Creative automation

Music Lesson on Automation Techniques

Introduction to Automation

In terms of automation, there is a mix of basic and creative approaches:

• Basic Automation

  • Volume
  • Panning

• Creative Automation

  • Filters
  • Effects
  • Creative panning

Example Sound Creation

I had great fun creating this little sound, which I'll play for you in a second.

That was a greatly processed, cut-up, and mixed layered sound of animals pitched down. I did a lot of sound design on this and, obviously, lots of effects. If I just play it without the effect, you can kind of hear what's going on.

• I've bounced this down and used several different samples from various sample libraries.
• I even took recordings of our dog barking and mangled that sound.

Key Features

The main feature of this sound is the panning and how it moves around your head, creating a quite scary effect.

• I used the multi-panner spherical panner in Logic, as it provides binaural panning.
• This panning mimics what is closest to your ears from left to right.

You don't hear it as much in stereo, but if you're recording and mixing in surround with a multi-monitor setup, this really comes into play.

Modulating Pan and Levels

• If I'm modulating the pan, it changes both the pan and levels together, allowing for movement in the soundspace.
• There's a lot of sound design involved here, utilizing samples, audio, and live recordings from various software synths.

Subtle Automation Example

Another example of automation is found in a subtle hit sound from Prism, a Native Instruments sound bank.

• I applied subtle automation on the release time of one of the elements, creating a nuanced sound.

This subtlety adds intensity, especially in the context of other hits and booms within the track.

Genre Dynamics

This track begins from nothing as a trailer typical of the horror and action genres.

• I've gained a reputation for crafting industrial hybrid sounds.
• While there is a formulaic structure, starting off and building to a big climax, there's also room for dynamic expressiveness.

Enhancing Expressiveness

To add expressiveness, a lot of automation is used, including:

• Volume automation
• Reverb automation
• Rises produced by these automations

Practical Demonstration

For example, let's check the piano in the keys section.

• I'll solo this out for a moment so you can feel what's going on.
• I'm using a controller keyboard with a transport section that includes functions for looping and starting playback.

This showcases just the synth work, key sounds, and my piano.