Logic Pro #30 - Automation (Volume, Pan, Aux Tracks, Sends, Plugins, Instrument Parameters)

[@FinnEcesMusic]

Best Logic Pro channel hands down.

[@MusicLingoZhenrui]

This is sooo helpful. The way you explained it is much better, clearer, and more comprehensive.

[@zikmarie]

This is GOLD! Thank's a lot for that bright, clear and straight to the point vid !!

[@kpmtwo]

Click-and-hold, then hold control while moving the automation to slow down and better control the movement... you always include a detail that blows my mind!

[@add_edd]

thank you so much for this video! i've encountered such helpful videos like this where every detail is explained in an easy way! ❤

[@Potaetis]

That Touch thing for automating plugins is golden, ty!

[@pradyumusic]

I shifted from cubase to logic , your tutorial videos are helping me alot , You’re a saviour man thanks a ton 💕

[@justam_ess]

Watching your tutorials always inspires me to open Logic... i appreciate these very much!!! 🔥🔥🔥

[@cameronpatrickscott]

Cor josh, great works, this really clarified a lot for me, what a genius tool Logic is.

[@drexbeats]

man, I just started using logic last month, this video has been really really helpful , learned a lot. Thank you

[@ArtmanBass]

Great video as always! A fast shortcut for using the Automation Curve Tool: when using the Pointer tool in the Automation lane, hold control shift and the Pointer will turn into the Curve Tool

[@bassManDavis1953]

Josh! How cool was this video. I have struggled for such a long time with automation! But I am truly lost for words now! At last! I understand! I can do it! All thanks to your superb, concise and easy to follow tutorials. This one is bang at the top of my saved ones from you and just know I’m gonna be referring to it all the time.

[@TigerRichards]

I thought I knew what there was to know, but I was mistaken! So much more! Especially about automation of SENDS and EFFECTS. Great instructional video. I agree -- best Logic Pro channel in the 'verse.

[@josephrayle752]

This was super helpful. I've been fiddling about with automation and making a mess. You helped me get a better grasp of how this works. I'm going to have to watch this a few times, and I'm subscribing.

[@Angelica-so3nb]

17:20 FINALLY i've been looking EVERYWHERE for this answer. also i was searching exactly there but for some reason i didn't see the little arrow next to main lol. thanks!

[@el_ambient_dude7424]

Thanks for this video. Unreal there is not that many well articulated Logic Pro demonstrations.

[@garygimmestad4272]

Excellent, as always! The big takeaway for me was accessing automation on plugins. Thank you!

[@Iziello]

Elite as always mate. Control click was what I was looking for, was struggling to get gain plugin back to 0dB straight away by dragging as the increments were too big on my laptop (small screen size). Learning plenty from you lad

[@toddlask]

youre the best josh! ive watched so many of your vids that i feel like we're friends! stay cool!

[@rawu-music]

There is a better way to select an automation parameter instead of switching to touch and back to read: Mix -> Autoselect Automation Parameter in Read Mode

[@MusicTechHelpGuy]

I'll make sure I show that in #31. Thanks.

[@noahm]

Amazing! Thanks for sharing

[@TomAndreen]

Omg, thank you! I’ve been looking for that! ❤

[@ellisba1]

Been a fan for years. Great videos .... that master fader tip.....💯

[@Harpsea]

why does it keep making a spike when I drag down the automation point to make a square?

[@Vinlandsraud]

Thanks man

[@duskatdawn7]

Pro tools has a channel that you can create called master mix giving the user full control over all tracks to change the volume levels for each track at once with the slider, keeping your mix volumes in tack on each track. How do I find this and create it for a project in Logic 11?

[@thecanyonsisters]

Absolutely great as always, thanks !

