The Automation Matrix
The Matrix can be somewhat… intimidating. If you load up a program with a ton of LFO automation and controls mapped every which way, you may be tempted to close the Matrix and never return. But, there are a few simple and important things you can do with the Matrix to instantly personalize your Soundpaint Experience.
Enter the Matrix...
...and you will find a list of every assigned automation control in the program. This is the Matrix from one of the legato programs in ADASTRA Ensemble Strings.
On the Left Side is a list of the controls and which CC or LFO is controlling them. Dynamic Sustains will always appear at the top of this list, even if the program isn’t currently using Dynamic Sustains (so you can still change the settings - for example, you might change this to CC2 if you are using a breath controller or EWI).
This list is pretty long, so you’ll notice the scroll bar as well. You can also change the sorting of this list by clicking “Affected” and “Source” at the top. This will toggle the list alphabetically or reverse-alphabetically for each column.
If you want to completely remove a control, hover over it and you will see a trash can icon appear on the left side.
This can be really useful if you find a program you like, but want it to be a bit less busy. Maybe you don’t want the LFO moving, or you prefer to keep the EQ consistent when you move the modwheel. Just click the trash can and it’s gone!
Note that the control will stay wherever it was when you deleted it from the matrix. So, if you were deleting an EQ control, you might want to move the modwheel to where you like the EQ before you delete it. Otherwise, you might need to adjust it.
On the right side of the matrix, you will find the parameters for the control: CC number or velocity and the range. You will recognize this box if you’ve ever right clicked a control to “Add MIDI CC Automation” - the controls are the very same. And just like the Add Automation box, you can move a slider/fader/knob/pot on your physical MIDI controller to assign the control in the Matrix.
You might want to edit the range of certain controls. In this example, the Volume of Part 4 is lower than the others by default, but you might want to bring it up a bit more. You can use the orange bars on either side to adjust the high and low boundaries, or use the orange arrow in the middle to move the entire range.
The solid white bar is 0 dB, 50%, or whatever the default for that specific control is. The dashed white bar represents where the control was last set (in this case, when you clicked on the Matrix button).
There are plenty of other things you can do with the Matrix, but in most cases, removing and making simple alterations to the controls will get you where you need to be without hunting for the control in the Racks and Effects.