Music visualizers have been around for a while, but right now, they’re catching a new wave of popularity. People use them for podcasts, music videos, and social media posts.

Of course, major market players like Adobe Effects do include an audio spectrum effect, but if you’re only posting visuals once in a while, you may not want to break your piggy bank for the subscription fee. So if you’re looking for a free or affordable tool for creating beautiful audio visualizations, below are 10 programs to help you do just that.

5 Absolutely free music visualizers (no watermark)

Without further ado, let’s start with free music visualizers you can use on your PC or right in the browser.

VSDC

VSDC is a free video editing suite for Windows, but it happens to have a powerful built-in music visualizer. Unlike most tools, VSDC works offline, so you don’t have to rely on your Internet speed and worry about the file size. You can use it to create linear or circular audio spectrums, abstract music visualizations, and anything in-between.

Because it’s a non-linear video editor, its feature set is significantly more versatile than what most dedicated music visualizers offer. For instance, you can visualize an audio that is a part of an uploaded video file. You can also upload an image or a video as a background, and place an audio waveform over it. On top of that, VSDC includes lots of cinematic effects that will come in handy if you’re working on a lyrics video. Such effects include raindrops, various video overlays, side-by-side videos, and more.

Download the latest version of VSDC

VSDC supports all popular audio formats and allows you to upload your projects directly to YouTube. If you’re creating videos for social media, there are special export profiles for Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo, and Instagram that help you save your files using the best parameters for the selected platform.

Read a detailed guide to using VSDC audio visualizer here >>

MusicVid

MusicVid is a popular template-based music visualizer. As you enter their website, you’ll find a gallery of pre-designed templates: circle spectrum, bar visualizer, audio waves, and more. Select any template and click around if you want to test the app without having to start a new visual from scratch.

Depending on the template you’ve selected, you can customize your animation. For instance, if you’ve applied the circle spectrum template, you can adjust the background, spectrum type, color theme, number and size of particles, and other parameters.

The spectrum visualizer seems to be the most versatile template in the MusicVid library because other templates provide fewer settings to play with. However, you can also start an empty project and create your own visualizers. Keep in mind that some templates include an attribution notice and require you to credit the author when you publish your project.

Exporting is very straightforward, although it may take some time while all the elements added to the scene are being rendered. One really convenient feature you’ll notice during the export is the ability to save a fragment of the audio instead of the entire file. It’s a great way to create a short sample, a teaser, or a soundbeat for social media.

Watch the MusicVid tutorial and try it for yourself.

Vizzy

Vizzy is another online music visualizer from the creators of MusicVid. Although this app is still in the Alpha version, Vizzy is rather impressive and definitely worth trying. You can work with animated text objects, spectrums, images, and effects. The most outstanding feature in the Vizzy toolset is called Analyzers. Analyzers allow you to manually control how objects added to the scene react to the music beat.

Unlike MusicVid, Vizzy brings many more cinematic effects you can apply to the visualizer. Some of the most stylish ones include Glitch, VHS, and Fisheye.

Of all tools in this list, Vizzy seems to have the most intuitive interface, although to upload your own files, you’ll have to log into the program using your email. For testing purposes, however, you can open the Creations library and use animations created by others. This is a very user-friendly approach, especially if you’re in the process of comparing tools and don’t want to register on every website. Besides, seeing other creators’ projects can be inspiring!

Headliner

Headliner is an online audio visualizer designed for podcasters. Its newbie-friendly wizard-based interface will walk you through the process of creating a beautiful visual within few minutes. To get started, you can either upload your own track or paste a link to your existing podcast. Next, the app will ask you to select the range for visualization and the output video size. However, the most exciting part starts at the Customization step. This is where you can select the waveform style, add a background image and text. If your muse is taking a vacation, you can just jump to the template gallery and select any pre-designed visual.

Once you’re ready, you can share your video directly on Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, save it to Drive and Dropbox, or download it to your computer in the MP4 format. The paid tiers include extra features like captions, unlimited audio transcriptions, and custom fonts. The free plan allows you to download up to 5 unwatermarked videos per month and produce under 10 minutes of transcription.

Like Vizzy, the Headliner gallery features audio visualizations created by other users. Unlike Vizzy though, the Headliner featured user base includes celebrities and media outlets such as Julie Andrews, The Economist, Smartless magazine, and more. Be sure to check it out if you’re onto finding a new podcast to subscribe to.

