Can you make a bigger picture for me and add the right background color Bristol, I still don't get it...just kidding...I've gotta start hanging around here more often....thank you sir!

No problem mate.

I find Offset an excellent way to get screwed up and confused and completely lose track of what is going on.  I am thinking about getting pliers and pulling the O key off my keyboard.

I have used Off Set mode once in all the years I have used Sonar. I don't see it as a problem but a useful ability. 

I'm still hoping someone will tell us all what the heck it's purpose is!

g_randybrown


I'm still hoping someone will tell us all what the heck it's purpose is!

Its really very simple. Its to allow one to adjust parameters when you already have automation.  

John

g_randybrown


I'm still hoping someone will tell us all what the heck it's purpose is!

Its really very simple. Its to allow one to adjust parameters when you already have automation.  

Oh okay, so maybe I wasn't such a knucklehead for using it to adjust the overall volume of a volume envelope (although Bristol pointed out a much simpler, safer solution)...can you give me a more specific example of what kind of automation I would really need it for John?
Thanks very much,
Randy

I think you used it the right way. Your example is a very good one. 

My view is that many uses don't know about it and inadvertently hit o and wonder what happened. It is a very useful feature that when you need it nothing else can will do as well.  

One more use is when you have your fader maxed and all you need is a bit more offset mode can come to the rescue. 

I'd kind of like to set a rough starting mix using the gain knobs so the master is peaking at around -12dB or less (I think that's the appropriate level for gain staging but I'll be looking it up again) then zap the knobs/faders back to default. This is what I'd use for that right? Will it work on the gain knobs? Will it screw up the project somehow? Do you like cheese?

I once was confused about Offset mode, now I use it all of the time. Yes I use it when I have automation on a track and I want to adjust the over all level.

But how I find it handy is I use it to set my general over all mix, this way when I am in automation mode, all of my faders and pot are all at zero now when I do add automation I have a  more precise control when dropping or raising parameters (especially my faders) notice how on a fader, the lower it is the db's are closer together.

Meaning when a fader is set to lets say -18 and I want to raise or lower my signal by a couple of dbs I have a to make a very small adjustment, but if my automation faderes are near zero, I have better control because of the difference in "space" between db adjustments.

Yes when first started this method I might get a little confused, but I would remember Offset mode, now that I use it all of the time, it is like second nature to mix in offset and make any automation while in automation mode.

This might come from my live mixing habits as I like to have all of my faders right at or near zero, because I can make finer level adjustments when the fader are at or near zero than I can when a fader is set to -18.

I hope this makes sense, and helps someone out as to why we would use Offset mode. I know I miss it when working in other DAWs

Tom