SF Pro 15 - How to process automation of FX parameters?

h16music wrote on 2/11/2019, 10:14 PM

Hi,

I decided as part of building a new PC (Windows 10 Pro) to buy a new license for SF Pro 12. I thought it would be a simple and easy transition, but it has not been.

I use Waves plug-ins a lot and I tend to love automating FX parameters such as a high-pass filter frequency to give myself some really smooth DJ mixes by cutting out the lows of one of the tracks (or swapping one for the other part-way through) - a trick Darude posted online years ago.

In SF Pro 10, doing this was really easy. You used to be able to load the plug-in chainer using the button next to the play button in the file, then select your plug-in chain (in this case just Waves Q3 Stereo) and on the right side you'd see the parameters you want to automate.

I would automate "Band 1 Frq" by ticking the check box to turn it on. Then I would draw my curve in the file (i.e. from 375 Hz down to the low of 16 Hz from like the start of the file to 15 seconds later for example - 8 bars at 128 bpm). Once I like my FX parameter automation settings for the high-pass filter, I would just click on the button that is two buttons over from the play button in the plug-in chainer (looks like a gray box behind a "check box").

It is not so easy in SF Pro 12 though. I manage to get to this point:

I get stuck here. I've tried to go to FX Favourites > Apply Plug-in Chain ... and then select the same chain I used in the screenshot above, but when I click OK I either get no effect or I get the full effect but not "automated" (i.e. the high pass filter at the non-automated setting, thus cutting the frequencies for the entire selection, rather than automating the filter upwards or downwards in the frequency range as the curve would demonstrate).

What should I do?

btw, I don't have issues in terms of amount of RAM or CPU as I'm built the specs to be a workhorse, not your typical "light use" PC.

Is there any way I can do in SF Pro 12 what I used to in SF Pro 10 and actually make it work?

2022 EDIT: Is there any way I can do in SF Pro 15 what I used to in SF Pro 10 and actually make it work?

Comments

rraud wrote on 2/12/2019, 11:20 AM

Prior to MAGIX acquisition, SCS (Sony Creative Software) changed the plug-in chainer (and record) GUI in Pro 11 and subsequent versions.

If you wish to apply a chain, you must select "Favorites> Apply Plug-in chain" then set up the parameters. If you select the chainer like in Pro 10, the chain is not actually applied until the file is saved. The GUI (icons and such) are different as well. See the screenshot as well as the user manual. I hope this helps.

h16music wrote on 2/12/2019, 5:19 PM

So I have to actually "save" the file in order to apply the process every single time? I don't want to overwrite my actual audio file (songs for example) as I never had to do that in Pro 10. I think I tried doing this process and save method in Pro 12 once as per the manual but when I saved the file it literally cut the automation after 10 seconds or did something weird to the audio. It did not "render" (automate and save) as intended, so I gave up and installed Pro 10 which is not what I wanted to do.

If I do the "Favorites> Apply Plug-in chain" method, can I automate the individual parameters or is it literally a direct application of a plug-in chain set-up and no automation? (i.e. I can EQ out all highs or all lows, but I cannot do the "turning of the knob" effect that you have on a mixer where you can gradually bring in or put out the highs/lows/etc?

Why would Sony have changed such a simple process? Will Magix be returning the plug-in chainer GUI back to the SF Pro 10 set-up in a future SF Pro version?

rraud wrote on 2/13/2019, 11:15 AM

You can adjust the FX and other paramter envelopes, so it works just like gradually turning a knob on your mixer or hardware FX.

Saving your work as a 'Sound Forge project files' <.frg> is non-destructive.

The SF Pro 11 & 12 plug-in chain automation works similar to Pro 10, just in a round-about way. SCS just made it less intuitive.. sort of like SloTools.

I have no forking idea why SCS changed such a simple process.
- I questioned SCS whilst beta testing Pro 11. There was no response to my comments and queries..

"Will Magix be returning the plug-in chainer GUI back to the SF Pro 10 set-up in a future SF Pro version?"
- I doubt it, but I do not know for sure

 

h16music wrote on 1/1/2022, 11:28 AM

Hi friends,

Not to be a pain bumping my own thread but in light of SF 15 now out there can anyone confirm if the functionality of process automation of FX parameters from SF 10 has returned to SF 15 or is it the same design as 11 and 12?

I really do NOT want to have to "save" my audio files in order to hear the automation be saved (I create mixsets using the "mix" function in one audio file, however my transitions and such between songs are using FX automation (EQ filter) and the creating manual fade-ins and fade-outs before I actually "mix" the audio file of the next track into the previous one. SF 10 was perfect. This is why I'm still using it even though I own SF 12. I want to know if I upgrade to SF 15 if my process will return. If I "save the file" to be able to have the automation set in stone, I can't undo the audio change, so I'm stuck creating a bunch of dummy audio files (WAV files) for this trick on a regular basis and I don't want to have to do that.

Also can a mod change the title of this thread to now read as "SF Pro 15 - How to process automation of FX parameters?" Thanks! 🙂

rraud wrote on 1/1/2022, 12:12 PM

All subsequent versions *including SFp-15) are unfortunately the same as SFP-11 and automation is not an option in the destructive edit mode (apply plug-in chain).
When doing complex automation, I first convert the file to a Sound Forge project mode, which creates an <.frg> project file and media folder. In this mode, all the parameters including the envelopes are saved and can be recalled.

h16music wrote on 1/1/2022, 12:33 PM

All subsequent versions *including SFp-15) are unfortunately the same as SFP-11 and automation is not an option in the destructive edit mode (apply plug-in chain).
When doing complex automation, I first convert the file to a Sound Forge project mode, which creates an <.frg> project file and media folder. In this mode, all the parameters including the envelopes are saved and can be recalled.

So I guess I'll be using SFp-10 for as long as humanly possible!

 

Can someone at MAGIX implement this previous SFp-10 setting to SFp-16?

 

No matter how many update notifications you (as in Magix, not anyone replying in this thread 🙂) send me to upgrade the product, I will not be handing over more money until this very SIMPLE and useful feature is re-inserted to the software. I will not be filling up my hard drive with a ton of frg project files and media folders for something that has worked like a charm for many years!!! My automation settings vary from week to week even if I reuse the same songs from time to time.

rraud wrote on 1/1/2022, 4:07 PM

No matter how many update notifications you send me to upgrade the product,

This is a users forum, if you wish to state your displeasure, contact Magix service via email or request a customer service ticket.

You are not the only one who dislikes the 'arbitrary' modal chainer and the record UI redesign, which was also implemented on SFP-11). I was on the SFP-11 beta test team, and voiced my opinion on these counter intuitive changes. SCS totally ignored me and the other beta testers </end rant>.

h16music wrote on 1/1/2022, 4:31 PM

You are not the only one who dislikes the 'arbitrary' modal chainer and the record UI redesign, which was also implemented on SFP-11). I was on the SFP-11 beta test team, and voiced my opinion on these counter intuitive changes. SCS totally ignored me and the other beta testers </end rant>.

I am still trying to figure out how to post on this forum, I corrected my last reply to mean Magix, not you or anyone else who agrees with me that may reply to this thread. 🙂  You would think that MAGIX who took over SCS software would actually look back on previously ignored feedback. Maybe I should request a customer service ticket... not that it will go anywhere! 😂