[Richie Tovell]

Ah, that’s cool, I understand a little more now, one problem I’m having is this scaling is effecting the paranted layers also, that’s helpful for some layers but not for others which I need to apply different amounts of scaling to using soundkeys, I tried using the previous expression which normally works fine, but now seems not to

this was the expression

L = thisLayer;
s = transform.scale.value;
while (L.hasParent){
L = L.parent;
for (i = 0; i < s.length; i++) s[i] *= 100/L.transform.scale.value[i] } s For some reason it seems to be allowing scaling to still occur, when placed next to the above, don't know why. EDD: Ah, it has something to do with the fact that the layer has scale keyframes already aplied, I think I need to add the Value + in to this expression somehow to allow the keyframed scaling to still effect the layer. Coda - musical selections; in film, the ending or last section of a film (often wordless).

[Richie Tovell]

Ahh, yes that’s the chap, so you don’t need to add value + at the begening then? that’s replaced by [value[0],[1] or [2] + temp]?

Coda – musical selections; in film, the ending or last section of a film (often wordless).

[Richie Tovell]

I think it might work, I’m not sure how to set this up though, I’m going to give it a shot now.

Here’s how I’d like to use the expression (more precisely).

Say, layer 1 rotates by 60 degrees I know this is where I roughly want the rotation to finish, the min/max output data from sound keys can be adjusted, so I set it’s output-min to 0, and it’s output-max to 60.

The sound keys output is then linked to the y rotation of the layer, it’s at this point that I need to apply the exponential curve expression (actually at this link)

The expression looks like this:

thisComp.layer(“Dark Gray Solid 2”).effect(“Sound Keys”)(“Output 1”)

Could I incorporate any kind of exponential curve in to this expression, even if it’s a rough (approximate curve) it would help a lot and I could work the shape to the new curves no problem.

Secondly, do I have to use keyframes? this was my initial thought, but I really want to avoid using them if I can, how would I go about this, or are keyframes the best approach?

Sorry, I realise this is a lot of a headache.

EDD: Oh btw, these exponential curves are the solution I found most effective at keeping the shape within the comp bounds, don’t know if you remember that, but it was a problem you helped me with previously, without these exponential curves applied (particularly on the layers scale) the shape over shoots the edges of the comp by twice it’s width at least, I found that they’re about the only way I can keep the shape in the comp window.

Coda – musical selections; in film, the ending or last section of a film (often wordless).

[Richie Tovell]

There’s no sound keys in the project, or footage it’s just shape layers at the moment.

Coda – [i]musical selections; in film, the ending or last section of a film (often wordless).[/i]

[Richie Tovell]

OK I’m updating this with a project, perhaps see it will help.

At it’s simplest, I’m using trapcode sound keys to rotate and scale layers, but the rotation and scaling trapcode creates is constant, ie the layers it controls turn and expand at the same speed all the way through their movement, for example when the audio peak in sound keys hit’s 0-db the rotating layers moves to their furthest points, when the peaks in sound key’s drop to their minimum the rotating layers return to their starting points, all well and good, the problem I have is that I need the rotation to be exponentially scaled (as they are in the project), ie so it will travel at different speeds through out it’s rotation at first starting quickly then decreasing rapidly as if this path was marked out with a bezier graph and sound key’s was just telling the layer how far along this bezier path to move.

If I was using keyframed movement instead of animated movement and sound keys, I could adjust the bezier curve in the keyframes in graph editor to rotate the layer as I liked (As I have here in this rough) but I don’t want to do that, I want to use soundkeys to form this shape, so the rotation of the layer is controlled by soundkeys, not keyframes on the timeline.

This problem has been plaguing me for too many months now, I need any ideas at all.

