BPMTool - All in one CH toolset for After Effects

[pl3b]

Over the last few months I've developed a tool in form of an After Effects script that allows for speeding up various tedious parts of making a CH. It also helps a lot with improving the quality of the videos, especially when it comes to beat accuracy and consistent look of the beat meter.


Features:
- Adding markers based on BPM of the song
- Auto-arranging layers based on BPM
- Beatmeter generation

1. Adding markers based on BPM of the song
It's quite common to see CHs where the video and audio are out of sync. This comes in many shapes and forms: scenes don't change when the beat happens, beats or song don't align with the beat meter etc. While this tool doesn't fully automate the process, it takes away a great deal of hand-measuring. In particular, it allows to add markers (normally added with the "*" shortcut on your numpad) to any layer in your composition. They look like this:


The markers are based on the entered song BPM and the wanted space between them - you can add markers every 16, 8, 4 etc. beats of the song. Once done, you can hold down [Shift] while moving cursor which will cause it to snap to them, allowing you to place your layers with frame-perfect accuracy. Assuming the first marker is properly aligned with the first beat and entered BPM is correct, all the other markers will also be perfect.

2. Auto-arranging layers based on BPM
This is an extension of the feature above. After entering BPM and space between beats you can automatically align your layers like so:


Each layer starts at its own starting point which you trim using any method you want such as splitting layers, setting start time (shortcut: Alt+[) etc. The duration is based on entered BPM and N. You select the layers in desired order and let the script do the work - they are put one after another in order you've selected them with no overlaps or gaps guaranteed.

3. Beatmeter generation
This is the feature that probably most people will be interested in. The tool can create beatmeters that look like this:


I've given a brief description how to achieve this effect by hand in this thread:
viewtopic.php?f=25&t=19961
This method, while giving very clean looking results, is quite time consuming to set up manually every time you create a new beat meter. This tool automates the whole process.

Adjustable parameters are:
- Middle beat layer,
- Small beat layer,
- Audio threshold that is considered a beat. This can be auto-detected,
- Speed at which the beats move,
- How much the middle beat indicator pulses (how big it becomes) with every beat,
- Beat meter dimensions,
- Whether small beats disappear in the middle of the composition or continue all the way to the left.

The provided beat audio can be created using any tool you prefer: Ableton, Audacity or similar. The audio format can be anything After Effects can read.

A sample the beat meter looks like can be found in Cock Hero - Satisfaction. Currently active link: https://spankbang.com/5zdf4/video/cock+ ... tisfaction. If the link dies, you can generally find another reupload quite easily.

A quick tutorial explaining how to add this script permanently to your AE and how to use its functions can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xaKIhncfME.

The script itself can be found here: https://mega.nz/#!js9ARSwa!JEOaW-ZVUFTN ... QXC0hlSfmA

I'm releasing this tool to the public to make creating videos a bit easier and less time consuming. I hope this will encourage some to start making their own CHs. We haven't seen many being released lately.

So far I've been using this tool exclusively for myself. This means that there are probably some bugs I'm not aware of, likely because I didn't think someone can use it in some way. If you see it acting strangely, feel free to inform me. If you have any suggestions how it could be improved, I'll be glad to hear your feedback - so far I've been coming up with the features alone of what I thought would make my life easier.

Known issues:
- The script is able to save previously entered values, which helps a bit every time you open After Effects. If the script is installed as a separate window ("Scripts" directory) it'll save the settings automatically every time you close the window or exit AE. However, if you install it as a dockable window ("ScriptUI Panels" directory), it won't save it upon closing in some versions of AE. To save your settings in this case, there are buttons for that at the bottom of the panel.

[barebone123]

Sweet, thanks! I will check this out soon!

[book_guy]

3. Beatmeter generation
This is the feature that probably most people will be interested in. The tool can create beatmeters that look like this:

So long as Tori Black is in the beat-meter, it will look awesome. Good work!

[mathison]

Wow.
This is just amazing.

