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Let me start out by saying that this is not a real audio spectrum analyzer - this is a fake meter that's just for the visuals.

This is a super easy way to create this effect using a cool font and the new text capabilities in AE 6. I'll also show you a super simple method to create the brushed metal look of iTunes in AE. (On a side note, after coming up with this project a couple of days ago, I came across a new plug-in for iTunes which is an LED Spectrum Analyzer.)

Note: TCBars font is a free font for Combustion users, but hey, it's good for us too! If you're having problems downloading, try right clicking the link(Windows) or control-clicking the link (Mac) and downloading it.

Instructions

Moving Audio Levels with Color

1. Install your font and start AE.
2. Create a new comp. I made mine 320x240, 30fps, 5 seconds, so for the sake of this tutorial, I'll be referring to those settings. My background color is black. I called it "Final Comp".
3. Using the type tool, type 0-9 randomly on one line using the TC-3bars font. The font only uses numbers and each number represents a setting of levels. I used "04916372825". My font size is 151px and the color is white. Move the text so it's in the middle of the screen.
4. Twirl down the arrow under Text to reveal the settings. In the switches/Modes area, there is a thing called Animate. Use the arrow to find "Character Offset". Animator 1 will appear under the layer name.
5. We're going to apply an expression to the Character Offset which will randomly go through the numbers in our font. Here is the expression.
   

   Random(0,9)

   
6. 
   
   Picture 2
   
   Use the rectangular mask tool to reveal just 8 bars of levels. It should look like this (see picture 2). Watch it go! Isn't that cool!
7. Now time for adding the color. I simply created 3 solids - red and yellow (both 320x15) and green (320x75). The object is to have the highest hits of levels in red, the second highest in yellow and the rest in green.
   
   Just line the solids up underneath the levels. When you get the colors lined up, as in the sample below, select all of the color solids and precompose into a comp called "colors".
   
8. Set the TrkMat of the colors layer to "Alpha Matte" of your numbers. The numbers layer should still be directly above the colors layer. You should be able to see the color through your levels.
9. When you preview your animation, you might notice that it plays really fast - too fast for my taste, anyway. An easy way to fix this is to add Posterize Time. I also want to add a bit of glow to the display.
   
   Let's create an adjustment layer called "Posterize Time + Glow" and put take care of both issues at once. First, apply Posterize Time (Effects > Time > Posterize Time). I set it to 15 fps, but you can set it to whatever you like.
   
   Apply the glow filter (effect > stylize > glow). I changed the threshold and the intensity, but just set it to something that pleases you.

Brushed Metal Interface

This is a simulation of the brushed metal used in iTunes and other programs. This could be done in Photoshop too.

1. Create a new comp. I made mine 320x240, 30fps, 5 seconds. I called it "brushed metal".
2. Create a new solid. I made mine "steel" color and it's 320x240 (fills the comp). Apply Noise HLS (effect > noise > noise HLS). I set the noise to squared because it's the finest grain. Lightness: 33%. You don't want to keyframe anything because you don't want your finish to move.
   Picture 4
3. Apply Fast Blur on top of the noise. Blurriness: 10, Blur Dimensions: Horizontal.
4. Close this comp and open "Final Comp". Drag the brushed metal comp into the final comp.
5. On the brushed metal layer, use the rectangular mask tool to reveal only the area where your audio levels show (see picture 4). Hit the M key to reveal the mask attributes. Under Modes, set the mode to Subtract to reverse the mask.
6. To make the metal a bit more realistic, I added two lights - an ambient and a spot. To do this you have to turn on 3D for the brushed metal layer. Set the light settings to your liking.