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 [Shift] while clicking on any of the 
smart spots, you get the vertical scaling mode.
•To scale the automation curves on several tracks at the 
same time, drag a selection rectangle across the corre
-
sponding automation tracks, hold down [Ctrl]/[Command] 
and use the scaling smart spots.
•To move the whole selection up/down or left/right, click 
on an automation event inside the editor and drag the 
curve.
By pressing [Ctrl]/[Command] when clicking and dragging, you can re-
strict the direction to horizontal or vertical movement, depending on the 
direction in which you start dragging.
ÖSnap is taken into account when moving automation 
curves horizontally.
Removing automation events
There are several ways to remove events:
•By selecting events and pressing [Backspace] or [De-
lete] or selecting Delete from the Edit menu, or by clicking 
on an event with the Erase tool.
This will remove the events. The curve is redrawn to connect the remain-
ing events.
•By selecting a range (with the Range Selection tool), 
and pressing [Backspace] or [Delete] or selecting Delete 
from the Edit menu.
•By clicking on the automation parameter name in the 
track list and selecting “Remove Parameter” from the pop-
up menu.
This will remove all automation events from the automation track, and the 
automation track will be closed.
Editing 
modeTo activate this 
mode…Description
Move 
VerticallyClick in an empty 
area on the upper 
border of the editor.This mode allows you to move the 
entire curve up or down, which is 
useful to boost or attenuate an oth
-erwise perfect curve. 
Scale 
VerticallyClick the smart spot 
in the middle of the 
upper border of the 
editor.Use this mode to relatively scale the 
curve, i. e. to raise or lower the val-ues in percent (not by absolute 
amounts).
Tilt the left/
right part of 
the curveClick the smart spot 
in the upper left/
right corner of the 
editor.These modes allow you to tilt the left 
or the right part of the curve, re-spectively. This is useful if the curve 
form is exactly the way you want it, 
but the start or end needs to be 
boosted or attenuated a bit.
Compress 
the left/right 
part of the 
curve[Alt]/[Option]-click 
the smart spot in 
the upper left/right 
corner of the editor.These modes allow you to compress 
the left or the right part of the curve.
Scale Around 
Absolute 
CenterClick the smart spot 
in the middle of the 
right border of the 
editor.This mode allows you to scale the 
curve around the absolute center, 
i.
 e. horizontally around the center of 
the editor.
Scale Around 
Relative 
Center [Alt]/[Option]-click 
the smart spot in 
the middle of the 
right border of the 
editor.This mode allows you to scale the 
curve relative to its center.
StretchClick and drag in 
the lower part of the 
editor.This allows you to stretch the se-lected curve.
Editing 
modeTo activate this 
mode…Description 
						

							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 default, the Volume parameter is assigned to the first au-
tomation track. 
•To open another automation track, position the mouse 
pointer over the lower left corner of an automation track, 
and click the “+” sign (“Append Automation Track”) that 
appears.
By default, the new automation track shows the next parameter in the 
Add Parameter list (see below).
You can click the “Append Automation Track” button (the 
“+” sign) for the automation track several times to open 
additional automation tracks. 
ÖIf you activate the option “Show Automation Track in 
Project on Writing Parameter” in the Preferences dialog 
(Editing page), the corresponding automation track is re
-
vealed on writing automation parameters.
Assigning a parameter to an automation track
Default parameters are already assigned to automation 
tracks when you open them, according to their order in the 
Add Parameter list.
To select which parameter an open automation track dis-
plays, proceed as follows:
1.Open an automation track and click on the automation 
parameter name.
A parameter list is shown. The contents depend on the track type.
•If the parameter you wish to automate is available on the 
pop-up menu, you can select it directly.
•If you wish to add a parameter not available on the pop-
up menu or if you want to view all parameters that can be 
automated, proceed with the next step.
Click here to open an 
automation track. 
						

