Add automation points in Logic Pro for iPad

You add automation points to a track’s automation curve to create changes over time to volume, pan, and virtually any control in your channel strips and plug-ins. You can adjust automation points by moving them up or down to change their value or by moving them left or right to change their position along the timeline.

Default automation curve in track automation

In Automation view in the Tracks area, selecting an automation parameter with no automation data created yet will show the automation curve as a gray horizontal line from the beginning to the end of the project. It has no automation points. The vertical position of this line represents the current value of the corresponding control, and adjusting the control moves the line up or down accordingly.

Default automation curve in region automation

In Automation view in the Editors area with no automation data created yet, a thin horizontal line is displayed without any automation points or MIDI data points from the beginning to the end of each region in the Editors area.

Default automation point

Once you add your first automation point, the following will happen:

The automation point will be added as a dot on the automation curve at the tap position.
With track automation, an additional default automation point with the same value will automatically be added at the beginning of the automation curve, which is the beginning of the project.
With region automation, an additional default automation point with the same value will automatically be added at the beginning of the automation curve, which is the left border of the region.
The automation curve and the automation points will be displayed in the color of the corresponding automation parameter (for example, yellow = volume, green = pan, and turquoise = mute).

Add single automation points to an automation curve

The steps for creating automation points are the same for track automation and region automation.

Tap the Automation View button in the Tracks area menu bar (for track automation) or the Editors area menu bar (for region automation).
Tap the Pencil button , then do any of the following to create a single automation point:
- Tap a track lane (for track automation), or tap a region in the Editors area (for region automation).
- Touch and hold the track lane (for track automation) or a region in the Editors area (for region automation). Now you can drag up-down or left-right before releasing your finger to adjust the position of the automation point.
  A tag shows its corresponding parameter value, and a vertical line indicates the time position while dragging the automation point. The current Snap value restricts the horizontal movement.

The horizontal position of an automation point determines its position along the timeline, and the vertical position determines the parameter’s value. A new automation point will change the shape of the automation curve unless it is placed directly on the line.

Draw an automation curve

Tap the Automation View button in the Tracks area menu bar (for track automation) or the Editors area menu bar (for region automation).
Tap the Brush button .
Touch and hold a track lane (for track automation) or a region in the Editors area (for region automation), then drag left-right and up-down, drawing the shape of the automation curve.
Once you release your finger, your newly drawn automation curve overwrites the existing automation points in that section.

The following rules apply:

Automation points are created along the path you draw on the screen.
Vertical directions determine the parameter values.
The points are automatically connected, forming the automation curve that resembles your drawing.
The more slowly you move your finger, the more automation points will be created, and the finer the resolution of the curve will be.
The value in the Snap pop-up menu restricts the density of the automation points. See Snap automation to grid position.
The shape of the automation curve depends on the status of the Stepped Automation button . See Stepped automation curve.
Using Apple Pencil lets you draw the automation curve more precisely.

Add automation points by splitting a region

When splitting a region that contains region automation, an automation point is automatically added to the automation curves of the original region and the new region at the split point. This guarantees the integrity of the automation curve of the two regions when moving them apart or placing other regions in between. For more information, see Split regions in Tracks view.

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Logic Pro User Guide for iPad