How to make a selection and create breakpoints at the end of it

[ixnys]

I'm sure you can do this with PT I just don't know how. Sometimes I'll want to take like a verse and raise the overall level of it. I hate sometimes that I'll make the selection in volume mode and will get a slanted line instead of a straight line.

Is there a way to make a selection in grid mode and have PT snap break points to each end of the selection?

But then another problem arises...when I make break pts in grid mode it affects the next piece of audio...let me explain in an example.

I want to raise the overal level of a kick during a chorus. So I go to grid mode, insert 2 breakpoints at the beginning of the chorus on the beat and at the end of the chorus on the beat. Now during the chorus I want to lower the kick back down. I already have a breakpoint at the end of the chorus and beginning of the verse so I just make a break point at the end of the verse. I go to lower the volume of the verse but the volume now isn't flat but diaganolly descending down in volume.

So in order to fix this I go into sample mode and make another breakpoint right next the the end of the chorus/beginninng of the verse breakpoint. This fixes everything, but there has got to be a easier and more efficient way to do this.

[Kenny Gioia]

I hate this problem too.

I'm not sure of your exact answer but here is my workaround. (easier with a control surface but will work either way.

Let's say your kick drum is happy at -6.3db thru the song. During the chorus you want to raise it a bit.

Go to bar 1. Write mode (volume enabled) for a bit then hit stop.

Now -6.3db is the default.

Take your kick out of read and set it to off.

Find the volume you want in the chorus (let's say -4.8db)

Leave the fader there. highlight Chorus 1.

Switch to volume mode. Hit command + /

It will write the volume at 4.8db for the chorus only.

Repeat for all the choruses. Done.

It's not as complicated as it sounds.

[wolfhound]

Maybe I don't understand your question, but isn't the easiest way (assuming you have no "diagonal" breakpoints already) to just highlight the region(s) you want to change, and use the trimmer tool to raise/lower. Automatically puts break points with no "diagonals."

If you're in grid mode your selection will already be to the grid so new breakpoints will be too.

It's a bit harder if you've already done a bunch of wacky rides and now want to bring up a whole chorus. In which case you can still do the same thing--you just fix the start and end breakpoints. Or you could automate the in/out of a plug-in or trim on the track.

--wolfie

[ixnys]

It's just a pain that happens all the time. I can even seperate audio...select the seperated audio and trim the volume to where I want it but the problem will still arise sometimes....I think a lot has to do with ONE break point being used between the end of one section and the beginning of another. And when the break point is on THE beat in grid mode it makes things a bigger pain in the ass.

So thanks for all the comments so far. Just trying to see if there are easier ways of get around these problems.

[ixnys]

Well I figured out the answer to the question in my topic. For those that want to know how to create a selection with break points, just select the audio in volume view and press command+/ or go to edit>write automation. If you have already written automation but want to raise/lower the volume and keep the automation relative, select audio part while playback is stopped, raise/lower volume, then press command+shift+/ or go to edit>trim automation.

I also learned how to make writing automation easier and more efficient. Try these techniques.

When first beginning your song first get a rough balance of levels. You can either put automation into read or off. I usually like to mix my song in sections i.e. intro,verse,chorus,etc.

Now the first thing that gets annoying about automation is once you write it, the fader always snaps to your volume rides and won't let you trim in real time. Now when you need to make overall volume changes things can be a pain. Well this is how I handle it now.

I disable automation and rebalance the track volume. When I have rebalanced the track I stop playback. Now I select the section that I had written automation to earlier and just need the overall volume altered and I press command+shift+/ . Afterwards, I put automation back in to read mode. Now the automation has been preserved but the overall level has been altered. So basically what I am doing is jumping in and out of read and off mode and then applying the relative volume changes using the trim command.

[Russ M.]

I wish there were a feature to put break points at each end of a selection also, but..
When I first got into using protools as my main recorder/editor/mixer, comimg from 38 years + of manual analog consoles I thought I could never mix without a board or real full length faders.
Now I find I can actually mix more efficently and have more control just with the mouse..
I first start with a basic over all mix using the on screen faders. I don't write atomation any more. Then I flip to the edit screen and make all tweaks with the mouse and making break points. I highlight the area I want to control then put 2 break points at each end. Using the left & right arrows on the keyboard you can move pretty fast from one end to the other. Grab the inner most breakpoint and raise or lower it to the amount you like then zip to the other end and do the same. It's amazing that after a while you can guess right at the correct amount or very close. I find it faster than using the trim and or write automation, which I did for a long time. I do use the trim mode in the automation to increase/decrease level when I have a lot of level changes I want to preserve.

[bassmac]

Originally posted by ixnys:
For those that want to know how to create a selection with break points, just select the audio in volume view and press command+/ or go to edit>write automation. If you have already written automation but want to raise/lower the volume and keep the automation relative, select audio part while playback is stopped, raise/lower volume, then press command+shift+/ or go to edit>trim automation.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Cool, I didn't know that - very useful.

You must have cheated and looked in the manual. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]

Another way to get control over different sections of a track is to simply duplicate the track several times and mute out the sections that overlap. ie: verse 1 - mute everything except verse 1, verse 2 - mute everything except verse 2, etc. That way you can still work with the the fader.

-

[Breck]

The really easy way is to make your selection, and then press [Apple] + [/].
Very quick.
-Breck

[Breck]

Whoops, that's what I get for skimming through.

[Extreme Mixing]

Yes, If you don't mind loosing all your automation breakpoints inside the selection!