Sorry for this novice question but i'm a ProTools user who just got into DP . Anyways, i'm just trying to get my head around the way the automation works in DP.
This is my usual work flow. When i first open my session, i do a quick rough mix using the faders. Then i start fine tuning the mix by adding automation and since i don't use a control surface i mostly use the automation curve with a mouse..now this is where i find DP very unproductive.
In PT i simply go to the edit window, and choose volume view and i see my volume curve and can start automating. In DP you have to enable the track's automation INDIVIDUALLY and also when you first do it, it defaults to 0 so all my initial rough fader ajustment is lost. Is there a better way to do this ??? Similar to ProTools ??? Thanks
Automation question !!!
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This forum is for seeking solutions to technical problems involving Digital Performer and/or plug-ins on MacOS, as well as feature requests, criticisms, comparison to other DAWs.
This forum is for seeking solutions to technical problems involving Digital Performer and/or plug-ins on MacOS, as well as feature requests, criticisms, comparison to other DAWs.
Re: Automation question !!!
That shouldn't happen unless there was already automation written, or a Snapshot 
taken. Command + Control + ' is the default key command for taking a snapshot without a confirm dialog window, which could happen accidentally I guess.
taken. Command + Control + ' is the default key command for taking a snapshot without a confirm dialog window, which could happen accidentally I guess.No there was no snapshot taken !!
What confused me is let say you move the fader to -2 db on the mixer...then go to the sequence window and choose volume view for that track....all you see is a broken lines at the bottom ( -Inf.... wich does not reflects the volume chosen in the mix window ) when you enable automation for THAT track in automation set up the broken line becomes whole and no sound because your fader just moved to - inf.
What confused me is let say you move the fader to -2 db on the mixer...then go to the sequence window and choose volume view for that track....all you see is a broken lines at the bottom ( -Inf.... wich does not reflects the volume chosen in the mix window ) when you enable automation for THAT track in automation set up the broken line becomes whole and no sound because your fader just moved to - inf.
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James Steele
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Re: Automation question !!!
In the lower left hand part of the mixing board window, have you put it in "Mix Mode" by adding a mix and then adjusting things? I think sometimes there are going to be issues if you haven't yet specified a mix.vudoo wrote:In DP you have to enable the track's automation INDIVIDUALLY and also when you first do it, it defaults to 0 so all my initial rough fader ajustment is lost. Is there a better way to do this ??? Similar to ProTools ??? Thanks
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Mac Studio M1 Max, 64GB/2TB, macOS Sequoia 15.5 Public Beta 2, DP 11.34, MOTU 828es, MOTU 24Ai, MOTU MIDI Express XT, UAD-2 TB3 Satellite OCTO, Console 1 Mk2, Avid S3, NI Komplete Kontrol S88 Mk2, Red Type B, Millennia HV-3C, Warm Audio WA-2A, AudioScape 76F, Dean guitars, Marshall amps, etc., etc.!
It sounds like there was automation already written (at -inf.).vudoo wrote:No there was no snapshot taken !!
What confused me is let say you move the fader to -2 db on the mixer...then go to the sequence window and choose volume view for that track....all you see is a broken lines at the bottom ( -Inf.... wich does not reflects the volume chosen in the mix window ) when you enable automation for THAT track in automation set up the broken line becomes whole and no sound because your fader just moved to - inf.
Was the song started from a fresh new file, or from another song or template?
If you want to get rid of all automation data, go to Setup/View Filter (Command+F) and turn off all except Automation, Audio Volume and Pan. Then go to the tracks window (there should now be no soundbites or MIDI data in view!), select all, and hit Delete. Restore your view filter settings and make sure all data is there (except automation).
What James said may be true about Mix Mode Off, but I rarely set it to a mix unless I wanna make different versions, and I don't think I've had problems doing it that way, but I don't know. I don't know why it says "Mix Mode Off" when all seems to work. Maybe I should read the manual once in a while.
Setting to New Mix will get rid of all plug-ins.....Duplicate Mix will not (but it won't clear automation data either).
OK maybe i'm not explaining myself clearly.
I open a fresh new DP file, drag a sound file on an audio track, the mixer fader is at o ( default setting ). Switch to sequence view and enable volume view for that audio track..now, i don't see a volume curve ( in this case a straight line since i have not done any moves ) representing the value on the mixer fader.
This is all what i'm trying to figure out. Thanks
I open a fresh new DP file, drag a sound file on an audio track, the mixer fader is at o ( default setting ). Switch to sequence view and enable volume view for that audio track..now, i don't see a volume curve ( in this case a straight line since i have not done any moves ) representing the value on the mixer fader.
This is all what i'm trying to figure out. Thanks
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Shooshie
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vudoo,
First, if you want to work on lots of tracks at once, you may find it more productive to create a temporary group. Select the tracks you want to group, and tap the "T" key twice. ("T" for Temporary group.) This will make these tracks grouped until the next time you tap "T". Now, go to the Sequence Editor, and look for the word "Soundbites" under the track name. That's a menu, so pull it down to "Volume." Notice that all the tracks in your group just changed to Volume.
