Smooth automation curves

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:19 pm

How come when I record automation curves they are smooth but if I need to edit them with the draw tool the result is always very steppy? Problem is that leads to steppy playback too. How can I get smooth curves like in other hosts?

nebulae · Post by **nebulae** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:33 pm

When you draw automation curves, the draw tool is automatically linked to the grid. If you turn the grid off, then the pencil tool will draw freehand. But I find that method isn't the best either.

Best thing is to double-click on the automation line to create automation points (not use the pencil_ and then you you can create your automation lines by moving the automation points.

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:35 pm

I tried that but it only makes straight lines, not curves. Getting rid of the grid does help a bit - the resolution seems finer but it is still not as smooth as I would like

nebulae · Post by **nebulae** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:37 pm

yeah, good luck - we've been asking for curves for years

Geezus · Post by **Geezus** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 1:07 am

for now the best way to do this in Live is to draw step information at really super tiny resolutions, like 1/512 or something. Dont zoom in that far mind you, just make the grid super tiny so the step info you draw is really fine.

sucks I know, I was surprised they didnt fix this in 8

pedx1ng · Post by **pedx1ng** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 1:36 am

Geezus wrote:for now the best way to do this in Live is to draw step information at really super tiny resolutions, like 1/512 or something. Dont zoom in that far mind you, just make the grid super tiny so the step info you draw is really fine.

sucks I know, I was surprised they didnt fix this in 8

How do you get arbitrary resolutions like that? I only have an option up to 1/32 in the fixed grid list. I don't see an option to enter a manual division like in Reaper, for example.

Live 7.0.14 here btw.

Thanks

nebulae · Post by **nebulae** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 4:19 am

Geezus wrote: sucks I know, I was surprised they didnt fix this in 8

I'm especially surprised, since they did manage to add in curves for crossfades...seems like putting in that curve code should have been a logical step for automation!!

Geezus · Post by **Geezus** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 5:55 am

pedx1ng wrote:
Geezus wrote:for now the best way to do this in Live is to draw step information at really super tiny resolutions, like 1/512 or something. Dont zoom in that far mind you, just make the grid super tiny so the step info you draw is really fine.

sucks I know, I was surprised they didnt fix this in 8
How do you get arbitrary resolutions like that? I only have an option up to 1/32 in the fixed grid list. I don't see an option to enter a manual division like in Reaper, for example.

Live 7.0.14 here btw.

Thanks

ctrl+1 or ctrl+2, forget which. This works best in clip automation, in the arrangement view they seem to have a limit to how fine of a grid you are working with depending on your zoom

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 6:57 am

nebulae wrote:
Geezus wrote: sucks I know, I was surprised they didnt fix this in 8
I'm especially surprised, since they did manage to add in curves for crossfades...seems like putting in that curve code should have been a logical step for automation!!

So am I - this is really basic stuff. Looks like the whole automation system is in need of a overhaul.

mkelly · Post by **mkelly** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 9:37 am

nebulae wrote:
Geezus wrote: sucks I know, I was surprised they didnt fix this in 8
I'm especially surprised, since they did manage to add in curves for crossfades...seems like putting in that curve code should have been a logical step for automation!!

NO! I'd seen the curves for crossfades and assumed they'd introduced curves for automation as well. Dammit

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 1:39 pm

Still in beta - not too late??

If not this should be a priority for 8.1 at least

blackboab · Post by **blackboab** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 3:00 pm

+1 for biezer curves ala adobe premier or so

aMUSEd · Post by **aMUSEd** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 6:43 am

Yes beziers would be the best approach (like in Podium). Some envelope simplification tools would also be useful - Live seems way behind on this and its annoying if I make a nice smooth curve by recording automation but need to edit one bit that as soon as I do with I lose the smoothness.

mr.adl · Post by **mr.adl** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 8:33 am

nebulae wrote:
Geezus wrote: sucks I know, I was surprised they didnt fix this in 8
I'm especially surprised, since they did manage to add in curves for crossfades...seems like putting in that curve code should have been a logical step for automation!!

SOOOOOO +1!!!

JJarvis · Post by **JJarvis** » Fri Feb 20, 2009 8:45 am

aMUSEd wrote:Still in beta - not too late??

If not this should be a priority for 8.1 at least

Yes this sucks for sure. However, they need to hold back some feature to entice us with Ableton 9.