[@LogicPro.v62]

MusicTechHelpGuy 🙌Thank you! exactly what i have been looking for! 🙌🙏

[@MusicTechHelpGuy]

In this video, I demonstrate the following: 1. How to hide and show track automation. 2. How to use volume and pan automation. 3. How to use various tools to writing in offline track automation. 4. How to use aux track volume and send level automation. 5. How to use plugin parameter and software instrument parameter automation. 6. How to fade out a song with the master VCA. Support the sponsor of this video, Boombox | bit.ly/boomboxsponsor For mixing/mastering work, contact me at my website | carneymediagroup.com Follow MusicTechHelpGuy on Instagram | instagram.com/musictechhelpguy Support the channel on Patreon | patreon.com/musictechhelpguy Demo project used in this video | www.logicproguide.com/downloads Timestamps: 0:00 Introduction 0:53 Sponsor Segment 1:43 Volume Automation 5:26 Tools for Automation 9:39 Pan Automation 12:51 Multiple Tracks, Fine Adjustments 14:28 Aux Track Volume Automation 16:39 Send Level Automation 19:23 Plugin Automation 23:04 Software Instrument Automation 25:10 Song Fade Out (Master VCA)

[@Harpsea]

how do you make an automation square?

[@MakeSomething]

Once you automate the volume you can't use the fader anymore. In the past when I needed to bring the entire automated track down I'd add a gain plugin and use that. Is there a better way?

[@MusicTechHelpGuy]

Nope. Adding the gain plugin at the end of the channel is the best way. That’s the way I do it.

[@danishdpsound]

Isn’t that what the ”Relative” automation is for (instead of choosing ”Absolute”)?

[@LennardHarders]

@@MusicTechHelpGuy I have the same question. Do you never use the "relative" option with automation? It seems to me that that would solve this problem! I don't like how you lose control over the fader when you use automation. With "relative" the fader position still matters.

[@vewilli]

A quite new topic for me. The only thing I used already is the Master fade-out. But the rest was is almost unknown an I must admit I didn’t understand everything. I will have to watch this Modul more often. In any case it’s very interesting. A 30th big „Thank you“. I think it’s very important to know much about automation.

[@MusicTechHelpGuy]

Think about it as programming parameters to change in your mix, but rather than manually making the movements yourself, you program the DAW to do the work for you. On early mixing consoles automation didn't exist, so you would often have to make multiple "passes" of riding faders and turning knobs to get instruments to sit right in the mix. Later on they introduced moving faders on some Neve consoles, and you could program in the motions, and the faders had motors that could replicate the motion. This is essentially just a software version of that, using your mouse to program the automation changes. The next video is on real-time automation, so maybe it'll make a little more sense after that one.

[@vewilli]

@@MusicTechHelpGuy Thanx so much for this quite time consuming answer in this case, because I know you‘ve got more than 300.000 subscribers…. 👍🏻

[@aeroflex6346]

damn this guy is badass!!! thanks for your help and contribution to the music production industry!!

[@KDMack-qv4wv]

That THIS has been very helpful 🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@thewhitbyfox]

Everything I needed to know and more.

[@arnoczkyzoltan6158]

I learning from you a lot! Thank you!

[@DanMia-cd1bm]

Wish I could give this Video multiple Thumbs-Up..THANKS for the insightful tips and sharing your vast experience with the viewer like myself..like to bottle Josh and drink him down, but until then ill watch and learn..thx

[@Fiveash-Art]

Thank you for these videos! 👍🏻

[@PeteMel1875]

Is there a way of automating an effect to just switch on for a part of a region and then off for the rest of the track? Thanks.

[@soontaek]

For some reason I don’t feel the urge to skip the sponsor part on your videos XD. Been busy with life now I can get back to supporting my favorite teacher.

[@rainingkind]

Yes! Boombox made this series happen. I never skip it either.

[@gianni1646]

😁 Same here!

[@folybank]

Same here also

[@Aaryanparmar255]

Very useful vdo az usual...tanXxx a lot...lotzzz of love from India l🇮🇳..!!

[@Christm76]

Well, you just prove me how to make a perfect dj mixtape in logic ! thanks a lot 🍺🍻🍺

[@SharmaYelverton]

The simultaneously adjustment of automation across multiple tracks only seems to work for track automation. Do you know if there's a way to adjust the automation of multiple regions simultaneously? I discovered that the trim control in the track header does this, but will adjust it for all regions on the track. I would love if I could limit this to only the selected regions. Thanks.

