Is there a good way to automate the output level of a chan?

Slightly misleading title…

I never automate my cubase channel volume, ever… normally i put a plugin as the last insert in my plugin and automate using the plugin… however this uses up a plugin purely for volume automation! is there a better way of doing this perhaps in cubase 7 that i am not aware about? perhaps using the new channel strip?

to be specific it needs to be post fader (ie after all plugins) but before the overall channel fader

thanks… (if this is not possible… surely this would fall under ‘core functionality improvement’) and should be added at some point?

edited for clafirfication

Why do you never automate using the fader?

Maybe I’m missing something here but why wouldn’t you just use the Cubase automation features that are available for each track (including the stereo out track)? See op manual starting on page 279. :confused:

my projects are incredibly complex, If i used normal volume automation, it makes it difficult to raise or lower the volume on a an individual track, it makes more sense to use a plugin at the end of the chain.

Group channels or Folders?
Perhaps use Control room? Inserts can also be used there.
(I think your misspelling of chain in the title makes people think you mean Channel, in which case the faders would be obvious.)

I was thinking… Is he asking for a way to automate the channel output without automating the channel output? Now it makes more sense…
J.L.

i also mostly automate volume – using the sonalksis freeG – as opposed to automating the channel fader. it’s always good to have two gain staging layers there whilst keeping one free for quick and easy gain scaling (as opposed to having to scale/gain the entire automation curve if automation has been used).

BTW you could of course automate the channel fader gain and use the proprietary gain plugin instead, however 1/ the mixer fader is more readily available for editing compared to opening up an insert plugin 2/ this way the mixer fader can remain hovering around unity and be used only for minor ± couple dB adjustments.

to answer your question re: other methods for managing gain-- you may wanna read up on ‘trim’ automation; that adds another layer of automation gain, however i find it quicker to use the method you are using now.

I might try this FreeG plugin!.. might be a better choice than the plugin i am currentlt using!

thanks!

Just for additional clarification, the reason I work like this is because if you have a lot of intricate volume automation, there isnt a really good way to adjust the overall level of the channel… say you want to raise everything 1db… you would have to resort to the trim function or start messing with your automation handles…

the best solution is to use another plugin purely for the volume automation of the channel,

another solution would be to use the plugin to do an overall gain boost of the channel but continue to use volume automation as normal… the problem with that approach is you can’t make quick volume tweaks

Screw using a plugin in the chain. Just using more system resources.

Send to a new group channel, and make those adjustments there.

the utilitarian gainer plugins use close to no cpu, you can run hundreds of instances… group channel is an option, but clutters up the arrange and creates a new channel you need to navigate to, so using an insert plugin is quicker and more tactile. (on a related note, the limited amount of insert slots in cubendo is getting rather stupid by now, like a tape op museum.)

Last in the chain, FreeG or any other fader plugin does the job :smiley:

I also always leave channel fader without automation, it is easier to mix like that.
So I wrote my own vst plugin for gain, with step selectable min and max gain. In Synthmaker. It is not a “professional” looking plug, and you cannot rightclick on control to assign it to quick controls, but works fine for me.
But often I just use cubase plugins like compressor or limiter or similar, because they have right click asignment to quick controls, and I automate just output knob on them.
I made request to Steinberg to make proper utility gain plugin with right click assignment functionality. No reply from them. what do they care… :unamused:
One thing to do to save insert slots is to automate gain on one of channel strip modules. That is handy and works fine.

I often use Cubase´s “EQ10” and it´s Output parameter (!) for additional volume automations.

+1 me too

It seems you’ve created a problem without a clear method to work around these complexities beforehand.

Now you want the community mind (BORG) to solve it.

Good choice. While at the surface it might seem that you’re simply asking for trouble from the outset, it also would seem to me that you’re pushing the envelope, just a tad, and trying to plot solutions to circumvent the obvious.

The sad fact is, I run up against this same problem all the time. Sometimes it’s just easier to start anew. Trust me.

I have been producing for over 10 year with Cubase. i have no issue with complexity and i’m not asking for help solving my ‘problem’ I have been producing this way for years and have no problem continuing to work this way.

what i am essentially asking is, with the addition of all this additional rack components etc, is there now a way of using one of the rack new rack components to automate volume, instead of using a plugin, this would free up an additional plugin instance.

I wish i had not posted this topic to be honest, I knew the answer already… the answer is no, I was just hoping i had overlooked something…

i hope i understand your question !
basically u can use channel strip modules which has output control (without coloring the sound.) … just route the channel strip rack after the insert slots rack !!
Edit: it of course will affect the last 2 insert slots if u use them…(the post fader inserts)

well at least some other people might have benefited from it.

re: the plugin made in synthmaker-- are you sure it works in 32-float precision? this can be a crucial thing, especially being a gain plugin.

I like this approach, but is there a way to set the gain range to be larger? It only goes down to -24db. If I wanted to completely fade something out, I don’t think I could with this gain knob.