Automation lets you change parameters over time — volume fades, filter sweeps, effect mix changes, and more. Each automated parameter gets its own track with clips that contain automation curves.
Automatable Parameters
- Mixer: Volume, Pan, Mid Gain, Side Gain
- Effects: Any Audio Unit plugin parameter, plus Dry/Wet mix
- Instruments: Any Audio Unit instrument parameter
Creating an Automation Track
- Adjust a parameter you want to automate (e.g. turn a plugin knob or move a fader)
- Press
⌘⌥A — a new automation track appears below the target track, named after the parameter
If an automation track for that parameter already exists, Gridshift selects it instead of creating a duplicate.
Use ⇧A to toggle the visibility of all automation tracks at once.
Editing Points
Double-click an automation clip to enter Focus Mode, where the clip expands to full height with a value grid. Points snap to the beat grid and a 32-step value grid. Hold Option to bypass snapping.
| Action | Result |
|---|
Double-click or ⌘+Click empty space | Create point |
Click / ⇧+Click point | Select / toggle selection |
| Drag on empty space | Marquee select |
← / → | Select previous / next point |
| Drag point | Move (with grid snap, ⌥ for fine) |
↑ / ↓ | Nudge value |
⌥+Click or double-click point | Delete |
Select + ⌫ | Delete selected |
Curves & Tension
Drag the tension handle between two points to shape the curve — up for convex (fast start), down for concave (slow start).
Recording Automation
You can record parameter changes in real time:
- Start playback
- Enable recording (
⇧R)
- Move a knob, fader, or slider — the parameter changes are captured as automation points
- Stop recording to commit
Recorded automation is written to the corresponding automation track. If no automation track exists for the parameter, one is created automatically.
Step Recording with Number Keys
You can insert automation points one at a time using the number keys. This is useful for programming precise value sequences without drawing.
Requirements: Enter Focus Mode on an automation clip, enable recording (⇪ Caps Lock), and make sure the transport is stopped.
| Key | Value |
|---|
1 | 0.1 |
2 | 0.2 |
3 | 0.3 |
4 | 0.4 |
5 | 0.5 |
6 | 0.6 |
7 | 0.7 |
8 | 0.8 |
9 | 0.9 |
0 | 1.0 |
Clip Operations
Automation clips support the same clipboard and split operations as audio and MIDI clips. When splitting, automation points are preserved in their respective halves. Last modified on March 29, 2026
