Automated Mute Has Never Worked

When you say click the mute button are you doing this with a mouse or a control surface?

I don't know if this is the same with the mute button, but there are also problems whereby automation for the the on/off switch on FX Chains won't automate unless the ProChannel in question is open in the console, and whereby the on/off switch for the arpeggiator won't automate unless the track in question is in focus. I mentioned the FX Chain button issue a while ago and someone from Cakewalk said that it was a "limitation" rather than a bug  and that fixing it would break other things, so they're leaving it as it is. I wonder if the same applies to the mute button, i.e. the automation won't work unless that track is in focus.  

For mute, I manually add nodes with jump curve to envelope, works every time.

Automated mute DOES work.
 
You are probably missing one vital step - when the envelope is written to the track, right click the mute button and select "Switch to automated mute"

Nice one, Bristol_Jonesey, I didn't know that.

I don't tend to automate mute, but split clips and mute the clips (now that I've finally remembered to press K, not Q). I'm always pleased to learn something new about Sonar, though.

Just use a volume envelope.

Noel Borthwick [Cakewalk]
All switching the button to automated mute does is change the behavior of how the *button* responds - not how previously recorded automation renders.  i.e. by default the button reflects the track level mute and will not change in response to mute automation envelopes present on the track.
 
The OP's sig shows that he is running X1. We fixed numerous bugs with automation (especially for jumps) and mute automation in X2 and X2A. As far as I know there are no issues with rendering mute automation in X2 like you describe.

So basically .... to the OP and others who have this issue... Buy X2 or be left in the dark!
Wouldn't it be nice to see some bugs fixed and support for those who haven't upgraded?

scook

thebiglongy
 
So basically .... to the OP and others who have this issue... Buy X2 or be left in the dark!
Wouldn't it be nice to see some bugs fixed and support for those who haven't upgraded?

Sure would be nice, I would imagine there are those running every other version of SONAR that have the same wish. Updates for older versions are not going to happen. There is a way to use mute if you want to, draw it in, it has always worked.

Of course updates for older versions won't happen, Cakewalk is in the money game after all...

Bristol Jonesy, Thanks but per my original post, I am switching to automated mute first so I don't think that is the problem.
 
Guitar Hacker, I can use fader automation, of course, but as in my original post, I really want to save that until the mix and just turn the right tracks off and on while working.  Clip automation or clip mute will not work because Melodyne is in the tracks.
 
Basically, I can automate the faders quickly to get something going, but mute would be much more convenient and should work.  I do believe this is a bug.
 
One thought: since some people say auto mute works, and since there is a known issue trying to use auto mute by pressing the mute buttons on a control surface, maybe something about connecting the VS-700 control surface screws up the automated mute function.  To reiterate, I am clicking the on-screen buttons—not pressing the hardware buttons—but maybe this is an interaction bug between the VS-700 and Sonar.
 
For now, I will just use quick and dirty fader automation but I really really wish I had automated mutes for many reasons.  One reason is to preserve the fader moves while deciding which tracks to include in a mix—especially inmportant if you are doing multiple mixes.
 
Thanks for all the replies.

Correct, Colin, the envelopes show the correct movements.  I feel that they are backwards (down should be mute and up should be unmute, in my opinion, to match volume), but either way, they are not doing anything: the track just keeps playing whether the envelope is up or down; and, whichever was last muted keeps "not playing" regardless of the envelope.  Very weird.
 
I am pretty much convinced it is a VS-700 thing, but who knows?

Do you have any pre-fader sends? They are not affected by automated mute.

The only sends are to the reverb and they are post-fader.  I am hearing the full signal, not just the reverb return.  Incidentally, when I use the normal (non-automated) mute, it works correctly.
 
Sorry for taking everyone's time on this.  I think it just doesn't work and could be related to VS-700.
 
Sad, because mute is a pretty basic function and it isn't like mixing to tape where you can hit the mute buttons at the appropriate times: anything that is not automated basically won't show up in the mix.

Do you have Guitar Rig? There must be something in there that you can use to mute the sound and which can be automated. I'm thinking the volume pedal or the gain effect or something.

Bristol_Jonesey

Guitarhacker
Just use a volume envelope.

This has a lot of merit
 
Sometimes you simply don't want the abrupt "snap" from fully on to fully off like you get with an automated mute.
I remember one of the Bakers saying that automated mutes involve using extremely short crossfades - but in my case, when I use them, they are still too short to prevent the odd "crack" that you hear when a non-zero crossing is involved.
 
With a volume envelope, you can get as surgical as you want with your fade in/out

 
You can be surgical in the placement of the transition..... and you can make it a straight up or down slam the fader instantly or you can ease it over a few milliseconds....
 
I have found either method works and it is perfectly silent or should I say transparent? I use the volume envelope to do all sorts of things..... from the normal control of what parts are heard to muting the occasional noise, squeak of the string on an acoustic, or the bad note in the middle of a solo that works just as well muted out as opposed to fixed with a punch.

Yes, that's exactly what I'm seeing Jan - and it has never failed to work