CHAPTER 8
To toggle the Automation Follows Edit option, do one of the following:
Click the Automation Follows Edit button in the Edit window toolbar. This button will show a blue highlight when enabled and (in Pro Tools 11 and later) an orange highlight when disabled. Choose Options > Automation Follows Edit. When checked, the feature is enabled.
Enabling Automation
Placing a track in Write, Touch, Latch, or Touch/Latch mode will not necessarily allow you to record automation. The Automation window must have the parameter enabled that you wish to automate. Enabling/disabling parameters in this window allows you to selectively choose which parameter(s) you wish to automate during a pass. You can leave all parameters enabled if you wish; however, this may allow you to inadvertently overwrite something on a track that you wished to keep.
Smooth and Thin Data After Pass
Pro Tools records automation moves as a series of small steps, sometimes resulting in a dense array of breakpoints. However, capturing more breakpoints doesn't necessarily translate to smoother automation. Smoothing and thinning intelligently removes breakpoints to create a smooth ramp from one breakpoint to another. The degree of thinning determines how many breakpoints are retained (more thinning = fewer breakpoints retained).
Global AutoMatch
The AutoMatch button located in the Automation window provides a global AutoMatch function. Clicking the AutoMatch button will force all currently writing parameters back to their previous levels at the same time.
After Write Pass, Switch To
This option allows you to specify whether channels that are in Write mode will automatically switch to Touch or Latch mode, or stay in Write mode, after a single automation pass. The default setting switches to Latch mode. This is a safety feature that helps you avoid inadvertently erasing newly-written automation after performing a write automation pass.
Suspending Automation
While you are working on your mix and setting up sends and effects, you may not always want your automation to be active. For this reason, Pro Tools provides you with a variety of options for suspending the writing or playback of any automation parameters in your session.
To change the AutoMatch Time:
1.Choose Setup > Preferences and select the Mixing tab. 2.Set the AutoMatch Time (bottom left of the dialog box) to a value between 0 and 5000 msec. The default is 250 msec.
To manually write current automation values to a set point of a track or selection:
1.Choose Window > Automation, or press Command+[4] (Mac) or Ctrl+[4] (Windows) on the numeric keypad, to display the Automation window and verify that the target parameters are automation-enabled. 2.Put the track into Write, Touch, Latch, Touch/Latch, or Trim mode using the track's Automation Mode selector. 3.Make a selection within a track or place the playback cursor at the desired starting point. 4.Begin playback and begin writing automation.
o suspend individual automation parameters on a track:
1.Choose the automation parameter you want to suspend from the Track View selector or from a Lane View selector (when automation lanes are shown) so that the desired automation graph is displayed. 2.Command-click (Mac) or Ctrl-click (Windows) directly on the Track View selector button or Lane View selector button. The button will become dimmed. (See Figure 8.27.) 3.To re-enable the automation so that it plays again, Command-click (Mac) or Ctrl-click (Windows) on the Track View selector or Lane View selector a second time. image-130.png Option+Command-click (Mac) or Ctrl+Alt-click (Windows) on the Track View selector or on a Lane View selector on any track to toggle the selected automation parameter off/on for all tracks in the session.
To configure Write on Stop modes to remain enabled after an automation pass:
1.Display the Automation window. 2.Hold Option (Mac) or Alt (Windows) and click one of the Write on Stop buttons to lock it active until manually disabled. The enabled Write on Stop button will appear in red. To disable a locked Write on Stop button, click on it without holding a modifier key.
To enable a parameter for automation:
1.Open the Automation window (Window > Automation) by pressing Command+[4] (Mac) or Ctrl+[4] (Windows) on the numeric keypad. 2.Click on the parameter you wish to enable in the Automation window. Enabled parameters will be highlighted in red. image-145.png Option-click (Mac) or Alt-click (Windows) to enable/disable all parameters at once.
