From c7a3224a7b56a9905893b23a910fbad41c9a4ddf Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Marco Steinebach <studio@windyradio.de>
Date: Sat, 13 Jun 2026 12:01:09 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] Release AutoDuck v26.01

---
 Tracks/marcosteinebach_AutoDuck.lua | 332 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 332 insertions(+)
 create mode 100644 Tracks/marcosteinebach_AutoDuck.lua

diff --git a/Tracks/marcosteinebach_AutoDuck.lua b/Tracks/marcosteinebach_AutoDuck.lua
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b88621d61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tracks/marcosteinebach_AutoDuck.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,332 @@
+-- @description AutoDuck
+-- @author Marco Steinebach
+-- @version 26.01
+-- @about
+--   This Script is especially useful to make voice Overs, like Podcasts, Trailers, etc.
+--   You Need at least two tracks in your current Project.
+--   One Music track and one speech track.
+--   Split the speech track into separate items. Every time an item on the speech track beginns,
+--   the Music track will be ducked, its volume is faded down, as Long as the item Plays.
+--   After the item is finished, the Music track's volume is restored to its original volume.
+--
+--   Internally, a volume envelope is created, with Automation Points arround each item.
+--
+--   You can specify
+--
+--   - how much (in DB) the Music track should be ducked,
+--
+--   - the outer fade down and fade up time
+--
+--   - the inner fade down and fade up time.  
+--     This is the time the track is still ducked, though the item has began to Play.  
+--     This gives a more natural Fading effect.
+
+--[[
+  AutoDuck for Reaper - Copyright 2026 by Marco Steinebach <studio@windyradio.de
+  Version: 26.01
+  
+  the script needs a music track and a speech track directly underneath it.
+  The ducking occures arround every item on the speech track, by setting envelope points.
+  Focus the music track, then start the script.
+]]--
+
+scriptName = "AutoDuck" --for loading and saving user parameters within the project, and undo-description
+
+--All output texts of the script are in the following table
+txt = {}
+--MessageBox titles
+txt.error = "Error!"
+txt.info = "Information"
+txt.question = "question"
+--error messages
+txt.eNoMusicSpeechTrack = "Cannot find the %s track!\n" ..
+  "Please focus the music track, with speech track underneath it, then restart the script."
+txt.eNoEnvelope = "Could'nt get a volume envelope for the music track!"
+txt.eNoTracks = "There are no tracks in current project."
+txt.eOnlyOneTrack = "You need at least two tracks in current project!"
+txt.eEmpty = "The field %s must not be empty!"
+txt.eNoNumber = "The text %s in field %s is not a number!"
+txt.eSaving = "Error saving user parameters!"
+txt.eFirstItem = "There is not enough space left to the first item to perform the operation."
+txt.eSpaceBetweenItems = "There is not enough space between Items %d and %d to perform the operation."
+--questions
+txt.qTrackNames = "Music track is %s and speech track is %s.\n" ..
+  "correct?"
+--informational
+txt.iIncorrectTracks = "focus the music track and make sure, that the track with speech is underneath it."
+txt.iAborted = "Script aborted!"
+txt.iTotalPoints = "Created %d envelope points.\n" ..
+  "AutoDuck finished!"
+--texts for the select user values dialog
+txt.dTitle = "Specify values for auto ducking"
+txt.dReduceDB = "duck amount in DB"
+txt.dOuterFadeDown = "outer fade down length"
+txt.dOuterFadeUp = "outer fade up length"
+txt.dInnerFadeDown = "inner fade down length"
+txt.dInnerFadeUp = "inner fade up length"
+txt.dShape = "Shape (0=linear; 1=square; 2=slow start/end; 3=fast start; 4=fast end"
+
+function main()
+  --are at least two tracks int he current project?
+  if not checkTrackCount() then
+    return
+  end--if
+  --The music track should be the one which is focused at script start.
