Answers.Body: <p>The following command shows a video with a waveform of the corresponding audio:</p>
  
  <pre><code>ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -filter_complex "[0:a]showwaves=s=1280x720,format=yuv420p[vid]" -map "[vid]" -map 0:a -codec:v libx264 -crf 18 -preset fast -codec:a aac -strict -2 -b:a 192k output.mp4
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I replaced avectorscope with showwaves: avectorscope is for showing the difference between stereo pairs.
  Try showcqt,showfreqs,showspectrum for other visualization effects.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-01-14T21:43:52.853Z
Answers.Text: Thanks a lot. Do you know any way to change the background from black to a custom color?
Answers.UserDisplayName: Arete
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-01-14T23:52:13.027Z
Answers.Text: @Arete For what effect, specifically? Some, or at least showfreqs, already have alpha and you just need to overlay it over a color source. Otherwise you could try format filter and colorkey or chromakey filters.
Answers.UserDisplayName: llogan
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-01-14T21:29:11.613Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-01-14T21:29:11.613Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Thingy
Body: <p>I would like to "convert" audio to video visualisation (oscilloscope or waveform) sort of like some media players have. </p>
  
  <p>I read this thread on how to do so with ffmpeg: <a href="https://video.stackexchange.com/q/9644">How do I turn audio into video (that is, show the waveforms in a video)?</a></p>
  
  <p>I have never used ffmpeg before and having read the previous thread I am still very confused with how to do it. As far as I know, ffmpeg does not have a GUI, so its a bit hard to understand. </p>
  
  <p>I tried the following code:</p>
  
  <pre><code>ffmpeg -i audio.mp3 -filter_complex "[0:a]avectorscope=s=1080x1080,format=yuv420p[vid]" -map "[vid]" -map 0:a -codec:v libx264 -crf 18 -preset fast -codec:a aac -strict -2 -b:a 192k output.mp4
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>But the result i get is just a vertical line (the avectorscope does not spread out).</p>
  
  <p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/eaO6O.png" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/eaO6O.png" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>
  
  <p>I have made sure that the audio is in stereo and has a high amplitude. I guess there is something I am missing in the code...</p>
  
  <p>Also I would really like to know how I can change the background color from black to something custom.</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2016-01-12T05:26:25.763Z
Comments.Text: Have you used a shell or, on Windows, the command line?
Comments.UserDisplayName: Gyan
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2016-01-12T22:16:35.080Z
Comments.Text: Can you provide your input file?
Comments.UserDisplayName: llogan
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2016-01-14T00:38:02.577Z
Comments.Text: Not really because the content is private. It is a stereo MP3 file at 320kbps in 44.1 Hz
Comments.UserDisplayName: Arete
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2020-12-08T19:56:44.727Z
Comments.Text: Related: https://superuser.com/questions/843774/create-a-video-file-from-an-audio-file-and-add-visualizations-from-audio
Comments.UserDisplayName: Ciro Santilli OurBigBook.com
Tags: <ffmpeg><video-editor><audio>
Title: ffmpeg audio to visualisation
UserDisplayName: Arete
ThreadText: # ffmpeg audio to visualisation
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2016-01-12)
  
  I would like to "convert" audio to video visualisation (oscilloscope or waveform) sort of like some media players have.
  
  I read this thread on how to do so with ffmpeg: [How do I turn audio into video (that is, show the waveforms in a video)?](https://video.stackexchange.com/q/9644)
  
  I have never used ffmpeg before and having read the previous thread I am still very confused with how to do it. As far as I know, ffmpeg does not have a GUI, so its a bit hard to understand.
  
  I tried the following code:
  
  ```
  ffmpeg -i audio.mp3 -filter_complex "[0:a]avectorscope=s=1080x1080,format=yuv420p[vid]" -map "[vid]" -map 0:a -codec:v libx264 -crf 18 -preset fast -codec:a aac -strict -2 -b:a 192k output.mp4
  
  ```
  
  But the result i get is just a vertical line (the avectorscope does not spread out).
  
  [![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/eaO6O.png)](https://i.sstatic.net/eaO6O.png)
  
  I have made sure that the audio is in stereo and has a high amplitude. I guess there is something I am missing in the code...
  
  Also I would really like to know how I can change the background color from black to something custom.
  
  **Tags:** ffmpeg, video-editor, audio
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: Have you used a shell or, on Windows, the command line?  
  > **username_2**: Can you provide your input file?  
  > **username_0**: Not really because the content is private. It is a stereo MP3 file at 320kbps in 44.1 Hz  
  > **username_3**: Related: https://superuser.com/questions/843774/create-a-video-file-from-an-audio-file-and-add-visualizations-from-audio  
  
  ---
  
  ## 1 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_4 on 2016-01-14. Score: 3 | Accepted answer
  
  The following command shows a video with a waveform of the corresponding audio:
  
  ```
  ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -filter_complex "[0:a]showwaves=s=1280x720,format=yuv420p[vid]" -map "[vid]" -map 0:a -codec:v libx264 -crf 18 -preset fast -codec:a aac -strict -2 -b:a 192k output.mp4
  
  ```
  
  I replaced avectorscope with showwaves: avectorscope is for showing the difference between stereo pairs.
  Try showcqt,showfreqs,showspectrum for other visualization effects.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: Thanks a lot. Do you know any way to change the background from black to a custom color?  
  > **username_2**: @username_0 For what effect, specifically? Some, or at least showfreqs, already have alpha and you just need to overlay it over a color source. Otherwise you could try format filter and colorkey or chromakey filters.  
  
  ---
  
  