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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 automation track.
Note that the “replacing” of the parameter displayed in the 
automation track is completely non-destructive. If the au
-
tomation track contains any automation data for the pa-
rameter you just replaced, this data is there, although it is 
not visible. By clicking on the automation parameter name 
in the track list, you can switch back to the replaced pa
-
rameter. On the pop-up menu, all automated parameters 
are indicated by an asterisk (*) after the parameter name.
Automated parameters
Repeat the above procedure to assign all the parameters 
you want to automate to separate automation tracks.
ÖTempo changes cannot be automated on automation 
tracks. This is done using the tempo recording function in 
the Tempo Track Editor, see 
“Recording tempo changes 
(Cubase only)” on page 466.
Removing automation tracks 
•To remove an automation track together with all auto-
mation events, click the parameter name and select “Re-
move Parameter” from the pop-up menu.
•To remove all automation tracks from a track that do not 
contain automation events, select “Remove Unused Para
-
meters” from any of its automation parameter name pop-up 
menus.
•To remove automation tracks, you can also use the De-
lete options on the Functions pop-up menu of the Automa-
tion panel, see “The Functions pop-up menu” on page 237.
Showing/hiding automation tracks
•To hide a single automation track, position the pointer 
over the top left border of the automation track in the track 
list and click the “Hide Automation Track” button (the “-” 
sign).
•To hide all automation tracks for a track, right-click the 
corresponding track, and select “Hide Automation” from 
the context menu.
•To hide all automation tracks for all tracks in the track 
list, right-click any track and select “Hide All Automation” 
from the context menu.
This option is also available on the Track Folding submenu of the Project 
menu.
•To show or hide automation tracks, you can also use the 
options in the Show section of the Automation panel, see 
“The Show options” on page 240. 
						

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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 available on the Track Folding submenu of the Project 
menu. 
•To close all automation tracks for the selected track that 
do not contain any automation events, right-click a spe
-
cific track and select the “Show Used Automation (Se-
lected Tracks)” option from the context menu.
Used automation tracks will be left open. 
Muting automation tracks
You can mute individual automation tracks by clicking their 
Mute buttons in the track list. This allows you to turn off 
automation for a single parameter.
The “Automation follows Events” setting
If you activate the “Automation follows Events” option on 
the Edit menu (or in the Preferences dialog, on the Editing 
page), automation events will automatically follow when 
you move an event or part on the track. 
This makes it easy to set up automation related to a spe-
cific event or part, rather than to a specific position in the 
project. For example, you can automate the panning of a 
sound effect event (having the sound pan from left to right, 
etc.) – if you need to move the event, the automation will 
automatically follow! 
The rules are:
•All automation events for the track between the start 
and end of the event or part are moved.
If there are automation events at the new position (to which you move the 
part or event), these are overwritten.
•If you copy an event or part, the automation events are 
duplicated as well. 
						

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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 to globally en
-
able or disable the Read and Write buttons on all tracks.
•Click “Activate Read for all tracks” to enable all Read 
buttons on all tracks/channels of your project.
Clicking “Deactivate Read for all tracks” will disable all Read buttons.
•Click “Activate Write for all tracks” to enable all Write 
buttons (and, at the same time, all Read buttons) on all 
tracks/channels of your project.
Clicking “Deactivate Write for all tracks” will disable all Write buttons. 
The Read buttons will remain enabled.
Automation modes
Cubase provides three different punch out modes for au-
tomation, available on the upper part of the Automation 
panel and on the Automation Mode pop-up menu on the 
Project window toolbar.
The three modes available are “Touch”, “Auto-Latch”, and 
“Cross-Over”. In all three modes, automation data will be 
written as soon as a parameter control is touched in play 
mode. They differ in the way the writing of automation data 
is ended, i.
 e. in their “punch out” behavior.
Note that you can change the automation mode at any time, 
i.
 e. in play or stop mode or during an automation pass. You 
can also assign key commands to the automation modes, 
see 
“Automation key commands” on page 241.
The current automation pass will always punch out as 
soon as one of the following conditions is met, indepen
-
dent of which automation mode is selected:
• If you disable Write.
• If you stop playback.
• If you activate Fast Forward/Rewind.
• If the project cursor reaches the right locator in Cycle mode.
• If you click in the ruler to move the project cursor (this is user-
definable and can be controlled via the Automation panel, see 
“Automation Preferences” on page 241).
…and on the Project window toolbar.Selecting the automation mode on the Automation panel… 
						

