production of that multiple mask when auto trace is run.
So try that, Audio Spectrum in a larger comp, Auto Trace, choose Mask 1 (the outside Mask), then Copy that mask and Paste into another Solid, or just do Fill on the Auto Trace layer and delete all but the outside mask.
The main problem is when your waveform jumps outside the frame, use a big enough precomp and it will fill properly.
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…but the waveform (from Spectrum) doesn’t create a mask.
Am I missing something. The mask on the layer is sort of an oval. The waveform is a jagged line. Auto trace only seems to trace the mask, not the waveform shape.
I’m not really understanding your suggestion.
I’m sorry, I feel sort of dense about this…
🙁 -
So is this how you do it?
New Comp (Ctrl N)
Add your Audio layer
Add a new Solid (Ctrl Y) it’s named “Black Solid 1”
Add an Oval mask (becomes Mask 1 on Solid Layer). I used the Elliptical Mask Tool.
To the Solid add Render>Audio Waveform (or Audio Spectrum)
In Audio Waveform:
Audio Layer:Choose the Audio Layer you added earlier
Path: Mask 1 (the Oval mask)Now select “Solid Layer 1” and “I” puts you at the inpoint of the layer, then Layer>Auto Trace (Time Span:Work Area, Tolerance and Threshold at 1), click OK. (It’s important to choose Work Area, not Current Frame as that will only give you 1 frame)
You should see a new layer created above, name “Auto-traced Black Solid 1”.
Select “Auto-traced Black Solid 1”. “M” reveals the masks. There will be at least 2, maybe more.
Choose the outside mask (look at the colors), it should be mask 1. If you have a plethora of mask, your jumping outside the frame (see earlier post and precomp in a larger comp to keep the lines inside the frame).
So you should see a white shape the spectrum, changing with the music. That layer, “Auto-traced Black Solid 1” is really a white solid, with the mask on it that is the shape of the outside of the Audio Waveform.
To that layer named, “Auto-traced Black Solid 1”, add Fill, choose your fill color.
This works for me.
It sounds like Auto Trace is not seeing the Audio Waveform or Audio Spectrum line generated by the plugins, but it does for me. And those animated auto-traced masks are in the layer named “Auto-traced Black Solid 1”.
All I can say is try precomposing them, then they will render and perform Auto Trace.
Like I said, the above works fine for me. Auto Trace sees the lines generated by the plugins Audio Waveform and Audio Spectrum. Are they set to Analog Lines, like you said earlier?
If you want it on another layer, select that mask, Mask 1 in the layer named “Auto-traced Black Solid 1” and paste it into another layer, Add the effect Fill, it should be animated and ready to go.
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