FX Automation: Multiple Instances Of Same Cane Be Confusing

[Todd R]

What would be fantastic is just a visual indicator in the FX Patches lists as to the status of each VST whether is in Bypass or On...or just bypass would do it :-)

[Microstudio]

Curious, what plugins to you need to automate and in what way do you automate them?

[Todd R]

Curious, what plugins to you need to automate and in what way do you automate them?

I'm essentially talking about changing NR and EQ where required on voice recordings;
also, Acon DeNoise and Extract: Dialog are magic when used together...
typically either on its own will generate artefacts; used at the same time the artefacts can be filtered out entirely for most of the program material

further there can be unwanted buzz and hum on FX recordings (machines, for instance there is a small rotisserie in this film and power buzz in the mics)
and a noiseprint is required for such things
and the (picture)sync FX are different all the time

that means I can "get away with" automating presets on or bypass status in gaps between the comps

realize that the "story" is comped together over different days, different locations comped into sentences
it's a documentary, no script

most often I need to change the DeNoiser plugin "preset"; I don't "need" to automate parameters; for example the reduction amount knob; or freq ranges of the emphasis filter

EQ automation I am "getting away with" using SS native- but SS native has no way near the precision of Pro-Q3...it's not even close

I could try to process this in Reason or standalone, but frankly, SS is soooooo much better a workflow than any other DAW I know of;
Particularly the SS automation layering and waveform zoom levels leave the other DAWs in the dust for my purposes

But yeah, full VST automation might or might not solve my issue

experience has shown me pre mixing is recipe for too much limitation:
I'll get some settings burned in and then wish I could adjust the settings while mixing (usually less extreme NR)

[MMP]

I always have a pretty quick undo path so that I am not stuck with a processed file. Usually I will have a number of disabled tracks that have the original plugins and audio still in the session. Another way to do this is print to a layer on the same track and disable the plugins using automation on the comped layer-though I find having the source tracks on a different numbered track a better solution. It is a pretty quick process to change NR or EQ for a section, mark the area and build mix to the comp dialogue track.

experience has shown me pre mixing is recipe for too much limitation:
I'll get some settings burned in and then wish I could adjust the settings while mixing (usually less extreme NR)

[jmh]

I have bluecat MB7 and you can midi automate all kinds of stuff - and you can use that as a wrapper (and they have a few different plugs that may be even better suited for what you want).

I have not really learned MWS or the control track so don't know how useful it could be toward your end - but it might be something to check out. I also don't know if it would make anything to reduce confusion...

I also have Metaplugin which is a very cool wrapper host. You can map hosted vst parameters to midi events

[Dave Labrecque]

I also have Metaplugin which is a very cool wrapper host. You can map hosted vst parameters to midi events

This is intriguing, but I can't find specifics in the manual. It says that up to a hundred plugin parameters can be mapped to host controls, but nothing about MIDI control of the parameters. Where can I read up on that?

[jmh]

This is intriguing, but I can't find specifics in the manual. It says that up to a hundred plugin parameters can be mapped to host controls, but nothing about MIDI control of the parameters. Where can I read up on that?

Yea, the manual is scant but the interface is informative. Its like they felt it wasn't worth documenting if a feature was self explanatory.
I'll try to fire it up tonight and see if I notice how this is done.

[jmh]

Its funny Metaplugin doesn't particularly do anything, but I think it's great.

After I had Metaplugin for a while I had floated the idea of a vsthosting native plugin to Bob. I forget exactly what I suggested, something like a keyable levelizer gate so the audio would split into two paths one of which would then host vsts.
I was hoping he could be in a situation where modifying the existing vst-wrapper (or whatever mechanism enables vsts to load in saw) to do this would be straightforward. Of course there could be what-ifs that only Bob would know of, that might make this unfeasible.
Even just an automatable fader preceding the wrapped vst where the rejected portion of the signal would get a matching delay and mix back in after processing, would add a lot of power.

[Microstudio]

ToddR, thanks for the reply. Interesting stuff and it is a bummer that SawStudio has never been updated to be able to automate VSTs it would be a good thing along with VST3 but I do not ever think that will happen and in saying that there are ways to get around these things. The funny thing here in 2023 there are so many DAWs but only 3 have built-in mixers and Sawtudio was the 1st to do it so many years ago and one of the 3 that only have it today.

[Todd R]

I always have a pretty quick undo path so that I am not stuck with a processed file. Usually I will have a number of disabled tracks that have the original plugins and audio still in the session. Another way to do this is print to a layer on the same track and disable the plugins using automation on the comped layer-though I find having the source tracks on a different numbered track a better solution. It is a pretty quick process to change NR or EQ for a section, mark the area and build mix to the comp dialogue track.

Thanks for this. I never build mixes back to the multiTrack; I'll work that in :-)

I always have copies of the sources regions checkboarded to work on and put the original xml regions on safety tracks and hide on another layer.
I also prefer having region copies on other numbered tracks than working with layers. I'll use layers for comparing comps with the director to show different options...which can be tedious too.

I've been pretty dumb, really...now that I've started copying regions to other numbered tracks where I'll put the NR I need for that section and mix between the two...sometimes it works....sometimes not; but I'm getting excellent results that way

Acon plugs, tho are giving me a bit of a headache with VSTs being buggy; losing visual RT animation and UI functionality.
I don't know whether it is the way SS track SELECTION works (I use it for soloing tracks or groups of tracks) or automating plugs on/bypass.
Nevertheless, that puts a check mark in the pro column for premixing.

Thanks again, much appreciated