Guide on creating AVS presets

here's something to try
I sent these replies to someone else who asked for similar information. You might want to print this out, so you can have a printed copy to study (I learned with printed copies. On-screen copies just didn't work for me.)

Website to try
http://www.winamp.com/nsdn/wvs/;$sessionid$NSWUK2AAALCQC5YAAAARCYY

Try clicking on the different links (under WVS) and in the pages that pop up when you click the different links under WVS & just following those guidelines. Hope it helps. The Winamp AVS forum works a lot better if you ask specific questions, like what does the ___________ Render do, or what does the _____________ Trans do, etc. It's just a start, but I hope it helps. It takes forever to type up instructions for _everything_ in AVS, so nobody really wants to do it (or can do it-because the possibilities in AVS are infinite, so there would be no end to the explaining. I've been working with winamp for about 2 years-even though I am a newbie to the forums.

Okay-I'm going to paste some lessons I've made to get you used to making AVS files & hopefully that explain a little bit about them. First off, you know how to make Winamp playlists & how to use normal features in Winamp, right? For AVS to work, you need to be playing MP3s so it will have something to work with.

Start up the WINAMP Advanced Visualization Studio. Once it's started, double click on the AVS screen area. This should make the AVS editor pop up. Click on Preset, New. You screen should stop the action in the AVS window area. The text (like in Part 1, 2 & 3) were e-mails I sent to a person I'm teaching to make AVS files using equations for our math project-so you'll see some comments saying I'll address other issues in later e-mails-Just ignore those-I just wanted to put a new post with just copied text from the old e-mails. Now, For part one: (to use the custom color picker, there should be two main selectors-one in a large box with a rainbow of colors in it- and another to the right with a thin box of different brightnesses & darknesses of the current color. To select the main color, click in the large rectangle on the color you like. Then, in the thin rectangle, drag the slider to the desired brightness. That's how to pick colors) You should currently be in the AVS editor. Whenever I say click, that means you should be looking for something on your screen (don't try and type things like +) As I was saying:

Lesson 1:

Click on the +. You should see a number of things pop up (if any of the things I say that should happen don't happen on your computer at any point in the instructions, just e-mail me)-such as Presets, Render APE, Misc., Trans, Render, & Effect List. The - button simply removes whatever effect that you have selected that you had previously added. x2 simply creates a duplicate of the effect selected so you can easily duplicate and then slightly modify an equation for the more advanced effects. As I was saying-click on: +, Trans, Fadeout. You should see no difference in the black screen yet. For this effect, under "Fade velocity," move the slider to about the same spot above the "e" in the word none. This should be about half of the previous value. Next, add (by clicking on the plus) the render "simple" (click +, render, simple). Now, under "Main, click on the Fadeout "Trans" (Trans/Fadeout) and experiment by moving the slider to different spots and see how it affects the render. Congratulations! You've made your first preset.

This preset seems rather dull, doesn't it? Well, let's spiff it up a little (please "tinker" with your preset-it's the best way to learn what things do. If you don't like something you added, just select it and click -

Now click on Simple (again, look below "main, for the simple render, which should look like render/simple). Try clicking on the different things like Spectrum, oscilliscope, and stuff like that. See what happens. Now, let's add some color. Under Colors, change the value of the number of colors to cycle from 1 to 3. Imagine the long black bar and the white bar being divided into three equal parts. Click on the first part (white) and select a color of your choice (let's try a nice yellow). Then in the next part (it should be black,click and then select a different color (let's say, blue). Finally, click on the last remaining black section and chang it to another nice color (let's say, red). Next, let's add (by clicking +) another Trans. Let's try colorfade. Check the boxes for on beat change and on beat randomize. You might not like what this does, and that's fine. If you don't like it, you can click -, but if you want to, it's kind of interesting to tinker with it before deleting it. Let's add another trans effect. Let's add the movement trans. By default, winamp will select slight fuzzify (remember-to modify one of your effects, just click on it (below "Main"). For this effect, let's try the other ones-(for now, don't use "user defined.") We'll get into that later (another e-mail). Let's add another render. Let's add the render "Dot fountain." Under "bottom" change the color to a nice yellow. Try tinkering with rotation and angle. Try adding or changing other things on your own, but keep in mind the more things you have going, it will gradually just get slower and slower (the visualization's movement will get slower, that is)-not to mention-so will your screen!

