how to insert effect just for a few bars?

[roderick]

i'm trying to insert an effect on a guitar but i just want it to be for a few bars then go back to normal. this is probably a noob question but i just can't figure out how to do it. can anyone help me achieve this?

[David Nahmani]

Basically two techniques:

 

1) You automate the bypass of the effect over that section.

 

2) You duplicate the track, add the desired effect to the duplicate, and move the regions within those 3 bars to the second track.

 

Note that both techniques will give you different results. For example for a delay effect, #1) will cut the output of the delay, vs #2) will cut the input of the delay.

[roderick]

ok cool can you give me a quick walkthrough about automating the bypass? i clicked on automation then looked at the effects choices but it just lists parameters 1-7.

[David Nahmani]

Look under "Main > Insert #X bypass". Or just record live automation.

[Holger Lagerfeldt]

I'd like to add that if the effect has a tail, i.e. reverb or delay you could put it on a bus and automate send to it instead.

 

Also, if the effect you're trying to insert starts or ends during a note is played (as opposed to before/after a note is played) you might experience a small click as it turns on/off.

 

In that case see if the effect has an internal bypass button (not the standard Logic bypass) and automate that instead. Some high quality plug-ins have this function, such as Sonalksis and Sony Oxford.