Plug-in Automation with the click sound

[aylavid]

Hello Pro Tools 11 experts,

We have a problem with Plug-in Automation with the click sound.
When we create Automation of Plug-in ON & OFF of Master Bypass, we hear a little click sound at when the time comes at ON of the Plug-in and sometimes OFF too.
We are concern about this clicking sound when we bounce this tune.
How do you usually deal with this?

We also have Non-functional Submix Fader Automation. It does not work(can not write) with touch mode.(any other mode too)
Is there any place we should check?

We appreciate your kind information.

A.Y.L

[priorytools]

Hhmm.
Record the click to an audio track. Then mute the sections you don't want.
Fader automation,
press command & 4 to open the auto enable window. Make sure volume is selected.

[aylavid]

Thank you for your response Priorytools,

Have you ever heard little click noise at Dot of Plug-in Automation in the region, On & Off or parameters? The volume Automation (Faders) is fine.
Our situation is listening with Monitor Headphone.
The music is an Acoustic instrument.

A.Y.L

[john1192]

if you are in grid mode .. turn it off - go to slip mode and get in there and Tweak your Automation so you do not hear the Click if possible ..

just an idea ... if you have tried this please disregard ..

[aylavid]

Thank you, John 1192

We are in SLIP mode.
Have you ever heard little click noise at Dot of Plug-in Automation?
We have been very curious if any other people have experience.

Also where do you check if Automation did not work out that when you move a fader in touch mode, the Line does not response?

A.Y.L

[J_Harry]

What Plugin(s) are you using when this "click" sound is happening?

Are you only automating the Plugin Bypass (On/Off) and hearing this happen as the plugin instantiates and un-instantiates itself? Or are their other parameters that you are automating as well, perhaps in non visible lanes of the automation lanes that could be contributing to the noise?

[FNA]

Well it's the end of August 2020 and this is still an issue. The only ways to work around it have been mentioned in this thread:


1. Use the plugin-bypass only at times when the track you are using it on is silent.
2. Instead of bypassing "hard" try automating a curve.
3. Using the "on/off" or "bypassing" function of the plugin itself can help.



I use Pro Tools for recording, mixing and mastering. For composing I use Ableton. Ableton does not have this clicking issue, which leads me to believe there is a solution and Avid should be able to fix it.


I think this is a big enough inconvenience for our workflows that the issue should come to attention to Avid.


I'm using Pro Tools 12.8.1

[JFreak]

Hi, welcome to the community.

The problem is, Avid cannot fix what they cannot reproduce. If there were many people affected by this on supported configuration and with 100% foolproof steps to reproduce the issue from session to session, surely they would take a look into it.

[FNA]

Hello and thanks for welcoming me to the community,


I don't think there needs to be a 100% foolproof way to reproduce this issue in order to recognize it as a real reoccuring issue and to fix it. The co-driver doesn't need to die 100% of the time in order for a car-manufacturer to become alerted to the fact that the co-driver in their cars dies more often than the co-driver from Toyota and to fix the issue at hand.


All that really needs to be done is to create one session where this is the instance and fix the clicking-problem without using a work-around. More likely than not this will fix all the clicking-problems.


It is not the Users job to find the 100% foolproof way to reproduce the issue.. for the User the issue simply occurs and he can report it, but in reality he has to use a work-around and can't wait for Avid to fix it, because otherwise the track won't be done in time.
Finding the 100% foolproof way is the same as pinpointing the exact problem.. which is avids responsibility in my opinion.


I realize that you think not many people have this issue. But I think they do! And this is unfortunately where we'll have to disagree, without becoming disagreeable.


The reality is this: Most engineers just do what works and if something produces a clicking noise, they try to find a workaround. I myself have encountered this problem plenty of times before I finally took the time, registered on this forum, waited 6 days for posting-rights and posted on a topic that I had on a track nearly a week ago. Now be honest: How many people will do this? Not to sound overly self-glorifying.. but it's actually quite the heroic act on my side - once you think about it!


I recognized my pattern.. short-time, track by track fixes instead of encouraging/urging avid to fix this problem by making my voice heard and finding a long-time fix. This post stands for thousands of engineers who simply do what gets their track done, instead of doing what solves problem on the long-run for everyone - and I used to be one of those!


I think I'm doing the right thing here by doing what won't fix the track (that I fixed via work-arounds) and instead "simply complaining". If only more people took the time to complain the world would be a better place!


No need to thank me for the complaining, happy to oblige!




PS: No idea what you mean when you say "supported configuration" but if windows 10 and a BabyfacePro is supported, I'd say I have it. Another sidenote: Freezing the track and such won't fix the issue. If I was going to try to reproduce the issue I'd take something like a base-track and put some heavy-eq with some saturation on it.. bypassing the plugin at a point where the audio-wave is not at zero. And if I tried that a bunch I'd try it while there is some reverb on it etc.

[Southsidemusic]

I am sorry but this has never showed up on any of our sessions and we do this for a living and I asked around to all the studios I could reach today and no one has seen or heard of this so the best thing you can do is to report this to A id if it poses an issue to deliver tracks for you. This is a user forum and not a support site so hanging here only to report a problem you have is not gonna yield great results for anyone.

Send in an email to support and describe what it is you experience and hopefully Avid deem that enough to investigate.

Stay Safe