View the gallery of videos created in Headliner and try it for yourself.

WoFox

WoFox is a content creation and management platform that boasts dozens of helpful tools including graphic design builder, video maker, and a music visualizer. The app is currently in the Beta version, but it works well albeit the loading speed seems a bit low. The interface of WoFox resembles a slideshow maker: it seems familiar and straightforward. Once you choose a template, you can adjust the text, the color theme, the visualizer type, and the graphics.

Most templates are designed to help musicians promote their songs on social media platforms that don’t support audio formats per se. What makes the templates especially convenient is the ability to quickly change the video type and aspect ratio for the platform where you’re planning to publish it.

The free plan of WoFox generously provides you with an unlimited choice of templates and graphic assets. You can export videos up to 30 seconds and 360 px each without watermarks. Keep in mind that the free version includes built-in ad banners (which are small and unobtrusive) and provides no commercial use rights. To change that, you’ll need to upgrade to one of the paid tiers starting at $10/mo.

Check the WoFox template library and try it for yourself.

5 Paid (although affordable) music visualizers

To be fair, most free tools include virtually everything you’d want to find in the paid ones. However, since some of you may not be willing to put up with the embedded ads, the lack of customer support or customization, we’ve included 5 more music visualizers that come with a price tag, yet remain somewhat affordable.

Renderforest

Renderforest is a popular content creation platform for non-techies who need marketing visuals and have zero design skills. A large part of that content creation toolkit is a video maker that allows you to create explainer videos, animations, presentations, and music visualizations.

The Renderforest interface is a complete no-brainer. For each template in the gallery, there is a set of style variations to help you adjust the look and feel of your animation. Once you’re ready, you can decide whether you want to export your video for free or willing to pay for better quality.

The free version allows you to export 360p videos for up to 3 minutes with a watermark. The upgrade system is very flexible though: you can pay just for a single export, a subscription, an HD quality, or a custom watermark. In other words, Renderforest utilizes the pay-for-what-you-use system and it seems fair, especially if your project is a one-off and you’re hesitant about getting a subscription. The lowest price for exporting a single video without a watermark is $9.

Videobolt

Videobolt is an online video maker with a music visualizer on board. It seems to be tailored more toward music creators, rather than podcasters because most templates in the gallery are designed with music animation in mind.

Videobolt allows you to upload audio from your computer or directly from SoundCloud. When you first open the app, a quick walkthrough window pops up, however, it is seemingly unnecessary. Using the main screen, you can quickly upload your track, the artist info, and the background. For further customization, you can use the options in the left-hand side menu.

Once you select the color theme, the beat frequency, and the effects, you’ll be prompted to produce a 15-second low-quality preview with a (rather huge) watermark to see the result before exporting the entire video. From there, you can either go back to editing or choose a subscription plan to export the video in high quality. Pricing plans start at €7.99/mo which includes up to 6-minute videos, a commercial license, fully licensed music library, lots of stock footage, and cloud storage for your media files. There’s no free plan or trial period.

Songrender

Songrender is like Canva for podcasters. It helps you create simple music visualizers and podcast clips for social media. To get started with this tool, you’ll have to register an account. It does seem a bit of a hurdle, especially given that most tools allow you to run a test drive without signing up. However, from there, the process is smooth and simple.

In the array of black-themed interfaces, Songrender feels like a breather. It loads fast and walks you through every step during the onboarding process which includes 2 screens: you upload your track and the background on the first one, and customize the style of the waveform on the second one. Before rendering your file entirely, you can export a shorter sample just by dragging the handles on the timeline. From there, you can either proceed with a watermark or buy a “credit” for $5 to export 1 video without a watermark. If you’re going to produce music visualizers on a regular basis, there are credit packages and monthly subscriptions available.

Using the free trial plan, you can export as many 720p watermarked videos as you want as long as they’re under 5 minutes. Unlike Videobolt, Songrender allows you to actually save watermarked videos to your computer and publish them online.

Specterr

Specterr is an online music visualizer and a lyrics video maker. This means that in addition to the audio beat visualization, it enables you to add synchronized song lyrics to the scene.

It’s hard to call the Specterr templates somewhat unique, yet it can boast about quite a few customization controls that allow you to turn your music beat into a truly unique video. For instance, one cute detail missing from most music visualizers on the list is the ability to create depth by adding particles to the video.

