2. Lesson 6: Automation Tracks
Welcome back to MyTunes
A lot of pieces of music come with a fade-in and fade- out
We made these (kind of) on individual notes using the envelope
However, how could we do this for the whole song?
We need to use an Automation Track
These tracks don’t output any notes themselves
They are used to change values of controls at points in a song
Lesson 6: Automation Tracks

3. Automation Tracks
All new projects in LMMS start with an Automation Track we can use
However, we can add one in the Song Editor if we wanted to
The Add Automation Track button
Lesson 6: Automation Tracks

4. Lesson 6: Automation Tracks
Any control we drag onto this track will be ‘controlled’ by the track
Letting us change its value over time
We have to hold the Control/Command key while we drag the control over
For example, if we want a fade-in, then we need to change the master volume
Lesson 6: Automation Tracks

5. Automation Tracks
When a control has been added, we can edit the automation track
By double-clicking on the blue square along the track
This opens the Automation Editor window
Show the range of possible values
The Current Value of the control
Lesson 6: Automation Tracks

6. Lesson 6: Automation Tracks
We can use the Pencil tool (at the top) to add points
These points are where the value changes
Will change at the specified bar in the song
Automation tracks start with one point already
The value the control was at when it was dragged onto the track
We can add as many as we want
Lesson 6: Automation Tracks

7. Lesson 6: Automation Tracks
This setup will result in an immediate change
We can make the change gradual by using a different option…
Lesson 6: Automation Tracks

8. Automation Tracks
We can use the Cubic progression to add a gradual change in value
The Cubic progression button
Lesson 6: Automation Tracks

9. Lesson 6: Automation Tracks
Open the Lesson06Resource LMMS project from the resources
Give it a listen and see what you think
Drag the Master Volume onto the Automation Track at Bar 1
Make the volume start at 0
On Bar 2, set the volume to 100
Use the Cubic progression to make this change nice and smooth
Then listen to the song again – does it have a nice fade-in now?
Lesson 6: Automation Tracks

10. Lesson 6: Automation Tracks
Repeat this process (in a sense) to create a fade-out
That means setting the Master Volume to 100 on bar 23
And then setting it to 0 at the end of bar 25
Use the Cubic progression again to get a nice, smooth fade-out
Listen to the whole song, making sure the fade-in and fade-out work!
Lesson 6: Automation Tracks

11. Lesson 6: Automation Tracks
Enabling FX Mid Song
Automation tracks can change practically any control in LMMS
Even turning things (like FX) on and off
Imagine we have a cool effect we want to ‘switch on’ at an important part of the song
The FX to turn on
Lesson 6: Automation Tracks

12. Lesson 6: Automation Tracks
Enabling FX Mid Song
To change this, we do like we did before
Hold Control/Command and drag it onto an Automation Track
Although we could, we shouldn’t use the same Automation Track for two different controls
It’s best to make a new one for every control we want to adjust
Lesson 6: Automation Tracks

13. Lesson 6: Automation Tracks
Enabling FX Mid Song
Whenever we change a control using an Automation Track, we should always have a starting value for it
At the beginning of the song
That’s because controls changed by the automation track do not go back to their values before the song
And then change the control when we want to
Lesson 6: Automation Tracks

14. Lesson 6: Automation Tracks
Rename your current Automation Track to Control – Master Volume
Add another Automation Track and call it Control – FX [Flange]
Make sure the FX in the FX Mixer is disabled and Control/Command drag it onto the right Automation Track
As soon as both the melody and bassline play together, enable the FX
Lesson 6: Automation Tracks

15. Lesson 6: Automation Tracks
Think of one-or-two more FX you can add
Like Reverb or Wah
Configure these FX however you want, but do not start with them enabled at the start of the song
These FX should be enabled at different points in the song
Lesson 6: Automation Tracks

16. Lesson 6: Automation Tracks
That’s everything we need to know about Automation Tracks!
Spend some time with your song
Why not add a Beat-Bassline to add some rhythmical percussion?
Think about making the song last longer and adding some extra FX
Lesson 6: Automation Tracks

17. Lesson 6: Automation Tracks
Create another LMMS project called Lessono06Challenge1
Make the Triple Oscillator play a single note for 4 bars
Change the LFO so the volume of the note slowly changes
Then, use an Automation Tracks to increase the LFO speed over those 4 bars
Lesson 6: Automation Tracks

18. Lesson 6: Automation Tracks
Create another LMMS project called Lesson06Challenge2
Make the Triple Oscillator play a single note for 6 bars
On an Automation Track, disable the Arpeggio function at the start of the song
After 2 bars, enable the Arpeggio function
After another 2 bars, increase the Range of the Arpeggio
Lesson 6: Automation Tracks