It's on so if you open an automation lane and draw in a change you'll hear it.  If it weren't enabled by default you wouldn't hear any change.   You could also open the Help Module and read out a short description of what different UI elements actually do when you hover the mouse over them.
 
Keith

Keith Albright [Cakewalk]
It's on so if you open an automation lane and draw in a change you'll hear it.  If it weren't enabled by default you wouldn't hear any change.   You could also open the Help Module and read out a short description of what different UI elements actually do when you hover the mouse over them.
 
Keith

Yeah I still don't get it... lol. I think it's one of those Cakewalk things (that is most likely cool) seems to not relate to me except to want it off and I seem to be getting by with out it.
Well I had to ask... Thanks anyway. :)

Dave if you click views and select the help module it will open up a window that will give an explanation about almost anything you hover your mouse over.
Track automation isn't really a Cakewalk thing, it's been a part of mixing for decades and is something you might want to get familiar with.
 
Rocky

I'd be totally lost without Track/Bus automation. There are SO many creative possibilities.

Bristol_Jonesey
I'd be totally lost without Track/Bus automation. There are SO many creative possibilities.

+1
Im not sure how a human survives without automation.
its a musicians/engineers food (as in bread and water). you almost need it to live.
there's only so many things a compressor can do to control levels without the use of automation.
 
If your from the old analog days...Remember fader riding ?
that's what automation is, only it has 100 hands. for volume, panning, gain, mute, FX controls and more.
 
I can respect where your at Dave, but when you want to take your recording to the next level. read up on it.

Ha ha, at first I thought this thread was a spoof.. something like "what does the tempo do?" ;) 

Keith Albright [Cakewalk]
It's on so if you open an automation lane and draw in a change you'll hear it.  If it weren't enabled by default you wouldn't hear any change.

 
True. However, I find the current implementation (R button already enabled when the track is created) not helpful in my situation. I mean, how can you EASILY tell which tracks have written automation data in them and which tracks don't if ALL tracks' R buttons are enabled (lit in blue)?  
http://forum.cakewalk.com/Automation-Read-button-grayed-until-you-actually-entered-any-automation-m3226256.aspx
 
Of course, the Automation Lanes button on the track looks blue-ish when there is an automation lane or lanes in the track, but the buttons are not visible when the tracks are minimized (or when working in CV), and also automation envelopes can be created without creating any automation lane (yes, by using Edit Filter).
 
For this reason, all Automation Read buttons in my custom project template are disabled by default. I think that automatable parameters should be automatically read-enabled only when the user created the automation lane or selected the desired automation parameter from the Edit Filter drop-down.
 
I even suggest that no automation data (even if invisible) should exist in the track until the user creates it himself. You'll see what I mean by following these steps:
 
1. Insert an audio track.
2. Click the R button in the track to disable automation read.
3. Click the Automation Lanes button to create an automation lane (Volume).
4. Click the Add Automation Lane button to add a lane (Pan).
5. Click the two R buttons in the lanes to enable automation.
 
Notice that the R button in the track header is only half lit. This means that some automation parameter or parameters exist in the track although the user didn't create them himself. I think new users will find this behavior confusing.
 
And I still strongly wish for a customizable MSR module in the narrow track strip in CV. I really want to replace the Arm and Input Echo buttons with Automation Read and Phase buttons.
 
 

icontakt
 I mean, how can you EASILY tell which tracks have written automation data in them and which tracks don't if ALL tracks' R buttons are enabled (lit in blue)?

There is an Automation Icon that shows up on parameters that have been edited.
 

chuckebaby

icontakt
 I mean, how can you EASILY tell which tracks have written automation data in them and which tracks don't if ALL tracks' R buttons are enabled (lit in blue)?

There is an Automation Icon that shows up on parameters that have been edited.

 
Yes, but that's only for track/bus strip parameters. I automate plugin parameters as well. 

icontakt

Keith Albright [Cakewalk]
It's on so if you open an automation lane and draw in a change you'll hear it.  If it weren't enabled by default you wouldn't hear any change.

True. However, I find the current implementation (R button already enabled when the track is created) not helpful in my situation. I mean, how can you EASILY tell which tracks have written automation data in them and which tracks don't if ALL tracks' R buttons are enabled (lit in blue)? 

The R button is not an indicator of whether a track has automation or not.