Audio Spectrum effect

Apply the Audio Spectrum effect to a video layer to display the audio spectrum of a layer that contains audio (and optionally video). The effect displays the magnitude of audio levels at frequencies in the range that you define using Start Frequency and End Frequency. This effect can display the audio spectrum in several different ways, including along a mask path.

Jerzy Drozda, Jr. provides a demonstration of the Audio Spectrum effect on the Motionworks website.

Note: Audio Spectrum 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 Spectrum effect.

To prevent other masks on the layer from clipping the output of the Audio Spectrum effect, set their mask modes to None. (See Mask modes.)

This effect works with 8-bpc, 16-bpc, and 32-bpc color.

Original (upper-left), and with effect applied (lower-left and right)

Audio Layer: The audio layer you want to use as input.
Start Point, End Point: Specifies the position at which the spectrum starts or ends if Path is set to None.
Path: The mask path along which to display the audio spectrum.
Use Polar Path: The path starts from a single point and appears as a radial graph.
Start Frequency, End Frequency: The lowest and highest frequencies, in hertz, to display.
Frequency Bands: The number of frequency bands into which to divide displayed frequencies.
Maximum Height: Maximum height, in pixels, of a displayed frequency.
Audio Duration: Duration of audio, in milliseconds, used to calculate the spectrum.
Audio Offset: Time offset in milliseconds used to retrieve the audio.
Thickness: Thickness of the bands.
Softness: How feathered or blurry the bands appear.
Inside Color, Outside Color: Inside and outside colors of the bands.
Blend Overlapping Colors: Specifies that overlapping spectrums are blended.
Hue Interpolation: If the value is greater than 0, the frequencies displayed rotate through the hue color space.
Dynamic Hue Phase: If selected, and the Hue Interpolation is greater than 0, the Start color shifts to the maximum frequency in the range of displayed frequencies. This setting allows the hue to follow the fundamental frequency of the spectrum displayed as it changes.
Color Symmetry: If selected, and the Hue Interpolation is greater than 0, the start and end colors are the same. This setting allows color continuity on closed paths.
Display Options: Specifies whether to display frequency as Digital, Analog Lines, or Analog Dots.
Side Options: Specifies whether to display the spectrum above the path (Side A), below the path (Side B), or both (Side A & B).
Duration Averaging: Specifies that audio frequencies are averaged to reduce randomness.
Composite On Original: If selected, displays the original layer with the effect.