The writing is on the wall and I see one big "Yes"

Earned? I would say trust. I've earned a lot of trust in my life. Not to be confused with loyalty. Two totally different things. Downloaded? Tracks from really good musicians. Tracks where you listen and say to yourself ok this sounds fantastic!! .. and they want it mixed?! They are rare but they are out there. When you get tracks from someone and push up the faders and it sounds fan damn tastic. It sounds like a record. That's when you realize, ok these people are on a level so far above me that I have no clue. How do I get there? That's my 2. Be honest to everyone about who you are. They will trust you. Respect the people that already blow you away but actually want to hang with you and teach you. The other obvious is simply YouTube. I have YT going if I'm awake. Constant listening to things above my head. It's like what listening to the radio while working used to be. Now I can listen to what people have spent lifetimes learning while I do whatever. I just mark them if I hear something interesting and might listen later 5 to 10 times trying to get a grasp on the subject. I mean if free is the criteria then YouTube has to be #1.

never heard of it. I guess it's the new name for Traction? Here is an AI shot at it. Be sure you are version 13.5.18 or higher. Waveform DAW — Read/Write Automation Guide Waveform’s automation lets you record (write) and playback (read) changes to volume, pan, plugin parameters, and more — either via the GUI automation curve or MIDI controller mappings tracktion.github.io+1. How to Enable and Use Automation 1. Activate automation on a track - Click the plus (+) icon at the far right of a track to add an Automation Track below it tracktion.github.io. - Use the A icon to select the parameter to automate (e.g., Volume & Pan → Volume). - The automation curve appears under the track, labeled with the parameter name tracktion.github.io. - Draw automation - Click and drag points on the curve to create steps, ramps, or custom shapes. - You can also use Smart Automation to unpin curves so they update automatically when you move a plugin parameter tracktion.github.io. - Write automation during playback - Enable the Write button (often shown as a pen icon or “Write” label) for the track or automation track Yamaha Music. - Play back and move faders/knobs or adjust plugin parameters in real time — the changes are recorded into the automation curve Yamaha Music. - For plugin parameters, ensure the parameter is set as automatable in the track’s automation menu tracktion.github.io. - Read automation during playback - Enable the Read button so the recorded automation plays back exactly as recorded Yamaha Music. - In Waveform, the read/write buttons are on the track’s automation controls; in some versions, you may need to open the automation track to see the curve tracktion.github.io