<p><strong>Simple.</strong> Get the waveform of your audio file (You could screenshot the audio file in a sound editor to do this).
Animate it moving sideways.</p>

<p><strong>Less simple:</strong> Bring the audio into your comp. Right click the audio layer and chose <strong>Animation Assistant>Convert audio to keyframes</strong></p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/IdBxP.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/IdBxP.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>Now use the keyframes to drive the scale, rotation, position etc of some elements of your comp. E.G. you could add a solid and apply this to the scale property:</p>

<pre><code>[value[0], value[1]*thisComp.layer("Audio Amplitude").effect("Both Channels")("Slider")]
</code></pre>

<p>That will multiply the vertical scale of the solid by the amplitude of the audio (both channels).</p>

<p>If you make an array of layers like the one above you can offset the time at which they read the audio level. You can use the <code>valueAtTime()</code> function to use each solid layer's <code>index</code> (the layer number) to add a two frame delay to each successive layer like this (two or more frames looks better than one frame, because a one-frame delay makes it look like you used method 1):</p>

<pre><code>[value[0], value[1]*thisComp.layer("Audio Amplitude").effect("Both Channels")("Slider").valueAtTime(time + index*thisComp.frameDuration)]
</code></pre>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Pro tip</strong>: easily make a horizontal array of your solid layers by using this on the position property:
  <code>[index*width*1.2 - width/2, thisComp.height/2]</code>
  that will line up the layers horizontally with a small gap between each one. Remove the <code>*1.2</code> bit to align them next to each other. Apply that expression to one layer and just keep duplicating till you've filled your screen.</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Here's an example which I've pre-comped with an adjustment layer over the top to give graduated colour to the bars:</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/sl9RN.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/sl9RN.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>also, turn on motion blur, it'll look a lot betterer.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-14T16:42:39.330Z
But wont I need tons of layers then?

Anyways, cool idea. Thank you! :)
CrazyQwert
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-14T20:05:40.460Z
Yes,  (or you could use a shape layer with lots of shapes) . But by using the expressions the layers can be generated by duplicating the first layer repeatedly.
stib
CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-08T06:41:52.067Z
2016-02-08T06:41:52.067Z
stib
<p>The Trapcode Sound Keys plugin can do this quickly and easily. 
<a href="http://www.redgiant.com/products/trapcode-sound-keys/" rel="nofollow">http://www.redgiant.com/products/trapcode-sound-keys/</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-07T09:58:53.920Z
2016-02-07T09:58:53.920Z
tomh
<p>I was wondering how does one create a sliding waveform in After Effects? I know how to do a static one (since there is a simple effect for it) but I have no idea how to do a progressing one that slides from one side of the screen to the other one for as long as the audiotrack lasts.</p>

<p>Thanks in advance!</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2016-02-05T12:41:56.177Z
related: http://video.stackexchange.com/questions/9644/how-do-i-turn-audio-into-video-that-is-show-the-waveforms-in-a-video
p2or
<after-effects><audio><visual-effects>
After Effects: How to create a sliding waveform
CrazyQwert
# After Effects: How to create a sliding waveform

(Asked by: username_0 on 2016-02-05)

I was wondering how does one create a sliding waveform in After Effects? I know how to do a static one (since there is a simple effect for it) but I have no idea how to do a progressing one that slides from one side of the screen to the other one for as long as the audiotrack lasts.

Thanks in advance!

**Tags:** after-effects, audio, visual-effects

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: related: http://video.stackexchange.com/questions/9644/how-do-i-turn-audio-into-video-that-is-show-the-waveforms-in-a-video  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2016-02-08. Score: 2

Simple. Get the waveform of your audio file (You could screenshot the audio file in a sound editor to do this).
Animate it moving sideways.
Less simple: Bring the audio into your comp. Right click the audio layer and chose Animation Assistant>Convert audio to keyframes

Now use the keyframes to drive the scale, rotation, position etc of some elements of your comp. E.G. you could add a solid and apply this to the scale property:
[value[0], value[1]*thisComp.layer("Audio Amplitude").effect("Both Channels")("Slider")]

That will multiply the vertical scale of the solid by the amplitude of the audio (both channels).
If you make an array of layers like the one above you can offset the time at which they read the audio level. You can use the valueAtTime() function to use each solid layer's index (the layer number) to add a two frame delay to each successive layer like this (two or more frames looks better than one frame, because a one-frame delay makes it look like you used method 1):
[value[0], value[1]*thisComp.layer("Audio Amplitude").effect("Both Channels")("Slider").valueAtTime(time + index*thisComp.frameDuration)]


Pro tip: easily make a horizontal array of your solid layers by using this on the position property:
  [index*width*1.2 - width/2, thisComp.height/2]
  that will line up the layers horizontally with a small gap between each one. Remove the *1.2 bit to align them next to each other. Apply that expression to one layer and just keep duplicating till you've filled your screen.

Here's an example which I've pre-comped with an adjustment layer over the top to give graduated colour to the bars:

also, turn on motion blur, it'll look a lot betterer.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: But wont I need tons of layers then?  Anyways, cool idea. Thank you! :)  
> **username_2**: Yes,  (or you could use a shape layer with lots of shapes) . But by using the expressions the layers can be generated by duplicating the first layer repeatedly.  

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### Answer by username_3 on 2016-02-07. Score: -2

The Trapcode Sound Keys plugin can do this quickly and easily.
<http://www.redgiant.com/products/trapcode-sound-keys/>


---

