Using automation to modify track gain. Contents
Updated Wednesday 26 February 2003

One thing that most people want to do after recording and prior to mixing down a set of tracks is to adjust the gain for certain sections of specific tracks.  For instance, your guitarist got a little heavy handed when he was playing fills (how did that happen?) and you have to tone him down a bit.  You can do this when you mix down by adjusting the sliders in the mixer window but you may have to deal with a number of other track levels at the same time.  So, how do we do this.  It's really quite simple (although my first attempt was a disaster).  For the track on which you wish to adjust the volume select arec in the mixer window.
 




Now just press play in the transport control, listen, and move the gain fader to adjust the volume to taste.  You'll notice that gain points will appear in the track view for the selected track.   The track has been enlarged using the H button (in the track buttons to the left of the editor strip) to select the largest size.  This makes it a lot easier to see what you are doing.
 




As the transport is rolling any changes made to the gain fader in the mixer strip are recorded.  When you are ready to mix down or play the tracks just press the aplay button in the mixer window and press play in the transport controls.
 





When you play back the track the gain fader should replay the changes that you have recorded.  If you want to modify the automation points you can left click on the points and drag them in any direction.  Please note that this part of the interface is still under construction so be careful.
 

Jan Depner 02/10/2003