Working with automation envelopes

To select automation

1.	Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation).

2.	Do one of the following:

With the Smart tool or Select tool , drag left/right to make a time selection.

With the Smart tool or Select tool , drag with the right mouse button to lasso select.

With the Select tool , click the node. Hold CTRL or SHIFT to extend the selection.

With the Edit tool , click the node.

To move automation

1.	Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation).

2.	Do one of the following:

With the Move tool , position the pointer over the envelope segment you want to move, then drag the segment to the desired location.

With the Edit tool , position the pointer over the envelope segment you want to move, then drag the segment to the desired location.

To move envelope nodes

1.	Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation).

2.	Do one of the following:

With the Smart tool , drag the node to the desired location.

With the Move tool , drag the node to the desired location.

With the Edit tool , drag the node to the desired location.

When dragging an envelope node, the tooltip shows the current value and the delta value for the change.

To reset envelope nodes

1.	Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation).

2.	Do one of the following:

With the Smart tool , double-click the node.

With the Move tool , double-click the node.

With the Edit tool , double-click the node.

To raise/lower selected envelope nodes

1.	Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation).

2.	Do one of the following:

With the Smart tool , position the pointer near the top center of the track/clip, then drag up/down.

With the Edit tool , position the pointer near the top center of the track/clip, then drag up/down.

To draw automation freehand

1.	Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation).

2.	With the Freehand tool , drag to insert envelope nodes and segments.

To draw a straight line

1.	Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation).

2.	With the Line tool , click to set the line start point, move the mouse, then release the mouse button to set the line end point.

To draw automation shapes

1.	Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation).

2.	Select the desired pattern tool: Sine Pattern tool , Triangle Pattern tool , Square Pattern tool , Saw Pattern tool , or Random Pattern tool .

3.

Set the Snap to Grid to the desired length of each cycle of the shape you want to draw. For example, if you want to draw sine curves, and you want each complete sine curve to last one beat, set the Snap to Grid to a value of Quarter. If the Snap to Grid is disabled, the default cycle is one measure.

4.	Click and hold the mouse button in the Clips pane at the place where you want to draw the envelope shape. The place where you click also sets the vertical midpoint of the shape.

5.

Drag up or down to set the vertical range of the envelope, then drag to the right or left to set the length of your edit. As you drag, the cursor’s vertical distance from the midpoint (the point where you originally clicked) determines the amplitude of the shape. To create a series of identical shapes, hold the SHIFT key down while you drag. To gradually increase or decrease the amplitude, gradually move the pointer farther from or closer to the midpoint.

6.	Release the mouse button when done. The shape you selected appears, repeating according to the Snap to Grid setting.

Tip:   To halve the cycle frequency (for example, if snap resolution = quarter note, make each cycle a half note), hold down the ALT key while you draw. To double the cycle frequency (for example, if snap resolution = quarter note, make each cycle an eighth note), hold down the CTRL key while you draw. To invert the phase of the pattern, drag the cursor below the zero-line/center (where you initially clicked to start the pattern).

To erase automation

1.	Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation).

2.	Do one of the following:

With the Erase tool , click a node to erase a single node, or drag over nodes to erase multiple nodes.

With the Erase tool , click an envelope segment to erase the nodes to the left and right of the segment.

With the Erase tool , position the pointer outside the clip, then drag to lasso erase nodes across clips or tracks.

To add envelope nodes

1.	Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation).

2.	Do one of the following:

With the Smart tool , position the pointer over the envelope where you want to insert a new node, then click.

With the Smart tool , hold down the CTRL key and drag to insert two nodes at the selection boundaries.

With the Select tool , position the pointer over the envelope where you want to insert a new node, then double-click.

With the Move tool , position the pointer over the envelope where you want to insert a new node, then double-click.

With the Edit tool , position the pointer over the envelope where you want to insert a new node, then click.

With the Line tool , drag to add nodes at the mousedown and mouseup points. Hold down the SHIFT key and drag to add nodes at the Snap to Grid value.

With the Freehand tool , hold down the SHIFT key and drag to add nodes at the Snap to Grid value.

With any pattern draw tools (Sine tool , Triangle tool , Square tool , Saw tool , or Random tool ), hold down the SHIFT key and drag to add nodes at the Snap to Grid value.

To draw MIDI continuous controller envelopes

1.	Click the track’s Edit Filter control, point to Track Automation and choose MIDI to open the MIDI Envelope dialog box.

2.	Specify the desired MIDI envelope parameter settings (Type, Value, and Channel).

3.	With the Freehand tool , drag to insert envelope nodes and segments.

 

See:

Working with audio clips

Working with MIDI clips

Working with MIDI notes

Tools