Show Audio Frequency Spectrum in Kdenlive

This article provides a quick, step-by-step guide on how to enable and view both the audio frequency spectrum analyzer and the timeline audio waveform simultaneously in Kdenlive. By configuring these dual visualization tools, you can analyze your audio levels and frequency distribution in real-time as you edit your video projects.

Step 1: Enable Audio Waveforms on the Timeline

To see the audio waveform directly on your timeline tracks:

1. Navigate to the timeline at the bottom of the Kdenlive interface.
2. Right-click on the header of any audio track (or a video track that contains audio).
3. Ensure that Show Audio Waveform is checked in the context menu.
4. To make the waveform easier to read, hover your mouse over the bottom border of the track header and drag downward to increase the track height.

Step 2: Open the Audio Spectrum Analyzer

To display the real-time frequency spectrum widget:

1. Go to the top menu bar and click on View.
2. Navigate to the Docking submenu (in some Kdenlive versions, this is listed directly under the main View menu).
3. Click on Audio Spectrum to enable the panel.

Step 3: Position the Spectrum Panel

Kdenlive features a modular, dockable interface. You can position the frequency spectrum right next to your timeline waveform for easy monitoring:

1. Click and hold the tab or title bar of the Audio Spectrum window.
2. Drag the panel toward the bottom of the screen near your timeline.
3. Release the mouse button when the blue layout guide highlights the area directly next to or above your timeline.
4. Press the spacebar to play your project. The timeline waveform will scroll horizontally while the Audio Spectrum window displays the real-time frequency distribution of your audio.