Show automation curves in Logic Pro for Mac

• In Logic Pro, do one of the following:

  • Choose Mix > Show Automation (or press A).

  • Click the Show/Hide Automation button  in the Tracks area menu bar.

  An Automation button, an Automation Parameter pop-up menu, and an Automation Mode pop-up menu appear in each track header. When you choose an automation mode, for most automation modes the background color of the Automation Mode pop-up menu reflects the mode:

  • Gray background = automation is off

  • Mustard background = Touch mode

  • Orange background = Latch mode

  • Purple = Write mode

  For Read mode, however, the button and text color reflect the current state of automation and whether there is automation data present:

  • Green text on a gray background = automation is on but there is no existing automation data to display

  • White text on a green background = automation is on and there is existing automation data to display

  Any existing automation is displayed on the track or within the regions. If you show automation on a collapsed track stack, all the automation from included tracks is displayed. You can choose the parameter you want to automate—Volume fader, Pan knob, or any other track parameter—from the Automation Parameter pop-up menu.

  

After you show automation curves, you can easily switch between track automation and region automation. See Track automation vs. region automation in Logic Pro for details on the differences between the two types of automation.

• In Logic Pro, click the Automation button in the track header to switch between track automation and region automation.

  

In Logic Pro, do one of the following:

• Choose a parameter from the Automation Parameter pop-up menu in the track header.

  

• Control-click the track lane, then choose an automation parameter from the Automation Parameter pop-up menu in the shortcut menu that appears.

The parameter currently shown in the automation lane is shown at the top of the Automation Parameter pop-up menu. Volume, Pan, Solo, and Mute appear in the “Main” submenu. A submenu is also shown for Smart Controls; for more information on automating Smart Controls, see automate screen control movements.

Below the Smart Controls submenu, the Automation Parameter pop-up menu contains a submenu for each plug-in on the track. The plug-in submenus are numbered and named after the slot position and plug-in: 1 Sampler, for example. When using region automation with an instrument, a MIDI sub-section shows all available MIDI parameters available for you to automate.

You can automatically show the automation curve of any parameter you click in a channel strip, plug-in editor, or track header on the main automation lane.

• In Logic Pro, choose Mix > Autoselect Automation Parameter in Read Mode (or use the Toggle Autoselect Automation Parameter in Read Mode key command).

Automation must show in the main automation lane, and the automation mode must be set to Read, for “Autoselect Automation Parameter in Read Mode” to work. See Choose automation modes to learn more about the automation modes.

You can mute an individual automation parameter by turning it off in the track header.

1. In Logic Pro, choose a parameter from the Automation Parameter pop-up menu in the track header.

2. Place the pointer over the Automation Parameter pop-up menu, then click the On/Off button that appears.

   

When muted, the automation curve for the parameter will turn gray.

1. In Logic Pro, click the disclosure arrow at the lower left of a track header.

   

2. Choose the parameter that you want to automate from the Automation Parameter pop-up menu in the track header.

   

3. To add additional automation lanes, click the Plus button (+) that appears when you place the pointer over the track header.

   

   All additional automation lanes are revealed. Each additional lane is set to an automation parameter type that’s already recorded but not currently shown. The active automation parameter remains on the main track.

In Logic Pro, do any of the following:

• To add an automation lane: Place the pointer over the automation lane header, then click the Plus (+) that appears.

  

• To remove an automation lane: Place the pointer over the automation lane header, then click the X icon that appears.

  The selected lane is removed without deleting its automation.

• To reorder automation lanes: Click an empty part of the automation lane header, then drag it up or down.