All AVS files need to have a render to run. Trans helps-and fadeout helps to clear them.

Lesson 2:

For this, we will add a special type of render - Render APE. We will also utilize some new types of Trans and 1 to 3 new types of Render

Assuming that you saved the last plugin you made (if not-I'm sure you'll want to save it now-name it something like my first plugin or if you have a short description that you like the name of better, that's great too), in the editor (Winamp AVS editor) click Presets & then click New. Your last plugin should appear to freeze, but that's just because you don't have a new one to replace it.

Click +, Render APE (note-this isn't the same as Render-this is a whole different sub-menu that pops up when you click +), FyrewurX. For this first fireworks (I'll spell it normally most of the time) effect, let's use the default color-which should be a dark blue. Next, add the Trans: "Blur." Make sure Medium Blur is selected. Next, add another Trans: "Water" (just fyi: It goes crazy if you add two water trans effects-try it-but delete the second one after you've had your good laugh over it. Try adding three. Next try adding four-wonder why it doesn't seem to do much more? Because that's the maximum distortion water allows-but for this effect delete all but one please! Ha ha. I just now discovered that trick myself!)

Next, add the Render: Starfield. slide the slider so it's right above the "w" in the word "slow." For the next slider, slide it so it's just a little before the M in more. Enable on beat speed changes-have the first slider for on beat speed changes be right above the s in slower. (of course-tinker with the effect to your heart's content-that's what AVS is all about). But to duplicate my effect (you don't even need to duplicate-you can change it to whatever you want! That makes it technically your own creation you could copyright if you wanted to-but virtually nobody except the experts actually do this), -as I was saying-to duplicate my effect, for the second slider for on beat speed changes, put it right above the r in longer. This is one of the funnest-yes...funnest-not "most fun," but funnest (I'm being funny-not grammatically correct) slider in the starfield to fiddle with in my opinion. I always though the Fireworks looked cool with a water & blur effect. Let's add another fyrewurx-remember-it's under the menu Render APE. Let's make this one's color yellow (by clicking on the colored box & picking a nice yellow color). Let's add another fireworks effect, but use the x2 effect and then change the color to a nice red. Let's duplicate the red fireworks by clicking x2, and change the new fireworks effect's color to a regular, medium blue. The fireworks go off whenever there's a spike in the music, which it interprets as a beat (the fireworks effect & most of the other ones use either the actual sound wave or just are activated by the beat).

Let's add a new type of Render: moving particle. BTW: Do you know how to use the custom color selector? You click on the basic color you like best in the multi-color rectangle, and then there should be an up & down slider to the right of the rainbow of color area. This has lighter colors at the top and darker at the bottom. Adjust the darkness of the base color you picked to your liking, and voila! Let's make this moving particle a lighter blue than the medium blue you used earlier was. I like relatively small "particles," so let's leave the moving particle under the default setting (tinker with it, though, but get it back to about the same size it was originally-if you like it bigger-then make it as big as you like-it's you who's making this plugin, right?) Make sure on beat sizechange is enabled. Tinker with this slider & see how much of a difference it makes, but for this effect, I prefer it to be about the default or a little bigger, but not so big it takes up a good portion of the screen. BTW: In case you didn't notice-AVS runs smoother when the AVS window is smaller. Back to the moving particle...Experiment with different things, but you've basically got this particular moving particle made. Let's duplicate the current moving particle by clicking x2. Let's make this one yellow. Let's move the distance from center to about the same spot as the c in distance (guess what I'm going to say...about experimenting) Let's leave everything else pretty much the same in this moving particle. BTW: Notice when you use additive that it makes the color of the moving particle lighter, but for replace it's closer to what you selected.

Now let's add the Render: Ring. Let's make the size of this ring be about 1/4 of the way between the s in small and the e in large of the slider. See what the difference is between spectrum and oscilliscope. For this render, I'm using spectrum. I have it using the "Left Channel." To the right of the channel, you should see something that says left, center, right-this is the position of the effect on the screen. For the postion, I'm using "right." Try using more colors this time, and you can have changing patterns of colors (you may have yellow, blue, same yellow, red, purple, different yellow, green, different blue, etc). I'm using 8 colors in this render.

