Adobe AFTER EFFECTS CS3 PROFESSIONAL User Manual page 427

AFTER EFFECTS CS3 421
User Guide
Audio Waveform effect
Apply the Audio Waveform effect to a video layer to display the audio waveform amplitude of an audio layer. You
can display the audio waveform in a number of different ways, including along an open or closed mask path.
Note: Audio Waveform uses the audio source footage without time-remapping, effects, stretch, or levels. To display the
spectrum with such effects, precompose the audio layer before applying the Audio Waveform effect.
This effect works with 8-bpc, 16-bpc, and 32-bpc color.
Original (top left), and with effect applied (bottom left and right)
The audio layer you want to display as a waveform.
Audio Layer
The position at which the waveform starts and ends, if Path is set to None.
Start Point, End Point
If set to None, the audio waveform is displayed along the path of the layer.
Path
Number of samples to display in the waveform.
Displayed Samples
Maximum height, in pixels, of a displayed frequency.
Maximum Height
Duration of audio, in milliseconds, used to calculate the waveform.
Audio Duration
Time offset, in milliseconds, used to retrieve the audio.
Audio Offset
The thickness of the waveform.
Thickness
How feathered or blurry the waveform appears.
Softness
The inside and outside colors of the waveform.
Inside Color, Outside Color
Mono combines the left and right channels of the audio layer. Nonstereo audio layers play as Mono.
Waveform Options
Digital displays each sample as a single vertical line connecting the minimum and maximum
Display Options
source sample. This option simulates the display used on digital equipment. Analog Lines displays each sample as a
line connecting the previous and next sample from either the minimum or maximum audio source sample. This
option simulates the retrace seen in the display of an analog oscilloscope. Analog Dots displays each sample as a dot
representing either the minimum or maximum audio source sample.
Beam effect
The Beam effect simulates the movement of a beam, such as a laser beam. You can make the beam shoot, or you can
create a wandlike beam with stationary start and end points. The beam looks best when motion blur is enabled and
the shutter angle is set to 360.