Animating with the Channel Editor > Animation > Editing Keyframes >
Simplifying the Number of Keyframes

You can change the number of keyframes in your animation curve or in a group of keyframes. Using the Simplify function, the peaks and valleys in the selection are analysed and keyframes are generated with a duration between them as specified in the Curve Value field. A large value such as 20 or 30 decreases the number of keyframes between peaks and valleys, whereas a small value such as 1 or 2 increases the number of keyframes. The ideal simplify value varies between animation curves.

For example, the following figure shows an animation curve created using the Stabilizer. Simplify is applied with a value of 20. In sections where the slope of the curve is fairly constant in one direction, keyframes are removed between the peaks and valleys. You can adjust the simplified animation curve more easily because there are fewer keyframes to modify.

(a) The Y curve before applying Simplify has a keyframe at each frame

(a) The Y curve after applying Simplify with a simplification value of 20.

To simplify a channel or a group of keyframes:

1. Select a channel or group of keyframes.
2. From the Curve Functions box in the Keyframe tab, select Simplify.
3. In the Curve Value field, enter a simplification value.

   Use a large number to simplify the curve or group of keyframes. Use a small number to increase the number of keyframes. The value in the Curve Value field produced by the drag returns to zero after release.