The lazy mixers guide to automation.

I like to think that automation is the thing that makes a mix become great. When a mix moves and breathes, changing organically throughout the song. 

When my ears start noticing little things that pop out and disappear, weave in and out, that's when I really start enjoying music. Little details make a track stand out, and automated effects and production details are a joy to listen to.

What do you gain from automating?

Automating your tracks is a way to make your mix move. By automating volume, panning and effects you get more movement and subtleties to a song than you would if you would have left the recording as is.

Although the mix might sound fantastic for a few seconds, if it's static it might get boring after a while. If you don't continue to introduce elements to it people might skip the track, or change the channel.

So that's why I want to introduce a concept that I'd like to call The lazy mixers guide to automation.

It's a concept one of my teachers taught me that caught my interest.

He thought it was tedious to write in all the things you have to automate. He didn't like going through the song and moving faders and pan pots while the song was going on. He did it differently.

Instead of drawing in his effects, or switching things on and off during the song, he just created new tracks for everything he wanted to automate.

The lazy mixer's guide to automating a chorus effect

• Cut the last phrase from the main vocal track
• Cut the last phrase from the main vocal track
• Create a new track
• Insert a chorus plug-in
• Paste the phrase you want chorused onto the new track
• Voila! Instant automated chorus effect

Same result - different technique

I know this might seem ridiculous to you, and probably isn't popular with many, but that's the way he did it. He might have ended up with a lot of tracks, which isn't a problem in the digital age anymore, but he thought it was easier.

So next time when you're struggling with automating your effects, try this method and see if it works out for you.

If you're not ready for automation just yet, try the mixing page for other articles

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