Ardour Automation?

[dchurch24]

Hi all,

I wonder if any of you kind chaps and chappesses could explain to me in laymans terms what autmation is Ardour?

Is it that I can pan a track and then change it as say 1:10 in the song and it will remember where I've done it and do it every time, or am I barking up the wrong tree?

[MattKingUSA]

I have worked with automation but not in ardour yet. It's basically like recording a macro. It just repeats your mixing actions while the song is in playback. Unless there is a differant feature in Ardour that the automation that I have used in the past. This should include, panning effects into the mix, panning channels, volume and whatever else you can edit on the channel while playing back or recording tracks. But, I'm not the one to ask how to acheive this in Ardour.

[dchurch24]

Thanks, that's pretty much what I thought it was for, but it was getting a little confusing reading serveral different websites about it.

I shall have a play when I get home, and work out how to use it

[simta]

no need for confusion, automation is just that, it automates certain functions/controls. so you can use automation to have a vocal panned across channels, or to smoothly change the volume on a track. also being able to automate the parameters of effects so you could vary the phase on a track as it progresses.

lots of fun to be had.

[MattKingUSA]

It only gets more fun when you have a control board linked to your system that moves along with the automation.

[Pablo]

I do automation in ardour. You write the automation while the song is in playback. Afterwards you play the automation. You can also draw the line manually. You can automate levels and pan and plugin parameters too.
The funny thing, as Matt says, is when you see the faders of a control surface moving by themselves. The BCF2000 is what I use. It's cool.
Cheers! Pablo.

[dchurch24]

Thanks guys, I've been having a play with automation and I love it - it couldn't be simpler.

I had a nice fluke this morning - I was recording something last night and I picked a note whilst gently sliding the volume up on the guitar (a la Mark Knofler) and as the note faded out it's harmonic became promenent, so I panned from the pick of the note in the extreme left to the dying harmonic in the exreme right - sounds bloody excellent even though I say so myself

I'm going to have to get a look at the BCF2000 - that DOES sound like fun!

[dchurch24]

Hello again,

I've just had a search around for the BCF2000 and it looks good; however, I don't really understand the advantage of having one (apart from the motorised sliders - I admit that would be cool ).

Could some kind person explain what the advantage of having a mixer like that over the way I am currently recording which is directly into my 'break out box' of my M-Audio Delta 66?

EDIT: I think one advantage (having read a little bit more now) is that I can plug my keyboard into the midi port and then the BCF into the USB port, negating the need for a MIDI to USB converter, is that correct?

[roaldz]

Yes, it has a midi in/out/thru port, so that keyboard will work.
Its nice to have your solo and mute buttons (as well as faders) right under your fingers, as well as per-track record-enable and transport functions. This allows you to adjust your mix without having ardour on top. You can bind every parameter (knobs, sliders, values) to any hardware fader/knob/button. The BCF is able to learn, and so is ardour.
You can NOT use it as an audio ¨breakout box¨, you still need your Delta 66 for that.
I have one myself, most of the time i bind track send levels (for reverb etc.) to the second layer of 8 rotary´s (you have 4 layers of rotary´s per ¨page¨ (of which you have 32). Also pans are nice, as well as their indicators.
I thought it was the best bang for a buck.

Greetings from the Netherlands,

Roald

ps. fist post here:)

[dchurch24]

Firstly, hello and welcome

...and thanks of course.

Well that explains it a bit better - I must admit, while it would be a nice to have, I don't think I really need one.