+  local musicTrack = reaper.GetSelectedTrack (0, 0)
+  if not musicTrack then
+    reaper.ShowMessageBox (string.format (txt.eNoMusicSpeechTrack, "music"), txt.error, 0)
+    return
+  end--if
+  --speechTrack has to be the next one in track list, get the number of music track to find the second one
+  local musicTrackNumber = reaper.GetMediaTrackInfo_Value(musicTrack, "IP_TRACKNUMBER")
+  --this track number is 1 based, so nothing needs to be added to find the speech track
+  local speechTrack = reaper.GetTrack (0, musicTrackNumber)
+  if not speechTrack then
+    reaper.ShowMessageBox (string.format (txt.eNoMusicSpeechTrack, "speech"), txt.error, 0)
+    return
+  end--if
+  --get the names of music and speech track for display
+  if not trackNamesOk(musicTrack, speechTrack) then
+    return
+  end--if
+  --get all values needed for the auto duck from the user.
+  params = {} --global table of all parameters the user can specify
+  loadParams() --loads the values from current project, fills params with standard values if there are no values
+  if not getUserValues(speechTrack) then
+    --user has canceled the dialog
+    return
+  end--if
+  
+  --now all values are there and checked - let's do the changes.
+  --let's grab a volume envelope, if any
+  volumeEnvelopeActivated = false -- will be set to true, if checkVolumeEnvelope creates a new one
+  reaper.Undo_BeginBlock()
+  local envelope = checkVolumeEnvelope (musicTrack)
+  if not envelope then
+    reaper.ShowMessageBox(txt.eNoEnvelope, txt.error, 0)
+    reaper.Undo_EndBlock (scriptName, -1)
+    return
+  end--if
+  local totalPoints = createEnvelopePoints (speechTrack, envelope)
+  if volumeEnvelopeActivated then
+    --The volume envelope has been activated during the script run, deactivate it.
+    reaper.Main_OnCommand (40406, 0) --Track: Toggle track volume envelope visible
+  end--if
+  reaper.Undo_EndBlock (scriptName, -1)
+  saveParams() --saves the values for autoducking entered by the user in current project
+  reaper.ShowMessageBox (string.format (txt.iTotalPoints, totalPoints), txt.info, 0)
+end--main
+
+function checkTrackCount()
+--checks if at least two tracks are in the project, returns true
+  local nTracks = reaper.CountTracks (0)
+  if nTracks == 0 then
+    reaper.ShowMessageBox (txt.eNoTracks, txt.error, 0)
+    return false
+  elseif nTracks < 2 then
+    reaper.ShowMessageBox (txt.eOnlyOneTrack, txt.error, 0)
+    return false
+  else
+    return true
+  end--if
+end--checkTrackCount
+
+function trackNamesOk (musicTrack, speechTrack)
+--asks the user if the correct music and speech track have been selected.
+--returns false if user answers no.
+  --get names of speech and music track
+  local musicTrackName = ""
+  local speechTrackName = ""
+  _, musicTrackName = reaper.GetTrackName (musicTrack)
+  _, speechTrackName = reaper.GetTrackName (speechTrack)
+  if reaper.ShowMessageBox (string.format (txt.qTrackNames, musicTrackName, speechTrackName), txt.question, 4) == 7 then
+    --user has answered no
+    reaper.ShowMessageBox(txt.iIncorrectTracks, txt.info, 0)
+    return false
+  end--if
+  return true
+end--trackNamesOk
+
+function getValue(s, x, key, fieldName)
+--belongs to getUserValues
+--looks for the xth value from the csv-formatted string s.
+--if it's filled and can be converted to a number, params[key] is filled with the value.