To enable individual plug-in controls in the Plug-In Automation dialog box:
1.Open the real-time plug-in you want to automate so that it is the active Plug-in window. 2.Click the Plug-In Automation Enable button. (See Figure 8.9.)
To enable individual plug-in controls in the plug-in interface:
1.Open the real-time plug-in you want to automate so that it is the active Plug-in window. 2.Hold Control+Option+Command (Mac) or Ctrl+Start+Alt (Windows) and click on a control in the plug-in window. A pop-up menu will appear. 3.Select the option to enable automation for the parameter from the pop-up menu. (See Figure 8.11.)
To trim a series of automation breakpoints (such as volume or send level) up or down:
1.Select the range of automation breakpoints you want to trim. To trim an entire track, no selection is necessary. 2.Select the Trim tool. 3.Click within the selection and drag the selected breakpoints up or down to the desired level. New breakpoints will be added at the start and end of the selection, and the automation breakpoints within the selection will trimmed up or down. While trimming, a text-tip display will appear showing the absolute change value followed by a relative or delta value (shown in parentheses).
The Plug-In Automation dialog box will open, displaying the disabled plug-in controls on the left and the enabled plug-in controls on the right.
3.To enable controls for writing of automation, select one or more controls in the left-hand column and click Add. The control name(s) will be removed from the left column and added to the right column.
1.Display the Automation window and verify that the target parameters are automation-enabled. 2.Put the track into Write, Touch, Latch, Touch/Latch, or Trim mode by selecting a mode from the track's Automation Mode selector. 3.Make a selection within a track or place the playback cursor at the desired starting point. 4.In the Write on Stop section of the Automation window, click the appropriate button so that it becomes highlighted in blue:
6.When you establish an automation setting that you wish to extend, stop playback. Writing of automation will halt, and the current values of all controls writing automation at that point will automatically be written to the corresponding area of the track/selection.
6.Stop playback. A "write to" warning dialog box will appear, confirming the Manual Write command.
7. Click OK to dismiss the dialog box. The current values of all write-enabled automation at the stopping point will be committed for the corresponding area of the track/selection. image-130.png You can choose to suppress the Write To warnings in Preferences > Mixing by enabling Suppress Automation "Write To..." Warnings.
Touch/Latch Mode Scenario
As described above, Touch/Latch mode allows you to work in Touch mode with volume automation while the other enabled parameters of a track respond as in Latch mode. This mode is primarily used for long-format mixing such as films, live concerts, or documentaries. While in this mode, you can play for long sections at a time, continuing to do small volume updates. However when you move another enabled parameter (such as a pan control), the parameter will not jump back to previous levels when you let go. This allows you to pan a track and have it 'stick' in that position without returning to its previous level until you press stop or manually AutoMatch it back.
Viewing Multiple Automation Playlist Graphs
At times you may wish to see or edit more than one automation data type for a given track. For instance, you may want to see the volume, pan, and send level of a given track simultaneously. Instead of doing all your editing on the main playlist by changing the Track view, you can view and edit different automation graphs using multiple Automation Lanes.
Channel AutoMatch
By Command-clicking (Mac) or Ctrl-clicking (Windows) on the Automation Mode selector for an individual track, you can AutoMatch all writing parameters back to their previous levels for just that track. You can use the Automation Mode selector in the Edit window, Mix window, or the Output window of any track for a Channel AutoMatch. (See Figure 8.15.)
The following rules apply when trimming automation data:
If you click between two breakpoints that have the same value when no selection is active, those two breakpoints are trimmed. ■By default, new anchor breakpoints are created at the start and end of a selected area of automation data that is trimmed. image-130.png Holding down Option (Mac) or Alt (Windows) before trimming prevents new anchor breakpoints from being created at the start and end of your selection. ■If you click within a single clip when no selection is active, only the automation breakpoints that fall within the clip's boundaries are trimmed. If you click after the last breakpoint on a track's playlist, all breakpoints are trimmed. image-145.png Holding the Command key (Mac) or Ctrl key (Windows) while trimming allows you to trim automation data in finer increments.
