I understand that i can assign a parameter from one of my effects to my midi controller and automate that way. I also understand that the parameters on a soft synth can be used in envelopes on that soft synths track. But what im wondering is if i can insert a plugin in the fx bin of one of my nstrument itracks, and then make an envelope for one of the plugins parameters on that instrument track? For example: if i ve got an instrument track of kontakt and i have my plugin camelphat in the fx bin, could i have an envelope of one of camelphats parameters on the kontakt track?

If you are talking about Simple Instrument Tracks (SIT would be a good  abbreviation for it), then I don't know, because I've never used them.
But basicly, you can automate the FX in the bin of the soft synths audio output track, so why not in the bin of a SIT. Just try.
However, ít's up to the plugin which functions are "open" for automation.

I think I understand what you're saying, and the answer is probably yes, depending on if camelphat parameters can be automated.

Click on the instrument track and enable automation record, then look at camelphat and see if it has little red bars around the parameters. Those ones you can move while you play and it will record those movements and create an automation envelope.

I know that you can use automation to control aspects of some synths and FX that allow it.

I posted this on my web site a few years back.  

http://www.herbhartley.co...edited_slimmer_006.htm

It might be useful to you. It describes how to automate the "Power Knob" in Jamstix2 using a midi envelope in a midi track that is linked to the Power knob parameter to automatically turn the power knob up and down at specific places in the song. 

Hope this helps point you in the right direction.

I wish this forum software supported polls. It would be interesting to know how many SONAR users actually use instrument tracks versus separate MIDI/audio pairs. I remember that there was a lot of clamoring for simple instrument tracks back when SONAR did not offer that feature, but when it eventually came along it was met with yawns by most of us oldtimers.

Sorry to get off-topic, but it seems instrument tracks are far from "simple" due to the limitations they impose. To answer the original post, the answer is "yes". I do that sort of thing all the time.  But I'd suggest switching to separate MIDI and audio tracks where the implementation will be clearer and, well, simpler. Especially if you're a Kontakt user, because eventually you're going to want to insert multiple instruments into a single Kontakt instance and route each to its own audio track.

I for one.... have always used and preferred the 2 track method. 

I think it was in MC5 that they only showed one track when you did a synth insert.  So I simply inserted 2 tracks and linked them up manually. That way I see everything I need to see....and I can easily swap the midi tracks around as I need. 

Camel phats parameters are midi learnable. to give you an example of what i mean, i have an intro piano piece and what i want to do is slowly as the intro proceeds into the first verse, have the distortion cranked up and up until its fully distorted the way i want it to be by the beginning of the verse. but im a bit of a perfectionist in the sense that i want the distortion level to rise at a perfect rate, so that half way through the intro it will be half as distorted as i want it to be, 3/4s through the intro it will be 3/4s as distorted etc etc. when i just spin the knob on my controller, i find i fall behind and crank it up the most in the last couple seconds. while it still comes out interesting, i just think it would be cool to have an envelope and full control over that parameter and know that the distortion is 100% how i want it. but thats just an example if youve seen camel phat you know thats just the tip of the ice berg as far as parameters go

The way to do that is to hand-enter the automation envelope. Put a node at the start and one at the end, where the effect will reach 100%. Try a fast curve, then a slow curve, then a linear curve and see which one fits best. For this type of effect, I usually end up using an "S" curve, which you build by placing a third node in the center and then making the first segment slow, the second segment fast, or vice versa.

Here's an example: