Okay maybe I'm newbin it up over here.. But I hardly use automation on anything besides riding the vocals here and there, and even then it will only be volume automation. I'm curious as to how do you guys automate? and what do you automate? Do any of you automate an eq with a low pass or high pass on any of your tracks in order to achieve more or less energy on specific parts of the song? Or maybe automate the ratio of of a compressor to be a bit higher on say a snare drum during the chorus of a song. I'm still learning a lot about audio in general and my primary focus at the moment is conveying the emotional aspects of the song through my mixing, and I guess I'm just wondering if automation is much more of a common practice than I thought.
Automation question.
- Thread starter Mjespo125
- Start date
ahjteam
Anssi Tenhunen
I usually always automate the first hit of the next part louder on individual tracks, then slowly (usually takes 1-4 bars depending on the material) fade it back where it's supposed to be. The filter automation is very used in electronical music, but for metal it's useful for example when you are having a drum solo fill, when it ends just put the filters back in.
Josh Burgess
Member
It is. Automation is used all the time. I'd say it's most often used on volume (riding vocals, dropping rhythm guitars a few dB when a solo starts) and reverb/delay levels... (automating the reverb /delay up for certain snare hits/possibly toms for dramatic effect)... but you can automate just about anything. Automating with an EQ filter is one way people create the old telephone/lo-fi effect you sometimes hear in the beginning of songs before all instruments fully kick in. Automation is very powerful... I wouldn't get too caught up in it at first though. Just mix everything how you think it should sound first, then go back and automate levels, add little special effect reverb explosions, add eq filtered sections, etc.
RedDog
Humanoid typhoon
Automation is a creative and subjective process to me. For instance, if I have to "ride-the-fader" so to speak on a vocal track, I obviously don't have enough compression.
Might switch-on compressors during certain passages, drop and raise LP filters where fitting. You'll be better set listening to a recording with a lot of dynamicism and using your imagination to recreate those practices.
Might switch-on compressors during certain passages, drop and raise LP filters where fitting. You'll be better set listening to a recording with a lot of dynamicism and using your imagination to recreate those practices.
AudioGeekZine
arsehole know-it-all
I started riding the room mic and now I can't see NOT putting that effort in. Riding the send level to delay and reverbs for vocals is essential too.
Unless the whole song is the exact same all the way through (how boring would that be), some automation will be needed to balance the instruments for the dynamics. As you add more instruments you usually need to make room for them by trimming something down by a few dB.
I suggest getting in contact with a local studio and see if you can sit in on and watch someone mix.
Unless the whole song is the exact same all the way through (how boring would that be), some automation will be needed to balance the instruments for the dynamics. As you add more instruments you usually need to make room for them by trimming something down by a few dB.
I suggest getting in contact with a local studio and see if you can sit in on and watch someone mix.
RedDog
Humanoid typhoon
I know, but I mix a lot of metal. When the cleans come in, it's a whole 'nother story. Whole 'nother track, whole 'nother delay and verb send.
greyskull
Member
- Mar 22, 2006
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All over the place.
Ride oh's and room Mics through out the track to Make sections more exciting.
Ride the Hats and the Ride Mic In and out when they're played.
Automate the pan of the guitars to come in on certain sections, or to be more central and then go out again;
Automate delay sends for Delay ...lay...lay...lay...lay
Automate reverb Sends on vocals and drums for certain secitions.
Automate Guitar levels down during solos.
Ride vocals a bit for different sections.
In Short; without automation your mix is boring; and there's nothing worse than a boring mix.
Ride oh's and room Mics through out the track to Make sections more exciting.
Ride the Hats and the Ride Mic In and out when they're played.
Automate the pan of the guitars to come in on certain sections, or to be more central and then go out again;
Automate delay sends for Delay ...lay...lay...lay...lay
Automate reverb Sends on vocals and drums for certain secitions.
Automate Guitar levels down during solos.
Ride vocals a bit for different sections.
In Short; without automation your mix is boring; and there's nothing worse than a boring mix.
