Steinberg Cubase 6 Manual

231
Automation
Editing in the automation track editor
The automation track editor allows you to perform addi-
tional scaling operations for selection ranges on existing 
controller curves. The editor is automatically displayed 
when you drag a selection rectangle (with the Arrow tool) 
on a ramp type automation track.
In the automation track editor, controls (so called “smart 
spots”) appear on the borders of the editor. These smart 
spots allow you to activate a specific editing mode:
ÖIf you hold down...

232
Automation
Automation track operations
Most of the tracks in your project have automation tracks, 
one for each automated parameter. Automation tracks are 
hidden by default. 
Opening automation tracks 
To open an automation track for a channel, proceed as fol-
lows:
•Position the mouse pointer over the lower left corner of 
the track and click the arrow icon (“Show/Hide Automa
-
tion”) that appears.
•Right-click the track in the track list and select “Show 
Automation” from the context menu.
By...

233
Automation
2.Select “More…”.
The Add Parameter dialog opens. This dialog shows a list with all parame-
ters that can be automated for the selected channel (sorted into different 
categories), including the parameters for any assigned insert effects. To 
view the parameters in a category, click the “+” sign for the corresponding 
category folder.
The Add Parameter dialog for an audio track
3.Select a parameter from the list and click OK.
The parameter will replace the current parameter in the...

234
Automation
Showing only used automation tracks
If a lot of automation tracks are used, it may be impractical 
to have them all open in the track list. If you want to view 
only the automation tracks that are used (i.
 e. those that ac-
tually contain automation events), do one of the following:
•To close all automation tracks not containing automa-
tion events, right-click any track in the track list and select 
the “Show All Used Automation” option from the pop-up 
menu.
This option is also...

235
Automation
The Automation panel (Cubase only)
The Automation panel is a floating window, similar to the 
Mixer and Transport panel, and can be left open while you 
work. The Project window will always have the focus.
To show the Automation panel, open the Project menu 
and select the Automation Panel option or click the “Open 
Automation Panel” button on the Project window toolbar.
The Read/Write buttons 
In the upper part of the Automation panel, you will find 
Read and Write buttons. These are used...

236
Automation
Touch
Typically, you use Touch mode in situations where you 
want to make a change lasting only a few seconds to an 
already set up parameter.
As the name implies, Touch will write automation data only 
for as long as you actually touch a parameter control – 
punch out occurs as soon as you release the control.
After punch out, the control will return to the previously set 
value. The Return Time setting (see 
“Automation Prefer-
ences” on page 241) determines how long it takes for the...

237
Automation
When enabling Trim on the Automation panel, a trim curve 
is positioned in the exact middle position of your automa
-
tion track. You can use the trim curve to modify the original 
automation curve. Just drag the trim curve up or down and 
add automation events to it. These increase or decrease 
the values of the original automation curve, but allow you 
to preserve the original data. 
Trim data is edited like any other automation data and it is 
stored with the project. When Trim is...

238
Automation
The following functions are available:
The Fill options
The Fill options define what happens in a specific section 
of your project when you punch out of a running automa
-
tion pass.
The Fill options write one particular value across a defined 
section of your automation track – any previously created 
data within this section is overwritten.
The following Fill options are available:
To Punch
Let’s say you are automating the volume for a pop-song in 
realtime. The volume must be softer in...

239
Automation
Loop
To use the Loop option, you must first set up a loop range 
with the left and right locators. When you then select 
Loop, punching out will set the found value within the 
range defined by the left and right locator.
Fill combinations
You can also combine the various Fill options. 
•Combining “To Punch” and “To End” will fill the automa-
tion track from the punch in position to the end of the 
project.
•Combining “To Start” and “To End” will fill the automa-
tion track from the...

240
Automation
The Suspend options
The parameters or parameter groups selected here are 
excluded from the reading or writing of automation data – 
giving you full manual control of these parameters. 
ÖThe “Others” options refer to all parameters not cov-
ered by Volume, Pan, Mute, EQ, Sends, or Inserts.
Suspend Read
Imagine you have already automated several tracks. While 
working on the current track, you want one of the other 
tracks to be louder, to better identify a particular position 
in your...