Automation

Now that we've worked on creating arranged beats AND we've worked on some mixing techniques, let's talk about automation. What is automation?

Automation is the use of control systems and information technologies to reduce the need for human work.

This applies to the industrial world as well as the audio world. How so? Automation can be used to apply fades, panning, etc. These days we hear automation in most of the music that we listen to. In almost all cases you will hear some sort of automation in today's modern music. Let's listen to a few songs that use automation.





Today we'll look at how we can apply automation in Reason to create a Fade Out for our arranged music.

1. Open Reason.

2. Open your completed arranged beat. If you have NOT arranged a beat yet, make sure you complete the previous class assignments to do this lesson.

3. With your arranged beat, turn the "Loop On/Off" to "Off".

4. Now let's take a look at the mixer on our screen. Notice that it has a Master Fader on the bottom right? This Master Fader controls the volume of the entire song as a whole. That means that if the whole song distorted, the MF  can be used to turn everything down, though this isn't exactly the best method and many would consider it better to turn down the individual instruments that are too loud.

5. Hold the Control key on the keyboard and click the mixer. You should see an option to Create a Track for Mixer 1. Alternatively, if you click the mixer then go to EDIT you should see Create a Track for Mixer1. You should notice a new track on the sequencer of Reason that says Mixer 1.

6. Go to the last chorus of your song, before the outro. Click on the mixer track and press record. You may/may not see a box appear just yet. Once you reach the Outro of your beat, click on the Master Fader and slowly drag the mouse down so that the volume gets quieter. A box should appear on the sequencer with a declining line. This line is a visual representation of the automation that you just created. You should also see a Green Box on the MF of the mixer.

The Mixer Track

Automation Box with Declining Line Means Fade Out

A Green Line Box Means that there is Automation on an instrument

7. You can control whether or not you want this automation by clicking the Master Level button on the Mixer 1 track. If you don't like your fade and want to try again, simply delete your box on the sequencer and try to record a new fade out.

 

Full Song Check list:

• At least 5 instruments: Bass, drums, synth, etc.
• Song Structure: Intro, Verses, Chorus', Outro to make up 89-97 bars in length
• Mixing: Volume, Panning, Effects
• Automation Outro

Refer to previous blogs for explanation on each subject.
Thanks!