How do I "crossfade" automation

[torsig1967]

Is there a way to make a sudden change in volume automation smoother afterwards?

Of course to do this on one channel is easy manually but I need to do it on a lot of channels at the same time, automatically with some kind of command, if it is possible.

[Andre Knecht]

Grouping should provide the solution.

[torsig1967]

Hmmm.... sorry I can't see how you mean.

Maybe my question is a bit unclear...

The situation is like this. I mix a live concert and let's say I have found fairly correct levels one minute from the beginning of a song, now I put automation off - backup to the beginning of the song and put all channels into write. In this way I can write these levels to the whole song but the change is unfortunately sudden in the beginning. I want to smooth it out.

[Andre Knecht]

I think I understand you correctly. You need to smooth a sudden automation change (vertical, on the auto graph curve), but you have so many tracks in the session that you want to edit the automation with a minimum of effort.

If my understanding is correct, then I’d say that grouping should provide the solution — like this:

1) Create a group of all the tracks that need to be affected by the change. Make sure this group is active.

2) In the Edit window, make all relevant tracks visible, and set them to the Volume view.

3) insert new two new Automation breakpoints (Command-click) on any one of your tracks — one before the currently vertical change, one after. (Note that all grouped tracks will feature the new breakpoints.)

4) Delete the two existing breakpoints (the ones anchoring the vertical change). Automation curves on all grouped tracks will now ramp smoothly from their original levels to the new one.

IHTH. (Sorry if I misunderstand.)

[torsig1967]

Oh yeah!

Now I see how you mean. Excellent!

Thanks :-)

[torsig1967]

OK, now I've tried this but the problem is at when I try to edit the automationpoints of a group it seems i can not move them horizontally, neither delete them. This makes it impossible to do the kind of smooth transition I was thinking of.

[filmixer]

If your using Pro Tools 7, I think you might want to try "Glide" automation. By using Glide automation, you can "morph" parameters from one value to another based on a selection. Try this, in the Automation Enable window, Write enable the automation types you want to change (Faders, Plugins etc.), then make a selection that includes the tracks and the length you want. Then go to the Edit menu and choose Automation>Glide to All Enabled Parameters. Now the automation will smoothly change from the values at the start of your selection to the values at the end of the selection. See how that works for you.

[Andre Knecht]

The suggestion by Filmixer is a good one.

I am however concerned by your post. I move and/or delete automation points on grouped tracks all the time.

1) Move Points

Highlight one or more points with the Selector tool (Smart or dumb) on one track. The selection will be mirrored on all grouped tracks. Use the “+” and “-” keys on the numeric pad to move things horizontally.


2) Delete Points

“Opt+Cmd+Click” a single point to delete it. Points residing on the exact same spot (with sample precision) across grouped tracks will be deleted. If the points are close but not exactly matched, time-wise, use the Selector to highlight the area encompassing all grouped points (on one track), and then hit “Delete.”

IHTH.

[filmixer]

Since I've been doing some corrections to some of my previous posts today , I might as well do this one. "Glide Automation" is also available in Pro Tools 6.9. I use keystroke commands so much I hadn't been up to the Automation menu in a long time and forgot it was there. I rediscovered it when I upgraded to PT7 and was exploring the new menus. So have fun with it everybody!

[Andre Knecht]

Yup - Glide Automation and basic editing skills (not necessarily in that order) will get things done just about every time.

[blairl]

Glide Automation is a nice tool. However, it doesn't do everything I had hoped it would do. I would like to see an option for Pro Tools to smooth automation that already exists. If I have breakpoint insertions that are very steep, I would like to be able to highlight a selection and have Pro Tools automatically smooth out the transition from the already existing volume (or value) at the beginning of the selection to the already existing volume (or value) at the end of the selection. As it stands with "Glide Automation", you have to move the fader or value to the desired end position and then apply Glide Automation. This is useful in some situations, but one step too many in other situations.

[Steve MacMillan]

Glide Automation is a nice tool. However, it doesn't do everything I had hoped it would do. I would like to see an option for Pro Tools to smooth automation that already exists. If I have breakpoint insertions that are very steep, I would like to be able to highlight a selection and have Pro Tools automatically smooth out the transition from the already existing volume (or value) at the beginning of the selection to the already existing volume (or value) at the end of the selection. As it stands with "Glide Automation", you have to move the fader or value to the desired end position and then apply Glide Automation. This is useful in some situations, but one step too many in other situations.




Yes. I've been asking for this for a long time. I will often use tab to transient to set up breakpoints on bass guitar volume automation and use the trim tool for changing level. If I don't want clicks I have to go back and ramp the automation manually after I'm happy with the levels. There should be a dialog similar to the batch crossfades panel where you can highlight a region and smooth automation with a pre-centered-post choice and how fast. The work around is to highlight across the vertical ramp and type command-x, which remove breakpoints within the highlighted region and ramps for one level to the next over the length of the highlighted region.

Which brings me to another suggestion. I with there was a tab to next breakpoint mode, to move along to the next breakpoint.

STeve