Automation Play buttons default to “ON” makes no sense!!

[EMRR]

Again, there's never been a time I'd want it to default on. As well, since it comes on as soon as you write automation, I can't see a purpose for it to default on, not in any usage I'll ever encounter. I too rely on it as an indication of actual data. I don't see a placeholder value. Inconvenient extra steps to make it default practice to remove.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

Does having it ON interfere with anything; other then having a little green light on? If there's nothing to automate, there's no harm in it being ON. If there's something to automate, you'd want to have that automated. No?

If the sole purpose of NOT having it default to ON is because some people want to be able to see which tracks are automated and which are not not, that wouldn't seem a strong enough argument IMO. There are other ways to mark tracks, such as with naming conventions and with folders, etc., such as...

[bayswater]

So the consensus is we need a preference, or an option in the track creation dialog?

[cuttime]

Seems to me that this would be a great preference featured in the new "Create Tracks" window.

[toodamnhip]

I think those of you who do not seem to get my arguement FOR defaulting to OFF have not read my example. I could write 20 more examples, but if you’re not going to read or understand the 1st example, it won’t do any good.
Read my scenario about the vocalist and pulling down the volume...read it carefully, understand it.
Then tell me why defaulting to OFF makes the slightest bit of sense..because really, it makes ZERO sense.

[Robert Randolph]

I think those of you who do not seem to get my arguement FOR defaulting to OFF have not read my example. I could write 20 more examples, but if you’re not going to read or understand the 1st example, it won’t do any good.
Read my scenario about the vocalist and pulling down the volume...read it carefully, understand it.
Then tell me why defaulting to OFF makes the slightest bit of sense..because really, it makes ZERO sense.

That's not a workflow issue I ever encounter so it's not a big deal to me. I can imagine it's the same for other people.

You seem to have a lot of difficulty with the idea that other people have different workflows. This is a reoccurring theme in your posts.

[MIDI Life Crisis]

That's not a workflow issue I ever encounter so it's not a big deal to me. I can imagine it's the same for other people.

You seem to have a lot of difficulty with the idea that other people have different workflows. This is a reoccurring theme in your posts.

EXACTLY!

[toodamnhip]

I think those of you who do not seem to get my arguement FOR defaulting to OFF have not read my example. I could write 20 more examples, but if you’re not going to read or understand the 1st example, it won’t do any good.
Read my scenario about the vocalist and pulling down the volume...read it carefully, understand it.
Then tell me why defaulting to OFF makes the slightest bit of sense..because really, it makes ZERO sense.

That's not a workflow issue I ever encounter so it's not a big deal to me. I can imagine it's the same for other people.

You seem to have a lot of difficulty with the idea that other people have different workflows. This is a reoccurring theme in your posts.

You don’t have a “different” work flow. You don’t have a workflow that requires knowledge of automation data at a glance. That is different than a "different work flow" altogether.
If you needed to know whether or not you had automation data at a glance by looking at the supposed STATUS button, and you needed said status button to actually MEAN something, then I would listen to any argument you had for the button to default to on. As a matter of fact, this DP default status is so stupid to me, I would love to hear a reason for it besides “after I make some automation, I don’t have to turn on the automate enable button”.

You can opine anything you like my brother, it is America. But I would hope it would be germane to the scenario in which I post. I do have difficulty with members comparing apples to oranges so if you consider your work flow apples and mine oranges, then yes, I do take issue with your stating you do not “need” the status button to mean anything at a glance. There are many that don;t automate as critically as I do so of course they couldn’t care less.
So, let me re -state, anyone here that NEEDS the status button to indicate anything of value please chime in. If you don’t have to RAPIDLY turn automation on and off for a variety of purposes, and easy understanding of automation being in a track or not is no big deal wither way for you, then this is not your issue.
People not using automation intensively stating they could "care less" is meaningless to me.

[Robert Randolph]

I think those of you who do not seem to get my arguement FOR defaulting to OFF have not read my example. I could write 20 more examples, but if you’re not going to read or understand the 1st example, it won’t do any good.
Read my scenario about the vocalist and pulling down the volume...read it carefully, understand it.
Then tell me why defaulting to OFF makes the slightest bit of sense..because really, it makes ZERO sense.