I've made only one CH video and i remember how frustrating was at some stages on the process.

First: the generation of beats sound. I used a tool that analyzes the song and give me only the BPM numer and then, with that number, i have to create the beats using another software. Then (once i have the beats) export it to Audacity and make it match with the song.

Second: The beatmeter. I made it using the beats sound's spectrum analysis made by After Effects. Obviously, that give me the classic (and awful) beatmeter graphic.

You just simplyfied the process in an incredible way.
I've not tested this tool yet, but surely i will do it at any moment.

Thanks for this amazing job and for sharing it.

[Huston]

Amazing work. Gonna try it on my project.

[barebone123]

Just following up on this. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!! This is brilliant and works fabulously!

Expect to see it in use soon. :)

[pl3b]

Just following up on this. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!! This is brilliant and works fabulously!

Expect to see it in use soon. :)

Glad you like it. If you have any suggestions for changes or improvements or new features, feel free to post. :)

[CH Hero]

Just a thought here... Since you can modify the beat sound for a clap, pulse, etc... based on wav file, would it be possible for the BPM tool to generate 2 beat tracks? One track would be embedded with the video, while the other exported to a separate mp3/wav file.

Why you ask? Well... exporting a twinned beat track for estim would be an amazing addition

Another potential add-on would be for a fleshlight launch script generatorto match the beat track. This type of interface would be a bit more tricky since you would be using a graphic analysis of beats to generate the script, but the benefits would be amazing for those talented individuals creating these amazing CH vids.

Just imagine a CH vid release that already included custom beat tracks, with custom beat bar mechanics, with estim files AND fleshlight launch scripts all in the same cut?

The ability to extract the beat track from existing CH vids would also be really cool but problematic for identifying the correct extraction sounds however it would then allow the generation of the additional tracks mentioned here for estim and fleshlight launch more efficiently and swiftly.

You are doing great work with this project so I thought I would put these suggestions forward to see if they are practical and potentially really knock the socks off it

[pl3b]

Just a thought here... Since you can modify the beat sound for a clap, pulse, etc... based on wav file, would it be possible for the BPM tool to generate 2 beat tracks? One track would be embedded with the video, while the other exported to a separate mp3/wav file.

The thing is, this tool currently doesn't generate the beat patterns themselves - you still need to create them in a separate program (Audacity, Ableton or similar). It creates a beat meter by looking at the audio samples of the beat-only track.

It certainly would be possible to create the beat audio track with this tool (one or more, mix it with music, export Launch script, generate text tips when the beat changes etc.), I see an issue with inputting the beat patterns though - user interface for it in particular. I though about it, as initially that's what I thought this tool would be like - enter BPM and beat patterns, mark start of the song and press "generate", which gives you meter fade in, fade out, text tips, audio beats for video, estim beats, beatmeter, markers where the video should change. However I still don't see how to make the "enter beat patterns" step easy enough that would allow to speed up the process of creating audio beats, rather than slowing it down compared to using external tools such as Audacity.

Having said that, if there's anybody that can come up with a "usable" way of entering beat patterns into this tool using UI controls that can be seen in AE (buttons, sliders, text input fields etc.), it'll be greatly appreciated. If it's good, I'll likely go for it and implement it, I just don't see the way myself now.

[barebone123]

Just a thought here... Since you can modify the beat sound for a clap, pulse, etc... based on wav file, would it be possible for the BPM tool to generate 2 beat tracks? One track would be embedded with the video, while the other exported to a separate mp3/wav file.

The thing is, this tool currently doesn't generate the beat patterns themselves - you still need to create them in a separate program (Audacity, Ableton or similar). It creates a beat meter by looking at the audio samples of the beat-only track.

