FR: Adjustable Automation Curves

[Shane Taylor]

Could we have adjustable automation curves beyond just the Fast and Slow fade options please? An S-Curve option seems conspicuously absent here. Perhaps allowing bezier handles on points would be an even better and much more robust option. But if that is too much to tackle any time soon, then please AT LEAST give us an S-Curve function in both the automation lane in on the fades.

If I've missed this capability as already existing, please let me know. I have looked, but have failed to find it (but I'm still rather new to Cakewalk - but DO like what I'm seeing!)

[Lord Tim]

No, this isn't available and is a good request.

At least on envelopes, this is kind of doable with a bit of trickery, until it's implemented. You'd do it like this:

1. Add an envelope to a track or clip.

2. Set a node at the start of when you want a fade, and one at the end.

3. Adjust the node positions as necessary (eg: the start node being 100%, the end node being 0% so you're doing a fade to silence). Make sure the envelope shape between each node is linear.

4. In the middle point of that envelope between the start and end nodes, add one more node.

5. Right click on the part between the start and middle node and change it to Slow Curve, then right click on the part between the middle and end nodes and change it to Fast Curve.

You'll end up with something that looks like this:

And you should be able to drag the middle node to the left or right along the envelope line to somewhat change the way the S-curve looks. You may need to alter what part is Slow or Fast on each side of the envelope to make it work, though.

A little clunky, but it works if you don't fiddle with it too much after you set it up, and works great for song fade-outs especially.

As yet, there's no way to do that with clip fades using the fade tool, so I'd do a Clip Envelope for those instead of using the fade handles.

But yes, I'd love a proper native solution.

 

Edited January 21, 2023 by Lord Tim

[Shane Taylor]

Awesome! Trickery indeed! Thanks for the tip. Maybe we can get a native solution soon. Until then...

[Lord Tim]

The way I could see it working is we add another option to the envelope types. Currently, we have Jump, Linear, Fast Curve and Slow Curve. I'd say in that menu, add Bezier as another option, which then adds a handle in the envelope part between the 2 outside nodes, similar to my middle node idea, and you'll be able to move it around and the curve type on either side changes dynamically to whatever is needed.

Other than this new "phantom node" we're using for a curve handle in my example, this doesn't sound like a crazy amount of work to add in morphing between each envelope curve type **

Not sure if this is the best solution out there, but it's the closest I could think of to what we have at the moment, while adding this to it.

** famous last words by someone who isn't on the dev team. HAHA! Apologies to any Baker reading this!