Automating Plug-Ins
In addition to automating track volume, pan, mute, send level, send pan, and send mute controls, you can create dynamic automation for virtually all controls of any real-time plug-ins. The procedure for automating the controls of a plug-in is similar to that for other controls. The main difference is that you must first enable each plug-in control for automation. You can enable plug-in controls for automation by opening the Plug-In Automation dialog box or by clicking on a control while holding a series of modifier keys. You can also enable all controls for a plug-in at once by clicking on the Plug-In Auto Enable button while holding down modifier keys.
Extending Automation Values Later or Earlier
Often you may have an automation level that you want to carry forward or extend backward to a new position. You can achieve this by adding a new automation breakpoint later (to carry the level forward) or earlier (to extend the level backward) relative to the breakpoint with the desired level. By holding the appropriate modifier keys while adding the new breakpoint, you can constrain the new breakpoint to match the level of an existing breakpoint.
Writing Automation over Long Sections
Pro Tools HD software lets you write automation values from any insertion point to practically anywhere in a session while performing an automation pass. This allows you to quickly write a current automation value to the beginning or end of the session, to the previous punch point or next breakpoint, or across an entire section, without requiring you to play the entire section to write real-time automation. The Automation window includes two types of buttons for this purpose: the Manual Write buttons and the Write on Stop buttons.
Editing Automation
Pro Tools provides several ways to edit automation data for any track in your session. As you learned in the Pro Tools 110 course, you can edit automation data graphically, by adjusting breakpoints on the automation playlist of a track or in individual Automation Lanes. You can also cut, copy, and paste automation data in the same manner as audio and MIDI data. In this section, we discuss how to change the default behavior that Pro Tools applies to automation playlists when editing audio waveforms or MIDI notes. We also explore Pro Tools' special modes for cutting, copying, pasting, and clearing automation, as well as various other editing techniques available for working with automation playlists.
Using AutoMatch Functions
The AutoMatch functions in Pro Tools let you return a currently writing automation parameter to the underlying (original) automation graph over a specified period of time. AutoMatching occurs automatically when working in Touch mode. Other automation modes let you manually apply an AutoMatch in one of three ways: Global AutoMatch, Channel AutoMatch, and Parameter AutoMatch.
Write Automation on Stop Commands
The Automation Enable window also provides options for writing/trimming automation after a valid automation pass has been performed when the transport is stopped. These commands can be configured to automatically disable after a single pass or to remain enabled for subsequent passes. image-132.png Write Automation to Next Breakpoint on Stop remains enabled after a valid automation pass. Unlike the other Write Automation on Stop commands, this command cannot be configured to disable after an automation pass.
Clear Special
The Clear Special commands let you clear just automation data from the current selection (without affecting the associated audio or MIDI data).
Cut Special
The Cut Special commands let you cut only the automation data from the current selection (without affecting the associated audio or MIDI data) and place it in memory to paste elsewhere.
Special Cut, Copy, Paste, and Clear Commands
The Edit menu commands for Cut Special, Copy Special, Paste Special, and Clear Special are provided for editing automation playlists (volume, pan, mute, and plug-in automation) on Audio, Instrument, Auxiliary Input, VCA Master, and Master Fader tracks. These commands can also be used for MIDI controller data on MIDI and Instrument tracks. image-132.png You cannot paste MIDI controller data to automation data playlists nor automation data to MIDI controller playlists.
Manual Write Automation Commands
The Manual Write commands are used to extend currently writing parameters to specific points during playback. Additionally, these commands affect automation only for those parameters that are automation-enabled and currently writing automation data. image-130.png Parameters that are Latch-primed can also be written. Latch Prime is covered in advanced courses.
