Simple Audio Spectrum in Adobe After Effects

Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Simple Audio Spectrum:

Step 1: Setting Up the Composition

1. Open Adobe After Effects.
2. Go to Composition and create a new composition.
3. Rename it to “Audio Spectrum” (or your preferred name).
4. Set the resolution to 1920×1080 Pixels, frame rate to 30 frames per second, and duration to 25 to 30 seconds.

Step 2: Importing Files

1. Go to the File Menu.
2. Import the audio file and the background image.
3. Drag the background image to the composition.
4. In the Project tab, drag the audio file to the composition.

Step 3: Adding the Audio Spectrum Effect

1. Go to Layer > New > Solid.
2. Rename it to “Audio Spectrum” (or your preferred name).
3. Go to Effects & Presets.
4. Search for the “Audio Spectrum” effect.
5. Drag and drop the effect onto the “Audio Spectrum” solid layer.

Step 4: Adjusting Audio Spectrum Settings

1. Open the Audio Spectrum effect settings.
2. Change the Audio Layer to your music or audio file.
3. Adjust the Start Point to 350, 540, and the End Point to 1550, 540.
4. Set the Start Frequency to 1 and the End Frequency to 300.
5. Increase Frequency Bands to 35.
6. Set Maximum Height to 1550, Audio Duration to 100.
7. Change Thickness to 8 and Softness to 0%.
8. Set Inside and Outside Colors to white.

Step 5: Adding Visual Effects to the Audio Spectrum

1. You can modify the Side options to Side A, Side B, or Both Sides.
2. Search for the “Minimax” effect in Effects & Presets.
3. Drag and drop the effect onto the “Audio Spectrum” layer.
4. Change the Channel to Alpha & Color and set the Radius to 8.
5. Reduce Maximum Height to 1450 to create a visual effect.

Step 6: Applying Additional Effects

1. Search for the “Venetian Blinds” effect in Effects & Presets.
2. Drag and drop the effect onto the “Audio Spectrum” layer.
3. Change Transition Completion to 30%.
4. Set the Direction to +90 degrees.
5. Adjust the Width to 16 to enhance the visual appearance.

Step 7: Adding Track Name and Timer

1. Copy the track name from your audio file.
2. Select the Type Tool from the toolbar and paste the track name.
3. Use the Type Tool again to create a track duration timer.
4. Note: The timer might not work properly without a script.

Step 8: Adding Timer Script

1. Download the script file (link provided at the bottom of the tutorial).
2. In the text properties, under the text, hold the Alt key on the keyboard.
3. Click the stopwatch icon to add an expression.
4. Paste the downloaded script into the expression field.

Congratulations! You have successfully created an Audio Spectrum Animation in Adobe After Effects.