Automating an Audio Meter

[Mathew Fuller]

It’s hard to answer this mainly because it is one huge sentence. No periods, paragraphs, It makes it really difficult to read.

I have a question for you… Is English your first language?

If not, I will teach you something. It’s not “witch” in this case it’s “which”. Also the term you are looking for at the end there is, “thanks in advance”. Your name sounds pretty “english speaking” so I will assume it’s your first language.

You are welcome… in advance.

My Work:
https://www.morecompletefx.com

[Brandon Reed]

thanks for the reply! I didn’t know I was in english class and had to use proper grammar, anyways thanks for giving me a pointless link and not answering my question it was really helpful, did I use proper grammar in this response?

[Mathew Fuller]

Um, no you didn’t.

And to be honest if you want people to be more likely to want to help you and actually read your question, paragraphs and periods help. Anyone here on the COW that finds my statement untrue should respond below.

I most likely know the answer to your question but have no desire to sift through your mess of a post. So you tell me if it matters.

My Work:
https://www.morecompletefx.com

[Brandon Reed]

cool great for you, I guess you can’t take a joke but thanks again for your help!

does this help

Hello all try to bare with me but here I go.

I have a project with a title mask that is filled with an audio meter synced to a song. Now the audio meter is about 30 or so bars, now I have synced them with the audio that I have made into key frames using the convert audio to key frames. Now the audio meter is a rectangle with the repeater added to it, the repeater is pick whipped to one of the audio slider channels. I have done this for random layers and done it for the right side and the left side so that the audio meter is kind of randomized.

Now here is my question I am trying to automate this process so that I can drop in any audio file convert it to key frames and pick whip just 3 layers to the right left and both chancel individually and then the random layers I have selected would follow the certain layer. Now I have tried parenting the layers so that say layer 5,7,8,11,14 and so on would follow layer 1 which would be pick whipped to the both audio slider. The repeater on the parented layers does not follow the repeater on layer 1. Is there a way that I can automate this process? If you understand what my project is

[Brandon Reed]

lol ok read my last post

[Dustin Lawhorn]

Isn’t this kinda what Trapcode Sound Keys does? I could be wrong on that. I haven’t used it in a while.

It looks like, if i’m following what you’re doing right, you’ll lose the keyframes with every new audio track. Which means you’ll have to regenerate them, then re pickwhip them. So, really, no efficiency gained.

Now if you were pick-whiping pre-comps, the comps should all follow the new keyframed layer. You would have to turn those “5,7,8,11,14 “ layers into pre comps. That’s actually what I’d try to do first. I have less problems with pick whips forgetting what the parent layer was doing that way.

-dl

[Roland R. kahlenberg]

Try linking the three group of rectangles via Expressions, as per your initial setup. Parenting only works with Transform Properties (except Opacity) AND does not trickle down to the innards of Shape Layers, Text Layers or effects.

HTH
RoRK

Intensive mocha & AE Training in Singapore and Other Dangerous Locations

Imagineer Systems (mocha) Certified Instructor
& Adobe After Effects CS6 ACE

[Walter Soyka]

Still a bit unclear… but what I think you want to do is be able to easily change the audio source for a whole set of expressions dependent on audio amplitude?

Create a new null object in your scene and call it “Audio Layer Selector”. Add the Layer Control effect to this new null. Make sure to select an audio amplitude layer here before proceeding.

In your expressions, instead of referring to something like this:

thisComp.layer("Audio Amplitude").effect("Left Channel")("Slider")

Refer to this:

thisComp.layer("Audio Layer Selector").effect("Layer Control")("Layer").effect("Left Channel")("Slider")

Basically, instead of referring to controls on the audio amplitude layer directly, you’re referring to the the controls on the layer you select with the layer control. Please note that stuff will break if you select a layer that does not have the audio amplitude controls and you’ll need to reset your expressions.

Once this is done, you can bring in multiple audio sources, convert their amplitudes to keyframes, and change which audio layer your expressions are looking at by changing the layer control on your Audio Layer Selector null layer.

Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events

[Brandon Reed]

Thanks for the reply!

I did try pre-comping the random layers but the repeater layer does not work on compositions. So I tried the same theory with no such luck.

[Brandon Reed]

Thanks for the help!

I’ll have to full around with this at work today see if I can get it to work.