Automation tips needed please

Nuendo
#1

Let’s say I’ve got this stereo drum track where I’d like to have this special reverb on the snare hits only, by means of off-line editing; the transport is not running.
I’ve prepared a nice reverb on a FX-track and I’ve got a FX-send to this reverb assigned on my stereo drum track.
I turned up the FX-send to -6dB, but I switched the send off. Now I want to automate this FX-send-on-and-off-button on the hits of the snare.

I thought; this is gonna be very easy; I select my stereo drum-track, open up its underlaying automation-track and assign the FX-send-on-and-off-button to this automation-track. The automation-track shows there is no data yet: the grey line is at the off-position (at the bottom).
Now, I range-select the first snare hit on my stereo drum track, and by means of my cursor keys, I move the range selection from the track with the audio-data to the automation-track which shows the FX-send-on-and-off-button-state. I press KeyCommand “P” in order to set the Left and Right locators (aka Loop Points) to my range selection, I press “Loop” in the fill-column of my Automation Panel in order to let Nuendo “fill” only the range-selection with my newly written automation-data, and then I’d like to move the grey automation-line from the off-position (the bottom) to the on-position (the top)…nothing happens.

What am I doing wrong?
Or; what is the right approach in editing/writing non-dynamic-automation-data within ranges?

Niek/ Amsterdam

#2

First make sure the parameter is automation-enabled globally (in the automation-panel) and that the track is set to write. If they are, instead of moving that line you should then be able to simply turn the send on directly on the send.

If you don’t immediately see an effect I’m not sure why that is. I’d try turning auto write off, make sure read is on, and then just give it some pre-roll and see if it turns on when reading that section (automation-read must also be enabled in the automation-panel).

(You shouldn’t need to select loop or anything if you’re just trying to move a line as far as I understand it. You should be able to just move the line over the selected range.)

#3

Thanks MattiasNYC. I forgot to mention that I wanted to establish this by means of offline-editing…that means; the transport is not running…(I edited my post just a minute ago)
Your suggestions do work properly with the transport running, though. Thanks for that.

I also found what I am doing wrong (in offline-editing):
While using the Fill-options in the Transport Panel, one should use the Draw-Tool instead of the Range Selector or Object Selector…

IMHO the time has come for some kind of Smart-Tool for automation editing or , preferably; a more intuitive workflow, now that there’s 4 tools necessary to (offline-) create and edit automation data:

  1. The Object Selector to edit (or create) individual automation-points (Fill options don’t apply)
  2. The Range Selector to edit a group of automation-points as being 1 range of automation-points (Fill options don’t apply)
  3. The Draw Tool to create new automation-points (Fill options do apply)
  4. The Line tool to create new automation-points (Fill options don’t apply)

Niek/ Amsterdam

#4

You could create a micro that engages everything you need including “preview” mode. If you’re in preview just clicking the send “on” should prepare the system for punching that parameter by selecting “punch”.

So:

1 select range
2 press key to trigger macro
3 click send
4 press key to punch

Similar amount of steps but you don’t have to switch tools.