This is a great example of using automation points or automation snapshots or envelopes has it may be called in other DAW. Since we are working with Pan in this case we will be using Control Command 3 and Control Command 4 as those are the key commands to drop automation points for volume, pan and or sends.
Control Command 3 will drop a single automation point and is useful for when we want to hear the track pan from let to right over the course of a bar or 2 or more. You will want to drop one automation point where you want the movement to start and another where you want the movement to end.
Control Command 4 will be useful when we want to have a parameter snap from one side to the other. For example wanting to hear something go from being all the way on the right to all the way on the left.
To get started, enable “Autoselect Automation Parameter in Read Mode” under the mix menu if its not enabled already and then press A to make automation visible.
I find that it’s a good idea to set the parameter where you want it to start at the start of the song and drop two automation points there. So in this case at bar 1, I’ll set the. Pan to be all the way left, and press Control Command 4 to drop two automation points there.
Due to having Autoselect Automation Parameter in Read Mode” enabled, moving the pan parameter in this case also has the added benefit of letting Logic know this is the parameter we will be automating. This saves us the step of manually having to select that parameter first before pressing Control Command 4. We can just adjust the parameter and then press Control Command 4 because Logic learned by us moving the Pan parameter that it’s the parameter we plan to automate.
Next we’ll move the playhead to where we want to have the guitars snap to be all the way right, move the pan value to be all the way right, and drop two automation points. Again, move to where you want to have the guitar on the left, move the pan all the way to the left again and drop two automation points.
For the parts where we want the guitar to audibly sweep from the Left to the right we’ll use 1 automation point. Set one point where you want it to start panning for example at bar 7, then move to where you want it to stop panning, for example bar 9, then adjust the pan parameter to the value you want it to stop panning at, for example all the way right, and drop one automation point again. Command Control 3 is the key Command for one automation point.
## Key Commands
Show/Hide Automation A
Create 1 Track Automation Point each for Volume, Pan, Sends Command Control 3
Create 2 Track Automation Points each for Volume, Pan, Sends Command Control 4
Autoselect Automation Parameter in Read Mode is found under the mix menu
There are also tutorials on automating volume and using automation to do a filter sweep.
