Automation for track FX bypass (solved)

[IXix]

EDIT: This request has been rendered redundant by the new "Force auto-bypass on silence" options.

If a track has CPU heavy FX but is silent for most of a song, it makes sense to bypass those FX while the track is not contributing to the mix, especially when the cumulative CPU usage of a project is getting near the system breaking point.

Although it is possible to set up master/slave parameter modulation to bypass multiple FX from a single bypass switch (which can then be automated), this is fiddly to set up and awkward to maintain (if you add new FX you have to remember slave them too).

An automation envelope to toggle the track FX bypass button would be much better, providing an easy way to enable/disable track FX en-masse during a mix as well as an obvious visual cue as to the state of the track FX at any given time. This would be extremely useful for users (like me ) struggling with underpowered computers.

Please?

FR: http://forum.cockos.com/project.php?issueid=4906

[drakeblood]

Wouldnt it create issues/cracking with the PDC kicking in/out? (assuming worst scenario: a plugin with latency)

[IXix]

Originally Posted by drakeblood

Wouldnt it create issues/cracking with the PDC kicking in/out? (assuming worst scenario: a plugin with latency)

You get that anyway if you automate the bypass for a single plugin. I'm proposing a shortcut to allow the same thing for all track FX at once. As with bypassing single FX, the transition points would just have to be placed where there's no audio. If you want smooth transitions, you automate the wet/dry params, not the bypass.

[James HE]

not elegant, but doable...

You could write a little "Action trigger" JS just for this, and put MIDItoReaControlPath after the effect (or use a MIDI hardware (or virtual Loopback) to fire a custom action.

The Js would have to know the track id, somehow. This could simply be a slider that you'd adjust manually, there might be some scripting magic that could make it automatic - not sure.

then, you'd just make the JS send a program change (or cc) and the macro would be assigned to that PC or CC message.

basically tie "Toggle bypass for track (x)" to MIDI channel(whatever), PC(x), and have the JS send that value.

(or just select track (X), and have toggle bypass for selected track on a different message.)


*you might have to turn this off when rendering - it might be automatically ignored - which is fine is this case. (as long as the FX isn't stuck OFF)

[IXix]

Originally Posted by James HE

not elegant, but doable...

My point exactly. I want elegant.

[nofish]

^^^

This request is for bypassing all effects on a track together with a single envelope, and this we don't have yet in Reaper afaik.

[plamuk]

cool. nice low hanging fruit FR. i was only just made aware that you could bypass FX instances with an envelope (thanks Darkstar!) and it's going to free up some resources. this would be a step further.