Not understanding TRIM automation C6.5

Cubase
1

Hi - The manual (page 237) says TRIM “…increases or decreases the values of the original automation curve, but allows you to preserve the original data”.

But when I use it on an a very peaked spline-like curve, it seems to move different parts of the curve “speeds”. If I pull the TRIM down, the peak of the curve comes down faster than the valleys, with the end result that with the TRIM curve pulled down quite far the spline curve begins to approximate a flat one.

In other words, the SHAPE of the automation curve changes as I use TRIM. Shouldn’t it stay the same if the original automation curve is just “increased or decreased … but allows you to preseve the data”?

In reality, the automation “Move Vertically” Smart Spot described in page 231 behaves the same way, i.e., not all the automation points are dragged at the same “speed” up/down the page.

In either/both of these cases, I was expecting the curve to move in the same way as if I had selected the automation points, clicked on one, and dragged it up or down with the whole curve to follow.

Thanks for helping me understand this -

2

It looks like the curve is changing, but if you were to actually look at the values, they would be the same distance from the next. In dB, that is.

3

Also, while we’re on the subject of automation. Tilting the data from the left works great. You can see the value of the left most automation point move up and down. But tilting from the right is broken. It doesn’t show you the value of the right most point. It shows the left, which doesn’t move. I think they should make it so you can see the respective point value from where you tilt.

4

Yes, as the dB scale is logarithmic :slight_smile:


MC

5

Thank you ilmolto and Norbury Brook!

That makes perfect sense to me, easily understood since going UP on the scale only brings you from 0dB to 6dB, but going DOWN the same number of “inches” brings you from 0dB to -60dB, and infinity and beyond.

What I realize now is that I was completely misinterpreting what I was doing by highlighting a bunch of volume automation points by drawing a square around them and dragging those few points up and down - contrary to the the VISUAL appearance of this being a simple volume shift, I guess the logarithmic scale means that the points are NOT all being changed by a constant volume.

Thanks so much again - nice to get a basic knowledge hole filled up!