Hi, I would like to do some editing in After Effects. I want to have clips pop up and change position to the beat of a song but in AE, it seems that you cant listen to sound at real time unless you render a section of the movie. This doesn't seem to be practical since I want to edit to sound and therefore need my sound at the time of editing and before rendering. Does anyone have a tip as to how to edit to sound in AE? Also are there any good tutorials about editing to sound?

This isn't your total answer, let me warn you...

You can do it using keyframes (un-numbered, if I remember right). Since rendering is an issue, perhaps you can hide the render tracks, and keyframe to the beat. You insert your keyframes in real time while listening to the track, then use those keyframes to apply the effects.

I have seen the effect applied in a tutorial, but as of yet... I haven't done it.

I warned you this wouldn't be your total answer!

Thanks...sounds good to me.

I presume you do know that AE isn't meant for editing, right?
Ofcourse it can be used for that, but that is not its primary thing!
Don't forget that. That is why they have Premier. AE is primary
for effects, matting, color grading etc.... Just a quick reminder.

Yeah, I know...but I really would like to use some of those effects in concert with sound.

Well... there are ways to do that... first thing you need to do is
edit.... then effects and other post work like color timing.

1. edit in premiere to sound/music/whatever
2. open the project file in AE and continue with effects (yes, that
works -> except it doesn't take any fades/wipes etc. over)
-or-
2. export your movie to preferably a lossless compression or
UNCOMPRESSED avi... no quality loss
3. do you work in AE and export to your final format...

done.

Thanks for the help. I try it this way before but was turned off because of the fades not carrying over. I think I'll continue this way anyway. Thanks!