Automation is a very large topic when discussing a music sequencer/host as automating parameters over time has a similar priority to recording midi and audio. XT2 has power automation functionality which will (for the sake of organisation) be broken into three main sections - inbound, outbound and internal.
Inbound Automation
Inbound automation is the ability to automate parameters in a project via an external source - outside of XT2. This is largely a function of midi messages entering XT2 via one of more of its midi inputs.
XT2 "Core" BETA does not currently have the functionality to instigate this automation fully, as the ability to create midi maps against device parameters will not appear until XT2 "Control" BETA - phase 3. That is not to say that there are not ways to automate certain controls which contain a hard-coded midi mapping, but these are exceptions rather than rules. Furthermore, this would only apply to VST plug-ins; automatable parameters within XT2 do not have a default midi mappings.
This section will be rewritten once XT2 "Control" BETA is released.
Outbound Automation
Just as it is possible for parameters within an XT2 project to be automated by external programs/devices, it is also possible for XT2 to automate external devices. Again, this is a function of midi messages that would be sent out from XT2's midi
Currently, you cannot add a Midi Ouput to an XT2 project, so there is currently no ability to automate external devices built into XT2. This will obviously change over the BETA phases, but in the meantime it is possible to present how the XT2 sequencer will handle such automation.
As the key to automating external devices is in sending midi messages, it is probably not surprising that such automation is handled in a midi track within the sequencer.
Automation lanes appear below the midi note data in a midi track. In the image above it is apparent that there are two ways to display midi automation in the automation lanes: Controller view - a series of step-style bars equating to different values on the Y-axis and Envelope view - a malleable curve-style envelope with editable nodes for smooth transition from one value on the Y-axis to another.
Automation lanes are actually always present for a midi track, they are not added, nor are they deleted. However, they are viewed or hidden upon request. With a midi track open for in-track editing, click on the + symbol to reveal the which midi automation lanes can be viewed via a check box.
There's no real limit to the amount of automation lanes that can be displayed. However, too many will probably be impractical when editing multiple tracks. XT2 allows for the hiding of any automation lane by unchecking the box in the automation lane drop-down or by right-clicking the automation lane header and selecting Delete. Delete does not actually remove the track, nor does it delete the automation data - it simply hides it from view. To hide/how all automation lanes while still remaining in the in-track editing view, click the middle icon at the bottom of the midi track header which acts as a toggle.
For controller lanes, it is also possible to swap the view of one lane with another. To do this, right-click the header of the automation lane to be replaced and then Show, selecting the replacement value.
For envelope lanes, it not possible to swap views. However, it is possible to reassign the envelope to a different midi controller message. Simply right-click the lane header, select Output and then the destination midi controller message.
Internal Automation
Internal automation is when the items being controlled and the controller information being sent is all internal to the project. In XT2 it is possible to control VST instrument parameters, insert effects parameters, mixer controls such as volume and pan, send effects parameters and the amount of send to an effect. This section will be broken into several smaller topics to discuss internal automation in more depth.
Midi Controllers/Envelopes
Like in the outbound automation, it is possible to use midi controller messages and envelopes in a midi track to automate parameters within a VST plug-in provided that the midi track is routed to that plug-in and provided that a mapping exists in the plug-in for the messages being sent (see inbound automation). However, this is not the ideal way in which to automate plug-in or internal controller values. The reason for this is that midi messages have low resolution in general - an undesirable attribute if there are better options available. The VST standard allows for 32 bit resolution in automating values, impressively higher than the 8 bits available to midi messages.
Additionally, XT2's internal parameters don't currently allow for the mapping of midi messages - although this should be possible as part of the "Control" BETA phase.
Sometimes, however, the midi protocol can still be useful.
Special Midi Messages
There are a group of midi messages often catered for by default in VST plug-ins. The following outlines them briefly:
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Velocity - these messages are couple with note on messages and catered for in plug-ins not only for emulating the force with which a note is played, but also to control various parameters; filter cutoff for example. -
Aftertouch - these messages are sent from a hardware device (keyboards in particular) where exerting pressure on the keys/notes during a note-on triggers a series of pressure data. Plug-ins sometimes use these messages for automating parameters. -
Channel Pressure - beats me - what is this? -
Pitch Wheel - also knows as Pitch Bend, sends a higher resolution stream of information that is supported by the majority of VST instruments to automate pitch. -
Program Change - this message is used to change the loaded program in a device. Plug-ins will quite often be compatible with program change messages to change from one loaded setting to another. -
Sustain (CC64) - this is actually just a common midi change controller message. However, it is worthy of note because many instrument plug-ins simulate a sustain pedal by supporting this controller - much like hardware devices often have in the past.
Automating channels in the mixer
Sequencer tracks that have an audio channel as a destination in the mixer have the abitility to automate the primary controls on that channel. This ability is not limited to midi tracks; audio tracks also have the ability to send internal automation data, refer to the image below.
