Problem with Track automation

[noahg27141042]

I am going absolutely insane with this issue I am having. I have tried everything I can think of and cannot find any answers online.

My issue is I am working in a multitrack, doing sound for a short film. There are not that many tracks or audio clips and I am rendering the video at 1/2 or 1/4, so before anyone asks, I do not think this is a rendering issue. My problem is that any sort of effects I have on tracks, whether on the tracks themselves or busses the tracks are routed through, work, but then when I automate them the automation does not do anything. It works for pan and volume, but I really really need rack mix to fade the effects in or out. The automation is set to read, effects pre rendering is on, and when I adjust the rack mix live it works, but as soon as I automate it, the levels do not change along. Is there a setting I need to change here? Would love some input from anyone that has any ideas!

[Richard M Knight]

noahg27141042  wrote

The automation is set to read,

Should the automation not be set to write or touch

[noahg27141042]

I'm sorry maybe automation was the wrong word. I'm not adjusting parameters live, I'm setting keyframes on the track with my mouse, like a linear change in the rack mix, but it doesn't read as it plays

[SteveG_AudioMasters_]

noahg27141042  wrote

The automation is set to read, effects pre rendering is on, and when I adjust the rack mix live it works, but as soon as I automate it, the levels do not change along.

That's almost certainly because you haven't automated anything! Just adjusting things live in a mix doesn't get them remembered at all -- you need to click on the little triangle next to 'Read' and go to 'show envelopes'. There you can pick the parameter you wish to automate, and an extra rubber band will appear below the waveform - a bit like this:

I've marked what's actually happening in this one, but it's reasonably clear when you set it up - you just put your changes on the correct envelope, and as long as the automation remains set at 'read', it will play back any changes, and also apply them to a mixdown.

[noahg27141042]

100% on the same page. But when I automate parameters, say the rack mix from 100% dry to 100% wet, the automation does not do anything or is wildly off in its timing. Could this be a RAM issue? I have done projects with far far more tracks, sound clips, and longer edits and they worked fine. The sound also just cuts out sometimes on a track but the rest will keep playing. Although I don't have the fastest computer with only 8gb of RAM, I don't understand why this is not working, especially when I solo the track, turn off the reverb because it is processor heavy, and try playing with or without prerendering it. It never works so I think I will resort to duplicating the track, adding effects to one and fading between them, but this is a pain in the ass especially if doing it a lot because I have to mirror the two fades every time~

[noahg27141042]

it at least follows the "rack power" parameter but this is on/off and doesn't fade in like rack mix does

[noahg27141042]

I figured it out. I had to delete every instance of reverb in the project even though they were all turned off. I do not know why it would cause an issue if it is not on but that was the problem

[SteveG_AudioMasters_ · Accepted solution]

I just tried this on this laptop, admittedly only on a single track, and the automation system cranks the dry/wet mix on the effects rack perfectly - no jumps or anything at all, and absolutely when it should do. I used it with studio reverb, and you can definitely hear it doing what it's supposed to.

But, you tried it with Full Reverb. The reason this effect shows up red in the rack mix is because it's really not recommended for use in that environment - unless you've cancelled it, there should have been a warning about that when you inserted it in the rack. If you decide to use it, because of the way it works in terms of its relationship with real-time controls, it really will screw with your timings, because you're asking it to recalculate its entire mix in real time, and it simply can't do that. It's an effect that you can put on the output of a mix but only if you've let it calculate what it's doing first. It's always been like that, and it won't change. So what you are experiencing is normal, I'm afraid; it's simply an inappropriate tool to use in that position.