+--returns true, if the entered text was a number
+  --jump to the desired value in the string
+  local pos = 0
+  for i = 1, x-1 do
+    pos = string.find (s, ",", pos+1)
+  end--for
+  pos = pos + 1 --begin of desired value
+  if string.sub (s, pos, 1) == "," then --empty value
+    reaper.ShowMessageBox (string.format (txt.eEmpty, fieldName), txt.error, 0)
+    return false
+  end--if
+  local value = string.sub (s, pos, string.find (s, ",", pos)-1)
+  local numValue = tonumber(value)
+  if not numValue then
+    reaper.ShowMessageBox (string.format (txt.eNoNumber, value, fieldName), txt.error, 0)
+    return false
+  end--if
+  params[key] = numValue
+  return true
+end--getValue
+
+function checkSpaceBetweenItems (track)
+--checks if there is enough space arround the items to perform the autoDuck.
+  --collect start- and endpositions for all items
+  local startPos = {}
+  local endPos = {}
+  local curItem = nil
+  local itemsOnTrack = reaper.CountTrackMediaItems(track)
+  for i = 0, itemsOnTrack-1 do
+    curItem = reaper.GetTrackMediaItem (track, i)
+    startPos[i] = reaper.GetMediaItemInfo_Value(curItem, "D_POSITION")
+    endPos[i] = startPos[i] + reaper.GetMediaItemInfo_Value(curItem, "D_LENGTH")
+  end--for
+  --check if there's enough space left to the first item
+  if startPos[0]-params.outerFadeDown < 0 then
+    reaper.ShowMessageBox (txt.eFirstItem, txt.error, 0)
+    return false
+  end--if
+  --check the space between the other items, start with item 2, which has number 1
+  for i = 1, itemsOnTrack-1 do
+    if startPos[i]-endPos[i-1] < params.outerFadeUp+params.outerFadeDown then
+      reaper.ShowMessageBox (string.format (txt.eSpaceBetweenItems, i, i+1), txt.error, 0)
+      return false
+    end--if
+  end--for
+  return true
+end--checkSpaceBetweenItems
+
+function getUserValues(speechTrack)
+--Displays the dialog for getting the needed values from the user.
+--returns false, if user aborted the dialog, true otherwise
+  repeat
+    local retVal, userValues = reaper.GetUserInputs (
+      txt.dTitle,
+      6,
+      string.format ("%s:,%s:,%s:,%s:,%s:,%s:", 
+        txt.dReduceDB,
+        txt.dOuterFadeDown,
+        txt.dOuterFadeUp,
+        txt.dInnerFadeDown,
+        txt.dInnerFadeUp,
+        txt.dShape),
+      string.format ("%s,%s,%s,%s,%s,%s",
+        params.reduceDB,
+        params.outerFadeDown,
+        params.outerFadeUp,
+        params.innerFadeDown,
+        params.innerFadeUp,
+        params.shape))
+    if not retVal then
+      --user has canceled the dialog
+      reaper.ShowMessageBox (txt.iAborted, txt.info, 0)
+      return false
+    end--if
+    userValues = userValues .. "," --put a comma to the end, so getValue don't have to know the end of the string
+  until getValue(userValues, 1, "reduceDB", txt.dReduceDB) and
+    getValue(userValues, 2, "outerFadeDown", txt.dOuterFadeDown) and
+    getValue(userValues, 3, "outerFadeUp", txt.dOuterFadeUp) and
+    getValue(userValues, 4, "innerFadeDown", txt.dInnerFadeDown) and
+    getValue(userValues, 5, "innerFadeUp", txt.ddInnerFadeUp) and
+    getValue(userValues, 6, "shape", txt.dShape) and
+    checkSpaceBetweenItems (speechTrack)
+  return true
+end--getUserValues
+
+function checkVolumeEnvelope(track)
+--[[if there's already a volume envelope on the music track, it will be made visible, if it's not visible.
+    If not, a new one will be created, by making it visible and use it.
+    Returns the envelope, nil if an error occured.
