Using Automation

Another feature that is useful to mixing is automation. Automation lets you record changes such as volume and panning, and will “play back” the changes when you listen to your project. Automation is most commonly used to “ride” vocal levels or guitar solo levels, so you don’t have to manually repeat the same physical fader moves each time you listen to your project. With automation, you can “record” the fader movements.

Automation allows you to make gradual or sudden changes to make your song more dynamic. For example, in the tutorial project, you might find that Whiney Synth should become lower in volume at measure 25, when the drums and bass change. Try it:

1.	In the Control Bar, select Mix Song from the Screenset list.

2.	In the Console View, click the Write Automation button on the Whiney Synth track. You will see a small red frame around the controls that are active for recording automation.

3.	Click Play or press SPACEBAR to start playback.

4.	At measure 25, turn the track volume down to the desired level.

5.	At measure 33, turn the track volume back up.

6.	Press Stop to stop playback.

7.	Disable Write Automation by clicking the button again.

8.

Press Play and notice how the track volume changes automatically. In the Console view, you will also see the fader in the track “play back” the fader moves you just recorded. In the Track view, you will see a pattern drawn on top of the track's clip. This is a graphical representation of the volume automation you just recorded. Repeat this process with any other automation you feel the project needs. For more information, see Automation.

Music Creator includes the finished Mixing Tutorial project (Mixing Tutorial-Complete.cwb). You can open this project and listen to and take note of the settings and changes from the original project. We’ve also included a song by up and coming California artist Jon Levy (Jon Levy_Taste This Moment.cwb) to help you practice mixing with vocals.

 

See also:

Tutorial 1 – Creating, playing, and saving projects

Tutorial 2 – Using the Browser

Tutorial 3 – Recording vocals and musical instruments

Tutorial 4 – Playing and recording software instruments

Tutorial 5 – Working with music notation

Tutorial 6 – Editing audio

Tutorial 8 – Working with video

Tutorial 9 – Exporting, CD burning and sharing