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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 
parameter to reach the previously set value.
Auto-Latch
In Auto-Latch mode, there is no specific punch out condi-
tion other than those valid in all modes, see above.
Auto-Latch is useful in situations where you want to keep 
a value over a longer period of time – for example when 
making EQ settings for a particular scene.
Once your pass has started, the writing of automation 
data continues for as long as playback lasts or Write is 
enabled. When you release the control, the last value is 
kept until you punch out.
ÖThe automation mode for On/Off switches is always 
Auto-Latch (even if another mode is selected globally or 
for the track).
Cross-Over
The Cross-Over mode is a kind of “manual return time” op-
tion (see “Automation Preferences” on page 241). The 
Cross-Over mode can be used in situations where you are 
not satisfied with an automation curve or with the automati
-
cally applied return settings. Cross-Over mode allows you 
to perform a “manual return” to ensure smooth transitions 
between new and existing automation settings.
For Cross-Over, the punch out condition is crossing over 
an already existing automation curve after touching the 
parameter for a second time.
Like in Auto-Latch mode, once the automation pass be-
gins with the first touching of the parameter control, auto-
mation data is written for as long as playback lasts.
When you have found the correct value setting, you can 
release the fader – the automation pass continues, with 
the value setting remaining the same.
Now, re-touch the fader and move it towards the original 
value. As soon as you cross the original curve, punch out 
occurs automatically.
Trim
Trim allows you to update data from a previous pass by 
adding or removing automation data.
ÖTrim works for channel volume and aux send level ad-
justments. 
						

							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 activated, all editing 
and recording affects the trim curve. When you deactivate 
Trim, the original automation curve will be reset and gets 
active so that you can edit it. 
You can use Trim either in Stop or in Play mode:
•In Stop mode, you can edit the trim curve manually by 
clicking on it and moving it up or down. The original auto
-
mation curve is displayed in a lighter color and its values are 
merged with the trim curve. The resulting automation curve 
is displayed in a darker color. 
•In Play mode, the events of the original automation curve 
are trimmed as the project cursor passes over them.
Trim in Play mode, in combination with Fill to Punch
Freeze Trim
You can freeze your trim curve automatically or manually 
and render all trim data into a single automation curve. 
To freeze your trim curve automatically, open the Freeze 
Trim pop-up menu in the Automation Settings. Select “On 
Pass End” to perform a freeze whenever a write operation 
is finished. Select “On Leaving Trim Mode” to freeze the 
trim data when Trim mode is switched off (globally or indi
-
vidually for a track).
To freeze your trim curve manually, select the correspond-
ing option on the Freeze Trim pop-up menu in the Automa-
tion Settings (see “Automation Preferences” on page 241). 
You have the following possibilities to freeze your trim data 
manually:
•On the automation track, click on the parameter name 
and select “Freeze Trim” from the pop-up menu to freeze 
this specific parameter for the track.
•On the Automation panel, open the Functions pop-up 
menu and select “Freeze All Trim Automation in Project” to 
freeze the trim automation for all tracks in the project.
•On the Automation panel, open the Functions pop-up 
menu and select “Freeze Trim Automation of Selected 
Tracks” to freeze the trim automation of all selected tracks.
The Functions pop-up menu
At the top right of the Automation panel, you will find the 
Functions pop-up menu, which contains a number of 
global automation commands.
Trim curve Original automation 
curveResulting automa-
tion curve 
						

