Fade envelopes

You can fade in or out from individual events by using the fade envelopes found on either side of any event. Sometimes referred to as ASR (Attack Sustain Release) envelopes, this is the easiest way to smoothly fade continuous events. To use Fade envelopes, move the mouse cursor over either upper corner of an event. When the cursor changes to the Fade envelope icon (see... 

Figure 2.31), drag the envelope towards the center of the event. The hlue curved line represents the fade visually, and the durahon of the fade is indicated hy hash mark across the end of the event. Right-click the Fade envelope and, from the context menu, select Fade Type and then select a shape from the submenu. These shapes can also be accessed by right-clicking the upper corner of the Fade envelope. 

Volume and Pan envelopes (as well as FX envelopes) are track-level envelopes— that is, they run across an entire track, affecting every event in that track. Individual events can also be quickly faded in or out using event fade envelopes, otherwise known as Attack-Sustain-Release (ASR) envelopes. To create an event fade, move the mouse cursor over the upper (left or right) corner of an event. The cursor changes to the special event fade cursor (see Figure 4.4). Drag the fade envelope in towards the center of the event. 

By default, the blue envelope line that appears on the event is curved. Like track-level envelopes, the shape of the envelope can be changed. Both types of fades (track and event level) sound the same in the final mix. To change the event fade envelope shape, right-click the envelope and select Fade Type from the context menu. Then, from the snbmenu, click on the shape of the fade you want (see Figure 4.5). From top to bottom, these correspond to track envelope Fast (default). Linear, and Slow fades. If you right-click when the event fade cursor is visible (see Figure 4.4), the event fade type menu appears immediately as the context menu. 

Extending the event further and then splitting the event between notes can frequently be easier than simply extending an event. Click the event to move the timeline cursor to the split position and press S on your keyboard. Use an Event Fade envelope (ASR) to trim tbe edges of the event more seamlessly, especially if there isn t a clean break between beats 1 and 2. Of course, this particular technique is highly dependent upon finding loops that are suitable, but there are many loops in many different genres that will work. 

Once you have split and selected all of the events you want to keep, you will likely need to adjust the individual events by dragging their edges and using fade envelopes to get everything just right. 

The Quick fade edit edges of audio events option prevents clicks and pops that may occur when audio events are cut or split. By default, this option is set to 10 ms. Quick fade edges can be seen as blue curved fade envelopes on event edges if you zoom in on the timeline far enough, as shown in Figure 13.3. 

Envelopes overlay events in a track, controlling the volume and paiming aspects in real time. Envelopes allow you to fade in and out of a loop or pan across stereo channels. For example, a red volume envelope that starts at the bottom of a track and moves up towards the center indicates a volume that gradually increases over time or fades in (see Figure 1.9). While envelopes are technically track-level objects, they operate on events and typically correspond to specific events in a track. For this reason, envelopes can be locked to events (they move as the events move) by making sure the Lock Envelopes to Events button is depressed. 

A fade-in can be done using a combination of Volume envelopes and slowly adding instruments (tracks) one at a time. Although you could simply add Volume envelopes over the existing beginning of a song (before you create a dedicated introductory section), you will still lose the first verse or refrain, so it is still probably a good idea to insert time and create a dedicated introduction. 

By default, the line between two nodes on an envelope is straight (linear). The type of fade can be controlled more precisely by changing the shape of this line. To change the shape of the fade, right-click the envelope line on the fade (or either node). Then from the context menu, select Linear Fast, Fast Fade, or Slow Fade (see Figure 4.3). 

Assignable FX also let you use FX Envelopes, which automate the gain over time of the FX in exactly the same way that the Multi-purpose Fade allows you to set the gain. Using both Volume and FX envelopes, you can animate the Dry/Wet mix over time. 

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