-
<p>
- In order to understand how automation in Ardour works, it is necessary to
- understand the four modes of automation. They are: <kbd
- class=menu>Manual</kbd>, <kbd class=menu>Play</kbd>, <kbd
- class=menu>Write</kbd>, and <kbd class=menu>Touch</kbd>.
+ Ardour offers two modes for interpolating automation control points: <kbd
+ class="menu">Linear</kbd> and <kbd class="menu">Discrete</kbd>. The mode is
+ changed by a <kbd class="mouse">Right</kbd> click on the automation lane header
+ and choosing the mode from the mode menu.
</p>
-<figure class=right>
-<img src="/images/automation-modes1.png">
-<figcaption class=center>The automation mode menu.</figcaption>
+<figure>
+ <img src="/images/automation-linear.png" alt="Automation - linear">
+ <img src="/images/automation-discrete.png" alt="Automation - discrete">
+ <figcaption>Automation : linear vs discrete.</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>
- <kbd class=menu>Manual</kbd> mode is basically analogous to a processor's
- bypass switch. Whenever an automation lane is in this mode, it is inactive
- and any level that is manually set for controlling the lane's parameter will
- persist during playback like normal.
-</p>
-
-<p class=note>
- In Ardour, every track and processor parameter is initially set to <kbd
- class=menu>Manual</kbd> mode.
-</p>
-
-<p>
- <kbd class=menu>Play</kbd> mode tells Ardour to use the automation curve in
- the automation lane to control the level of the parameter controlled by the
- lane <em>during playback</em>. The control that normally sets the parameter
- will be <em>unresponsive to manual input</em> and will move automatically in
- accord with the lane's automation curve during playback.
+ <kbd class="menu">Linear</kbd> mode interpolates values between control points
+ in a given automation curve by connecting them with straight lines; the values
+ played back are derived from the points that lie on the lines thus defined.
+ Typically, this is what is desired and is the default mode for all automation
+ lanes.
</p>
<p>
- <kbd class=menu>Write</kbd> mode allows continuous, dynamic setting of a
- control during playback; all such settings are written to the lane the
- control is in. This defines the lane's automation curve in the interval being
- played, and overwrites any existing automation curve in the lane being
- manipulated.
+ <kbd class="menu">Discrete</kbd> mode does <em>no</em> interpolation between
+ control points in a given automation curve. The values set by the control
+ points do not change until the following control point is reached at which
+ time the value is then set to its value; this continues on until there are no
+ more control points. Typically this is used for parameters such as mute or
+ sustain pedal (e.g., on a MIDI piano track).
</p>
-<p>
- <kbd class=menu>Touch</kbd> mode is similar to <kbd class=menu>Write</kbd>
- mode, except it only overwrites sections of a lane's automation curve when
- the control is changed in some way. This allows for changing only the parts
- of an automation curve that are desired to be changed, while leaving the rest
- unchanged.
+<p class="note">
+ When recording automation via MIDI (e.g., pitch bend from a MIDI keyboard),
+ Ardour always uses discrete mode.
</p>
-