How do I make a music visualizer?

Last updated: August 24, 2026

Make a visualizer by pairing a finished track with picture that belongs to the record, then cutting to the beat. In Cascade: create a campaign, upload the bounce, add footage or cover art, optionally upload a reference video (MP4 or MOV) as a video style, preview, and export MP4. You do not need After Effects for that job.

Before you open Cascade

  • Bounce a clean mix of the beat or song.
  • Collect cover art, session clips, or performance footage you have the rights to use.
  • Optional: save a TikTok, Reel, or Short whose pacing you want to match — not to steal the audio, to show Cascade a layout.
DAW session still — bounce the beat you upload to Cascade

Step-by-step in Cascade

  1. Sign in and open Campaigns.
  2. Start a campaign and upload the audio.
  3. Add video or stills (MP4, MOV, WebM, JPG, PNG, or WebP).
  4. Upload a reference video (MP4 or MOV) if you want Cascade to match its pacing; skip it if you only need beat-sync from your footage.
  5. Preview. Adjust only if the cut is wrong — do not rebuild a timeline from scratch.
  6. Export MP4 when the preview is the clip you would actually post.
Producer footage still used as Cascade campaign visuals

Quality checks before you post

  • Does the first second show the art or the hook, not a black frame?
  • Are cuts on the kick/snare grid, or drifting?
  • Is the frame 9:16 if you are posting Reels, Shorts, or TikTok?
  • Did you export MP4 instead of screen-recording the preview?

FAQ

Create a campaign, upload your beat, add footage or artwork, and optionally upload a reference video file (MP4 or MOV) as a video style. Cascade matches pacing and layout to that style using your assets, then you preview and export an MP4. No footage? Open Portraits, upload the beat, pick a look, and export.

A video style is the best way to get the cut you mean. Without one, Cascade still builds beat-synced edits from your footage. Upload the reference as a video file (MP4 or MOV), for example one you saved from TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts. Pasting a link is not supported. Matching is strongest when the reference has clear cuts.

Yes. You bring the beat, footage, and artwork. Cascade assembles those files into a reel. It does not generate your music or replace your art. You need the rights to everything you upload.

Yes. Finished campaigns export as MP4 (H.264 video with AAC audio), which is what TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts expect. Vertical 9:16 is the default for those placements.

Audio for the beat, video or images for footage and artwork (including MP4, MOV, WebM, JPG, PNG, and WebP on upload), and MP4 on export. Campaigns are vertical 9:16 for Reels, Shorts, and TikTok.

No. You bring the beat, and your footage if you use it. Cascade cuts your clips into ready-to-post reels, or pairs your beat with a Portraits look. It does not replicate or replace your audio or art.

Turn a finished beat into a reel with your own footage.

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