I though perhaps inserting an expression slider might help me bridg the gap, but I’m getting nowhere. The layers as you will see are parented and rotate/expand exponentially (this is only a rough at this stage and it needs a lot more tweaking to look good) once I’ve figured out a way over this sound key’s linking problem the shape will be pre comped, the idea being that footage and beats can simply then be dropped on to the layers and the footage will distort to this shape.

Here is the project at it’s simplest.

460_shape1.aep.zip

Coda – [i]musical selections; in film, the ending or last section of a film (often wordless).[/i]

[Richie Tovell]

I like your thinking, this may be my only option, though it would be difficult, it might be easier than trying to automate it. I’ve uploaded a project, I think it would help if you saw what I was going for, it’s easier than my explaining, the layers as you will see are parented and rotate/expand exponentially (this is only a rough at this stage and it needs a lot more tweaking to look good) once I’ve figured out a way over this sound key’s linking problem the shape will be pre comped, the idea being that footage and beats can simply then be dropped on to the layers and the footage will distort to this shape.

The problem is as you already know is sound keys/exponential curves, the end result I’m looking for is that as the beat in the comp plays, I want it to effect the layer so this shape (gradually) appears, I could do this as you’ve suggested by manually placing the keyframes, it’s not impossible to do that, but perhaps there would be a more time saving way, I don’t know.

Here is the project at it’s simplest.

460_shape1.aep.zip

Coda – [i]musical selections; in film, the ending or last section of a film (often wordless).[/i]

[Richie Tovell]

eloquently put sir, btw I don’t know if I’m just the odd one out here, but since my latest PC upgrades, I’ve had no problems at all using open GL, My graphics cards do support open GL and quite well it appears, just thought I’d mention it as I know it’s a bit of a gripe of yours Dave, however I have to say I agree with you on all your point’s and it’s obvious open GL causes a great deal of contention with a lot of AE users.

Though I don’t know motion at all, I think I get what your saying, perhaps if I outlined the project a little you might be able to see something by way of a solution that I can’t.

At it’s simplest, I’m using trapcode sound keys to rotate a layer, but the rotation trapcode creates is constant, ie the layer it controls turns at the same speed all the way through it’s rotation, when the audio peak in sound keys hit’s 0db the rotating layer moves to it’s furthest point, when the peaks in sound key’s drop to their minimum the rotating layer retuns to it’s starting point, all well and good, the problem I have is that I need the rotation to be exponentially scaled, ie so it will travel at different speeds through out it’s rotation at first starting slowly then increasing rapidly as if this path was marked out with a bezier graph and sound key’s was just telling the layer how far along this bezier path to move. If I was using keyframed movement instead of animated movement and sound keys, I could adjust the bezier curve in the keyframes in graph editor to rotate the layer as I liked, but I’m not I’m using soundkeys, so the rotation of the layer is controlled by soundkeys, not keyframes on the timeline.

This problem has been plaguing me for too many months now, I need any ideas at all.

I though perhaps inserting an expression slider might help me bridg the gap, but I’m getting nowhere.

Coda – [i]musical selections; in film, the ending or last section of a film (often wordless).[/i]

[Richie Tovell]

Hello, is anybody there? 🙂

Coda – [i]musical selections; in film, the ending or last section of a film (often wordless).[/i]

[Richie Tovell]

It works beautifully.

I’m going to post this once it’s finished, it’s going to be legendary 🙂

Thanks Dan!

Coda – musical selections; in film, the ending or last section of a film (often wordless).

[Richie Tovell]

I think I should let you have a look at the whole comp, I probably should have done that in the first place and asked you the best way to tackle it, sorry.

I’ll strip out all the unnecessary stuff, the plugins and footage etc just leaving all the layers in their place, perhaps it wont need as complex an expression as I thought, but I’d appreciate your thoughts. It will take me a day or so.

I’ve been working towards building a comp based around this shape for months and I have to admit it’s been a real struggle, so your help is much appreciated.

Thanks Dan.

Richie.

Coda – musical selections; in film, the ending or last section of a film (often wordless).