Aspectos éticos

Off-line automation, using a graphic interface, allows for very fine control of automation data and the opportunity for some unique automation effects. Off- line graphic automation uses a horizontal line to represent a scale of values. The higher the line on the graph, the greater the value of the parameter setting. For volume or gain, the horizontal line represents the fader setting: all the way up is the maximum fader level (+12 dB on many systems) and all the way down is –∞ dB (equivalent to off). Screenshot 5.2 shows some volume automation cre- ated by raising and lowering certain parts of a vocal take. The line represents volume, with greater volume (output fader position) indicated when the line is higher and less volume when lower. In the background you can still see the waveform of the vocal, allowing you to pinpoint the places that you wish to raise

SCREENSHOT 5.1

An automation menu.

SCREENSHOT 5.2

Volume automation on a vocal track.

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or lower volume. Although the actual movement of the volume by raising or lowering the line on the graph is done off-line (the music or program material is not playing), you can immediately audition the results by having the curser placed just in front of the passage being automated and playing back the results immediately after making a change.

As mentioned previously, the big advantage to this kind of off-line auto- mation control is the ability to easily select the exact portion of audio that you wish to control and then to make very precise changes in parameters. Most systems allow control to one-tenth of a dB (.1 dB increments) and this allows for very fine adjustments. After using this technique for a while you will begin to become familiar with the likely results from certain degrees of parameter changes. I have a good idea of what a 1 dB or 2 dB (or 1.5 dB!) change in volume is going to sound like, so on the first try I can often make exactly the right auto- mation move for what I’m wanting to hear. In any event, I can easily revise a move by whatever increment I want in order to achieve the result I want. Some systems show both the new absolute level as you move a portion of the vertical line and the change in level. In screenshot 5.3 you can see the readout is show- ing the revised level (–15.5 dB) and the change in level created by the automa- tion move (+1.5 dB) is shown in parenthesis. The change in level is preceded by a triangle, which is the Greek symbol for change (delta).

Level changes in auxiliary sends can also be created off-line, allowing for easy implementation of special effects, such as a repeat echo on one word within a vocal line. By accessing the effects send level in the graphic automation mode, you can take a send that is set to 0 dB (so no effect is heard) to whatever level you wish in order to create the special effect (see screenshot 5.4). Because the graphic representation of the program material waveform is visible in the back- ground, it is easy to isolate the effect send on something like one word.

“Breakpoints” indicate the spots where the graphic line moves in posi- tion. In screenshots 5.2 to 5.4, all the movement between breakpoints created

SCREENSHOT 5.3

Off-line automation readout.

SCREENSHOT 5.4

Automating a send so that one word goes to an effect.

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by off-line editing is linear. Online automation will create nonlinear data, which is reflected in the graphic readout by multiple breakpoints. Many DAWs pro- vide tools that allow you to draw nonlinear or free-hand style automation data off-line (see screenshot 5.5). In order to prevent problems with overtaxing the computer’s CPU, you might be able to thin nonlinear automation data.

These same tools might be configured in various other graphic arrange- ments such as triangles or rectangles. The graphic shapes are typically used in one of the editing grid modes. Grids set in musical time—for example, a quar- ter-note or an eighth-note grid—allow for some great special effects done in musical time. The following screenshot shows two different panning effects— the first using a triangular shape to create smooth movements between hard right and hard left, and the second using a rectangular shape to jump from right to left and back again. This effect will be “in time” if it is created using a grid set to a subdivision of the tempo of the music.

Effects such as this that are timed to be in sync with the music reinforce the rhythm. If effects such as these don’t conform to a subdivision of the beat, they can be very disruptive to the musical feel. The general effect is often re- ferred to as “auto-panning” as it is the automatic and regular changes in pan- ning position (see screenshot 5.6).

The following effect uses the same triangle-based automation editing tool on off-line volume rather than panning. When created in sync with an appro- priate gird this creates a tremolo effect in musical time (tremolo is created through cyclical changes in volume). See screenshot 5.7.

SCREENSHOT 5.5

Nonlinear automation data as written, below as thinned.

SCREENSHOT 5.6

Variations in auto-panning type effects using off-line panning automation.

SCREENSHOT 5.7

A tremolo effect using off-line volume automation.

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