[@claroscuro6209]

Hi! Well done tutorial, I was wondering if you know if is possible to export your VST automation along midi files, I have JURA for Akai MPC and I have MPC X hardware I draw some automations for JURA in logic but they don't pup up in my MPC hardware or softwate, any idea? Thank you.

[@gianni1646]

Wow, Josh! Had no idea how deep (offline) automation could go. This opens up all new avenues of mixing production for me. I’m looking forward to the next drop. 👍🏼 Gianni

[@R0BL68]

How do you raise & lower the volume of the entire track that you’ve applied automation to?

[@melaninawakened577]

THANK YOU!! Extremely helpful!

[@haroldbaker555]

Insanely helpful

[@MYLIFE-hq7je]

Amazing lessons! Thank you!

[@aaronwalker5493]

is it possible to automate switching a preset of a plugin? let's say I want to switch to a specific clean guitar tone from distortion tone without individually adjusting all the parameters in multiple automations. Is there a way to switch to already saved preset during automation?

[@robertpaten]

Dude this was so helpful! Thanks for the video!

[@rinkydinky-ob9pe]

how can i just turn an effect on for one bar, like a phaser on a guitar?

[@franksilval]

This is brilliant. I have a question. I noticed that you did not adjust the dial of a bus itself. I noticed that the dial of the bus opens or closes depending of the automatization. I always though that the adjustment of a bus's dial is only related to the amount of effect we want to be affected independently from the amount of automatizations we adjust. I hope this question make sense and thank you.

[@Tolbiny]

Is there a way to adjust automation by smaller degrees? I find it jumps by, say, half a db or more at a time when dragging. Can I do it by 0.1 increments?

[@andrewgraham7638]

Good stuff, man, thank you!

[@SBhaktiSangeet]

It's knowledgeable important video 👍😊

[@fruskyfrisky]

Muy buen trabajo, y muy valioso. Gracias!!!🙌

[@HishamKhalaf1]

As usual Fantastic. Thank you so much. 👏👏👏

[@markpattison127]

I'm a little let down that you explain everything in such detail but when you get to panning almost nothing. That's exactly what I'm looking for is a good explanation of automated panning. I need to take 3 tracks (in a stack, or individually) and go slightly to the right then 1/2 way to the left then hard right. And I still have no idea how to do this.

[@markpattison127]

Good video for everything else though.

[@peterf8389]

Hey Josh, thanks for your awesome videos, always so clear and competent, you're really one of the best teachers out there. 👌👍I could go on for a while praising the high quality of your content! But I have a question, so I won't😛So there seems to be a weird bug in Logic regarding automation, specifically relative vs. absolute automation. Other people have been having this issue, too and I'd love to hear your thoughts on this: so I want to use the relative volume automation lane to draw in automated volume changes and keep the absolute volume un-automated, so that I can keep the fade "free" to use it for mixing the globa track levels. But the moment I activate relative volume automation (as soon as I set any first node), the level of the absolute volume jumps to -6db. On the absolute volume automation lane, a -6db node on the beginning of the track is automatically created. And the problem is, now the fader always jumps back to that level whenever I hit play, meaning I can NOT keep using the fader for mixing as intended. Strangely, even deleting that node so that the absolute volume automation lane is empty again doesn't fix that. The fader now keeps jumping back to -6 db on playback. Very annoying and a bug that seems to have been in Logic for years and many updated versions now 😔 (working on 10.8, don't now it Logic 11 finally fixed it?) Of course, there are workarounds like inserting a gain plugin an automating that. But then you don't see the volume movements on the fader. I'd love to have that and still be able to use the fader for global level changes - which is what the whole relative vs. absolute volume distinction is about in the first place, isn't it? (in case I explained it poorly, here are people having the same problem: www.logicprohelp.com/forums/topic/103283-absolute-and-relative-volume-automation-issue/ )

[@CarlosJannarelli]

Great content! Thanks so much!

