Automation- does it "write to end"?

[Killahurts]

In overwrite mode? I think it does, but I'm not sure. I want to be able to put a track(s) in overwrite mode and play just the beginning seconds of a song, but have it write the automation forever in the track (until I punch in/out to change something, in touch mode, for example). I don't want to have to do a complete pass of the song for this. In my old console, I had a "write to end" mode for this. I would just give it a few seconds of time code from the beginning.

The manual doesn't seem clear on this to me, and I'm on a serious deadline, so I don't have time to figure it out by trial and error.

Thanks in advance guys and gals!!!

[Dan Worley]

I too had the "Write To End" feature on my old console and I miss it. I would be interested to know if there's a way to do what you're asking with the automation. I don't know of any.

Overwrite just means the automation will start writing as soon as you hit play.

What I do is use Region > Change Continuous Data. I either use Add (+ or -) or Limit To Range (both fields set to the same value).

Or I just go in and delete the automation points after the last one I want.

c-ya,

Dan Worley

[Killahurts]

Yeah I see what you're saying.. but those seem a little more tedious than just having a write to end.

I just want to "freeze" the position of the faders in the static mix at the beginning, and have it write that position through the whole song. If I insert some moves later in the song in touch mode, when I punch out (by taking my finger off the controller fader in my case), the fader will always return to that initial static position. Like I said before, I think it's doing that, but still not quite sure..

[FMiguelez]

.

I never use overwrite. I can't remember if it will overwrite the whole thing or just a selection (the one that plays).

But wouldn't taking a snapshot of everything be much easier and faster anyway?

[Tim]

Yeah, It's a standard feature on most automated 'big' consoles, and a shame it's not a feature in DP.

Though it takes a couple of steps, it's easy enough to do with DP's handy Automation Snapshot function.

[williemyers]

Killa, I don't *think* DP used to do this, *BUT* I *think* it does now!

..I just want to "freeze" the position of the faders in the static mix at the beginning,

you would do this by setting all of your faders for the starting level that you want, and then taking a snapshot of all of your tracks at the begining of the tune. This would write those volumne levels in to each track. Then put all of your faders in to AutoRead & Latch or Touch...

If I insert some moves later in the song in touch mode, when I punch out (by taking my finger off the controller fader in my case), the fader will always return to that initial static position.

If you're in Touch, it will "ramp up/down", back to your initial volumne value as soon as you take your finger off the controller (stop moving the contorller). If you're in Latch, it will "ramp up/down" back to your initial volumne value as soon as you hit Stop Playback.
In either way, it *will* ramp back to your initial volumne level - - just as though it had actually written your initial volumne value thruout the track.

[Killahurts]

In either way, it *will* ramp back to your initial volumne level - - just as though it had actually written your initial volumne value thruout the track.

Yes, this is what I was trying to relate.. that it would be as though I wrote the initial volume level through the whole track. But you're saying I have to use a snapshot to have this? I'm not used to working with snapshots in automation that way, but I guess I could adjust if that's the only way.

What if I do it the long way: enable every track in overwrite mode, and just play the song all the way through without touching any faders? Is that different than playing only a few seconds of the beginning? Remember, this would be my initial automation in the song, no other automation is written yet.

I think I'll do a little test this afternoon using a single (dummy) track and report back here..

Meanwhile, thanks for the info everyone!

[Dan Worley]

In either way, it *will* ramp back to your initial volumne level - - just as though it had actually written your initial volumne value thruout the track.

Yes, this is what I was trying to relate.. that it would be as though I wrote the initial volume level through the whole track. But you're saying I have to use a snapshot to have this? I'm not used to working with snapshots in automation that way, but I guess I could adjust if that's the only way.

What if I do it the long way: enable every track in overwrite mode, and just play the song all the way through without touching any faders? Is that different than playing only a few seconds of the beginning? Remember, this would be my initial automation in the song, no other automation is written yet.

I think I'll do a little test this afternoon using a single (dummy) track and report back here..

Meanwhile, thanks for the info everyone!

You don't have to play through the entire song if you just want to set an initial value. You only have to hit play and stop and it's done.

I thought you were talking about overwriting previous automation, that's where "Write To End" would come in handy.

c-ya,

Dan Worley

[daniel.sneed]

What I would try:
- select next automation point
- hit alt+maj+enter (this should select all automation points till the end of your song)
- delete

[Killahurts]

Thanks to all you guys for the tips, very much appreciated!

I have figured out that for what I'm trying to do, overwrite functions essentially the same as a "write to end" function would. I put all my tracks in overwrite at the beginning of the automation session, when my static mix is how I like it, and play any amount of the song from the beginning. It writes those settings for the whole song, by virtue of the fact that there are no other events until you write over something.

What clued me in to this was the "overwrite mode changes to touch after pass" button. This is what you naturally want it to do- a first pass where you mix faders etc. all the way through, and then you want to keep that, but add more and/or touch it up with subsequent passes.

In my case, I don't usually want any movement in that first pass. I want that static mix to be "home base" for me, so any moves I make in the touch mode will always revert back to that original position after punching out. This is definitely the way to go if you're wanting to do corrective automation, where you like the sound of the static mix, but you just need to fix a few problem areas. For me, it's the workflow I like the most, probably because I'd been using touch sensitive motorized faders on digital consoles for so long.

FWIW, I usually only automate the faders in that first overwrite pass, so I can continue to mess with EQ's and such even after automating everything. Now in DP, I could automate everything in the first pass, and simply tell it not to play back EQ's and whatever else later, but with consoles I didn't usually have that luxury. Guess I'm "old school" when it comes to total recall automation.. Did I just say that?

[TnMike]

Killa...can you overwrite all tracks with one command?


G5 2.7 GHZ, DP 7.24, MOTU 2408, Ivory, SD2, B4ll, UAD-1, Melodyne, Ramza DA-7,

[Killahurts]

Killa...can you overwrite all tracks with one command?


G5 2.7 GHZ, DP 7.24, MOTU 2408, Ivory, SD2, B4ll, UAD-1, Melodyne, Ramza DA-7,

Wow, this old thread?

Hey Tn, as far as I know there is no way to do that.. you can put the tracks in overwrite and it will overwrite as long as it's playing, but that's all. If you stop anywhere in the song it will revert back to what it had from that point forward. You can remove automation entirely from a track by selecting and deleting, but that's not the same thing. If you want to overwrite all tracks, you would have to set them all to overwrite and then play the whole song, because.. drum roll please.. there is no "write to end". Still.