Advanced automation recording and grouping effects.

[notbryanadams]

I learned about dummy tracks a few months ago and it has completely changed how I approach making music, though I've reached a kind of end that I can't resolve. I've been using recorded audio tracks as a way to create dynamic velocity and volume variations while manipulating the actual sound beyond recognition. This means a lot of automation is done with the effects on the sound clips and as the songs get longer and more developed, this leaves for a lot of tracks devoted only to automation. Flipping through each track looking for the correct knob to turn is getting frustrating but I'd like to avoid midi controllers. I'm hoping there's something made that will give me a digital control device that works somewhat like a VST effect.

Also,
Why does grouping effects change the way they process sound going through them and how is that determined?

[notbryanadams]

No one?

I'd think the second question about grouping tracks to be a fairly technical and presumably easy question to answer.

[alex.the.forge]

Hi

think your question is a little hard to follow - what exactly are you asking?

[notbryanadams]

I learned about dummy tracks a few months ago and it has completely changed how I approach making music, though I've reached a kind of end that I can't resolve. I've been using recorded audio tracks as a way to create dynamic velocity and volume variations while manipulating the actual sound beyond recognition. This means a lot of automation is done with the effects on the sound clips and as the songs get longer and more developed, this leaves for a lot of tracks devoted only to automation. Flipping through each track looking for the correct knob to turn is getting frustrating but I'd like to avoid midi controllers. I'm hoping there's something made that will give me a digital control device that works somewhat like a VST effect.

Also,
Why does grouping effects change the way they process sound going through them and how is that determined?

Hi

think your question is a little hard to follow - what exactly are you asking?

The first question involves software like this, though I unfortunately don't have Max4Live so I was hoping there may exist a program somewhere that allows me to condense all parameters I want to play with onto one section, instead of have several racks under each track.

The second bolded question is fairly self-explanatory. Play a loop though several audible effects like Delays and Saturations, then group all those effects. It changes how the audio is processed, or am I missing something?

[alex.the.forge]

I don't know about the first question, but I think it's unlikely as the reason Max 4 Live can do things like that is because it has access to Live's functions

as for the 2nd question, I'm not sure what you're doing but grouping effects into a normal audio effect rack should not change how they are processed at all, unless you are running them in parallel? what exactly are you doing and what in particular makes you think it is changing the way it's processed?

[skateboardkid]

just keep staking the racks onto each other and use rt click to assign the hopefully 6 knobs you need to the macro and that way you only have to look at 6 knobs maybe 12 - use effects racks -IMO_

or get a korg nanokontrol for like 59 buck and your set... midi controllers are supposed to make it easier and they do - normally.. lol

grouping tracks forces all the audio through one output so the way sends work and individual effects may be affected - i think

[dkieta]

Ive noticed how when you group effects it changes the overall output also. its like neither effect is as strong as it was when they were seperate. I've been trying to figure this out too. normally when I group effects I just right click on one of them, go to group, and then drag the other effect into the little effect bank. then you have 6 macro knobs for anything on the two effects, which is ideal, but the effects arent as strong and almost watered down. WHY?