Effects in tracks - triggers

[buzzard]

I find myself listening to lots of tracks on here and wishing I could reproduce some of the effects which others have used.
A simple example of this would be applying a filter or echo to a track at a certain point that lasts for a few seconds or so and then everything continues to play as normal.

I'm messed with various VST effects in tracks but it 's a real binary thing - it's either on or off with no way to control where it triggers and terminates.

Is this something that can only be done in real-time recording or prerecorded loops, or can it be triggered somehow at various points in a song?

I don't use midi much for anything and everything I do is using a host and various VSTs.

[Amok]

Automation is the trick. It should be possible to automate VST values like HP or LP Filter cutoff in your DAW.

[Mordi]

Is this something that can only be done in real-time recording or prerecorded loops, or can it be triggered somehow at various points in a song?

Usually it's easiest to use automation. In FL Studio one simply right-clicks the twiddly-knob one wants to control, and click "Create automation track" (or something like that) and Bob's your uncle.

Sometimes I find it easier to edit the sound separately and then load that new sound into the project I want. Depends on the situation.

[buzzard]

Darn it.... Don't think you can do this in MED - I'll have to checkout Renoise I think.

[trace]

I tend to use 2 or more similar tracks, one with the original melodie or whatever that plays the way I want, and the rest with the effects and stuff and switch between them way I want it to change with volume control or cut and paste stuff ...