User manual

200
Automation
About the static value line
When you open an automation track for a parameter for the
first time, it does not contain any automation events (unless
you have previously adjusted that parameter with write au-
tomation activated), and this is reflected in the event display
as a straight horizontal black line, the “static value” line. This
line represents the current parameter setting.
• If you have manually added any automation events or
used write automation for the corresponding parameter,
and then disable the reading of automation data, the auto-
mation curve will be grayed-out in the automation track
event display and the static value will be used instead.
As soon as Read mode is enabled, the automation curve will become
available.
Editing automation events
Drawing automation events
By using write automation in the mixer, you generate auto-
mation events by moving parameter encoders and faders
in the mixer. You can also add them manually by drawing
automation curves on an automation track. Proceed as
follows:
1. Open an automation track for the track you want to
make settings for.
The static value line is shown in the event display for the automation track
and the Volume parameter is selected.
2. Select the Pencil tool.
You can also use the various modes of the Line tool for drawing curves,
see below.
3. Click on the static value line. An automation event is
added, read automation mode is automatically activated,
and the static value line changes to a blue automation
curve.
4. If you click and hold, you can draw a curve by adding a
multitude of single automation events.
Note that the track color in the Track list changes to red to indicate that
automation data is being written.
5. When you release the mouse button, the number of
automation events is reduced to a few events, but the ba-
sic shape of the curve still remains the same.
This “thinning out” of events is governed by the Reduction Level setting
in the Settings section of the Automation panel, see “Reduction Level”
on page 195.
6. If you now activate playback, the volume will change
with the automation curve.
In the mixer, the corresponding fader moves accordingly.
7. Simply redo the operation if you are not happy with the
result.
If you draw over existing events, a new curve is created.
• If the automation track is in Read mode already, you can
also add automation events by clicking with the Arrow
tool.
If you are trying to add a break-point between two existing points and the
new point does not deviate from the existing curve, it will be removed by
reduction as soon as you release the mouse button (see “Reduction
Level” on page 195).
Using the various modes of the Line tool to draw
automation curves
The Line tool can be very useful for drawing automation
events. The various modes are accessed by selecting the
Line tool on the toolbar, clicking on it a second time and
selecting from the pop-up menu that appears.
• Clicking and dragging with the Line tool in Line mode
shows a line in the automation track and creates automa-
tion events aligned with this line.
This is a quick way to create linear fades, etc.