Let's add another ring from scratch, by clicking (clicking + is assumed) Render, Ring. Make the size of this ring be equal to 1/2 of the distance from one side of the slider to the other. For this render, let's use an oscilliscope. Let's make this one be "Right Channel" (for what channel to use), and "Left" ( for position on the screen). Let's make this ring have one fewer colors than your other render to make an ever changing combinations of colors. Use different colors this time (you can use yellow where you had a red, a blue where you had a green, and a dark red where you had a light blue, etc).

The plugin is starting to take shape, isn't it?

Let's add a new type of trans. Add the Trans: Color Clip. For my color clip, I used "below," but try different ones after you select the colors. you should see two color boxes separated by an arrow that looks like ->. For the first color (one to the left of the arrow) get as close of a match in color to a certain color you use (preferably use two or more times) in one or more of your Renders/Render APEs - get it as close you can without having to spend a lot of time perfecting it (it should take no more than 1 minute)-just so long as it's pretty close. For the second color, try to pick one that's pretty close to another color in one of your renders-but a little different from that color (In mine-I used that fireworks dark blue for the first color and for the second I did that medium standard blue).

Let's add another Color Clip Trans. For this one's first color, let's make it be a commonly used color-let's say a nice yellow like the ones you used most often in your renders. For the second color, make it a nice medium orange (slightly on the lighter side-but pretty clos to a medium). Let's add a third Color Clip Trans. For this one's first color, let's make it a nice red (like one of the reds you used often in your other renders. For the second color, let's make a yellow like the one you used for your first color in the second color clip you added. Now your color clips effects should be ready. First save your plugin, and then tinker with the colors in the color clips-and the other settings! When you're ready for your plugin to be the way it was, just click Presets, Load (without saving your changes), and select whatever you named this plugin.

Now, let's add another type of Render. Add the Render: On Beat Clear. This render is unique because it can be annoying, but if used correctly, to some people it seems pretty cool & interesting. Everybody has their own opinion of everything, though. For your first On Beat Clear render, make sure the scroll thing is all the way to the left, and use your right keyboard arrow key to add 9 beats to the 0 value it was on previously. (Basically, click your right arrow key nine times). Under the color setting for this render, pick a color on your own. (In mine I use red, but you can use gray, black, purple, yellow, blue, green, etc.) For my effect, I enable "Blend to color." Try tinkering with the N beats & see how it affects the plugin.

Now add from scratch another On Beat Clear (+, render, on beat clear). For this one (under N beats), I use 13 beats). Also try tinkering with the N beats on this one. Now pick a different color than the last on beat clear you did. (I use a medium blue) For this effect, I also have Blend to color enabled, but you can do whatever you want (I strongly encourage trying different things & seeing what they do-& if you don't like them, change them back to the way I have them).

Guess that's all for now. Now's a good time to save your new plugin with a name that includes something to the extent of color clip-lesson 2. Now try tinkering with the plugin you made.

Lesson 3:

Make sure the last plugin you created from scratch (along the same lines as my directions) is saved.

For this plugin you'll want to create a new plugin (while in the Winamp AVS editor-the thing with the +, -, and x2 & stuff like that) by clicking on Presets, New.

Next, add an Effect List by clicking on +, and then clicking on Effect List. Although effect lists seem relatively useless at first, they can do things that you couldn't otherwise do for more advanced plugins. Now that you have your effect list added, if it isn't selected, click on it. Selecting it adds the new things you say to add under the effect list. Just for your information: to add files outside of the effect box, click on Main (but we won't be doing this-not yet anyway). Let's only modify one effect setting. Make sure the enabled on beat change thing is checked. For the number of frames, pick some # under 10.

Next, we want to add a dot fountain. With the effect list selected, click +, Render, Dot Fountain. Make the rotation so it's not in the center of the slider. Make it be somewhere to the left or right of the center.
For the angle sider, make the angle be somewhere between 1/4 and all the way to the left. For this particular render, let's leave the colors the way they are by default.