When finished, you can either save your project in the cloud or export it to your desktop. At this point, you’ll be prompted to sign up and create an account. The price tag for using Specter is higher than what similar tools ask for. The free plan includes 2 watermarked videos per day with a duration of up to 5 minutes. If you want to download a single video without a watermark, you can do it for €11.99 (720p) or €15.99 (1080p). Otherwise, you’ll have to select a subscription plan. For a fee, Specterr offers two options: 4 high-quality videos for €20 per month, or an unlimited number of videos for €60 per month.

OFFEO

OFFEO is a video maker designed for marketers. This app is an official Facebook partner, and it offers tools for creating intros, GIFs, memes, video ads, and other assets. You can very well use it as a music visualizer, too! There’s a dedicated gallery featuring stylish quick-start templates.

If you’re a creator promoting your brand (or your band) on social media, OFFEO seems like a really handy all-in-one platform that comes choke-full of design tools. However, to try it out, you’ll have to register an account and provide your payment info. There is no free plan or commitment-free trial period, which seems to be an outdated practice for SaaS. Although the company does offer a 30-day refund guarantee, it makes it harder to compare apps and make a decision. For those on the fence, there is a private Facebook community where OFFEO users share their projects and insights.

Choose a music visualizer that works for you

As you can see, there’s a wide choice of music visualizers on the market. With this roundup, we’ve just scratched the surface trying to find free or affordable tools for those on the budget. At their core, most apps are nearly the same: they do the job and allow you to create beautiful music videos without being a video editing pro. At the end of the day, your choice will depend on three questions:

• whether you prefer a cloud-based solution or a desktop app;
• whether you want to have full customization freedom or you can make do with a pre-designed template;
• and whether you’re ready to pay for unwatermarked videos or not.

Finally, it’s also important that you like the way the app looks and feels. So go ahead and try a couple of them from our list to find the one that works for you.

The new version of VSDC brings three beautiful animated text effects that enable you to create stylish intros, unique captions, and scene openings. With their help, you can imitate the popular typewriter effect and replicate some legendary video game intro animations (such as the Call of Duty intro, yay!).

In this detailed tutorial, we’ll take a close look at each text effect and show you what happens when you toggle the controls. If you haven’t downloaded VSDC 6.7, it’s about time.

How to apply text effects in VSDC

The text effects are located in a new section of the editing menu. To access it, add a text object to the scene, then make a right mouse-click on it and proceed to Text effects.

The dropdown menu features three effects:

• Recoloring
• Shift position
• Glyph FX

Once you select the desired effect, the Object's position settings window will pop up: it's a confirmation that the effect will be applied to the entire text object starting from the current cursor position. Just click OK if there's nothing you'd like to change about the default position of the effect.

In the next sections, we'll show you how each effect works and what you can achieve by customizing the settings.

Recoloring text effect

The first effect in the list is called Recoloring. It’s designed to animate text through colors and opacity. By default, when you apply this effect, the text symbols simply appear on the screen, one by one (going from being completely transparent to being fully visible).

On the timeline, the effect layer will be titled TextRecoloring. You can access it by double-clicking on the text layer at any time. To open the effect settings, make a right mouse-click on TextRecoloring and select Properties. The Properties window will slide in from the right-hand side.

There are two groups of settings available in the Properties window: Common settings and Recoloring text effect settings. The former group of settings allows you to rename the effect layer, set the moment of its appearance and the duration of the effect — in seconds or in frames. The latter group of settings contains effect controls and allows you to customize it.

Most controls in the second group will be available for all the effects. Let's take a look at these controls and see what they mean.

Effect direction

There are two options available for this control: Fade-in and Fade-out. If you choose Fade-in, the text will appear on the screen letter by letter. If you choose Fade-out, the entire text will be displayed at first; then it will start disappearing letter by letter.

Processing order

This parameter defines in which order the letters start appearing or disappearing.

You can choose from three options:

• From first glyph to last — letters appear or disappear in direct sequence
• From last glyph to first — letters appear or disappear in the opposite order
• Random order — letters appear or disappear randomly

Glyph drawing time

To make things clearer, in this context, a "glyph" is a symbol or a letter. The parameter titled Glyph drawing time controls the time required for a symbol to fully appear on the screen or disappear from the screen.

If you set Glyph drawing time anywhere higher than 0%, symbols will gradually transition from being transparent to fully visible. The higher the value is, the more gradual the appearance will be. At 0, symbols will be just popping up (or instantly disappearing from the screen if you selected Fade-out earlier).

