Automation
Automate synth, effect and mixer parameters in Draw.Audio: draw curves, apply presets, record slider moves, and change tempo and swing across a song.
- Automation Mode
- Automation draws parameter changes over time. Instead of holding one value, a slider can sweep, pulse, or follow any shape across a page. Press A or toggle the switch in the Automation tab to enter automation mode.
- Lanes & Parameters
- Each automated parameter gets its own lane. Click "Add parameter", search or pick a type (Mix, Groove, Filter, Effects, LFO, EQ and others), then choose a parameter, such as Track Volume, Track Pan, Lowpass Cutoff or Delay Feedback. Lanes are listed under Parameters with a colored dot. Click a lane to edit it. The switch turns a lane on or off without deleting it; the × button removes it from every page. An LFO's Rate and Depth are offered once that target is added with Add LFO Target.
- Drawing Tools
- Three tools for editing curves: Draw: drag across the grid to draw a curve freehand. It replaces the curve only where you draw. Edit: click to add a breakpoint, drag a point to move it, drag the line between points to move it up or down, right-click a point to delete it. Erase: drag to remove every breakpoint in a time range, or click a point to remove it.
- Presets
- Quick-apply common curve shapes to the selected lane: Ramp Up/Down, Low Ramp Up/Down (small moves near the bottom), High Ramp Up/Down (near the top), Exp Up/Down, S-Curve Up/Down, Sine, Sine Valley, and Flat (a level line to drag up or down with the Edit tool). Clear removes all breakpoints from the lane on the current page.
- Playback
- During playback, automation curves override slider positions in real time. Sliders visually follow the curve and the inline value display shows the current value. When playback stops, sliders return to their manual positions. You can grab a slider during playback to temporarily override the automation. When you release, it smoothly ramps back to the curve instead of snapping.
- Per-Page Curves
- Automation data is stored per page. Each page can have different curves for the same parameter. A new lane appears on all pages, but each page's curve is independent. A page with no curve in a lane holds the value where the nearest earlier page's curve ends, shown as a dashed line labeled "Held from page N". Pages before the first curve play the slider's manual value.
- Tempo & Swing Automation
- Add a Tempo or Swing lane to change the BPM or swing as the song plays. The new value takes effect on each step. Tempo and swing apply to the whole song, so only one track can hold each lane; on other tracks the parameter is unavailable and names the track that has it. When playback stops, the manual tempo and swing return. WAV and MIDI exports include the changes.
- Lanes With No Effect
- A lane is dimmed when its parameter can't be heard with the current settings, such as a Delay Stereo Offset lane while the Delay mode isn't Stereo, or an LFO Rate lane while that LFO is off. A note under the selected lane says why. Where a setting fixes it, the note has a button such as Turn on or Use Stereo.
- Recording from Sliders
- Start playback, then press the record button on the selected lane; it appears only while playing. Move the lane's slider or the matching slider in the panel. Your movements are written as breakpoints on each page that plays while you hold the slider. Releasing the slider ends the take; playback keeps running so you can punch in again on the next pass. Stopping playback disarms recording.