At this stage, it is not possible to automate trim. However, as is evident in the image, it is possible to automate the mute option on the mixer strip.
A midi track will have the same options to automate destinations once those channels have been set up as an output for the track. These channels include send effect channels, group and audio output channels and plug-in component channels.
First set the output to the desired device - in this instance, the group channel.
Then the relevant channel parameters are visible for automation.
Automating Send Levels for Send Effects
As soon as a send effect channel is created in the mixers, all channels other than Audio In and Audio Out channels gain access to that send effect. It is possible to control the send level from each channel using the source sequencer track, much like for mixer channel automation. The image below shows the send level for a chorus send effect as a parameter for automation in an audio track in the sequencer.
Automating Send Effect Parameters
Unlike the send levels which are channel specific, automating the parameters for the send effect plug-in itself cannot be accomplished from a sequencer audio track. However, by making a send effect the output of a midi track, complete automation is possible.
In the above picture, it is clear that several parameters are now available for automation from the send effect.
One of the handy things about XT2 is that it does tend to tidy things up where it can. In the case where you have one midi track outputting to several send effects, the automatic population of parameters in the automation drop-down could be confusing and messy. However, when there is more than one output, XT2 automatically puts all the parameters into sub-menus.
In the above the two send effects here have their own submenus within the automation drop-down. Both the automation parameters within the plug-in itself and the channel controls are separated this way.
Automating Insert Effect Parameters
In XT2, insert effect in a channel can be automated by the track which has that channel as an output. This is not restricted to midi tracks. Audio tracks can automate the insert effect parameters within its own channel.
The above image shows an audio track accessing the automation parameters of a compressor insert effect within its audio channel. Notice that the ability to automate the level being sent to the effect and the power/bypass toggle is also present.
As there is no audio channel for a midi track, it needs to have an audio channel in the mixer as an output to be able to automate insert effect parameters there. However, whether the output is an audio output channel, a send effect channel, a group channel etc.. the automation behaves exactly the same way as in an audio track.
Automating Plug-In Instruments
Automating plug-in instruments is handled from the midi track that outputs to the instrument. It works no differently from automating anything else as an output from a midi track. However, it is worth noting that VST plug-in instruments often have hundreds of automatable parameters, far more than will fit in the simple automation drop-down.
The way XT2 handles this overflow is to allow the middle-mouse wheel to control the scrolling of parameters within the viewable area.
The above image demonstrates that when there are more parameters available, an arrow appears as a visual cue. An up arrow would appear at the top of the visible area and at the bottom of the visible area where applicable.
Known Issues and Incomplete Items
This is a section specific to BETA development. It is a collection of items which I believe are issues with the browser in its current state and functionality that does not look like it has been developed or which I believe should be developed.
This section will remain in this tutorial until such time as the item is no longer applicable and can be documented properly above, or until XT2 gets its final release.
Automating send values on a midi track
I noticed a peculiarity in a few areas when it came to assigning a midi track to a send effect or audio output for automation.
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If you make a send effect an output for a blank midi track, you get access to a send to that effect. This doesn't make any sense as the only thing you are sending to the effect is midi information. Looking closer at this I noticed that the mixer channel provided in the sequencer for the send effect has send slots with itself inserted in one of the slots. This is visually confusing as send effects don't send to themselves within the actual mixer - so it shouldn't show it this way within the sequencer either. You can actually automate the send value within the mixer in the sequencer too - which really is confusing. -
When you assign midi output to the audio output in a project, again you will get an option to automate the send value of the send effect on that channel. Also confusing because the audio output in the mixer does not have send effects. Again, if you open up the mixer channel for that midi track you will see that the audio output channel has a send slot with any send effects present. -
While on the topic of sequencer mixers - here's an off-topic one. When you have a blank midi track selected and you expose the sequencer mixer channel, you get the mixer channels of one of the audio tracks. This was confusing to me at first and I think it's probably better that nothing comes up at all unless the midi track is assigned an output.
Parameter overflow in the automation drop-down
This is not a bug as such, but a request. Many plug-ins have far too many parameters to be seen on the screen. I would firstly recommend that this plug-in parameters automatically get dumped into a sub-menu so that the user doesn't get faced with a massive drop-down when they just wanted to add a midi controller lane. Secondly, I would opt for a better way of viewing and selecting large lists of parameters - perhaps by parameters presenting in a table format when over a certain number of options. The mouse-scrolling is tedious, and you are only seeing a small portion of parameters at any one time. You really need as much of an overview of the parameters available for automation as possible.
At the very least, the middle-mouse wheel shouldn't scroll the cursor up and down the list, it should scroll the entire view. Changing from scrolling down to scrolling up is quite painful.
Additionally, the down arrow (indicating more options are available) is not separated from the parameter text, meaning that you get options there with an arrow in the middle of the text. Both should be separated.