This is an idea for a possible speed up some of the setup work for plugin automation.
Presets Plugin Parameter Automation , what is that ?
The number of checkboxes to tick if you'd like to prepare your plugins for automation, so you don't get buried in envelopes you keep on having to hide, can be a great number.
Selective activation and thus automatic arming can take a long time.
Some plugins have a lot of parameters but you'll want to automation just a select few. In the case of an EQ with 24 bands that can be 27 instead of 100 for example.
Alternate methods so far
You could save your favorite automation setups, including values in track templates if you check the box "Include envelopes in template" when you save the track template. Then you insert that template and copy the plugin with its automation by either using the special copy command in the FX Chain window, or SHIFT+Dragging the plugin in the mixer view to the target track.
Using track templates will mix parameter activation state recall with all the other use cases for track templates. It increases complexity for the user. Saving the envelopes with templates is optional after all, so this may not be easy to remember.
I looked at the envelope window and thought that this is the place where envelope setup creation at the most basic level should happen, so why not get an easy method of recall in there. The user can still copy the plugin with its envelope states after that.
An improved method of save and recall for envelope states
Per plugin presets for parameter envelope activation, accessible from the envelope window for
- each plugin section,
- the FX Chain window,
- the context menu of the FX Chain list entry and
- the context menu of the plugin insert slot in the mixer view.
Any thoughts on this ?