Automation Modes

The automation modes define how automation data should be saved or displayed. You can set the automation mode for each track. The Automation Panel can be used to set the automation modes for all tracks simultaneously.

You set the automation mode:

  • In the automation menu at Automation mode

  • By right-clicking on the automation button in the mixer channel or track editor. A left click on the button switches between the last activated mode and the Read mode

  • In the Automation Panel

Off: In Off mode, all automation functions are disabled.

Read: In Read mode, all recorded automations are played back. This is the default automation mode of a track.

Touch (use Fadertouch on/off): In Touch mode, automations are recorded. Recording starts as soon as you touch a control element of the track with the mouse or from your external controller. As soon as you release the control, the automation recording stops. The parameter moves back to the value previously recorded at this point. You can set the duration of the return time in the Program settings (keyboard shortcut: Y) at Effects > Automation > Automation Release Time.

Latch (use Fadertouch on only): Also in Latch mode, automation data is recorded from the first touch of the control. However, if you release the control, the automation will continue with the last value until you stop playback or switch to another mode.

Overwrite mode (write always): In Overwrite mode, automation data is recorded as soon as playback starts, regardless of whether you touch the control or not. Automation continues until you stop playback or switch to another mode.

Even if other curves are active, only the selected curve is recorded immediately after playback starts, as it does not make sense to overwrite all automations at once. For the other active curves, the mode works like the latch mode, the automation curve is overwritten as soon as the parameter is changed.

Trim (relative adjustment): Trim mode is a special Touch mode that can only be used for volume automation.

Trim mode allows you to edit existing volume automations relatively. Use Trim mode when you want to increase or decrease the volume of a track without changing any existing automation.

The volume knob is no longer used for direct volume control in Trim mode, but to increase or decrease the current volume. It is therefore always initially set to 0 dB and does not move with the current automation data during playback as it would otherwise.

Drag it during playback to increase or decrease the volume of the existing automation. The difference value in dB is displayed on the fader. After release it jumps back to 0dB.

Trim mode can also be used when playback is stopped. All points of the automation curve are changed simultaneously then. If an range is selected, the change will only be applied within the range. This inevitably results in value jumps at the range edges.

Note: For other automation parameters, Trim mode behaves like Touch mode.

The Copy to all tracks menu option sets the automation mode of the last selected track globally for all tracks.

Write only existing curves: This menu option prevents a new automation curve from being created in tracks in Touch, Latch or Overwrite mode for each parameter change.

This is especially helpful if you want to change effect parameters while recording automations, but do not want automation curves to be created for these changes.

In the Automation Panel the curves to be recorded can be filtered by volume, pan, aux sends and plug-ins.