Clip automation - add nodes at selection

I just discovered that X1 clip automation no longer has "add nodes at selection".  If it's there, I have yet to find it.  If it's gone, this was one of the most useful features of previous versions.  Before, I was able to select a part of a clip in the timeline and right click on a volume envelope and have the option of "add nodes at selection".  This made it quick and easy to increase or decrease the volume of a clip or section of one.  If anybody knows where it resides, please tell me where it is.  If it is indeed gone, I ask CW to put it back in, in the next upgrade of X1.
Thank you in advance,
Lynn

This is as close as it gets now... it actually works pretty well:

To raise/lower an envelope across a time range
1.  Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation). 

2.  Drag in the time ruler to select the duration of the envelope that you want to raise/lower. 

3.  Do one of the following: 

○  With the Smart tool , position the pointer within the selection near the top center of the track/clip, then drag up/down. 

○  With the Move tool , position the pointer within the selection, then drag up/down. 



FYI: with the smart tool, you can make a selection anywhere on the clip where the selection tool is visible and then drag up/down along the top portion of the selection. You don't have to only click on the ruler...

Samoooo


This is as close as it gets now... it actually works pretty well:

To raise/lower an envelope across a time range
1.  Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation). 

2.  Drag in the time ruler to select the duration of the envelope that you want to raise/lower. 

3.  Do one of the following: 

○  With the Smart tool , position the pointer within the selection near the top center of the track/clip, then drag up/down. 

○  With the Move tool , position the pointer within the selection, then drag up/down. 



FYI: with the smart tool, you can make a selection anywhere on the clip where the selection tool is visible and then drag up/down along the top portion of the selection. You don't have to only click on the ruler...

Nice Samoooo ( four o's?)

If you combine your tip with the middle mouse button or press the 'T' for tool bar you can select the time range while in clips mode, middle mouse button press, chose automation, " With the Smart tool , position the pointer within the selection near the top center of the track/clip, then drag up/down. "

Nice

HumbleNoise

Samoooo


This is as close as it gets now... it actually works pretty well:

To raise/lower an envelope across a time range
1.  Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation). 

2.  Drag in the time ruler to select the duration of the envelope that you want to raise/lower. 

3.  Do one of the following: 

○  With the Smart tool , position the pointer within the selection near the top center of the track/clip, then drag up/down. 

○  With the Move tool , position the pointer within the selection, then drag up/down. 



FYI: with the smart tool, you can make a selection anywhere on the clip where the selection tool is visible and then drag up/down along the top portion of the selection. You don't have to only click on the ruler...

Nice Samoooo ( four o's?)

If you combine your tip with the middle mouse button or press the 'T' for tool bar you can select the time range while in clips mode, middle mouse button press, chose automation, " With the Smart tool , position the pointer within the selection near the top center of the track/clip, then drag up/down. "

Nice

It really would have been nice if CW would have made this more apparent in either the manual or their "read first" notes.  Do you really think this is as simple as before?
Just asking,
Lynn

Samoooo


Actually, what I posted is a direct copy/paste from the X1 manual.

I think this particular feature is as easy as any DAW out there... just don't click and drag there on accident!

Thank you.  I looked in the manual and didn't find this information, but that is the nature of an 1800 page manual.  Still not as easy as before, but doable.

...wicked


Yeah, it's actually BETTER than before! 

I just experimented with this feature, and it works.  However, several problems arose.  I applied a volume envelope to a clip, selected a section of it on the timeline, and the waveform was grayed out so much that it became nearly impossible to see if I was being precise enough to make the edit.  Also, in order to position the cursor in just the right spot to be able to add nodes at selection, I had to zoom out much further than I ever had to in previous versions.  It worked all right, but not nearly as easily nor quickly as before.  I much prefer being able to right click on an envelope and have it in my menu.  So, to CW, how hard would it be to put this feature back in the next upgrade or two?  Thanks to you all for responding.
Lynn

I applied a volume envelope to a clip, selected a section of it on the timeline, and the waveform was grayed out so much that it became nearly impossible to see if I was being precise enough to make the edit.  Also, in order to position the cursor in just the right spot to be able to add nodes at selection, I had to zoom out much further than I ever had to in previous versions.

I can see how those might be an issue. Actually, this is indicative of quite a few of the X1 changes. They assumed the new way was the best way and removed the old way even when they didn't need to. 

This brings up a fundamental question. Was the old way better because you were used to it? I personally can't be that objective. If I'm used to one way then it's better for me, period. But I'm changing. Now that I'm getting used to some of new ways of doing things they aren't getting in the way at all - I just do them the new way.

And even the posts with exact step by steps showing how the new way is absolutely slower (SEE it's 2 clicks instead of 1) just really show that there's a new way to do stuff. Not absolutely better or worse.

Is it faster the old way? Of course it is if you're used to it. Can it be faster the new way? Maybe, but it will take some time to find out.

There's no blanket yes or no answer. Everyone's mileage will vary.

One thing's for sure, the horse that is X1 has left the barn and there's no turning back now - for better or worse.

