Shape dynamics
The dynamics lane draws a loudness curve across the whole project. It is the difference between a piece that sits at one level from start to finish and one that opens quietly, builds, and falls away.
It is not the mixer. The mixer sets the balance between tracks; the dynamics lane shapes the level of the project over time.
Open the lane
Section titled “Open the lane”Click Dynamics in the transport bar.
A lane opens under the timeline, labelled D / DYN and lined up with the bar numbers above it.
An empty lane says what to do: double-click to shape the dynamics.
Add and shape points
Section titled “Add and shape points”Double-click in the lane to add a point. A new point lands at mf · 50% — the middle of the range.
Drag a point up for louder, down for quieter. Drag sideways to move it to a different bar. Right-click to delete it.
The points are joined by a line and the area beneath is filled in, so the shape of the piece is readable at a glance without reading any numbers.
The markings
Section titled “The markings”Each point shows a musical dynamic marking and a percentage, so p · 19% is a quiet point at 19 per cent.
Five markings cover the range, from quietest to loudest:
| Marking | Name | Roughly |
|---|---|---|
| pp | pianissimo | very quiet, up to about 15% |
| p | piano | quiet, about 20–35% |
| mf | mezzo-forte | middle, about 45–60% |
| f | forte | loud, about 65–85% |
| ff | fortissimo | very loud, about 85% and above |
The percentages are what the lane records; the markings are a label on top of them. There is no mp, so the step from p to mf is the widest jump on the scale.
Clear the lane
Section titled “Clear the lane”Clear at the right-hand end removes every point and returns the project to a flat level.
Three shapes worth knowing
Section titled “Three shapes worth knowing”The swell. Quiet opening, a rise to a peak somewhere past the middle, then a fall. This is the default shape for anything with a narrative — a trailer, a scene, a build.
The terrace. Flat sections at different levels with short moves between them, rather than one continuous curve. Use it when sections should feel distinct instead of blended.
The late entry. Hold low for longer than feels comfortable, then move. Most pieces get loud too early, and the quiet stretch is what makes the loud part land.
What the curve can and cannot do
Section titled “What the curve can and cannot do”Below mf every track gets quieter, down to about 24 dB below its written level at pp.
Above mf the lane only makes a difference to instruments that can be played harder: the visual instruments, the drum kit and the other families that read a playing strength get louder, brighter and shorter-attacked, the way a real player leans in. Samplers, mood chords, soundscapes, scenes and sound effects hold their written level instead of being pushed above it. A full arrangement is already at its limit at the levels you set in the mixer; the lane shapes the piece, it does not add a second master fader on top.
Long clips such as a scene or a soundscape follow the curve for their whole length. A bed that starts under a quiet opening rises with the swell rather than staying at the level the curve had when it began.
When the AI assistant drafts a curve into an empty lane it stops at f, around 80%. Only a person can take the lane to ff.
Use it with tempo
Section titled “Use it with tempo”Both lanes can be open at once, stacked under the timeline.
They are worth reading together, because tempo and loudness usually move as a pair. A slow-down that stays at ff sounds like a mistake; a slow-down that drops to p at the same time sounds like an ending.
Related
Section titled “Related”Shape tempo is the same tool applied to speed. Use the Mixer covers balance between tracks, which is a different job.