Wondering how VSDC calculates drawing time for each symbol?

To calculate the drawing time for each symbol, divide the effect duration by the number of text symbols. Thus, if the duration of the effect is 10 seconds, and there are 10 text symbols, each symbol will take 1 second to fully appear. In this case, 1 second equals to 100%. If you decide that symbols should appear faster, simply decrease the drawing time. Keep in mind that even though the symbols will be drawn faster, the pace will remain the same: one symbol per second.

Apply to glyph/contour/background

The following three controls are named "Apply to glyph", "Apply to contour", and "Apply to background". They’re available for the Recoloring effect only. These parameters allow you to adjust the color animation for the symbols, their contour, and their background.

By default, each of these parameters has Alpha transformation activated. This means, everything, including text symbols, contour, and their background switch from being transparent to being fully visible — as illustrated above.

If you select Color transformation instead, the text will be displayed entirely, however, symbols will start changing color one by one.

The original color will be the one you've selected in the Properties window, and the final color will be the one you selected at the beginning when you created the text object using the editing menu at the top.

Color and alpha transformation means that the symbols will be appearing (or disappearing) and changing their color simultaneously. The colors change in the following order: first goes the color selected in the Properties windows, then it changes to the color selected earlier in the text editing menu.

To deactivate the animation of the symbols, their contour, or background, select the Do not apply option.

Apply to all glyphs

In some scenarios, you might need to apply the Recoloring effect to selected symbols only. To do this, you need the Apply to all glyphs control. When activated, it applies the effect to all symbols; when deactivated, it allows you to choose which symbols you want to animate.

For example, you can specify which symbol the effect should start from and how many symbols it should be applied to.

Ignore CR/LF

If you've used Enter to create a two-line piece of text, you have two options: to apply the effect to both lines using the same pace or to pause the effect before moving to the second line. To achieve the former, activate Ignore CR/LF (switch it to True); to achieve the latter, leave it deactivated.

Sync effects

Suppose you’ve applied more than one effect to the text, and you want symbols to change color and rotate at the same time. In this case, you should synchronize the effects, so that all of them will be applied to the same symbols simultaneously. To achieve that, make sure to set the Random processing order and activate the Sync effects option. If you leave it deactivated, each effect will be applied to different symbols randomly.

Keep in mind that these two controls are common for all text effects in VSDC, and because you already know how they work, we won’t be reviewing them in the following sections.

Shift position text effect

The Shift position text effect is designed to make symbols slide in one by one from the selected area on the screen to the text placeholder. On the timeline, this effect appears as TextShiftPosition.

To open the settings, make a right mouse-click on the effect layer and select Properties. On the right-hand side, you’ll find Text shift effect settings that include all the controls you need to adjust the text animation. Let’s review these controls in detail.

Effect direction

Following the same logic we described earlier, this parameter allows you to set the movement direction. If you select Fade-in, the text will be appearing on the screen, symbol by symbol. If you select Fade-out, the text will be disappearing from the screen, symbol by symbol.

Processing order

This parameter defines in which order the letters start appearing or disappearing.

Again, you can choose from three options:

• From first glyph to last — letters appear or disappear following a direct order
• From last glyph to first — letters appear or disappear following a reversed order
• Random order — letters appear or disappear randomly         

Glyph drawing time

For this effect, the Glyph drawing time means the time required for each symbol to move from its initial position to its final position — or the other way around, depending on which direction you've selected. The higher its value, the more gradual the movement will be.

Initial glyph position

This parameter allows you to set the initial point from where the text symbols will be moving to their final spots.

There are three options available:

• Constant shift — symbols appear one by one at a 45-degree angle from a fixed distance. While you can change the angle, the distance will remain the same.
• Outside text object — symbols along with the background color appear one by one from outside of the text placeholder. The position of the symbols changes based on the Distance value. At 100%, the symbols are right outside of the text placeholder. However, the lower the value is, the closer the symbols to their final point.
• Custom point — symbols appear from the point on the screen you select manually.

For the position you select, you can adjust three parameters: Angle change per glyph, Angle and Distance.

Angle change per glyph — this parameter changes the movement angle of each subsequent symbol. Suppose, the Angle change is 30 degrees while the initial Angle is 10 degrees. This will mean that the first symbol will appear at a 10-degree angle, the following symbol will appear at a 40-degree angle (10+30); the third symbol will appear at a 70-degree angle (40 + 30), and so on.