It certainly would be possible to create the beat audio track with this tool (one or more, mix it with music, export Launch script, generate text tips when the beat changes etc.), I see an issue with inputting the beat patterns though - user interface for it in particular. I though about it, as initially that's what I thought this tool would be like - enter BPM and beat patterns, mark start of the song and press "generate", which gives you meter fade in, fade out, text tips, audio beats for video, estim beats, beatmeter, markers where the video should change. However I still don't see how to make the "enter beat patterns" step easy enough that would allow to speed up the process of creating audio beats, rather than slowing it down compared to using external tools such as Audacity.

Having said that, if there's anybody that can come up with a "usable" way of entering beat patterns into this tool using UI controls that can be seen in AE (buttons, sliders, text input fields etc.), it'll be greatly appreciated. If it's good, I'll likely go for it and implement it, I just don't see the way myself now.

The way I make beat audio files is pretty easy as is. I have a library of beat audio files of different patterns at different tempos. Once I determine the tempo of a song, I pull the desired audio file into my video editor and drop them inline with the video, align them precisely to the music (for which its waveform often plainly displays the beats) and export the beat audio file (for use in AE). I'm not sure how to make it much simpler than that. I generally follow musical notes/measures when making beat patterns, so they align easily with music. Software to determine tempo, select which beat library to use might help, but I still need to decide which sequence to use (balance of what sounds best for the piece of music combined with previous and upcoming beat patterns for best 'playability'). This tool for my purposes and workflow is perfect. :)

That said, I can see folks wanting to expand on it for their own uses, but man I'm loving it.

Update: I am generating a 26 minute long beat file and about half way through AE is grinding to a major slowdown. No memory errors and CPU use isn't over the top. I'm guessing this process isn't the most code-efficient. :)

[pl3b]

Update: I am generating a 26 minute long beat file and about half way through AE is grinding to a major slowdown. No memory errors and CPU use isn't over the top. I'm guessing this process isn't the most code-efficient. :)

Does it slow down on the part where it says it analyzes the track (window popup) or after that? I can't think of a reason my code would cause it, all it really does is going through the track samples converted do keyframes that AE creates. If it's the AE function that's causes issues I might have to think about a workaround.

[barebone123]

Update: I am generating a 26 minute long beat file and about half way through AE is grinding to a major slowdown. No memory errors and CPU use isn't over the top. I'm guessing this process isn't the most code-efficient. :)

Does it slow down on the part where it says it analyzes the track (window popup) or after that? I can't think of a reason my code would cause it, all it really does is going through the track samples converted do keyframes that AE creates. If it's the AE function that's causes issues I might have to think about a workaround.

Your script is fine in and of itself. The problem is during rendering and rendering what your script output. It's still running so I can't look at the innards of what is being rendered at the moment. Do you create a bajillion layers or do something that would create a nested loop or something that needs to be untangled during rendering? It goes fine for the first 50% (fine meaning 1:1 ratio of render time to duration which has been typical on my system to now taking over an hour to do 5 minutes.

[barebone123]

Update: I am generating a 26 minute long beat file and about half way through AE is grinding to a major slowdown. No memory errors and CPU use isn't over the top. I'm guessing this process isn't the most code-efficient. :)

Does it slow down on the part where it says it analyzes the track (window popup) or after that? I can't think of a reason my code would cause it, all it really does is going through the track samples converted do keyframes that AE creates. If it's the AE function that's causes issues I might have to think about a workaround.

I am finding a case where I have everything set up in the AE file, macro configured (or so I think), then hit 'go' and nothing happens. If I do the exact same steps with a different audio file it works again fine. Same image files, the beat audio is a shorter version of the longer one that never finishes rendering (goes on and on for hours). The only difference, aside from the beat file being half the size is that it's a WAV file instead of MP3. But not sure why that would matter, I can convert the WAV to keyframes within AE just fine.

bb

[pl3b]

Ok I'll take a look at it when I have some time.

[pl3b]

I'm having trouble replicating your issue. I've created a 27:19 wave file with beats (275MB in size) and ran it through the tool. It took slightly longer to process, but nothing tragic. Here's my results: https://youtu.be/E26Nyeywzfc

I use AE CC 2015, version 13.7.1.6.