Automating your mix – Apple GarageBand '09 User Manual
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Chapter 9
Tutorial 7: Mixing and Adding Effects
Automating Your Mix
In addition to setting the volume level, pan position, and effects settings for a track,
you can add changes to these and other settings over time using automation. You
automate changes over time by adding automation curves to tracks, adding control
points to each automation curve, and adjusting the control points to different values.
To show a track’s automation curves:
m
Click the triangle to the right of the Lock button in the track’s header.
A row appears below the track, showing the volume automation curve.
To choose the automation curve you want to edit:
m
From the pop-up menu on the left side of the track’s automation row, choose the
parameter you want to edit.
Now you can automate the parameter by adding control points to the curve, and then
dragging the control points to change their value.
To add a control point:
m
In the editor, click the curve at the place where you want to add a control point.
Note: Adding a control point activates the curve, if it is not already active. The square
button becomes colored to show that the curve is active.
To adjust a control point, do one of the following:
 Drag the control point up or down to a new value.
 Drag the control point left or right to move it to a different point in time.
You can use the vertical lines in the row to align control points with measures and
beats in the timeline.
For Real Instrument, Software Instrument, and Electric Guitar tracks, you can automate
Track Volume and Track Pan. For the master track, you can automate Master Volume,
Master Pitch, and Master Tempo. You can also automate parameters for any effect on a
track (including the master track) by adding an automation curve for the parameter.
To add an automation curve for an effect parameter:
1
From the pop-up menu on the left side of the track’s automation row, choose Add
Automation.
A menu appears, listing all the effects on the track.
2
Click the disclosure triangle for the effect with the parameter you want to automate.
Volume automation curve