Adding Audio Track Envelopes

With audio track envelopes, you can create fades, apply stereo panning, and add effects with parameters or send levels that change over time.

Track envelopes will always affect all events on the track. This means that any event envelopes will be calculated after the track envelopes.

To record track automation using the controls in the track header, select the Automation Settings button . When Automation Settings is not selected, the controls adjust static (trim) levels.

TIP Tips:

  • Use event envelopes to control an event's level, fade-in, and fade-out.

  • You can use the Display tab in the Preferences dialog to change the colors used to draw track envelopes. Using custom envelope colors can help you avoid getting lost in a maze of envelopes when you're using track envelopes to control effects automation.

Apply mute automation Closed

  1. Select an audio track.

  2. From the Insert menu, choose Envelopes, or right-click in the track list and choose Insert/Remove Envelope from the shortcut menu.

  3. From the submenu, choose Mute. A check mark is displayed next to the command, and an envelope is added to the timeline.

    Mute automation is either on or off with no fade between the on and off states. If you want to use fades, apply volume automation.

  4. If you want to change the track's mute state throughout the track, edit the envelope in the timeline.

  5. If you want to change the track's mute state by recording automation settings, select the Automation Settings button in the track header to toggle between Mute and Mute Automation modes.

  6. Click the Mute button in the track header to change the track's mute automation state at the cursor position.

    The button behaves differently depending on the track automation recording mode:

    • When the track automation mode is set to Off, the button mutes the entire track.

    • When the track has a mute envelope and the track automation mode is set to Read, the button changes state to reflect the envelope setting during playback but cannot be adjusted.

    • When the track has a mute envelope and the track automation mode is set to Touch or Latch, the button edits the envelope setting at the cursor position.

      NOTE When you apply mute automation to a track, it's possible to have a track that is muted and soloed simultaneously if you use the Mute and Solo buttons in the track header. The mute state overrides the solo state:

      • If a track's Solo button is selected, the track is included in the solo group, but it will be muted whenever the mute automation is set to mute the track.

      • If the track's Mute button is selected, the track is muted regardless of the mute automation settings.

Add a volume or pan envelope Closed

  1. Select the track where you want to add or remove the envelope.

  2. Do one of the following:

    • From the Insert menu, choose Envelopes, and then choose Volume or Pan from the submenu.

    • Right-click the track header, choose Insert/Remove Envelope from the shortcut menu, and then choose Volume or Pan from the submenu.

    • Press Shift+V for a volume envelope or Shift+P for a pan envelope.

      If you're working with a 5.1 surround project, surround panning keyframes are used instead of a single envelope.

  3. If you want to change the track's volume or pan setting throughout the track, edit the envelope in the timeline.

    NOTE Panning envelopes will use the current panning mode for the Pan slider in the track list.

  4. If you want to change volume or pan settings by recording automation, select the Automation Settings button in the track header to toggle automation mode. The Volume fader or Pan slider handle is displayed as a in automation mode.

  5. Drag the Volume fader or Pan slider to edit automation settings at the cursor position (you can also adjust automation by editing the envelope in the timeline).

    The control behaves differently depending on the track's automation recording mode:

  6. When the track automation mode is set to Off, the control adjusts the level of the entire track. In this mode, the automation control acts as a second trim control.

  7. When the track has a volume or pan envelope and the track automation mode is set to Read, the control will follow the envelope during playback but cannot be adjusted.

  8. When the track automation mode is set to Touch or Latch, the control edits the envelope setting at the cursor position. If the track does not have an envelope, an envelope will be added when you adjust the control.

If multiple tracks are selected, all selected tracks are adjusted.

Add an assignable effects send envelope Closed

Assignable effects envelopes vary the level of a track sent to an assignable effects chain. Before you can add an assignable effects envelope, you'll need to add an assignable effects chain to your project.

  1. Select the track where you want to add or remove the envelope.

  2. Do either of the following:

    • From the Insert menu, choose Envelopes, and then choose the effects chain where you want to add or remove an envelope.

    • Right-click the track header, choose Insert/Remove Envelope from the shortcut menu, and then choose the effects chain where you want to add or remove an envelope.

  3. Select the Automation Settings button in the track header to toggle automation mode. The fader thumb is displayed as a in automation mode (you can also edit automation by editing the envelope in the timeline).

  4. Click the label on the multipurpose slider and choose an assignable effects chain from the menu.

  5. Drag the FX fader to control the level of the track sent to each of the assignable FX chains that you have created.

    The fader behaves differently depending on the track's automation recording mode:

  6. When the track has an assignable effects envelope and the track automation mode is set to Off, the fader adjusts the send level of the entire track. In this mode, the automation control acts as a second trim control.

  7. When the track has an assignable effects envelope and the track automation mode is set to Read, the fader will follow the envelope during playback but cannot be adjusted.

  8. When the track has an assignable effects envelope and the track automation mode is set to Touch or Latch, the fader edits the envelope setting at the cursor position. If the track does not have an envelope, one will be created when you adjust the fader.

If multiple tracks are selected, all selected tracks are adjusted.

Add a bus send envelopeClosed

Bus envelopes vary the level of a track sent to a bus. Before you can add a bus envelope, you'll need to specify the number of busses for your project.

  1. Select the track where you want to add or remove the envelope.

  2. Do either of the following:

    • From the Insert menu, choose Envelopes, and then choose bus where you want to add or remove an envelope.

    • Right-click the track header, choose Insert/Remove Envelope from the shortcut menu, and then choose the bus where you want to add or remove an envelope.

  3. Select the Automation Settings button in the track header to toggle automation mode. The fader thumb is displayed as a in automation mode (you can also edit automation by editing the envelope in the timeline).

  4. Click the label on the multipurpose slider and choose a bus from the menu.

  5. Drag the fader to control the level of the track sent to the selected bus.

    The fader behaves differently depending on the track's automation recording mode:

  6. When the track automation mode is set to Off, the fader adjusts the send level of the entire track. In this mode, the automation control acts as a second trim control.

  7. When the track has a bus envelope and the track automation mode is set to Read, the fader will follow the envelope during playback but cannot be adjusted.

  8. When the track has a bus envelope and the track automation mode is set to Touch or Latch, the fader edits the envelope setting at the cursor position. If the track does not have an envelope, one will be created when you adjust the fader.

If multiple tracks are selected, all selected tracks are adjusted.

Add an effect automation envelope Closed

If a plug-in supports automation, you can use envelopes to automatically adjust effect parameters over time.

Hide envelopesClosed

From the View menu, choose Show Envelopes and select the envelope you want to hide. Hiding an envelope removes the line while retaining the playback properties.

Press V for volume envelopes and P for pan envelopes.

NOTE Hiding an envelope type affects all tracks in your project.

If you've added effect automation envelopes to a track, the track can get cluttered. Click the down arrow next to the Track FX button and choose an envelope from the drop-down list to select which envelope you want to display.

 

Lock envelopes to eventsClosed

To move envelope points and position with an event moved along the timeline, choose Lock Envelopes to Events from the Options menu.