Link automation across tracks

Getting Stuff Done How do I .... ?
#1

I’ve got fader automation that I want to apply identically across two different tracks. Is this possible?

#2

I don’t think you can do it from the GUI, you have to hack the projects .ardour file. Be sure to make a copy first to be safe.

Start by adding a dummy automation to the track you want to copy the original to, say from -inf to 0dB.
Save the project and open the .ardour file and search for gaincontrol. You should find something like

<controllable name=“gaincontrol” id=“572”/>
<Automation>
<AutomationList id=“573” default=“1” min_yval=“0” max_yval=“2” max_xval=“0” state=“Off” style=“Absolute”>
<events>72147 0
127839 1.00051
</events>

That’s your dummy. Now replace the <events> values with the ones you should’ve found elsewhere in the file.

#3

You can cut-n-paste automation data.

#4

would linking both tracks in a group do the trick?

#5

Paul’s suggestion is best for an existing automation like the one you’ve got.
If you are aware ahead of time that you want a group of tracks to share the same automation, then it would be a good idea to route them all to a Bus and simply automate the fader on that one bus.