How to Do Automation Bumps in Cubase | Q&A with Greg Ondo

I have been searching for an easy way to do this …and here it is! Thank you Greg Ondo!

I know alot of us have been wanting this feature for a very long time!

How to Do Automation Bumps in Cubase | Q&A with Greg Ondo

Thanks! Sft+line tool with square wave activated.

Another tool modifier I didn’t know about. Is this mentioned in the manual?

I’m not sure if it’s in the manual, but I’m happy we finally have the know how!

I think the square line tool is clumpsy since you cannot have it work in conjunction with fill tool of a range. It is only snap range it goes by.
A snap feature to selected range might help - then you could just click with square tool - but you have to change tool to adjust level.

I spent 20 minutes trying to get a range that I just can lift to liking - and fail. Various shift, ctrl and alt combinations - no go.
And if changing back to select or something I don’t get to move point in an easy way even selecting them.

I tried move the upper node left, but it stops at bottom node, not allowing negative I presume. But bottom node should just follow, in my view.
Then you could use square to get four nodes in place, and just widen it as needed.

I probably miss something, but this is not an intuitive good feature.

Just clicking four nodes and raise middle is still best way for me. Done if five secs.

I will have a look if one could set Alt modifier to work in line tool - so you can just move nodes without changing tool.

Experimented some more - and may found a way I like.

Preparation is basically as if to use fill automation loop tool.

Steps are with selection tool active:
a) select range on main ruler(top part)
b) click on it to make it active loop
c) open automation manager and activate fill loop
d) in automation lane - Alt click inside selected range - preferabley a bit from existing level - and four nodes are created for range.
e) Alt click on new level inside range - and automation level goes there instead

Note on d), if not automation node after the selected range before the rest of track follow to end of track.
So a click one time at automation lane after selected range to create a node, and the rest will work inside selected range completely.

So no tool changes needed in this process.

I might use this until I find something better.

Hi Larioso,

that works! Thanks very much.

If you select a part and type ‘P’, it will do steps a and b for you in one go.

Thank you. I think I deactivated the cycle follows .

Thought that would not let you make nested ranges, or what it is called.
Thinking if doing punch in/out that might differ from actual loop running.
But have not really tested this yet.

The only solution,is for Steinberg to make a tool,for this,like we have in Pro Tools, or Studio One 3…it has been requested a lot, but they don’t seem to listen…this has been a feature request for years

Go for it by all means; whatever floats your boat…

But really, you want this:-

Cute, but no cigar. We need the way Studio One, Reaper, and Pro Tools handle this extremely common and useful task.

I just use the line tool (straight line, not the square wave), draw a simple horizontal line, select the two new nodes that get created (drag a box around them with the select tool), then type the exact value I want in the info line (ctrl-i toggles the info line on and off at the top of track/project view window), or if I’m in the mood, grab the top of the grey selection box and drag them to where I want them.

Could also build a Project Logic Editor that cuts a selected range, then pastes it back and shifts it up or down via designated resolution. Essentially it’d be as simple as using the range to tool to make a selection, then hitting a key (or key-combo) to ‘nudge it’ up or down.

Yes, yes…

But really, you want this:-

:slight_smile:

Thanks everyone for a great thread. i’m going to try this method and Larioso’s next.

I couldn’t make this work, unfortunately. Step D simply resulted in the range shading collapsing down, the original range I drew went a way. No nodes were created with the ALT-LEFT CLICK inside the range. This was with FILL LOOP activated, and with my manually putting a node on the automation line somewhere after the range. Thanks for presenting the option, it must be something on my system that is different … :frowning:

This works great, I’ll probably make it my technique of choice. The only thing I’d add is that for it to work correctly on my system, there has to be one node to the left AND to the right of the click location. If there isn’t, only 3 nodes are created, and it doesn’t work as well.

Thanks for this, Brian Roland!

Yes, I’d forgotten about that. In those cases I’d just use the range tool, select a bit of the automation lane and do a ctrl-x (cut) then ctrl-v (paste). That will create a couple of end-point nodes real quick. Or, if you’d rather just use the pencil tool and drop a node somewhere to the right of your bump’s end position.

I got a confirmation from somebody else that it worked, so my description is probably not good enough for how everybody do things.
Note - all range selection I do with Selection tool, and on top main ruler.
Not the range tool and drag on the track- which is very different creating a grayed area and such on the track.

Note one thing I did not describe - you don’t Alt click on top ruler, that is to be done on automation lane between locator range - on the level you want to move to for automation in loop range.
I think that is the problem with my description.

You probably Alt clicked in ruler where range selection is done.
Do it on automation lane.

You can Alt drag as well, but get a rubber band following that - but last position of mouse when releasing stays.

Now gotten used to having useful atuomation panel floating it is a really quick operation. Just drag range in ruler, and make it active.
The Alt clik/drag mouse to wanted level with fill loop active.

Best regards

I’ve had no problem with these methods. I find Brian’s the simplest, but I think I might use Larioso’s if I need the automation to exactly match the part boundaries. Thanks for these ideas!

YES! That would be WONDERFUL if we had such a cool tool!!!