[@musicologist707]

Do you have a video on how to "Reamp Guitar in Logic Pro X?

[@MusicTechHelpGuy]

Not yet, but I should probably make one.

[@HenryJansen59]

When you have volume automation on a track, then move the fader for that track in the mixer for an overall lower level, does it change the automation or does the automation take over and negate your new fader setting? I ask because sometimes I want to change the volume on all my tracks simultaneously if the overall mix is too loud (overload) or too quiet, while keeping the Master at zero.

[@ceesfiny]

Great question! I experienced that volume automation overrules the fader and I want to know how I can work around that. Is there a way to make volume automation relative to the fader volume?

[@MusicTechHelpGuy]

What I typically do is add the Gain plugin to the end of the plugin chain, and use that to add or boost the volume a bit if I need to make volume changes, after writing automation.

[@HenryJansen59]

That’s exactly what I do, but then I end up with a second screen filled with Gain plugins that I have to adjust individually. I’d like to be able to bring up or down all the tracks at the same time. Are you listening, Apple?

[@TomAndreen]

I do the opposite. I use a gain plugin to make the automations so I can always adjust the main volume of the track with the fader. Other times I simply use a track stack to change overall volume for one or several tracks at a time (that has already been automated). The only downside of that is that you’ve “used up” a track stack. I believe you can only have two levels of track stacks (a stack within a stack) at the moment. And since I love using this functionality, I always end up “using them up” 😅

[@Sagerydian]

I want to automate a parameter of a plugin that I have on the Stereo Out. Doesn't seem to work there like on a track though? Any suggestions?

[@TracingFlares]

right click on Stereo out in the mixer and select "add track" this will create a track for stereo out. Now.... go and select that track on the left track list.. should appear at bottom... and than you can automate anything that is on stereo out just as with any other track.. as example select the stereo out track... select touch from automation mode.. and move any parameter of its plugins or mixer settings.. than just tweek to your liking🖖🐙😊

[@TomAndreen]

Does anybody know of a faster way to get to the specific parameter within a VST/effect? In Ableton Live you can simply click a parameter and it shows up in the automation lane. Do you need to go through the “touch” function to get there? I would love to just shift-click the parameter or something. It is just sooo fast in Ableton, and I want the same functionality in Logic 😅

[@MusicTechHelpGuy]

Go up to Mix > Autoselect Automation Parameter in Read Mode. As long as the track is in Read mode, you can simply click on a knob or fader in any plugins or instrument and it will automatically show up as the automation parameter on the track.

[@TomAndreen]

@@MusicTechHelpGuy I actually found this in a comment further down. An absolute lifesaver! 😍 This has already saved me half an hour total today while doing some sound design with tons of automation. Thank you for creating this awesome community!

[@Kmachman72]

The demo file seems to have expired... :(

[@Banquet...]

Man, this is driving me nuts. When I edit automation (in my case mod wheel for dynamics on a string library) and then move the mod wheel data up or down (vertically) it compresses the data... so as I move up, it increases the height between top and bottom of the data, and as I move down it decreases the height of the data. All I want to do is move it up and down without this compression! Is there a way to do that?

[@Banquet...]

Replying to myself incase anyone else is struggling with this. I just found out that when you grab a node (the dot) it compresses/expands, but if you grab a line connecting the nodes (often have to zoom in to see the connecting lines) then the whole group of data moves up and down without compressing. So glad to have figured that!

[@JamesWilliams-se3vr]

Fab! Thanks so much.

[@korgkorg8510]

Thank you my dear friend

[@DavidW576]

Is it just me or Automation is clunky and like there is a delay on it compared to other DAWs I have a M1 Mac and even moving automation lines around are fluent. Am I doing something wrong ?

[@beathoveenbeats]

great video. really

[@soundtherapy1892]

amazing!

[@Dhushhh]

w video thanks allot man

[@milenyum17]

❤👍🎙

[@lforumuserl]

Very useful, thanks!