Angle sets the initial angle at which the symbols move toward their final point. Keep in mind that if the Angle change per glyph equals zero, this parameter sets the angle for the entire movement duration.

Distance sets the distance between the initial location and the final location of a symbol.

Note: you can change the Initial and the Final values for all three parameters which means the values at the beginning and at the end of the effect can be different.

Glyph FX text effect

The Glyph FX effect is designed to make symbols appear or disappear through a more complex animation such as zoom or rotation. Once you apply this effect, on the timeline, it will appear as TextGlyphFX.

To customize the animation, open the Properties window and scroll to Glyph FX text effect settings. Let’s review the controls available there.

Effect direction

This parameter allows you to set the order of text animation. If you select Fade-in, the text will be appearing on the screen, symbol by symbol. If you select Fade-out, the text will be disappearing from the screen, symbol by symbol.

Processing order

This parameter defines in which order the letters start appearing or disappearing.

You can choose from three options:

• From first glyph to last — letters appear or disappear following a direct order
• From last glyph to first — letters appear or disappear following a reversed order
• Random order — letters appear or disappear randomly

Glyph drawing time

The Glyph drawing time is the time required for each symbol to appear or disappear from the screen, depending on which effect direction you've selected. The higher its value, the more gradual the animation will be.

Transformation type

Transformation types dictate the way text symbols appear or disappear from the screen. There are three options you can choose from:

• Zoom — when symbols appear, they grow in size; when they disappear, they shrink
• Skew — symbols appear on the screen under a selected angle, and disappear in the opposite manner
• Rotate — symbols are all visible at once, however, they rotate one by one at the chosen angle

Once you select the transformation type, additional controls become available, so that you can customize the animation. Let’s see what these controls are.

Zoom

This animation name is quite self-explanatory. What you can control here is the scale at which the symbols grow or decrease in size. Specifically, you can adjust the X/Y scale settings that define the initial and the final size of the symbols.

Notice that by default, both scales have the following values: 0;100%. This means that the symbols switch from being completely invisible (0%) to their full size (100%). If you wish to change the size of symbols at the beginning or at the end of the animation, simply expand the axis scale settings and adjust the Initial value or the Final value accordingly.

In addition to the X/Y scale settings, you can specify from which point the symbol appears (or where it disappears) using the Center X/Y controls. To understand how they work, imagine each symbol has its own cell. The Center X/Y parameters define which part of the cell the symbol should appear from. For instance, if both parameters equal to 0%, symbols will appear from the bottom left corner. If both parameters equal to 100%, symbols will appear from the top right corner.

Skew

This animation type includes both angle and rotation movement applied to the text. If you select it, the following parameters become available: Angle X/Y and Center X/Y.

Angle X/Y controls define the symbol skew angle about the axis. Center X/Y controls allow you to select the location within the symbol cell to which the symbols are attached while moving.

Rotate

The rotation settings are similar to the settings available for other animation types. You can select the rotation angle and Center X/Y values.

In this case, the Center X/Y values define the location within the symbol cell around which the symbols rotate. Thus, if both the Center X and Center Y equal to 0% (illustrated below), symbols will be rotating around the bottom left corner. If both parameters equal to 100%, symbols will rotate around the top right corner, and so on.

Get inspired with new animated text effects

The new animated text effects are versatile enough for you to visualize virtually any text intro idea you may have in mind. Need some inspiration? Watch our video tutorial on the typewriter effect and try to replicate it by yourself.

Starting version 6.7, VSDC has received two new transition effects: Paper burn and Flow transformation. In this tutorial, we're going to show you how Flow transformation works.

Once applied, it distorts the image and gradually makes it disappear or dissolve into the next scene. Now, the tricky part is that the distortion pattern is always unique because it's based on the image you apply the effect to. You can, however, significantly customize the pattern to achieve the desired distortion look: from a skewed image to an object falling into a million pieces.

Check out this Star Trek transporter imitation we created using the Flow transformation effect:

In this guide, we'll show you how Flow transformation works and which settings you should be looking at to achieve the desired effect. If you haven’t downloaded VSDC 6.7, do it here.

How to add Flow transformation effect to the video

To get started, import your footage (or a photo) to VSDC and open the Video effects menu. Find Transitions and select Flow transformation. In the Object’s position settings window, click OK.

