diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/PropertyPanelFlat.tsx b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/PropertyPanelFlat.tsx
index dc3f4f7b3f..cf86039fd2 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/PropertyPanelFlat.tsx
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/PropertyPanelFlat.tsx
@@ -13,22 +13,11 @@ import { FlatTextSection } from "./propertyPanelFlatTextSection";
 import { FlatStyleSection } from "./propertyPanelFlatStyleSections";
 import { FlatLayoutSection } from "./propertyPanelFlatLayoutSection";
 import { FlatMotionSection } from "./propertyPanelFlatMotionSection";
-import {
-  HF_AUDIO_FX_ATTR,
-  parseAudioFxChain,
-  serializeAudioFxChain,
-  type HfAudioFxChain,
-} from "@hyperframes/core/audio-fx";
-import {
-  analyseCarveBands,
-  carveBandsToChain,
-  HF_AUDIO_CARVE_ATTR,
-  normalizeCarveSettings,
-  type HfCarveSettings,
-} from "@hyperframes/core/audio-carve";
+import { parseAudioFxChain } from "@hyperframes/core/audio-fx";
+import { AudioFxGroup } from "./propertyPanelAudioFxGroup.js";
+import { useVolumeAutomation } from "./useVolumeAutomation";
 import { FlatMediaSection } from "./propertyPanelFlatMediaSection";
 import type { DomEditSelection } from "./domEditing";
-import { FxSection, type AudioTrackOption } from "./propertyPanelFxSection";
 import { deriveElementTiming } from "./propertyPanelFlatTimingDerivation";
 import { createGsapLivePreview } from "./gsapLivePreview";
 import { formatTextFieldPreview } from "./propertyPanelSections";
@@ -79,6 +68,7 @@ export function PropertyPanelFlat({
   onSetAttribute,
   onSetAttributes,
   onSetAttributeLive,
+  onSetAttributeQuiet,
   onApplyColorGradingScope,
   onSetHtmlAttribute,
   onRemoveBackground,
@@ -267,6 +257,8 @@ export function PropertyPanelFlat({
   const showMotionEffects = gsapEffectHandlers !== null;
   const showMotionGroup = showMotionTiming || showMotionEffects;
 
+  const volumeAutomation = useVolumeAutomation(element, onSetAttributeQuiet ?? onSetAttributeLive);
+
   const groups: FlatGroupDescriptor[] = [];
   if (isTextEditable) {
     groups.push({
@@ -443,7 +435,7 @@ export function PropertyPanelFlat({
       content: (
         <AudioFxGroup
           element={element}
-          onSetAttribute={onSetAttribute}
+          onSetAttributeQuiet={onSetAttributeQuiet ?? onSetAttributeLive}
           onSetAttributeLive={onSetAttributeLive}
         />
       ),
@@ -463,6 +455,7 @@ export function PropertyPanelFlat({
           onSetAttribute={onSetAttribute}
           onSetHtmlAttribute={onSetHtmlAttribute}
           onRemoveBackground={onRemoveBackground}
+          {...volumeAutomation}
         />
       ),
     });
@@ -561,112 +554,3 @@ function audioFxSummary(element: DomEditSelection): string {
   if (carve) parts.push("carve");
   return parts.length > 0 ? parts.join(" + ") : "none";
 }
-
-/**
- * Bridges the FX panel to the element/attribute world. Chain and carve are
- * serialised onto the element the way colour grading carries its config, so
- * persistence is an ordinary attribute write with no new server route.
- */
-function AudioFxGroup({
-  element,
-  onSetAttribute,
-  onSetAttributeLive,
-}: {
-  element: DomEditSelection;
-  onSetAttribute: (attr: string, value: string) => void | Promise<void>;
-  onSetAttributeLive: (attr: string, value: string | null) => void | Promise<void>;
-}) {
-  const chain = ((): HfAudioFxChain => {
-    const raw = element.dataAttributes?.["fx-chain"];
-    if (!raw) return { version: 1, nodes: [] };
-    try {
-      return parseAudioFxChain(raw);
-    } catch {
-      // Show an unreadable chain as empty rather than breaking the panel; the
-      // attribute is left untouched until the user changes something.
-      return { version: 1, nodes: [] };
-    }
-  })();
-
-  const carve = ((): HfCarveSettings | null => {
-    const raw = element.dataAttributes?.["fx-carve"];
-    if (!raw) return null;
-    try {
-      return normalizeCarveSettings(JSON.parse(raw));
-    } catch {
-      return null;
-    }
-  })();
-
-  const sourceOptions: AudioTrackOption[] = (() => {
-    const doc = element.element?.ownerDocument;
-    if (!doc) return [];
-    return Array.from(doc.querySelectorAll<HTMLAudioElement>("audio[id]"))
-      .filter((a) => a.id !== element.id)
-      .map((a) => ({ id: a.id, label: a.id }));
-  })();
-
-  const [analysing, setAnalysing] = useState(false);
-
-  /**
-   * Decodes the chosen voice track and turns its spectrum into peaking filters
-   * on this one. The bands replace any previous carve output but leave
-   * hand-added effects alone, so re-analysing does not discard other work.
