This document provides an overview of automation features in Pro Tools including: - Understanding what can be automated including track parameters, plug-in controls, and groups - The different automation modes for writing, playing, and suspending automation - How to view automation using the track view selector and automation displays - Techniques for graphically editing automation data including drawing, cutting, copying and pasting - Removing automation from tracks by deleting breakpoints, clearing sections, or all automation

1. Writing and Editing
Automation

2. Writing and Editing
Automation
Objectives:
• Understand Pro Tools’ automation features
• Write automation for different track parameters
• Work with automation displays
• Edit automation data graphically
• Suspend writing and playback of automation

3. Understanding Automation
 Pro Tools permits automation for the following controls:
• Volume, Pan, and Mute controls (Audio, Aux Input, MIDI, and
Instrument tracks)
• Volume, Pan, and Mute controls on Sends
• Volume controls on Master Faders
• All plug-in controls
 Groups and Automation
• Mix Groups affect:
 Volume and fader mute automation
 Send level and Send mute automation (optional)

4. Understanding Automation
 Automation Playlists
• Audio Tracks
 Have a single automation playlist for each control; affects all
Edit playlists
• MIDI and Instrument Tracks
 MIDI Continuous Controller automation is stored in MIDI clips;
each Edit playlist can have different controller automation
 MIDI controller data has a resolution of 127 steps across the
range
• Audio Automation versus Continuous Controller Automation
 Pro Tools audio automation offers much higher resolution
 Use audio Volume and Pan instead of MIDI Volume and Pan
for more precise control

5. Automation Modes

6. Working with Automation
• Enabling and Suspending Automation
• Window > Automation
• Suspend button: Globally suspends automation writing
and playback
• Write Enable buttons: Enable or suspend automation
writing
of a parameter across all tracks
• Writing Automation Selectively
• Use Touch or Latch modes
• Latch mode to set a parameter and let it ride
• Touch mode to touch up small sections

7. Working with Automation
• Playing Automation
• Play the session
• Use Touch or Latch modes to allow changing existing
automation as needed
• Viewing Automation
• Use the Track View Selector
• Use the Show/Hide Lanes button

8. Graphical Editing of
Automation Data
• Automation Displays
• Volume Graph
• Pan Graph
• Mute Graph
• Creating and Adjusting Breakpoint Automation Data
• Add or move a breakpoint with the Grabber
• Select and nudge breakpoints with +/- on numeric keypad

9. Graphical Editing of
Automation Data
• Drawing Automation
• Free Hand Pencil: Freely draw to add breakpoints
• Line Pencil: Click and drag to draw in straight line
segments

10. Cutting, Copying, and
Pasting Automation Data
• Cutting Automation versus Deleting Automation
• Delete – Removes selected breakpoints without adding breakpoints
• Cut – Adds breakpoints at the start and end of the selection
• Using Cut, Copy, and Paste Commands
• Automation data is always pasted to the same graph.
• In Waveform view, audio and automation are cut, copied, and pasted together.
• Copying from an empty automation playlist will have no result when pasted.
• Automation for non-existent plug-ins or sends will be ignored when pasted.
Original automation
After Delete operation
After Cut operation

11. Cutting, Copying, and
Pasting Automation Data
• Using Paste Special Mode
• Repeating Automation Across a Selection
• Pastes multiple iterations of copied automation to fill selection
• Edit > Paste Special > Repeat to Fill Selection
• Pasting to a Different Automation Type
1. Display the automation graph to copy from
2. Choose Edit > Copy
3. Display automation graph to paste onto
4. Choose Edit > Paste Special > To Current Automation Type

12. Removing Automation from
a Track
• Deleting Breakpoints on the Displayed Automation Graph
• Option-click (Mac) or Alt-click (Windows) on a breakpoint with the Grabber
- Or –
1. Select a range of breakpoints with the Selector tool
2. Press Delete or choose Edit > Clear
• Clearing Automation for the Displayed Automation Graph
1. Select the entire graph (triple-click with Selector)
2. Press Delete or choose Edit > Clear
• Clearing Automation for All Automation Graphs
1. Select the desired range on any automation graph
2. Press Control+Delete (Mac) or Ctrl+Backspace (Windows)