How do I open audio waves in After Effects?

To open and view audio waveforms in After Effects, you need to import your audio file into a composition and then reveal the waveform display.

Steps to Display Audio Waveforms

Here's a breakdown of how to accomplish this:

Import Audio: Drag your desired audio file (e.g., dialogue, music, or sound effects) into your After Effects project panel. Then, drag the audio file from the project panel into the composition timeline. This makes it an audio layer.
Reveal Waveform: With the audio layer selected in the timeline, press the "L" key twice quickly (this is sometimes referred to as "LL"). This action will display the waveform of the audio track within your composition timeline, according to the provided reference.

Once visible, waveforms offer a visual representation of audio levels.

Visualizing Audio: This visual helps sync animations with the audio.
Editing Points: You can easily find peaks or beat points for editing.
Effect Application: Waveforms are also useful when applying effects that react to sound, making your animations dynamic.

Action	Description
Import Audio	Drag audio file into the Project panel then into your composition.
Show Waveform	Select the audio layer and press "L" twice (LL).
Use Waveform	Useful for syncing, editing and audio reactive effects.

By following these simple steps, you can easily view and use audio waveforms to enhance your video editing workflow in After Effects.