-   */
-  const analyse = async (): Promise<void> => {
-    if (!carve?.source) return;
-    const doc = element.element?.ownerDocument;
-    const voice = doc?.getElementById(carve.source) as HTMLAudioElement | null;
-    const src = voice?.getAttribute("src");
-    if (!src) return;
-    setAnalysing(true);
-    try {
-      const res = await fetch(new URL(src, doc!.baseURI).href);
-      const bytes = await res.arrayBuffer();
-      const Ctor =
-        window.AudioContext ??
-        (window as unknown as { webkitAudioContext?: typeof AudioContext }).webkitAudioContext;
-      if (!Ctor) return;
-      const ctx = new Ctor();
-      try {
-        const buffer = await ctx.decodeAudioData(bytes);
-        const bands = analyseCarveBands(buffer.getChannelData(0), buffer.sampleRate, carve);
-        const carved = carveBandsToChain(bands);
-        // Carve output is tagged so a re-run replaces it instead of stacking.
-        const kept = chain.nodes.filter((n) => !n.fromCarve);
-        const next = {
-          version: 1,
-          nodes: [...carved.nodes.map((n) => ({ ...n, fromCarve: true })), ...kept],
-        };
-        onSetAttribute(HF_AUDIO_FX_ATTR, serializeAudioFxChain(next));
-      } finally {
-        void ctx.close().catch(() => undefined);
-      }
-    } catch {
-      // Leave the chain as it was; the button simply re-enables.
-    } finally {
-      setAnalysing(false);
-    }
-  };
-
-  return (
-    <FxSection
-      chain={chain}
-      onChainChange={(next) =>
-        onSetAttribute(HF_AUDIO_FX_ATTR, next.nodes.length ? serializeAudioFxChain(next) : "")
-      }
-      onChainPreview={(next) =>
-        // Live writes skip the preview refresh, so dragging a knob no longer
-        // reloads the composition and restarts playback on every pixel.
-        onSetAttributeLive(HF_AUDIO_FX_ATTR, next.nodes.length ? serializeAudioFxChain(next) : null)
-      }
-      carve={carve}
-      onCarveChange={(next) =>
-        onSetAttribute(HF_AUDIO_CARVE_ATTR, next ? JSON.stringify(next) : "")
-      }
-      sourceOptions={sourceOptions}
-      onAnalyseCarve={() => void analyse()}
-      analysing={analysing}
-    />
-  );
-}
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/propertyPanelAudioFxGroup.test.tsx b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/propertyPanelAudioFxGroup.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..de4153689b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/propertyPanelAudioFxGroup.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,358 @@
+// @vitest-environment happy-dom
+import { act } from "react";
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+import { createRoot } from "react-dom/client";
+import { AudioFxGroup } from "./propertyPanelAudioFxGroup.js";
+import type { DomEditSelection } from "./domEditingTypes";
+
+(globalThis as unknown as { IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT: boolean }).IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT = true;
+
+const CHAIN = JSON.stringify({
+  version: 1,
+  nodes: [{ type: "lowpass", id: "n1", params: { frequency: 900, q: 1.2, poles: "2" } }],
+});
+
+// Each mount appends its tracks to the document; without clearing, a later
+// "only one audio track" case would still find the previous test's sibling.
+afterEach(() => {
+  document.body.innerHTML = "";
+});
+
+/**
+ * A selected `<audio>` with a sibling track, so carve — which needs another
+ * track to listen to — is offered. Pass `alone` for a composition holding just
+ * this one.
+ */
+function audioSelection(dataAttributes: Record<string, string>, alone = false): DomEditSelection {
+  const bed = document.createElement("audio");
+  bed.id = "bed";
+  document.body.append(bed);
+  if (!alone) {
+    const voice = document.createElement("audio");
+    voice.id = "vo";
+    document.body.append(voice);
+  }
+  return { dataAttributes, id: "bed", element: bed } as unknown as DomEditSelection;
+}
+
+function mount(dataAttributes: Record<string, string>, alone = false) {
+  // Every write is quiet: persisted without the preview reload that would
+  // restart every playing track, but with a selection resync so the panel sees
+  // what it just wrote.
