Project 3: Automation

In this assignment, you need to create a loop that utilizes a modulation clip for a parameter of any channel. It sounds more complicated that it actually is. Here's how it works:


1. Come up with a rough idea for a loop. Drums, some bass, maybe a chopped melody, whatever.


2. While you are looking at the channel settings of any channel, hover the mouse over one of the controls (I used volume). If that parameter can take an automation clip, the status window will show a red dot.


3. Right click the parameter and select "Create automation clip". The clip will appear in the playlist on the top.


4. You can tweak this by right clicking on the line in the clip and creating handles so that you can change the shape of the clip, or you can select the clip itself (in the step sequencer) and use the LFO (which is what I did).


5. Tweak away, and listen while you are tweaking.


6. Post as usual. Here' s mine: (note, your post should be this descriptive. Notice I didn't say "Here's my loop. I hope you like it!" because that's lame.




I was inspired by the pad sound "air chorus". I entered one really long note, and selected the volume parameter to create my automation clip. Once it was created, I used the LFO to make the volume go up and down really fast to create the choppy sound you hear. I made another automation clip to control the overall volume of the chanel so I could have a fade in at the beginning and a fade out at the end.


For the rest of it, the sound that came to mind was a Chinese inspired melody (imagine a pan flute playing this while someone is practicing their Kung-Fu moves in super-slow motion) with a funky bass and drum thing in the background. The guitar sound is the slayer set on auto chord with a chorus effect and a clean tone. It took about 20 minutes.