For a long time i felt that automating values with dots by hand was bad.
But now with Cubase 8 and 9 i think it’s even worse.
Editing volumes, I used to use CTRL key to snap the annoying dots on the grid. But since 8 they don’t snap anymore.
No vertical snap on the grid for tightness. Let’s say i want the value to be changed tight on the bars, well i can’t. I have to zoom and zoom again, then try to get it tight on the grid. It consumes a lot of my time and patience.
So i found a workaround with the line tool, could be very nice but there’s no horizontal snap for line heights. Let’s say i want 3 bars at 1 db, and 3 more at -2db, i have to fiddle slowly and very precisely to try to get my automation straight and in the end, it isn’t totally straight. The value glides continually.
I did my best to have thoses lines straight:
A simple tool modifier like ctrl button to keep it straight would be awesome. Or PT style trim automation would work wonders.
I tried PT ninja macro without success. The square shape trick to make a flat line isn’t so easier either.
I hoped automation would have been improved in cubase 9 but It’s so annoying fiddling with small dots i’m considering switching to a different daw.
But i don’t want to relearn everything, please help!
When you open an automation track, the location and db value of any selected point is shown on the left in the “Information line”. If you double-click on those values, you can type in new values.
For your example - draw in some automation points, it doesn’t matter where or what value.
You can lasso & delete extra points.
TURN SNAP OFF while doing these.
Click the 1st point - then on the information line, double-click start time and type in ‘3’ (for bar 3).
Use TAB key to move to value and type in ‘1’ (db)
Click on (or lasso) next point, set start time to ‘5.4.4.118’ (for end of bar 5). Set value to ‘1’
Next point, set start time to ‘6’ (for bar 6). Set value to ‘-3’
Next point, set start time to ‘8.4.4.118’ (for end of bar 8). Set value to ‘-3’
Next point, set start time to ‘9’ (for bar 9). Set value to ‘-5’
Next point, set start time to ‘11.4.4.118’ (for end of bar 11). Set value to ‘-5’
It looks like a lot of work, but it’s actually easier than trying to accurately draw it in.