+]]--
+  local envelope = nil
+  local envelopesOnTrack = reaper.CountTrackEnvelopes (track)
+  local envelopeName = ""
+  local i = 0
+  --check if there is already a volume envelope, if so, use it, but make it visible
+  while i < envelopesOnTrack do
+    envelope = reaper.GetTrackEnvelope (track, i)
+    _, envelopeName = reaper.GetEnvelopeName (envelope)
+    if envelopeName == "Volume" then
+      local isVisible = ""
+      _, isVisible = reaper.GetSetEnvelopeInfo_String (envelope, "VISIBLE", "", false)
+      if isVisible == "0" then
+        volumeEnvelopeActivated = true
+        reaper.Main_OnCommand (40406, 0) --Track: Toggle track volume envelope visible
+      end--if
+      --envelope is a volume envelope and is visible, return it.
+      return envelope
+    end--if
+    i = i + 1
+  end--while
+  --no volume envelope found, let's get one
+  reaper.Main_OnCommand (40406, 0) --Track: Toggle track volume envelope visible
+  --now we have a volume envelope, let's find it.
+  envelopesOnTrack = reaper.CountTrackEnvelopes (track)
+  i = 0
+  while i < envelopesOnTrack do
+    envelope = reaper.GetTrackEnvelope (track, i)
+    _, envelopeName = reaper.GetEnvelopeName (envelope)
+    if envelopeName == "Volume" then
+      volumeEnvelopeActivated = true
+      return envelope
+    end--if
+    i = i + 1
+  end--while
+  --newly created volume envelope was not found...
+  return nil
+end--checkVolumeEnvelope
+
+function createEnvelopePoints (track, envelope)
+--creates all the necessary points on the volume envelope.
+--returns the number of created envelope points.
+  local zeroDB = reaper.DB2SLIDER(0)
+  local reduceDB = reaper.DB2SLIDER(params.reduceDB)
+  local curItem = nil
+  local itemsOnTrack = reaper.CountTrackMediaItems(track)
+  local totalPoints = 0
+  for i = 0, itemsOnTrack-1 do
+    curItem = reaper.GetTrackMediaItem (track, i)
+    local startPosition = reaper.GetMediaItemInfo_Value(curItem, "D_POSITION")
+    local endPosition = startPosition + reaper.GetMediaItemInfo_Value(curItem, "D_LENGTH")
+    reaper.InsertEnvelopePoint (envelope, startPosition-params.outerFadeDown, zeroDB, params.shape, 0, false, true)
+    reaper.InsertEnvelopePoint (envelope, startPosition+params.innerFadeDown, reduceDB, params.shape, 0, false, true)
+    reaper.InsertEnvelopePoint (envelope, endPosition-params.innerFadeUp, reduceDB, params.shape, 0, false, true)
+    reaper.InsertEnvelopePoint (envelope, endPosition+params.outerFadeUp, zeroDB, params.shape, 0, false, true)
+    totalPoints = totalPoints + 4
+  end--for
+  reaper.Envelope_SortPoints (envelope)
+  return totalPoints
+end--createEnvelopePoints
+
+function loadParams()
+--fills the params table with default values, tries to load values from current project.
+  --fill params with default values, if no values stored in current project.
+  params.reduceDB = "-18"
+  params.outerFadeDown = "0.5"
+  params.outerFadeUp = "0.5"
+  params.innerFadeDown = "1"
+  params.innerFadeUp = "1"
+  params.shape = "2" --slow start/end
+  local value = ""
+  --load values from current project
+  for key,x in pairs(params) do
+    _, value = reaper.GetProjExtState (0, scriptName, key)
+    if value ~= "" then
+      params[key] = value
+    end--if
+  end--for
+end--loadFromFile
+
+function saveParams()
+--saves the params into current project
+  for key,value in pairs(params) do
+    if reaper.SetProjExtState (0, scriptName, key, value) == 0 then
+      reaper.ShowMessage(txt.eSaving, txt.error, 0)
+    end--if
+  end--for
+end--saveToFile
+
+main()