Compared to almost any digital audio workstation or digital audio sequencer on the market, Pro Tools' audio automation capabilities are outstanding. So it's very good news to see the same depth of automation features applied to MIDI controller data.

MIDI tracks can be switched to display automatable data including volume, pan, mute, pitch bend, and aftertouch (except polyphonic aftertouch). All of these parameters can be recorded and edited. Pro Tools also allows you to automate MIDI continuous controller information (except controllers 120 to 127), plus program change and System Exclusive data. (A SysEx dump can be recorded, but not edited.)

Continuous controller automation is displayed as a line strewn with editable breakpoints. Data can be entered with the mouse -- by grabbing a breakpoint and moving it, or by clicking anywhere on the line to create a new breakpoint. (Breakpoints can be deleted by Option-clicking on them.) Alternately, you can adjust MIDI level data by grabbing and moving any MIDI track's associated fader, in the Mix window. Automation data can also be recorded in real time, using the knobs on your synthesizer or a compatible hardware controller, such as CM Automation's Motor Mix or Mackie's HUI. Mute events are not MIDI-based, so they can be inserted while leaving existing volume events untouched.

Pro Tools offers several automation recording and touch-up modes that are a bit beyond the scope of this review, many of which rival the sort of automation options found on high-end mixing consoles. The most significant addition to Pro Tools 5.0.1 in this area is the improved Pencil tool, which offers five drawing options: freehand, straight line, and three waveforms -- triangle, square and random. (Previously, it supported sample-level audio waveform drawing only.) Once selected, they allow you to draw periodic variations of the corresponding shape, with a rate set by the Grid menu resolution -- it's just like having an LFO synced to the song's tempo. This is ideal for pan or velocities, or to randomize a filtering effect, for instance -- although I wish Digidesign would offer other waveforms, starting with sine, for more realistic guitar tremolo and other effects.