manual/include/track-automation.html

<figure class=right>
<img src="/images/automation-menu1.png">
<figcaption class=center>The top level automation menu.</figcaption>
</figure>

<p>
  A parameter on a given track can be automated by clicking on the track's <kbd
  class=menu>A</kbd> button and selecting a parameter to control from the menu
  that appears. Once a parameter has been selected, an automation lane for that
  parameter will appear beneath the track. The lane thus shown will be empty;
  from here an automation curve must be defined.
</p>

<p class=note>
  If the height of the automation lane is too small to see all of its controls,
  the height can be increased by <kbd class=mouse>Left</kbd> clicking on the
  bottom border of the lane and dragging it.
</p>

<p>
  There are three ways to define an automation curve:
</p>

<ul>
  <li>Recording it using <kbd class=menu>Write</kbd> mode</li>
  <li>Recording it using <kbd class=menu>Touch</kbd> mode</li>
  <li>Drawing it using the mouse</li>
</ul>

<h3>Recording an Automation Curve Using Write Mode</h3>

<p>
  To create an automation curve using <kbd class=menu>Write</kbd> mode, first
  set the lane's mode selector to <kbd class=menu>Write</kbd>, then set the
  playhead to the position where the automation curve should start, then set
  the transport to play. While the playhead is moving, Ardour will continuously
  record any changes made with the lane's fader. Even if no changes are made to
  the fader, they will overwrite anything that existed in the lane where the
  playhead is moving. When the desired automation curve has been recorded, stop
  the transport.
</p>

<p class=note>
  After the transport is stopped, the lane's mode selector will automatically
  switch to <kbd class=menu>Touch</kbd> mode&mdash;it is generally a bad idea
  to leave an automation lane in <kbd class=menu>Write</kbd> mode, as it is a
  destructive operation that makes it easy to inadvertently overwrite existing
  automation curves.
</p>

<h3>Recording an Automation Curve Using Touch Mode</h3>

<p>
  Creating an automation curve using <kbd class=menu>Touch</kbd> mode is
  similar to the method employed in creating one using <kbd
  class=menu>Write</kbd> mode; the only difference is that changes are written
  to the automation curve <em>only</em> when the lane's fader is moved&mdash;at
  all other times, whatever was in the automation curve will remain as it was.
</p>

<p class=note>
  <kbd class=menu>Touch</kbd> mode is useful when only small parts of the
  automation curve need touching up versus <kbd class=menu>Write</kbd> mode,
  which is usually used to create the automation curve in the first place.
</p>

<h3>Drawing an Automation Curve Using the Mouse</h3>

<p>
  In <a href="@@toolbox"><dfn>Draw</dfn> mode</a>, <dfn>control points</dfn>
  can be entered in the automation lane in multiple ways.
</p>

<ul>
  <li>
    By <kbd class=mouse>left</kbd>-clicking in the lane at a point where there
    is no existing control point. Once added, a control point can be
    <kbd class=mouse>left</kbd>-clicked and dragged to any desired location.
    Hovering over a control point will show its current value.
    <strong>Warning:</strong> creating a verbose automation with many control
    points can cause some plugins to overuse available system resources.
  </li>
  <li>
    By <kbd class=mouse>left</kbd>-clicking in the lane and drawing a free line
    from left to right.
  </li>
  <li>
    By pressing <kbd>Ctrl</kbd>, then pressing <kbd class=mouse>left</kbd>
    in the lane and moving the mouse pointer from left to right or from right
    to left to preview a line segment, then releasing the mouse button to
    complete the action.
  </li>
</ul>

<p>
  It's possible to combine free and straight lines in one go by pressing
  <kbd>Ctrl</kbd> for when you need a straight line and releasing the button
  when you're done drawing a straight line segment.
</p>

<video width="100%" controls>
  <source src="/videos/automation-draw-free-and-straight-lines.mp4" type="video/mp4">
</video>

<h2>Controlling the Track</h2>

<p>
  Once an automation curve has been defined through any of the methods outlined
  above, the track won't do anything with it until the lane that the curve was
  defined in is set to <kbd class=menu>Play</kbd> mode. Then, during playback,
  as the playhead moves through the automation curve, the lane's control will
  move in accord with the curve.
</p>

<p class=note>
  The lane's fader will <em>not</em> be responsive to manual input while it is
  in <kbd class=menu>Play</kbd> mode.
</p>

<h2>Removing Automation</h2>

<p>
  To remove a control point, <kbd class=mouse>left</kbd>-click it and press
  <kbd>Delete</kbd>, or <kbd class=mod3n></kbd>
  <kbd class=mouse>right</kbd>-click on it.
</p>

<figure class=right>
  <img src="/images/automation-audio-r-click-menu.png">
  <figcaption class=center>The automation lane context menu.</figcaption>
</figure>

<p>
  Clearing the entire automation lane is done by
  <kbd class="mouse">right</kbd>-clicking on the lane to be cleared, and
  selecting <kbd class="menu">Clear</kbd> from the menu that appears.
</p>