Latching Behavior for Switch Controls in Touch
This option determines the behavior of switch-type controls (such as mutes or bypass controls) when a track is set to Touch mode. With this option enabled, you can press and release a Mute or Bypass when working in Touch mode and have the control stay muted/bypassed. With this option off, the switch would immediately return to its previous state when you release the control.
Allow Latch Prime in Stop
This preference allows you to touch or change an automatable parameter before starting playback so that when playback is initiated, Pro Tools will begin writing automation immediately. In other words, when the track is set for Latch mode and you touch a parameter, the track will effectively be in 'write' mode for just the touched parameter. Without this preference enabled, you would have to put a track in Write mode for this behavior, in which case all other enabled automation parameters on the track would also begin to write/overwrite upon playback.
AutoMatch Time
This setting lets you specify the amount of time in milliseconds that Pro Tools uses to return to the underlying automation when you release a control in Touch mode or manually AutoMatch currently writing parameters, as discussed below.
Automation Preferences
To get the most out of the advanced automation features that Pro Tools provides, it is important to understand some of the preferences related to automation. Automation Preferences can be found in Setup > Preferences under the Mixing tab.
Automation Mode Functions
Touch—Writes automation when an enabled control is touched (or clicked) and continues writing until the control is released. When released, the control returns to previously written levels at a rate determined by the AutoMatch preference setting (discussed later in this lesson). ■Latch—Writes automation when an enabled control is touched (or clicked) and continues writing until playback stops or the control is manually AutoMatched back, as described later in this lesson. ■Touch/Latch—Places a track's Volume control in Touch mode and all other track controls in Latch mode. ■Write Mode—Writes automation from the time playback begins until playback stops (or until the control is manually AutoMatched back); Write mode replaces any existing automation on the track. ■Trim—Writes automation to a separate trim playlist, applying a relative change to any existing automation. Trim mode is used in conjunction with the other automation modes, especially Touch and Latch, allowing you to apply an offset to existing automation while preserving the original automation moves.
Automation Follows Edit Functionality, enabled and disabled
When Automation Follows Edit is enabled, cutting, copying, pasting, deleting, or moving audio or MIDI data also affects the automation playlists associated with the selection. For example, if you have a volume automation move associated with a sound effect clip, the volume automation will follow the sound effect if you move the clip earlier or later or if you copy the clip and paste it elsewhere in your session. When Automation Follows Edit is disabled, the automation playlists are not affected by edits to audio or MIDI notes. In this case, moving or copying a clip will not move or copy the associated automation.
Suppress Automation "Write To..." Warnings
When enabled, Pro Tools will not display any warnings when using the Manual Write or Write on Stop commands (as discussed later in this lesson).
AutoMatch Time .
When working in Touch mode, the AutoMatch Time preference setting determines the time interval that Pro Tools uses to return a control to the underlying automation level after an automatable control has been released. The AutoMatch Time also applies when a manual AutoMatch is performed while working in Latch or Write mode
Do one of the following: •Add lanes by clicking the plus sign (+) to view additional automation playlists on the track. •Right-click on the Show/Hide Lanes triangle and choose the automation type you wish to view from the Automation Type pop-up menu.
When writing automation, each affected automation lane will display its own red line. All automation editing commands work on automation lanes as well.
Viewing Automation while Writing
When you begin to write automation, a red line will appear in the corresponding automation graph(s) indicating that automation is being written to a particular parameter or parameters. image-145.png To show the automation graph for the parameter you are currently adjusting (e.g. volume, pan, send, etc.), Control+Command-click (Mac) or Ctrl+Start-click (Windows) on the control (such as a fader or pan knob) on screen. The track playlist will instantly display the associated automation graph, and the Edit window will scroll to the track.
Plug In Controls Default to Auto-Enabled
With this preference enabled, a newly instantiated plug-in on a track will automatically have all its automation parameters enabled for automation.