+  const onSetAttributeQuiet = vi.fn();
+  const onSetAttributeLive = vi.fn();
+  const host = document.createElement("div");
+  document.body.append(host);
+  const selection = audioSelection(dataAttributes, alone);
+  act(() => {
+    createRoot(host).render(
+      <AudioFxGroup
+        element={selection}
+        onSetAttributeQuiet={onSetAttributeQuiet}
+        onSetAttributeLive={onSetAttributeLive}
+      />,
+    );
+  });
+  return { host, onSetAttributeQuiet, onSetAttributeLive };
+}
+
+const rowFor = (host: HTMLElement, label: string): HTMLElement | null => {
+  for (const row of Array.from(host.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>(".hf-fx-row"))) {
+    if (row.querySelector(".hf-fx-label")?.textContent === label) return row;
+  }
+  return null;
+};
+
+const parseWrite = (call: unknown[]) => JSON.parse(String(call[1]));
+
+describe("AudioFxGroup automation", () => {
+  it("renders the chain's parameters", () => {
+    const { host } = mount({ "fx-chain": CHAIN });
+    expect(rowFor(host, "Cutoff")).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(rowFor(host, "Q")).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+
+  it("seeds a new lane at the value the control already holds", () => {
+    // Switching to an envelope must not change the sound — only where the value
+    // comes from. The chain has frequency at 900, not the registry default.
+    const { host, onSetAttributeQuiet } = mount({ "fx-chain": CHAIN });
+    const button = rowFor(host, "Cutoff")!.querySelector(".hf-fx-automate") as HTMLButtonElement;
+    act(() => button.click());
+    const [attr, value] = onSetAttributeQuiet.mock.calls[0];
+    expect(attr).toBe("data-automation");
+    expect(JSON.parse(String(value))).toEqual({
+      version: 1,
+      lanes: [{ target: "fx.n1.frequency", points: [{ t: 0, v: 900 }] }],
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("keeps lanes it is not touching when adding one", () => {
+    const { host, onSetAttributeQuiet } = mount({
+      "fx-chain": CHAIN,
+      automation: JSON.stringify({
+        version: 1,
+        lanes: [{ target: "volume", points: [{ t: 0, v: 0.5 }] }],
+      }),
+    });
+    act(() => (rowFor(host, "Q")!.querySelector(".hf-fx-automate") as HTMLButtonElement).click());
+    expect(
+      parseWrite(onSetAttributeQuiet.mock.calls[0]).lanes.map((l: { target: string }) => l.target),
+    ).toEqual(["volume", "fx.n1.q"]);
+  });
+
+  it("disables a control the timeline already drives", () => {
+    const { host } = mount({
+      "fx-chain": CHAIN,
+      automation: JSON.stringify({
+        version: 1,
+        lanes: [{ target: "fx.n1.frequency", points: [{ t: 0, v: 400 }] }],
+      }),
+    });
+    const cutoff = rowFor(host, "Cutoff")!;
+    expect(cutoff.querySelector<HTMLInputElement>('input[type="range"]')?.disabled).toBe(true);
+    expect(cutoff.hasAttribute("data-automated")).toBe(true);
+    expect(
+      rowFor(host, "Q")!.querySelector<HTMLInputElement>('input[type="range"]')?.disabled,
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("deletes just that lane, handing the value back to the control", () => {
+    const { host, onSetAttributeQuiet } = mount({
+      "fx-chain": CHAIN,
+      automation: JSON.stringify({
+        version: 1,
+        lanes: [
+          { target: "fx.n1.frequency", points: [{ t: 0, v: 400 }] },
+          { target: "volume", points: [{ t: 0, v: 0.5 }] },
+        ],
+      }),
+    });
+    act(() =>
+      (rowFor(host, "Cutoff")!.querySelector(".hf-fx-automate") as HTMLButtonElement).click(),
+    );
+    expect(
+      parseWrite(onSetAttributeQuiet.mock.calls[0]).lanes.map((l: { target: string }) => l.target),
+    ).toEqual(["volume"]);
+  });
+
+  it("clears the attribute when the last lane goes", () => {
+    const { host, onSetAttributeQuiet } = mount({
+      "fx-chain": CHAIN,
+      automation: JSON.stringify({
+        version: 1,
+        lanes: [{ target: "fx.n1.frequency", points: [{ t: 0, v: 400 }] }],
+      }),
+    });
+    act(() =>
+      (rowFor(host, "Cutoff")!.querySelector(".hf-fx-automate") as HTMLButtonElement).click(),
+    );
+    // Null rather than "": the live path removes an attribute it is given null for.
+    expect(onSetAttributeQuiet.mock.calls[0][1]).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("ignores a lane for an effect that is no longer in the chain", () => {
+    const { host } = mount({
+      "fx-chain": CHAIN,
+      automation: JSON.stringify({
+        version: 1,
+        lanes: [{ target: "fx.gone.frequency", points: [{ t: 0, v: 400 }] }],
+      }),
+    });
+    // Nothing is automated, so every control stays live.