Lynn

OK, I haven't tried this technique yet, but it doesn't seem as elegant or as simple as prior versions.  However, thank you for providing a seemingly work around.  I'll get back to you later.
Lynn

Lynn,


I actually find it faster to hold the ALT key down and left click on the envelope to put nodes exactly where I want them. I call this an improvement.


I think the "select range and drag - but only if you're in exactly the right vertical position in the clip" to be non-intuitive and inefficient, considering that 50% of the time I want to ramp up or down in the envelope rather than a hard cut. 

Humble, I remember reading somewhere that this was how it was supposed to work. I don't think it is a bug.

Thanks guys I can live with that.

Lynn

stickman393

Lynn

OK, I haven't tried this technique yet, but it doesn't seem as elegant or as simple as prior versions.  However, thank you for providing a seemingly work around.  I'll get back to you later.
Lynn

Lynn,


I actually find it faster to hold the ALT key down and left click on the envelope to put nodes exactly where I want them. I call this an improvement.


I think the "select range and drag - but only if you're in exactly the right vertical position in the clip" to be non-intuitive and inefficient, considering that 50% of the time I want to ramp up or down in the envelope rather than a hard cut. 

I'll have to work with this for a while to determine whether it's better or not, or just the same.  Thanks for pointing this out to me, regardless.  It's not as easy finding these tidbits of information in an 1800 page pdf file as it might be if we had it in book form.  And, so often, I don't exactly know how a piece of information is titled, so I end up looking in the wrong place.  I've always kept up with the manuals since Pro Audio 6 until the present, but many of the changes in X1 are so huge that I can no longer take anything for granted.

I've just worked with this a bit longer, and I've discovered that it's very important to have the cursor well above the envelope to do this.  Also, the graying out of the waveform makes precise editing a bit tricky.  I don't know why it's necessary to darken the waveform so much.  It's easy enough when you get the hang of it, but in earlier versions all one had to do to add nodes was double click on the envelope and a node would appear.   Holding Alt wasn't needed.  I would prefer to be able to do it with the mouse only because from time to time I have physical problems with my left arm and wrist (I'm right handed), so using both hands to perform a function isn't always desirable.
Stay thirst, my friends,
Lynn

Eotm

I've discovered that it's very important to have the cursor well above the envelope to do this

Yes. And then the problem comes in if your envelope is at the top of the track. Then there's no 'above' the envelope. In that case, you drag slightly below the envelope. It is soooo touchy.

Ideally, the cursor should change when it is in the envelope selection 'drag zone'. I'm constantly making a selection and trying this new method of "add nodes at selection" but I can't get the cursor in the right spot. And so I click in the wrong spot, and so my selection gets screwed up.

It's an improvement... but just barely. And it could be so excellent with a little tweaking.

You make an excellent point.  If the cursor changed when it was in the drag zone it would be ideal.  Are you listening CW?  If not I will be making several feature requests in the near future, and if all who agree with this suggestion would do the same it might work.

tunekicker

Samoooo


This is as close as it gets now... it actually works pretty well:

To raise/lower an envelope across a time range
1.  Set the track’s Edit Filter control to the desired automation parameter (Track Automation or Clip Automation). 

2.  Drag in the time ruler to select the duration of the envelope that you want to raise/lower. 

3.  Do one of the following: 

○  With the Smart tool , position the pointer within the selection near the top center of the track/clip, then drag up/down. 

○  With the Move tool , position the pointer within the selection, then drag up/down. 



FYI: with the smart tool, you can make a selection anywhere on the clip where the selection tool is visible and then drag up/down along the top portion of the selection. You don't have to only click on the ruler...

Thank you!!!!

This was driving me crazy. :-(

Peace,

Tunes

An update, Benstat's Sonar Plus program has added an icon for "Add nodes at selection".  This has simplified things for me greatly, and I recommend it to anyone who is having problems with the new way of doing things.

I manually edit S's so looked for a quick way to select them and adjust clip gain envelopes.  This is what I came up with.  It's pretty quick.

The method I use uses a couple of shortcuts found in Help and Scott's book..

1) Smart Tool:  Alt-Left Mouse Button (upper half of clip) to select a region and have the clip automatically split.
2) Shift-Right Mouse Button to switch between two Edit Filter selections.

The edit process is:

- Alt-Left Mouse button to select and split a clip (at a zero crossing if required)
- change to previous Edit Filter selection (e.g. Clip Automation - Gain) using Shift-Right Mouse click
- adjust envelope
- use Shift-Right Mouse Button to switch back to "Clips" Edit Filter selection
- repeat

I used to export to Adobe Audition for this.  Audition has some nice tools for this but the process was destructive which I didn't like.  I was a little concerned about not doing crossfades at clip boundaries but using the "Auto Zero Crossing" Snap setting seems to do a good job of preventing any audio artifacts.  I used to check each edit a milliion times just to be sure but I have gained confidence in the process over time.  Never had a click or pop.

If I haven't described this well enough please let me know.

Don