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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 the chorus section 
than for the verse. You do not yet know how much softer, 
but the change in volume from verse to chorus must be 
abrupt.
Proceed as follows:
1.Select “Touch” as automation mode and click the “To 
Punch” button once to activate it as Fill option.
The “To Punch” button is highlighted. 
2.Start playback somewhere during the verse and touch 
the fader at the moment of change from verse to chorus.
The automation pass is punched in.
3.Move the fader until you have found the volume setting 
you need in the chorus and release the fader to punch out.
The volume curve is set from the point of punch out back to where you 
punched in. The values written while moving the fader to find the right 
value are deleted, and the volume jumps at exactly the right moment from 
the value set in the verse to the value found for the chorus.
To Start
“To Start” is similar to the “To Punch” option, but with the 
following difference: When “To Start” is selected, punch
-
ing out of automation will fill the automation track from 
where you punched out to the start of the project.
To End
Let’s assume you are automating volume for the back-
ground tracks of a two-minute part in your project. Rather 
than holding the fader for two minutes, you can proceed 
as follows: 
1.Select “Touch” as automation mode and click the “To 
End” button once to activate it as Fill option.
The “To End” button is highlighted. 
2.Start playback and touch the parameter control to 
punch in the automation pass.
3.Move the fader until you have found the setting you 
want and release the fader.
This will punch out the writing of automation data. As you let go of the 
fader, the automation curve will take the found value setting, from where 
you punched out to the end of the project.
FunctionDescription
Delete All Automation 
in ProjectThis removes all automation data from your proj-ect. 
Delete Automation of 
Selected TracksThis removes all automation data for the selected 
track(s). 
Delete Automation in 
RangeThis deletes all automation data between the left 
and right locators on all tracks. 
Freeze All Trim Auto-mation in ProjectThis freezes all trim automation for all tracks in the 
project, see “Freeze Trim” on page 237.
Freeze Trim Automa-tion of Selected 
TracksThis freezes all trim automation for the selected 
tracks, see “Freeze Trim” on page 237. 
						

							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 beginning to the end of the project.
Feel free to experiment!
One shot vs. continuous fill
The Fill options can be used in two different ways:
•One shot: When you click one of the Fill buttons, it is 
highlighted, and will be enabled during the next automa
-
tion pass.
Afterwards, the option is disabled again.
•Continuous fill: If you click a Fill button a second time, a 
lock symbol is displayed on the highlighted button, indi
-
cating that you are permanently in “Fill to X” mode and that 
the operation can be repeated as many times as you wish.
Clicking the button a third time disables the corresponding Fill option.
Drawing curves with Fill enabled
You can use the Fill options on the Automation panel in 
combination with the Pencil tool. This provides you with an 
extremely powerful method for writing automation data 
manually:
1.Open an automation track and select the Pencil tool.
2.On the Automation panel in the Fill column select “To 
End”.
3.Click and draw to create an automation curve.
4.Release the mouse button.
At the moment of release, a final automation event is created. The automa-tion curve is written from this last event through to the end of the project.
This procedure can be used with all the Fill options.  
						

							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 audio material. By suspending Read for the Volume 
parameter, you regain full manual control and can set the 
volume to the required level.
•To suspend the reading of automation data for all para-
meters/parameter groups, click the All button at the bottom 
of the section.
When any of the options in the Suspend Read category are enabled, 
clicking All will disable these buttons.
Suspend Write
Imagine the following situation: To help you concentrate 
while working on a particular track, you mute several other 
tracks. However, because write automations are active on 
these tracks, this mute state is also automated during the 
next automation pass – a classic situation in mixing.
To avoid inadvertently excluding whole tracks from your 
mix in this way, you can exclude Mute from all automation 
writing. Simply click Mute in the Suspend Write category 
on the Automation panel.
•To suspend the writing of automation data for all para-
meters/parameter groups, click the All button at the bot-
tom of the Suspend Write category.
When any of the options in the Suspend Write category are enabled, 
clicking All will disable these buttons.
•When an automation pass is in progress for a particular 
parameter and you write-suspend this parameter, it will 
punch out of the automation pass.
The Show options
The Show options on the Automation panel always affect all 
tracks. Clicking these buttons opens the automation tracks 
for the corresponding parameters, e.
 g. Volume or Pan. This 
makes it easy to look at your EQ settings on several tracks, 
for example.
•When you click either Volume, Pan, EQ, Sends, or In-
serts, this will open the corresponding automation track(s) 
for all tracks.
The automation tracks will be opened even if no automation data was re-
corded on these tracks.
•For parameter groups (i. e. Pan, EQ, Sends, and Inserts) 
you can step through the individual parameter sets by re
-
peatedly clicking the respective button.
•When the Used Only button is enabled, clicking one of 
the options will show you only the corresponding automa
-
tion tracks for which automation data has already been 
written.
•When you click Show Used, all automation tracks that 
contain automation data will be displayed.
•Hide All will hide all open automation tracks.