Volume Envelopes? How else....???

Normally, when mixing audio in Sonar, If I want a particular section of one track to be quieter, (like pulling back instrumentation to under the vox track), I insert a volume envelope and adjust accordingly.  Right?  I even can do this with the audio output for a midi track if'n I wanna.  And sometimes, I do. OFTEN, I do.
 
So here's the question: Is there another way of doing this?  Is it called something that I'm not aware of?
 
I'm asking because I've created an experiment in Reason 6 (V. 6 has the addition of audio) and I can't for the life of me figure out how to automate control like that in the midi tracks.  I have audio and midi going on in this instance, and there are parts of the midi I just want to pull back in one section and up in another.  Sure, there's automation - for every possible send, EXCEPT for audio out.
 
Related to this is slaving Reason to Sonar X1 Studio - I can DO it, but seemingly only with one track from reason or with 127 tracks from Reason, and nothing in-between?
 
My original intent was to mix via ReWire in Sonar, but I am apparently missing something major....
 
You guys know that I'm not a complete idiot, right??!?!
 
'Cause I'm feeling like one right now...
 

Yeah... I probably meant clip envelopes...

I hate that I don't know the proper terminology for things.  I've been using Cake since Guitar Tracks, and STILL don't know half of what I should.  

I've never tried automating EQ.... I now that's insane for as long as I've been doing this.... In fact, I barely touch EQ at ALL let alone automate it.  A huge hole in my knowledge.

It's so difficult to be the writer, singer, musician, producer, etc... All of the above, all alone.  And all I want to do is get my idea to sound the way I hear it in my head.  

Probably I should read a few books... :)

Thanks for your ideas, Matt.

Because I can't find it!  :)

+1

I don't know Reason either.  That is seriously complex stuff, IMO.

But in general, Julianna, you might prefer not to mess with clip gain-envelopes (at all) ...  (Not to disagree with Matt's excellent logic) ...

Personally, if possible, I'd suggest to just try to use volume envelopes on the synth and audio tracks and not get too complex with mixing mayhem.

As you stated, its oft difficult to be everything ... but your singing beats us all.  And that is where the blessing really lies, IMHO.

Even Danny and Yoyo need feedback or help on some things. I love their passionate singing. Yet most would agree that your gift of surreal and passionate singing exceeds all of us.

(... mixing oft 'de-inspires' my mediocre emotive performances -- hahahaha!)

Despite most of us mixing with clip-gain envelopes ... methinks it's actually more idiot proof to mix with track-volume envelopes ... because they are post-fader, post-comp, post-fx, post-eq.

These are white envelopes in Sonar 8.5.3. Right clicking outside a waveform-clip --> Menu: --> Envelopes --> Volume (iirc). I don't know how it works in X1.

Blessings always!