ABSTRACT
Even before the invention of multitrack recorders, engineers used to ride levels of different microphones during recording. With the introduction of multitrack recorders, this practice did not stop, but some of it was postponed to the later mixing stages. Automation engines work on the principle of storing the position of controls using automation events. An automation event typically includes which control has been automated and its position at specific timestamps. Automation is said to be written rather than recorded. When writing automation on an audio sequencer, people either use a control surface or the mouse to alter the position of controls during playback. Ideally, automation systems would like to know when a control is touched and when it is released. Automation engines may vary in their modes, features, and response to user action. The risk of clicks exists with any mute automation or region-trimming, whereas fades are click-proof.