That's not a workflow issue I ever encounter so it's not a big deal to me. I can imagine it's the same for other people.

You seem to have a lot of difficulty with the idea that other people have different workflows. This is a reoccurring theme in your posts.

You don’t have a “different” work flow. You don’t have a workflow that requires knowledge of automation data at a glance. That is different than a "different work flow" altogether.
If you needed to know whether or not you had automation data at a glance by looking at the supposed STATUS button, and you needed said status button to actually MEAN something, then I would listen to any argument you had for the button to default to on. As a matter of fact, this DP default status is so stupid to me, I would love to hear a reason for it besides “after I make some automation, I don’t have to turn on the automate enable button”.

You can opine anything you like my brother, it is America. But I would hope it would be germane to the scenario in which I post. I do have difficulty with members comparing apples to oranges so if you consider your work flow apples and mine oranges, then yes, I do take issue with your stating you do not “need” the status button to mean anything at a glance. There are many that don;t automate as critically as I do so of course they couldn’t care less.
So, let me re -state, anyone here that NEEDS the status button to indicate anything of value please chime in. If you don’t have to RAPIDLY turn automation on and off for a variety of purposes, and easy understanding of automation being in a track or not is no big deal wither way for you, then this is not your issue.
People not using automation intensively stating they could "care less" is meaningless to me.

Firstly, I use automation A LOT. Hundreds of tracks with layers upon layers of automation.

I find the default to 'play' more convenient. It's 1 less button press, since in my workflow if I ever have automation on a track, I want it played. There's also never a time where use that button to tell me if automation exists on a track or not. It's simply not something I do, or have ever found a reason for.

Given your example as well, I never have to record audio (which is all I do) after I have complex automation on a track.

So I hadn't given it too much thought and was originally in the 'I could not care less'-camp. Now I realize that I actually like when it defaults to on, it's 1 less thing for me to click.

[EMRR]

I suppose I never write automation in any manner in which it wouldn't then turn on. From statements I suppose there must be ways to do that, which would require a button push to then turn on. In that case, a pref would be useful for each camp, as both will never be happy together. I want an indication that automation is present personally, so I have a quicker method to determine whether it's safe to grab a fader/whatever and move it, without discovering that it's snapping back to an automation point an undoing what I'm experimenting with. When I write automation, it turns on, so I know it's there. Works beautifully as an intuitive indicator that adds efficiencies with no input requirement. In my case everything 'on' default would tell me nothing useful at all, and the indicative efficiency vanishes. YMMV.....

[Robert Randolph]

I suppose I never write automation in any manner in which it wouldn't then turn on. From statements I suppose there must be ways to do that, which would require a button push to then turn on. In that case, a pref would be useful for each camp, as both will never be happy together. I want an indication that automation is present personally, so I have a quicker method to determine whether it's safe to grab a fader/whatever and move it, without discovering that it's snapping back to an automation point an undoing what I'm experimenting with. When I write automation, it turns on, so I know it's there. Works beautifully as an intuitive indicator that adds efficiencies with no input requirement. In my case everything 'on' default would tell me nothing useful at all, and the indicative efficiency vanishes. YMMV.....

See, I write in automation with a mouse 99% of the time since I work with music that is very rhythmic and predictable. It doesn't get turned on automatically in that instance, you have to manually set the track to 'play'.

[bayswater]

If I remember, I do an automation snapshot early, and leave it on most of the time. It would be easy to turn automation on for all tracks, but easier to have it on already.

[HCMarkus]

I prefer default to off and support a preference allowing user choice.

I don't automate every channel of a mix. The Automation On indicator allows me to understand at a glance what channels I have automated, and helps me avoid making hasty changes on an un-automated fader that I may later regret.

[toodamnhip]

Good to see a spirited debate.....

Perhaps I will give in a bit and say...”ok, make it a preference”.....

But I personally end up having to shut off the silly button every time I make a new track, which sucks and is one extra motion ...sigh

[bayswater]

helps me avoid making hasty changes on an un-automated fader that I may later regret.

That's a reason to do a snapshot. Then the changes have to be deliberate.