Now, hold down the "R" key (or tap it twice) and start drawing your volume curves. Notice... as you draw a volume curve, the same curve appears in all the other tracks in your group. That makes it easy to edit a whole lot of tracks at once, if they are all going the same way. Ok, so you don't want that? Just tap "T" again, and your group is history. Gone. Now you're just editing one track.
Pretty simple, eh?
I mean, you don't have to do the group thing. It just makes it easier. That way you don't have to go changing each track to "Volume" or " Pan" or " Soundbites." You can make a habit of selecting the tracks you want to edit, holding down " T" while you select "Volume," releasing "T", and the group is gone. Hold down T for temporary grouping. Tap it twice to make it stick.
Hold down "R" for temporary "reshaping" (or adding automation where there is none), then release it to go back to a selection cursor. Or, tap "R" twice, and it will stick. To get back to the selection cursor, tap "A" twice. Why "A"? I guess because the A looks like the mouse pointer arrow.
You following me? Moving too fast? Give it a try. It's so easy you'll die laughing.
Ok... now, let's say you want to automate a plugin. You insert your plugin, then look in the Sequence Window and this time you look for the little black arrow pointing downward, just to the right of the track's name. Have you found that? Ok. Click on it and drag down. That's your Swiss Army Knife menu. (my term, not MOTU's) It does it all. Pull it down to " Insert." You will see the name of your plugin, and you can follow the nested menus to the exact plugin feature you want to automate. Then, do the " R" thing (hold down or tap twice) and start drawing.
Now here's where there's a nifty little feature. If you've still got those tracks grouped, you can draw that same plugin automation for all those other tracks... even if the plugin has not been inserted into those tracks!!! Now, if you insert the plugin, the automation is already there. Of course... you probably won't find too many applications for that feature, but it's there if you think of one.
The manual is your friend. You won't believe all you can do with DP. Sorry it's kinda buried and hard to find at first, but any powerful software has a learning curve. When you think of something you need, don't assume it's not there. Look for it. Ask about it. It's probably there. I've been using this thing for 20 years, and I still find new features!
Shooshie
First, if you want to work on lots of tracks at once, you may find it more productive to create a temporary group. Select the tracks you want to group, and tap the "T" key twice. ("T" for Temporary group.) This will make these tracks grouped until the next time you tap "T". Now, go to the Sequence Editor, and look for the word "Soundbites" under the track name. That's a menu, so pull it down to "Volume." Notice that all the tracks in your group just changed to Volume.
Now, hold down the "R" key (or tap it twice) and start drawing your volume curves. Notice... as you draw a volume curve, the same curve appears in all the other tracks in your group. That makes it easy to edit a whole lot of tracks at once, if they are all going the same way. Ok, so you don't want that? Just tap "T" again, and your group is history. Gone. Now you're just editing one track.
Pretty simple, eh?
I mean, you don't have to do the group thing. It just makes it easier. That way you don't have to go changing each track to "Volume" or " Pan" or " Soundbites." You can make a habit of selecting the tracks you want to edit, holding down " T" while you select "Volume," releasing "T", and the group is gone. Hold down T for temporary grouping. Tap it twice to make it stick.
Hold down "R" for temporary "reshaping" (or adding automation where there is none), then release it to go back to a selection cursor. Or, tap "R" twice, and it will stick. To get back to the selection cursor, tap "A" twice. Why "A"? I guess because the A looks like the mouse pointer arrow.
You following me? Moving too fast? Give it a try. It's so easy you'll die laughing.
Ok... now, let's say you want to automate a plugin. You insert your plugin, then look in the Sequence Window and this time you look for the little black arrow pointing downward, just to the right of the track's name. Have you found that? Ok. Click on it and drag down. That's your Swiss Army Knife menu. (my term, not MOTU's) It does it all. Pull it down to " Insert." You will see the name of your plugin, and you can follow the nested menus to the exact plugin feature you want to automate. Then, do the " R" thing (hold down or tap twice) and start drawing.
Now here's where there's a nifty little feature. If you've still got those tracks grouped, you can draw that same plugin automation for all those other tracks... even if the plugin has not been inserted into those tracks!!! Now, if you insert the plugin, the automation is already there. Of course... you probably won't find too many applications for that feature, but it's there if you think of one.
The manual is your friend. You won't believe all you can do with DP. Sorry it's kinda buried and hard to find at first, but any powerful software has a learning curve. When you think of something you need, don't assume it's not there. Look for it. Ask about it. It's probably there. I've been using this thing for 20 years, and I still find new features!
Shooshie
Last edited by Shooshie on Wed Dec 21, 2005 8:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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How about if i'm happy with the volume of a my audio track ( fader at zero ) but only need to bump it 2 db at bar 4.
