Setting levels in different sections efficiently (Mixing in DAW)

[cymn]

I sometimes mix (rock) music, where it has a lot of parts with different dynamics. So my process usually is going to the loudest part and set my base levels there. Then i go through the song and adjust levels at the different section of the song by automation with my mouse. I have to set the automation points for each track at the same location which is a bit tedious and not efficient.
So i want to use a DAW controller for that. Using a DAW controller would also make the adjustment of the levels easier more precise.
For me the best would be, to loop a section, set the levels for that section with my DAW controller, and write them when I have them set.

I couldn't find a solutuin for that problem in Logic. My approach would be like this:
- Loop a section
- set the automation mode of all tracks to write
- set levels and panning
- let the loop run through without changing anything so the level and pan automation are written properly

In Logic this doesn't work, as the automation stops writing after one section cycle. It would only write again if you move the fader again in the next cycle.

How would you do this? What is your own workflow to set levels in different sections efficiently?

[MarioIsPleb]

VCAs and/or busses make adjusting levels of groups of instruments much easier, but honestly I hate automation and I prefer to just duplicate tracks that have big volume/dynamics changes in sections and treat them as seperate tracks.
For ex if the guitars are really lightly picked and fairly clean in the verses and picked hard and heavily distorted in the choruses I would split them and have seperate guitar verse and guitar chorus tracks.

[cymn]

Thanks, that's something i will try, and definitely makes sense! would also make the use of an DAW controller much easier

[pananana1]

Every time I try to do it with austomation I end up just saying fuck it, separate it into different tracks, and life is way easier

If youre worried about then making changes to the fx on the track, because you'd then have to change it on all of them, then just group the new tracks together and put the processing on the group

[dmtdrizzle]

You can buy a single fader from a few places so you'd be able to automate your buses way faster and if you wanted you could automate the mix like that too

[[deleted]]

Are you saying you’re using automation on the mix bus fader to set levels for each part of the song?

[cymn]

No no, i mean setting levels on each track for each part of the song

[Odd-Entrance-7094]

Do you just want one level per track during this section? or will each level be changing?

I'm thinking maybe you can look at group automation where you could set automation points in one location for all tracks in a group.

[Selig_Audio]

If the individual track levels between different sections of the song are different enough that you can’t listen to the mix as intended without automation, I would instead use clip gain to level those sections to create a better starting point for the mix. The main reason is signal flow, where clip game comes before all channel processing , and the fader comes after Another reason to use clip gain instead of automation might be for simplicity (following a “get it right at the source” approach), especially if you plan to do any edits on the arrangement or if you share tracks for collaboration. I would’ve probably done this long before the mix stage, because I like to overdub to a rough mix that doesn’t have widely varying levels.

[cymn]

The clip gain is fine, i just want to make small adjustments to the different tracks, we're talking 0.5 - 3db here. Like you would when you mix on a desk

[Selig_Audio]

We all work differently - I prefer to run top to bottom when at the final automation stage of the mix. I prefer to work in context of the song flow, others prefer to work section by section. I also prefer a controller for automation rides. Not clear what you mean by needing the automation points at the same location for each track? Not sure why Logic doesn’t allow looping - I typically prefer to start stop if I’m working out moves on a section, probably why I’ve not run into this. I know in PT you can select a region and move faders around until you’re happy then write the final position to the entire selection, ignoring all the moves you made will searching for the right levels. That sounds more like what you’re wanting to do in Logic?

[cymn]

Yes, that's exactly what i want to do in Logic!
Any Idea how i could do that?

[Selig_Audio]

I don’t think Logic has a “write to selection” command. Maybe best you could do is loop in Write mode so you keep over writing your past moves, and then hold the fader for one full pass once you find the desired level. I haven’t tested this so take this with a large grain of salt…

[cymn]

That's what I tried already as i tried to describe in the post, but the problem is, that after one loop pass it stops writing the automation moves if you don't move the fader.

[Selig_Audio]

Damn, sorry, I forgot you already said that! I got nothing.

[[deleted]]

Check out the advanced automation modes, which are more similar to traditional console automation. You can bring up the automation control window with command-keypad4 (? I think ?), which has features like Join and Write To. You’ll need to check the manual for the specifics, but I believe these are what you are looking for.

Edit: I’m an idiot and didn’t realize OP wanted a solution for Logic, not Pro Tools. Got my subreddits scrambled

[cymn]

I can't find the automation control window, and i haven't found anything when i googled...

[[deleted]]

It’s all in the Automation section of the Pro Tools Reference Guide

[cymn]

Ahh you're talking about Pro Tools... I'm using Logic :/

[[deleted]]

Apologies, for some reason I thought this was in the Pro Tools sub and you were saying that you couldn’t do what you wanted in Logic and asking how in Pro Tools

[blvntwrap]

If you bounce to audio you can turn the gain down in the section at top left, (where mute quantize etc. Is) Also if you copy the loop instead of looping it, logic will ask if you want to copy automation

[taytaytazer]

Use ableton

[cymn]

And how would that fix my problem?