Next, let's add a movement. To do this, click +, Trans, Movement. Make sure bilinear filtering is checked, and in the box of possible movements (like: slight fuzzify, shift rotate left, big swirl out, etc.), click on "tunneling." Next, try clicking on the other different checkboxes (like Source Map, Wrap, Blend, Bilinear filtering). Notice especially what source map does-there's three modes of checked-entirely checked, what I like to call semi-checked (where it looks like sort of a ghost checkmark), and unchecked. Notice what the different ones do & select the ones you like best-but you may want to change them as you add more things-also just for fun try disabling bilinear filtering & trying different combintations of checks for the other boxes.

Next, let's add a blur. To do this, click on +, Trans, Blur. I'm using a heavy blur, but you can do whatever you want, as long as it isn't No Blur (obviously, we want some sort of blur effect)

Next, let's add the Render named Simple. And to do this, click on +, Render, Simple. (my commas represent the slight delay until the next set of possible things to click on pop up). For this render, I consider the oscilliscope option madatory (meaning it's required-and the only thing I thought was needed for the plugin to turn out somewhat similar to what it's supposed to without flooding the screen with too much color). Try clicking on Lines, Solid, and the Dots option and seeing which you like best. I thought that solid was kind of interesting especially later on in this preset. Colors for this effect seem to look better if they have a lot of contrast (a lot of contrast would be from a medium blue to a yellow-an example of little contrast would be a light blue to a very slightly darker blue). The Effect Options (Left channel, right channel, or center channel; and Top, bottom, or center (these three are positions on the screen)- they are for you to decide which to use. Pick a number under 10, and type it in for the # of colors. Then pick your colors (remember to try to make them have contrast-like you could have one be a yellow, the next be an orange, and then a red, next a purple, then a blue, green, red, orange, light purple, dark blue).

Next, insert another Simple render (by clicking +, render, simple). For this one, however, let's make it a spectrum (under render effect) You can pick whichever one you'd like out of Lines, Solid, or Dots-but I strongly don't recommend that you use solid on both of the simple effects- especially since this one's a spectrum, in my opinion, having a solid puts out waaaaay too much color & drowns out the cooler parts of the effect of the preset. Once again, the rest of the options are up to you-but be sure to pick colors preferably with at least some contrast-as before.

Next, let's add something from the Misc category called Set render mode. It doesn't seem to do much in this particular effect, but I consider it necessary to learn how to put these in a preset because it will be quite useful in later, more advanced effects. Under the Set Blend Mode, try out the different options (such as Replace, Additive, Maximum Blend, and all the others). You do this by clicking once in the area that should currently say "Replace." Then a list of possible options should pop up. Move your mouse pointer over the one you'd like to pick and then click the mouse button again. That's how you select different options. -notice that with Adjustable Blend-there's a slider to adjust how it blends certain parts of the preset. Pick whichever one you like best. For now, leave the line width pixel thing alone.

Next, add an effect called a Roto Blitter. To add this effect, click +, Trans, Roto Blitter. Make sure both On beat change (under Zoom) and On Beat Reversal (under Rotation) are enabled. After both of those things are checked, try tinkering with the sliders in different combinations. Note: Under zoom-my favorite types of combinations are from between the far left part of the slider to a part just a little after the M in zoom, and for the second slider, I like the slider to be about the same spot as the M in zooming. For rotation, I like a slight rotation (meaning anything except neutral-meaning no rotation). Under On Beat Reversal, you'll have to experiment and pick which one you like best (BTW: it isn't being prejudiced having favorites when they all look good-just pick whichever one adds to the mood you're trying to set with your plugin. If you aren't sure, just pick any one that you think looks cool).

Next, add a Dot Plane (a dot plane is a render). To do this, click on +, Render, Dot Plane. For this one, I'm leaving all the colors and settings up to you.

Now, before you go any farther, save your newest plugin as a unique name that describes it.

Now's a great time to go back & fine tune your different options-such as the one for set render mode-Try different options especially look at things like additive, etc. for the set render mode thing.

That's the end of the lessons up to this point. Hope they're of some help. Hope you didn't mind having comments that don't always apply to you. Just a start, though. I figured attaching something I already made is better than nothing.