User manual

215
Automation
Tips and common methods
There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to describ-
ing which automation method you should use. You can for
example never even open an automation subtrack, and
stick with write automation throughout a project. Or you
can stick to drawing automation curves to automate set-
tings in a project. Both methods have their advantages,
but it is of course up to you to decide what to use and
when.
• Editing curves on automation subtracks offers a graphi-
cal overview in relation to the track contents and the time
position.
This makes it easy to quickly change parameter values at specific points,
without having to activate playback. For example, this method gives you a
good overview if you have a voice-over or a dialog on one track and a
music bed on another track, the level of which needs to be lowered with
a specific amount every time the dialog occurs.
• By using write automation in the mixer you don’t have to
manually select parameter subtracks from the Add Param-
eter list.
You can work much like you would using a “real” physical mixer. Every
action you perform is automatically recorded on subtracks which you can
later open for viewing and editing of the parameters you changed.
These are just two examples of advantages for each
method. Generally, editing curves and using write automa-
tion are two methods that complement each other, and de-
pending on the nature of your projects you will probably
work out what method works best for a given situation.
Options and Settings
About the Automation Reduction Level
preference
This item can be found on the Editing page in the Prefer-
ences. Automation reduction reduces the number of auto-
mation events after you have used write automation or
added automation events manually. When you write (or
draw with the Pencil tool) automation events, these are
added as a continuous stream of densely packed events.
This is necessary because the program cannot “guess”
what you will be doing next. However, when you are done,
the reduction function will remove all superfluous event
points and the automation curve now contains only the
event points necessary to reproduce your actions.
For example, all event points that lie between two other
points, but do not deviate from the curve, will be automat-
ically removed by reduction.
If you try to add an event that doesn’t deviate from the existing curve
between two existing points...
...it will be removed when the mouse is released. If you move the se-
lected event by any amount so that the resulting curve isn’t a straight
line, the event will of course be added.
• If you feel you need a lower (or higher) reduction level of
events than the default setting of roughly 75% reduction,
you can change it, but normally the default setting works
well.
• A minimum reduction level setting is not recommended
as this will simply retain a lot of unnecessary events.