Now that the transition effect is on the timeline, you can move it, change its duration and the distortion pattern.

How to adjust Flow transformation effect

Make a double-click on the main file to get to the transition layer: FlowTransform1. Then make a right mouse-click on the transition and select Properties. The Properties window will slide in from the right-hand side.

In the Properties window, you'll see three groups of settings: Common settings, Adjustment effect settings, and Flow transformation effect settings. We'll take a close look at each group below.

Common settings allow you to change the name of the effect layer, set the exact moment of its appearance and duration – by seconds or by frames.

Adjustment effect settings allow you to set the level of transparency for the effect. This means that the effect can be fully opaque or semi-transparent throughout the entire transition, or change its transparency level dynamically.

The latter is achieved through the parameters called Initial value and Final value. The initial value defines the level of transparency for the beginning of the transition; the final value defines the level of transparency for the end of the transition.

For example, if we set the Initial value at 100% (absolutely non-transparent) and the Final value at 10% (almost transparent), the transition will look as follows:

Flow transformation effect settings include distortion pattern controls, templates, time inversion settings, and other customization parameters. Let's review each parameter one by one.

Template

Templates define the way the distortion looks. There are 4 types of templates available in the dropdown menu – Fractal in, Fractal out, Drops in, Drops out – and each of them has three variations.

It's best if you go through the templates one by one to see how they modify the effect for your video.

Time inversion

By default, the flow transformation transition distorts the original image until it becomes unrecognizable. If you activate the Time inversion parameter, the transformation goes the opposite way: the image gets restored from its distorted state.

Image

If you want to modify the distortion, you can upload an image containing the desired pattern. When you do that, the distortion algorithm will follow the pattern on the image. Without an image, the distortion will look like a chaotic, random process.

For instance, depending on the template you select, some pattern variations will be already available in the Image dropdown menu. Here are the examples of distortion based on different images:

Keep in mind that you can scale the uploaded image up and down using the parameter called Scale. Initially, Scale defines the size of the image on the screen. Therefore, the smaller its value is, the more tiny pattern copies there will be on the screen.

If you want the number of copies to change gradually during the playback, you can use the Initial value and the Final value. The former defines the scale factor at the beginning of the effect; the latter defines the scale factor at the end of the effect.

Distortion factor

The distortion factor sets the distortion intensity. The higher its value is, the stronger and faster the distortion process will go. In certain scenarios, it makes sense to change the intensity of distortion within time. To do that, use the Initial value and the Final value parameters.

Fade-in

By default, the image starts being distorted from the beginning of the effect. However, if you set the distortion factor high, that will mean instant image distortion from the beginning of the transition. To avoid severe contrast, we recommend activating the Fade-in option. With it, the distortion process will start more gradually and increase within time.

Fade-out

The fade-out parameter applies gradual distortion disappearance. Notice: if you activate it, the Start offset option becomes available, too and allows you to decide when the fading-out process should start. For instance, if you type 50%, the distortion will start fading out halfway through the effect.

Pattern width/height

These parameters allow you to change the height and the width of the distortion pattern. By default, they both are equal to 1. However, as you increase the values, you’ll start seeing the difference.

Transparent edges

The last parameter in the menu is called Transparent edges. When activated, it makes the most distorted parts of the image gradually disappear.

Apply the new transition effect with VSDC 6.7

To try the new effect, download the latest version of VSDC from our official website.

If you have any questions, feel free to send us an email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or DM us on Facebook. Remember to subscribe to our YouTube channel for weekly video tutorials. Stay tuned!

The new version of VSDC Pro includes the long-awaited Paper burn effect. It serves as an impressive transition, especially when you apply it to a still image. The best part about this effect is that it’s very versatile. For example, by changing the main template of the effect, you can achieve the illusion of freezing.

In addition, you can fully control the “flame”, its size, movement speed, burn hole size, and other parameters. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to apply this transition and how to customize it to your needs.

How to add Paper burn transition in VSDC

To get started, import your footage (or a photo) to VSDC and open the Video effects menu. Find Transitions and select Paper burn. In the Object’s position settings window, click OK.

Now that the transition effect is on the timeline, you can move it, change its duration and appearance.

How to adjust Paper burn transition effect

Make a double-click on the main file to get to the transition layer: Paperburn 1. Then make a right mouse-click on the transition and select Properties. The Properties window will slide in from the right-hand side.

