SAWStudio / SAC User Group

Well, for many years I have been singing the praises of what I have always considered the best automation design of any DAW,
I have come upon a situation that gives good reason for automation events per parameter to live in its own lane.

My project is surround and I'm using two different reverbs;
rvb 1 feeds L&R whose destination are Out 1 and Out 2;
rvb 2 feeds Ls&Rs on Out 5 and Out 6

what I didn't realize is I have to mix the auxs as the input tracks appear to be pre channel fader to the aux.
It seems to require a lot of extra steps because to automate the respective returns' volume slider,
V-key filter needs to be applied before the ability to write an offline fade to the slider.
Biggest issue, the color coding of the automation events are the same
if the events were in their own lane, copy and paste would be pretty easy
I probably should just create some new custom automations and add to my gallery

I just must have something set not as I need on the input tracks where the fx comps are

my point is, that this overlay design of SAW automation which I love has now revealed to me
for the first time that maybe there's a reason for the other DAWs to stick with one lane per automated parameter

Todd R wrote:Well, for many years I have been singing the praises of what I have always considered the best automation design of any DAW,
I have come upon a situation that gives good reason for automation events per parameter to live in its own lane.

My project is surround and I'm using two different reverbs;
rvb 1 feeds L&R whose destination are Out 1 and Out 2;
rvb 2 feeds Ls&Rs on Out 5 and Out 6

what I didn't realize is I have to mix the auxs as the input tracks appear to be pre channel fader to the aux.
It seems to require a lot of extra steps because to automate the respective returns' volume slider,
V-key filter needs to be applied before the ability to write an offline fade to the slider.
Biggest issue, the color coding of the automation events are the same
if the events were in their own lane, copy and paste would be pretty easy
I probably should just create some new custom automations and add to my gallery

I just must have something set not as I need on the input tracks where the fx comps are

my point is, that this overlay design of SAW automation which I love has now revealed to me
for the first time that maybe there's a reason for the other DAWs to stick with one lane per automated parameter

ok, you know what, I'm being silly...the events aren't that difficult to see when multitrack lanes are taller...
yeah, just have to make some automation events and add to the automation library

ya know!
I take it back
don't really need to create automation library entries
it's pretty rudimentary to edit directly in the multitrack

and is certainly less cumbersome than a screen cluttered with parameter automation lanes

OK, hey kids
saving automation to the gallery is the way to go!
mark a fade and insert and bang, the fades timed together
no other DAW I know of can do this

Todd R wrote: what I didn't realize is I have to mix the auxs as the input tracks appear to be pre channel fader to the aux.

Don't know if this helps you, but you do know that AUX's can be pre or post fader.

Just Select PST on the FDR button next the IN button.

cgrafx wrote:Don't know if this helps you, but you do know that AUX's can be pre or post fader.

Just Select PST on the FDR button next the IN button.

thanks for this Philip!

I didn't know where to set pre/ post for aux
as soon as I read this, it dawned on me
and default is Pst not selected...oh, man

thanks! duh, that will save lots of time

Idea that you probably don't need at this point, but maybe someday?

Use two Auxes or duplicate source tracks to separate the same-colored automation, lowering (offsetting) the level of each 6 dB.

And don.t forget you can use the view filter to display and isolate one type of automation even if there are multiple types of the same color on a track.

MMP wrote:And don.t forget you can use the view filter to display and isolate one type of automation even if there are multiple types of the same color on a track.

How else would a user edit those multiple overlaid events?

Just to create automatic fades for the AUX sliders, user must set the filter for whatever parameter is having the automated fade created.
If user doesn't invoke the automation type filter (V-key) and tries to create an automated fade, likely a different parameter will have an automated fade applied.
Depending upon zoom level, all kindsa mistakes can happen; (usually input channel fades IME)

I realize the auto fade is written for whatever the next parameter is (next event in front of the play cursor/ playhead). Invoke the V filter and assure precise auto fade creation.

Dave Labrecque wrote:Idea that you probably don't need at this point, but maybe someday?

Use two Auxes or duplicate source tracks to separate the same-colored automation, lowering (offsetting) the level of each 6 dB.

sure, of course, I do this all the time :-) This is the bread and butter of editing automation in SS, innit?

And kind of points users to using the automation gallery because automation gallery is pretty fast and ensures user gets what they want if user labels wisely.

Thing is, using SS, I'm going to be beyond max of aux channels easily if needing 8 different reverbs for L+R and Ls+Rs interior and exterior reverbs.
And I have auxs already (mis)used...I used them as fx busses for checkerboarded dialog...So I'm finding myself back at square one again....sigh

I probably have to completely re-route all my output busses and try the SS surround panning...or...
I've been feeding inputs to output subs to output subs and then to 5.1 (L1, R2, C3, LFE4, Ls5, Rs6)
then I was planning to make multis in another software