Automating Midi

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I am severely in need of knowledge on how to automate midi tracks for purposes of mixing a project of mine with midi tracks within it. I don't know if it has anything to do with my protools software or I am just not setting up the midi track correctly. I use an instrument track rather than a midi track to actually make a midi track, as backwards as that sounds. When I go to the little button on the left of the track and change the view from notes to volume, a line at the top of the track appears. I assumed the automation process would work similarly to a real audio track, however it only allows me to automate in a sort of block formation, meaning I can only do a sort of stair step pattern on the line instead of a fading, straight inclining line. This wouldn't be all that awful but even with the line lower or raised, the volume does not lower or raise in accordance with the line (where as in an audio track, you can literally see the volume change with the line as it raises and lowers.) What am I doing wrong.

I also have one more question that involves the used digi 002 I just purchased. It states that I have 8 inputs, however I see only 4 XLR mic inputs and the rest look to be 1/4 inch inputs. If I plug a Male end XLR cable into the microphone and the other end of the cable have a 1/4 inch inserted into one of the 5-8 inputs, will the interface recognize that when I hit record?

[musicalavtech]

As far as automation, select the pencil tool>freehand and draw your desired curve and PT will follow.

Inputs 5-8 are going to be recorded the same as 1-4 even though they are 1/4". As the manual puts it...If you are using any of the Inputs 5–8, set ei-
ther a –10 dBV or +4 dBu operating level for the
corresponding input using the Operating Level
switch on the back panel.

[flommer]

Ummm since the previous poster left out some info you asked about:


There are 2 different "volume" automation lanes on an instrument track. One of these is the MIDI volume (upper one) and the other volume automation controls the level of the audio portion (the aux, lower in the list) of an instrument track. An instrument track is just a combination of an Aux track and a MIDI track. Try adjusting the other volume and see if that changes the playback volume. If that doesn't help, then give some more details of what exactly you have set up (number and types of tracks, what synths you are using and how they are connected, etc..) I'm thinking that you aren't setting up your midi devices correctly/ideally since you describe "I use an instrument track rather than a midi track to actually make a midi track"

And as far as the 5-8 inputs go, NO you can not just plug a microphone into them. They are line level inputs that have 2 fixed gain settings. They are balanced inputs so you should use balanced cables with TRS 1/4" connectors if possible. They should work with unbalanced cables if you need to..

In order to use microphones with 5-8 you will need to get some external mic pre-amps. Here is an example of a very good one (you don't need to spend $2k):

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/ISA428/