Old 11-20-2021, 10:16 PM   #1
Derrick
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Default Automate turning on/off effects?

Not sure if automation is the best way to do this, but I want to turn on a plug in effect (an EQ) on a vocal track for the choruses of a song, then back off. There are other plugins I on the same vocal track I don't want to tun on/off. How is the best way to do this?

Thanks!
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Old 11-20-2021, 11:16 PM   #2
nicholas
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You have several options. One is to add a bypass envelope to the EQ and enable it only for those sections where you do not want the EQ applied.

A more subtle approach would be to instead add a Wet (wet/dry mix) envelope for the EQ an dial it up to 100 at the start of each chorus and down to 0 at the end of each chorus. This makes the change less abrupt.

Others will no doubt contribute other ideas ...
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Old 11-21-2021, 07:34 AM   #3
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Thank you for the reply. To help me determine which of these two options to go with, can you please explain what you mean by a "more subtle approach"? What is the difference in doing it one way vs the other you mention?

Thank you!
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Old 11-21-2021, 08:29 AM   #4
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"easing in" the wet with an envelope can be done gradually (relatively speaking, you're probably doing it in 1/2 second) than 'turning effect on/off'. The 'on/off' is abrupt. Simulating 'turning the wet control' isn't...even over that short time period, the ear perceives adjusting wet as 'smoother' and more natural. Experiment with both!
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Old 11-21-2021, 04:38 PM   #5
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Alright, that makes sense. I actually want abrupt on/off in this case. Most tutorials focus on making movements withing the parameters of a plugin, but after watching a lot of videos, I finally was able to figure out how to do this.

How about the mute button on a track or group of tracks? Say I want to mute a small portion of some tracks in the middle of a song...
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Old 11-21-2021, 05:14 PM   #6
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Same, add a helper jsfx, vol_pan, volume adjustment, map to some knob. Automate, for muting pull it down to minimum. Same for midi, add velocity jsfx, automate max_velocity to 0 for muting midi notes. Have fun.
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Old 11-22-2021, 03:15 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TonE View Post
Same, add a helper jsfx, vol_pan, volume adjustment, map to some knob. Automate, for muting pull it down to minimum. Same for midi, add velocity jsfx, automate max_velocity to 0 for muting midi notes. Have fun.
in case any MIDI beginners are reading, i wouldn't recommend automating velocity when you want volume changes - although they are often linked, they aren't always, so it's probably better to automate the volume if you want volume changes.
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Old 11-22-2021, 03:59 AM   #8
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Using bypass envelope often causes audible clicks, use Wet envelope.

It has also an advantage visually - wet envelop up and colored == engaged, wet envelope down and discolored == disengaged. The bypass envelope has it the other way which I found to be confusing.
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Old 11-22-2021, 03:39 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by domzy View Post
in case any MIDI beginners are reading, i wouldn't recommend automating velocity when you want volume changes - although they are often linked, they aren't always, so it's probably better to automate the volume if you want volume changes.
Yeah, I wrote for muting. Anyone can try if it helps. I am using it all the time. If you do not have any desire of "pure midi muting" you do not need this. If yes, now you have a way for Reaper and any other DAW. It is a universal technique. Midi map a momentary button to this max_velocity.
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Old 11-22-2021, 03:46 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bFooz View Post
Using bypass envelope often causes audible clicks, use Wet envelope.

It has also an advantage visually — wet envelope up and colored == engaged, wet envelope down and discolored == disengaged. The bypass envelope has it the other way, which I found to be confusing.
All together, there are three techniques:
- bypass parameter of any fx (use this for crazy short time momentary fx)
- wet parameter of any fx
- internal bypass parameter of any jsfx, if available. (Example: boreg's switchable_MIDI_transpose has an internal bypass parameter, taking care of not having any hanging notes during this operation.) I am using this for live octave transpositions, having 4 variants of this jsfx with octave settings: +1, +2, -1, -2.
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Old 11-22-2021, 04:09 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TonE View Post
Yeah, I wrote for muting. Anyone can try if it helps. I am using it all the time. If you do not have any desire of "pure midi muting" you do not need this. If yes, now you have a way for Reaper and any other DAW. It is a universal technique. Midi map a momentary button to this max_velocity.
still worth pointing out that velocity & volume aren't the same thing - what you describe only works if velocity is controlling volume, which is not always the case, and even when it is it's only gonna affect note ons.
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Old 11-22-2021, 04:42 PM   #12
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I am not writing of volume control (for midi). For this, use cc7, if your target supports it. This is not the topic here. I mentioned it for muting midi notes. I did not write anywhere I want to control volume using velocity, as you wrote. I hope it is clear now.

In short, in practice for muting I am using two techniques:
- Muting audio: js_vol_pan and pull down adjustment parameter.
- Muting midi: MIDI Velocity Control and pull down max velocity to 0.

Both, if you want to do these mutes as part of a live performance. Not static mixing stuff. Thus, if you want to create automations with all those real-time changes, this would be one way of doing it.
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Old 11-23-2021, 02:22 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TonE View Post
All together, there are three techniques:
- bypass parameter of any fx (use this for crazy short time momentary fx)
- wet parameter of any fx
- internal bypass parameter of any jsfx, if available. (Example: boreg's switchable_MIDI_transpose has an internal bypass parameter, taking care of not having any hanging notes during this operation.) I am using this for live octave transpositions, having 4 variants of this jsfx with octave settings: +1, +2, -1, -2.
Also many VSTs have internal bypass within themselves. But then I think most do not.
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