User manual

210
Automation
About the five automation modes (Cubase only)
When recording automation, you can choose one of five
automation modes (available on the Project window tool-
bar):
• When Touch Fader mode is selected, the program
starts writing the automation as soon as you click the con-
trol and stops writing when you release the mouse button.
If you are overwriting existing automation, the Automation Return Time
setting (next to the automation mode pop-up menu) determines how fast
the automated parameter returns to its original automated value when
you release the mouse button.
• When Autolatch mode is selected, the program starts
writing the automation as soon as you click the control
and stops writing when you stop playback or turn off the
Write function.
The last automation value will be continuously written until you stop or
turn off Write. This is useful if you want to overwrite a long section of pre-
vious automation, and also when you are recording automation from a re-
mote device (because there is no way for the program to know when you
“release” the control). However, make sure you only touch the desired
control(s) when recording automation in Autolatch mode – and remem-
ber to stop playback when you’re done!
• X-Over mode works like Autolatch mode, but with one
difference: As soon as you “cross” any existing (previous)
automation curve, the writing is automatically turned off.
• Overwrite mode affects volume automation only. It
works like Autolatch mode, with one significant difference:
the program starts writing the automation as soon as you
start playback, and stops writing when you turn off Write.
This means that automation will be written continuously from the moment
you start playback until you turn off Write – even if you don’t touch any
controls. This is useful if you want to have a “clean slate” and redo previ-
ous volume automation.
• Trim mode is useful for volume automation only. It off-
sets the volume automation curve without overwriting any
previous volume automation, letting you adjust the volume
for already existing automation.
In Trim mode, the channel’s volume fader in the mixer is initially posi-
tioned in the exact middle position, regardless of any existing volume au-
tomation. By raising the fader relative to the middle position, you offset
the volume curve upwards. By lowering the fader, you offset the volume
curve downwards. In Trim mode, the program starts writing the automa-
tion as soon as you click the control and stops writing when you release
the mouse button.
• Trim mode has a special feature: if you enable Write au-
tomation when playback is stopped and select Trim mode,
you can use the fader to trim (offset) the volume curve be-
tween the left and right locator.
For example, this makes it easy to raise the relative volume in a specific
area: set the locators accordingly, enable Write, select Trim mode and
raise the level fader.
Recording your actions – an example
If the settings in your current project are crucial, you may
not want to “experiment” with automation until you know
more about how it all fits together. If so, you can create a
new project for the following example. It doesn’t even have
to contain any audio events, just a few audio tracks. Pro-
ceed as follows:
1. Open the Mixer window.
2. Click the global Write button (“All Automation to Write
Status”) in the mixer common panel.
Cubase is now in global Write mode.
3. Start playback and adjust some volume faders and/or
other parameter settings in the mixer or perhaps in a
Channel Settings window.
Stop playback when you are done, and return to the position where you
started playback.
!
In Cubase Studio, the automation mode is always
“Touch Fader”.
!
For most plug-in parameters (audio effects and VST
Instruments), there is no way for the program to
“know” whether a control is “pressed” or not (this in-
formation is not passed back by the plug-in inter-
face). For this reason, automation of most plug-in
parameters will work as in Autolatch mode (see be-
low), even if Touch Fader is selected.