Adding audio effects

Adding audio track effects

Track-level DirectX or VST plug-ins are applied to every event on the selected track.

TIP To add effects quickly, you can drag plug-ins and plug-in packages from the Plug-In Manager window to an audio track header. For more information, see Creating and using effects packages and FX chains and The Plug-In Manager WindowThe Plug-In Manager Window

IMPORTANT

Be aware that using non-in-place plug-ins (such as Time Stretch, Pitch-Shift without preserving duration, and some Vibrato settings) will cause audio to play out of synchronization with the waveform display in the timeline and with other tracks. If an effects chain includes non-in-place plug-ins, the effects chain icon will be displayed in yellow () to indicate that automatic plug-in delay compensation is being used.

When input monitoring is on during audio recording, plug-in chains that cannot be used for live monitoring are automatically bypassed and are displayed in red (). For more information, see Recording audio

Automating effect parameters

If a plug-in supports it, you can use envelopes to automatically adjust effect parameters over time. Automation envelopes can be added to tracks and bus tracks to control individual effect parameters for track effects, bus effects, and assignable effects.

For more information about using automation envelopes on tracks, see Automating audio effect parameters

When you add a plug-in that supports automation, the Bypass FX Automation button is displayed in the Audio Track FX window:

  • After you've added effect automation envelopes, the Bypass FX Automation button is deselected, and effect parameters are automated using the envelope settings.

  • When the button is selected, effect automation envelopes are ignored and the effect's initial state is used for the duration of the track.

  • If you delete all automation envelopes from a plug-in, the Bypass FX Automation button is unavailable.

TIP

If you're working with a 5.1 surround project, you can use distinct plug-in settings for each channel (separate EQ settings for the front and surround speakers, for example) using effect automation. Add multiple instances of the plug-in to the track effects chain and select the Enable check boxes in the FX Automation Chooser for the channels you want each instance of the plug-in to affect. For more information, see Automating audio effect parameters