Suspending Individual Automation Parameters
You can also suspend individual automation parameters on one or more individual tracks from the Track View selector or automation Lane View selector.
Globally Suspending Automation
You can globally suspend all automation playback and recording parameters for every track in your session at once using the Automation window. To globally suspend automation for all tracks: 1.Choose Window > Automation or press Command+[4] (Mac) or Ctrl+[4] (Windows) on the numeric keypad to open the Automation window in Pro Tools. 2.Click the Suspend button to suspend all automation recording and playback (automation is suspended when the button is highlighted in red). 3.To re-enable automation playback and recording, click the Suspend button a second time.
To view multiple automation lanes: 1.Click the Show/Hide Lanes icon (triangle) at the bottom-left of a track.
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Individual Parameter AutoMatch
command-clicking (Mac) or Ctrl-clicking (Windows) on a Write Enable button in the Automation window will AutoMatch just that parameter on all tracks where the parameter is currently writing automation. For example, Command/Ctrl-clicking on Pan will AutoMatch pan automation back to previous levels on all tracks writing pan automation.
Toggling Automation Follows Edit
he default edit behavior that Pro Tools uses results in changes to automation playlists that follow the changes you make to your audio waveforms and MIDI notes. This behavior can be toggled using the Automation Follows Edit option.
Suspending Automation on Tracks
nstead of suspending all automation parameters in your session, you may want to suspend writing and playback of automation for one or more individual tracks. To suspend automation playback and recording for a track: 1.Click the track's Automation Mode selector and choose Off from the pop-up menu. 2.Repeat this procedure to suspend automation on other tracks. 3.To enable automation playback or writing, choose a mode other than Off from the pop-up menu.
To enable all plug-in controls for automation: 1.Do one of the following:
•Hold Control+Option+Command (Mac) or Ctrl+Start+Alt (Windows) and click on the Automation Enable button in the plug-in window. •Enable Plug-In Parameters Default to Auto-Enabled in the Mixing page of the Pro Tools Preferences dialog box. image-132.png This preference applies only to new instances of plug-ins. It will not Auto Enable parameters of existing plug-ins on tracks in the session.
Choices in the Clear Special submenu include the following:
■All Automation - Clears all automation or MIDI controller data whether it is displayed on screen or not. ■Pan Automation - Clears only pan automation or MIDI pan data whether it is displayed on screen or not. ■Plug-In Automation - Clears only plug-in automation for plug-ins with currently displayed automation.
ou can resize an automation lane in the following ways:
■Click the bottom line of any given Lane Controls column and drag up or down. The cursor will change to indicate that you can resize the lane. This action will resize all displayed Lanes of a given track. ■Click on the vertical zoom scale just to the right of the track controls and select the height from the pop-up menu. This action will resize all lanes as well. image-145.png Hold Control (Mac) or Ctrl (Windows) while selecting or adjusting a lane height to resize a single lane only.
Choices in the Cut Special submenu include the following:
■Repeat to Fill Selection—Repeatedly pastes the clipboard contents (automation data, audio, or MIDI controller data) as needed to fill the selection. If you select an area that is not an exact multiple of the copied material, the remaining selection area is filled with a truncated version of the original selection. Used with automation playlists, this command allows you to easily create repetitive automation effects. ■To Current Automation Type—Pastes the automation data from the clipboard to the selection as the current automation type. This lets you copy automation from one playlist type and use it on a different playlist type; for example, copying Pan automation and pasting it to Plug-In automation. image-130.png The Paste Special menu also includes a Merge option for pasting MIDI data and merging it with any existing MIDI note data in the track. This option is not applicable to non-MIDI automation data.
The Automation window also allows you to do the following:
■Suspend all automation in the session ■Perform Manual Write and Write on Stop commands ■Enable AutoJoin mode (covered in PT310M/P) ■Perform a Global AutoMatch ■Enable/use Preview and Capture modes (covered in PT310M/P)
