Welcome to Sage Audio. Today we’re covering How to Mix with Automation.
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Why Use Automation?
Automation is a great tool for both practical and creative purposes - it’s a perfect addition
at the very end of your mixing session, once the mix is roughly 90 percent done. Volume automation
is most common, but plugin function automation is how you turn good mixes into great ones.
If you do choose to use volume automation when mixing, note that you’ll be editing the channel
strip level - meaning all other processing will have already been applied to the signal.
Let’s listen to some EQ automation on a mix bus just to get acquainted with it.
Saturation Automation on the Mix Bus
One of my personal favorite ways to use automation is on a mix bus or master - where I’ll use various
levels of saturation to differentiate different passages or parts of the song. For example,
if I want the chorus to sound a little fuller, I’ll increase the amount of saturation.
You can also automate the type of saturation from even to odd
harmonics to help differentiate parts and give each section a unique identity.
Let’s listen to saturation being increased from
25% to 75% on a mix bus and notice the changing of the mix’s timbre.
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EQ Automation on the Mix Bus
Another great tool when automating a mix bus is a mid-side EQ - I like to automate a high
shelf filter on the side image in and out to cause high-frequency stereo expansion.
For example, I could make the chorus both brighter and wider by amplifying this shelf.
Alternatively, you can use a mid-side EQ to make sections more mono or centered,
or just change the general frequency response.
Let’s take a listen to the automated side image high-frequency shelf.
Creative Vocal Delay Automation
Delay can be automated in a really creative way to cause entirely unrealistic changes
to the timing of a vocal. I like to drastically increase then decrease the feedback of a delay,
or maybe it’s wet/dry on a vocal for a purely stylistic effect.
This works really well for psychedelic tracks or
anything in which you want to grab the listener’s attention.
Let’s listen to this particular use of delay automation.
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Creative Vocal Reverb Automation
Reverb is one of the biggest factors in giving a vocal a distinct identity
or separating it from the rest of the song. With that in mind, we can use automation to
change the timing or intensity of a reverb plugin during an important part of a song.
You can also use this technique on other instruments to create a dramatic effect,
or again grab the listener’s attention.
Let’s take a listen to it.
Advanced Automation Curve Types
Automation is typically performed in a linear way - meaning the change made to
whatever parameter is being affected is done so in a constant way. But,
if we hold SHIFT and FN when using Logic Pro X, we can affect the shape of the automation.
This is great for volume automation at the end of the song, but it also
helps to gradually or drastically introduce plugin parameter automation.
Let’s compare linear automation of a plugin’s function with a non-linear one.
Performing Automation with Latch
Instead of the typically used Read function, with which we need to enter in each data point, we
can use the Latch function to perform automation. With the Latch option selected, and the automation
viewer open, we’ll write data whenever the song is playing and a parameter is changed.
This can be a great way to make automation sound more organic
since you’ll need to actually perform the changes in real-time.
Let’s listen to automation created using the Latch feature.
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Binaural Panning Automation
Automating panning is a really cool effect that’s been around for a while now, but a more impressive
version of it is using binaural panning, which uses psychoacoustics to more realistically place
a sound source. Like regular panning automation, this works really well as a creative effect.
I find this is easiest with the Latch function,
and then editing the placement using the plugin representation.
Let’s take a listen to a sound source being altered in a mix,
and think if you could use something similar in one of your mixes.
Clip Gain Vs. Volume Automation
Clip gain and automation should be used for different purposes due to how they’re routed.
For example, I’ve seen a lot of engineers using volume automation on vocals
to balance things - however, this happens at the end of the signal chain,
meaning volume inconsistencies are still being fed into the processing.
So, for that purpose, I’d really recommend using clip gain to balance the volume, since it affects
the level prior to all processing. Subsequently, the applied processing will be more uniform.
Let’s listen to clip gain being used to balance the dynamics of a vocal.
Dave Pensado’s Automation Trick
I once saw Dave Pensado explain this trick, so I thought I’d explain it here while we’re
on the topic - in short, you use volume automation on the mix bus and vary the
level by about 0.3dB in either direction. The idea being, you increase the dynamic range.
With that said, this may not always be the case,
since you might be decreasing the volume at a point that originally made it more dynamic.
Instead, I like to use the latch function and very subtly affect the output’s volume fader.
I find this gives me a chance to respond and alter the dynamics in a way I see fit.
Let’s take a listen to it and see if we increase the dynamic range.
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with the link in the description. Thank you so much for watching.