There are three groups of settings for the Paper burn effect: Common settings, Adjustment effect settings, and Paper burn effect settings. We'll take a close look at each group below.

Common settings allow you to change the name of the effect layer, set the exact moment of its appearance and duration – by seconds or by frames.

Adjustment effect settings allow you to set the level of transparency for the effect. This means that the effect can be fully opaque or semi-transparent throughout the entire transition or change dynamically.

The dynamic change of transparency is set through the parameters called Initial value and Final value. The former defines the level of transparency for the beginning of the transition; the latter defines the level of transparency for the end of the transition.

For example, if we set the Initial value at 100% (absolutely non-transparent) and the Final value at 10% (almost transparent), the transition will look as follows:

Paper burn effect settings allow you to correct the colors of the flame, its brightness, the size of the burn holes, and other parameters. To have a clear picture of how it works, let's review each parameter one by one.

Template

By default, this effect produces the illusion of burning paper, however, as an alternative, you can select the freezing effect. To decide where on the screen the flame or the freezing process should start, use the options in the Template menu.

Image

By default, the Paper burn effect looks like a blank burning piece of paper. However, you can upload an image, and in this case, instead of a blank piece of paper, there will be a burning image.

Below is the difference between the former and the latter:

Hole size

As the burning process continues, the scene gradually gets covered with burn holes. You can set their size for the beginning and the end of the transition by using the Initial value and the Final value. The higher the value, the bigger the burn holes will be.

Granularity

It's up to you how detailed the edges of the holes will look. To explore the possible degree of detail, you can use the Granularity control. The higher the Granularity value is, the more complex and random the shape of the holes will be. The lower the value, the plainer the holes and the smoothers their edges will be.

Color

The Color parameter defines the color of the outer zone of the flame. Keep in mind, you'll be able to select the color for both the outer and the inner zones to make the effect more realistic.

Intensity

Intensity sets the flame size, and you can change its value during the video playback. For instance, this is how the result may vary if you drastically change the Intensity value at 10% and its Final value at 100%.

Brightness

Similarly to the flame intensity, you can control its brightness and change it over time. This is what the transition will look like if you set the Brightness initial value at 10% and its Final value at 100%.

Color shift

The Color shift parameter allows for shifting the edge of the flame further from the burn holes. The higher its value, the further the edge of the flame will be from the edge of the holes. Like most parameters, this one can be set dynamically through the change of the Initial and Final values.

Keep in mind that you can adjust this parameter for both the inner and outer flame zones.

Time shift before effect appearance (%)

This is a parameter designed to delay or speed up the appearance of the effect in the scene. You can assign a positive or a negative value to it. If you set a negative value, say -50, noticeable burning will start halfway to the end of the transition. If you set a positive value, say, 50, then by the beginning of the transition, half of the image will be burnt already.

Effect speed boost (%)

If you want to speed up the effect, use this parameter. The higher its value, the faster the burning process will be. You can also increase or decrease the effect speed dynamically using the Initial and Final values.

Inner zone color and Inner zone brightness

These parameters allow you to choose the desired color and brightness level for the inner zone of the flame.

Opacity (inner zone)

If you want no inner flame zone in the picture, set the Opacity value at 0. In this case, the flame will take the main color you set previously. If you want the inner flame zone to be bright and solid, set its opacity value at 100. Anything in between will change the look of the flame accordingly.

Blending method

If you're using an uploaded image to create the Page burn effect, you have two ways to blend the flame and the image. The first one is called Plus; the second one is called Overlay. This is what they look like:

Direction

Apart from the size and the speed of the flame, you can also change its direction. There are 8 options you can choose from:

1. left to right
2. right to left
3. top to bottom
4. bottom to top
5. left top corner to the right bottom corner
6. right top corner to the left bottom corner
7. bottom left corner to the top right corner
8. bottom right corner to the top left corner

Time inversion

By switching this parameter from False to True, you can reverse the page burn effect and create the illusion of a burnt page being restored.

Fade-in

Finally, if you want to make the effect appear more gradually, you can apply the Fade-in option.

Download VSDC 6.7 and try the new transition effect

Along with the Paper burn transition effect, VSDC 6.7 brings the Flow transformation effect, a few text object effects, and an optimized timeline. Make sure to download it from our official website, and if you have any questions, feel free to email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.