Go From Loop to Arrangement Using Automation

If every DAW tool can perform multiple functions, and every task can be completed in endless different ways, how do you decide what to do? A new video from Bitwig expert Polarity demonstrates an approach to modulation and automation that can clarify their respective strengths and streamline your process.

Polarity recommends thinking of modulation as a sound-design tool for enacting small changes that keep your sound "alive." Automation, on the other hand, can be used as an arrangement tool to progress your track. When you're designing a sound, find the "sweet spot" for each knob and note which ones might be good candidates for some automation or modulation. First use modulators to introduce minor fluctuations, and later draw automation to make drastic changes every few bars to help you break out of your short phrases.

Watch the video to see how Polarity turns a two-bar loop into a longer arrangement using automation, and click here to check out Polarity's Bitwig tools.