In PT i just go in edit window and insert a break point and move it up 2 db. In DP i can't see the volume curve to d this unless i start writing automation THEN a volume curve appears...this seems totally illogical.
In PT i just go in edit window and insert a break point and move it up 2 db. In DP i can't see the volume curve to d this unless i start writing automation THEN a volume curve appears...this seems totally illogical.
Sooshie,
Thanks for the tips. If you read my thread above, i'm actually looking for a simple answer that i can't still figure out.
The problem is that i've use PT for a while now and my way of thinking is still very much PT...In PT as soon as you import an audio file on a fresh session, the default volume is 0 on the mixer AND on the Edit window under Volume view you will see a straight line representing 0 db. In DP i don't see that in sequence with volume view.
Thanks for the tips. If you read my thread above, i'm actually looking for a simple answer that i can't still figure out.
The problem is that i've use PT for a while now and my way of thinking is still very much PT...In PT as soon as you import an audio file on a fresh session, the default volume is 0 on the mixer AND on the Edit window under Volume view you will see a straight line representing 0 db. In DP i don't see that in sequence with volume view.
This is how DP works. No auto data until you insert it.
To do this across multiple tracks use a snapshot. Only snapshot the data you need though. No point generating a lot of unnecessary data.
On a single track just enable auto record, press play, and click on the fader.
You now have volume data at the level your fader was at.
To do this across multiple tracks use a snapshot. Only snapshot the data you need though. No point generating a lot of unnecessary data.
On a single track just enable auto record, press play, and click on the fader.
You now have volume data at the level your fader was at.
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Shooshie
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See the little camera doodad in the Mixer window? It's right up there in the top-left corner with all the other things like the mini-menu, the V-racks button, etc. It's a camera. Set your counter to 000, the beginning of the sequence. Assuming all your faders are where you want them, (which it sounds like, for you, is no change--default faders) now click the camera.vudoo wrote:Sooshie,
Thanks for the tips. If you read my thread above, i'm actually looking for a simple answer that i can't still figure out.
The problem is that i've use PT for a while now and my way of thinking is still very much PT...In PT as soon as you import an audio file on a fresh session, the default volume is 0 on the mixer AND on the Edit window under Volume view you will see a straight line representing 0 db. In DP i don't see that in sequence with volume view.
The camera inserts an automation point for every item currently in use--Pan, Volume, Mute, etc. Now, when you go to the Sequence editor, your automation point will be represented by a line that goes from 000 to the end of your sequence. You want to change it? Just click at the beginning and end of the change to insert break points. Now, draw the change in between.
OR...
Simply click on the line for a break point. Now click again, next to it, and raise the automation line or lower it. The rest of the sequence will now play back at the new level.
This stuff is easy, man! Forget Pro-Tools for now. DP has its own way of doing things, and they are quick, easy, and effective. I guarantee you you can work as quickly here as in Pro-Tools; You just have to get familiar with it first.
Have you ever used Adobe Illustrator? It's a "two-handed" approach to drawing. One hand holds down keys while the other works the mouse. DP is the same way. You use key commands to make things happen--instantly--while using the mouse to define it.
This is different than Pro-Tools. I'll bite my tongue and will not say "better than." It's just different, but when you learn the commands, DP becomes a powerhouse.
Shooshie
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Shooshie
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Except... that's the hard way. The camera is the easy way. Just turn off automation for those tracks you don't want. Use Automation Setup to turn off any features you don't want automated, on whichever tracks you wish, or default it to all tracks.vudoo wrote:Thank you Studiodog,
Damn, that was the explanation i was looking for.
Touching the fader during play definitely is quick and dirty, but it's a little messy if you'd rather your automation points be at 000 (or precisely at any given point in the music).
Shooshie
|l| OS X 10.12.6 |l| DP 10.0 |l| 2.4 GHz 12-Core MacPro Mid-2012 |l| 40GB RAM |l| Mach5.3 |l| Waves 9.x |l| Altiverb |l| Ivory 2 New York Steinway |l| Wallander WIVI 2.30 Winds, Brass, Saxes |l| Garritan Aria |l| VSL 5.3.1 and VSL Pro 2.3.1 |l| Yamaha WX-5 MIDI Wind Controller |l| Roland FC-300 |l|
Thanks Sooshie,
Yeah, my head is still in the PT mode. BTW, when you take a snapshot of your initial mixer setting, does this impose more work on your CPU ??? and DP does not have an autoread mode right ?? therefore the automation play button has to always be activated after you've written automation ( of course unless you want to disable automation ).
Thanks again everybody.
Yeah, my head is still in the PT mode. BTW, when you take a snapshot of your initial mixer setting, does this impose more work on your CPU ??? and DP does not have an autoread mode right ?? therefore the automation play button has to always be activated after you've written automation ( of course unless you want to disable automation ).
Thanks again everybody.