I just mixed a new project and wanted a long slow fade.  But even though the fade is slow and steady...it still sounds like the audio just drops off at the end of the fade instead of hearing a gradual fade to infinity.

When I used to mix through my analog console, you could do a fade with the stereo faders and get a nice slow fade that sounded great.  I even have four of those Niche ACM's (I'm sure some of you are old enough to remember those) and I could automate my fade with my Cakewalk sequencer and it sounded great although it done the fade in midi steps.

All of my audio is 48K 24 bit...with a few soft synths in the mix too.

Is there a setting that will give me a smoother fade to inf...that sounds more like an analog fader fade?  It doesn't matter if I use a linear curve or just a straight line fade...the sound still drops off noticeably at the bottom of the fade.  This is noticeable not only after a physical mix to a file...but even when just playing the project and listening to the fade.

Any suggestions?  I know there is a setting for the meter...but is there a setting for the resolution of the steps of a fade out? 

Are you doing this with a clip fade or with volume automation on the track? When you create a fade with volume automation it happens pretty smoothly, at least in my experience. 

I'm doing it with the master faders automation...using the automation lanes for the master sub.  It just doesn't seem to be a very smooth fade at the end.  It's not horrible, but quite noticeable to me...especially after using an analog console for so long in the past.

Are you using a linear envelope as opposed to a fast or slow curve?

Tried it with both a straight line fade and a slow curve Karl.  And the fade is a long slow one, probably  40 seconds or more.  Maybe I'm just being too picky :) but I would think I would be able to get it a little smoother.  I could understand it if monitoring through headphones....but I can hear a definite "stop", although it's pretty quiet...but it's there.

It's not really what I'd call a problem....but I thought maybe I had missed a setting somewhere for a "fader resolution" of some sort of thing.

Thanks for the replies.  If I get to the point that I really want a true fade to inf....I'll run the audio through my analog console and do a manual fade as I'm recording the mix to a file.

I sort of know what you're talking about. What I do is add a node in the fade and change the slope slightly at the end to be even less steep. Usually both are linear fades. Not always a perfect solution but it helps.

I notice this as well Ted.  It's been there since at least Sonar 6 when I came aboard.  Irrespective of the slope, the final few db just suddenly fall off the cliff, and it's very noticeable.

My solution is a gradual slope, sometimes in gradient steps.Even so, I find that certain tracks must be adjusted with varying curves to achieve the desired result. I sometimes use a linear fade and sometimes use a slow curve fade - it depends on the overall mix. No two projects use the same gradual fade. Having said that,many of my mixes end in either "cool". "cold" or "fall-apart" endings. So that really doesn't help much, I'm afraid.  Sorry.

I'm glad that I'm not the only one that's noticed this.  As I said, it's not a major problem...but it is noticeable.

I do know that with the digital audio age things have changed a bit from the days of analog.  We have to look at some things differently...and even have to re-think how we do some things.

But do I miss having to do alignments on my multitrack machine, or having to clean tape recorder heads every few hours ?? .....not a chance...!

We have it made these days when it comes to how we work in the studio...!

I notice this as well Ted. 

Me too.


Drives me bonkers if I let it..