+    expect(
+      rowFor(host, "Cutoff")!.querySelector<HTMLInputElement>('input[type="range"]')?.disabled,
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("AudioFxGroup carve", () => {
+  const carvedChain = JSON.stringify({
+    version: 1,
+    nodes: [
+      { type: "peaking", id: "n1", fromCarve: true, params: { frequency: 900, gain: -6, q: 1.4 } },
+      { type: "lowpass", id: "n2", params: { frequency: 400, q: 0.9, poles: "2" } },
+    ],
+  });
+
+  const carveOn = JSON.stringify({
+    source: "vo",
+    maxCutDb: 6,
+    bands: 3,
+    q: 1.4,
+    intelligibilityBias: 0.7,
+  });
+
+  const carveToggle = (host: HTMLElement): HTMLButtonElement => {
+    const block = host.querySelector(".hf-fx-carve")!;
+    return block.querySelector(".hf-fx-bypass") as HTMLButtonElement;
+  };
+
+  it("removes the filters it generated when carve is switched off", async () => {
+    // Leaving them behind would keep dipping the bed with no carve to explain it.
+    const { host, onSetAttributeQuiet } = mount({
+      "fx-chain": carvedChain,
+      "fx-carve": carveOn,
+    });
+    await act(async () => {
+      carveToggle(host).click();
+    });
+    const chainWrite = onSetAttributeQuiet.mock.calls.find((c) => c[0] === "data-fx-chain");
+    expect(chainWrite).toBeTruthy();
+    const kept = JSON.parse(String(chainWrite![1])).nodes;
+    expect(kept.map((n: { type: string }) => n.type)).toEqual(["lowpass"]);
+    // And the carve settings themselves go — after the chain write, not
+    // alongside it: both are read-modify-writes of the same file, so fired
+    // together the later one reads pre-edit content and drops the earlier.
+    expect(onSetAttributeQuiet.mock.calls.map((c) => c[0])).toEqual([
+      "data-fx-chain",
+      "data-fx-carve",
+    ]);
+    expect(onSetAttributeQuiet.mock.calls.find((c) => c[0] === "data-fx-carve")?.[1]).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("leaves a hand-built chain alone when carve is switched off", () => {
+    const handBuilt = JSON.stringify({
+      version: 1,
+      nodes: [{ type: "lowpass", id: "n1", params: { frequency: 400, q: 0.9, poles: "2" } }],
+    });
+    const { host, onSetAttributeQuiet } = mount({ "fx-chain": handBuilt, "fx-carve": carveOn });
+    act(() => carveToggle(host).click());
+    expect(onSetAttributeQuiet.mock.calls.some((c) => c[0] === "data-fx-chain")).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("drags a carve dial live and persists once on release", () => {
+    // Without the split every pointermove patched the source file and resynced
+    // the selection, which is what makes the audio stutter mid-drag.
+    const { host, onSetAttributeQuiet, onSetAttributeLive } = mount({
+      "fx-chain": carvedChain,
+      "fx-carve": carveOn,
+    });
+    const dial = host.querySelector<HTMLInputElement>(".hf-fx-carve input[type=range]");
+    expect(dial).not.toBeNull();
+    act(() => {
+      // React's value tracker swallows a plain assignment, so go through the
+      // prototype setter the way the other panel tests do.
+      Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(HTMLInputElement.prototype, "value")?.set?.call(dial, "0.5");
+      dial?.dispatchEvent(new Event("input", { bubbles: true }));
+    });
+    expect(onSetAttributeLive.mock.calls.map((c) => c[0])).toEqual(["data-fx-carve"]);
+    expect(onSetAttributeQuiet.mock.calls.some((c) => c[0] === "data-fx-carve")).toBe(false);
+    act(() => dial?.dispatchEvent(new PointerEvent("pointerup", { bubbles: true })));
+    expect(onSetAttributeQuiet.mock.calls.some((c) => c[0] === "data-fx-carve")).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("writes carve settings live, so enabling it does not reload the preview", () => {
+    const { host, onSetAttributeQuiet } = mount({ "fx-chain": carvedChain });
+    act(() => carveToggle(host).click());
+    const write = onSetAttributeQuiet.mock.calls.find((c) => c[0] === "data-fx-carve");
+    expect(write).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(JSON.parse(String(write![1])).bands).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("AudioFxGroup successive edits", () => {
+  const three = JSON.stringify({
+    version: 1,
+    nodes: [
+      { type: "peaking", id: "n1", params: { frequency: 900, gain: -6, q: 1.4 } },
+      { type: "lowpass", id: "n2", params: { frequency: 400, q: 0.9, poles: "2" } },
+      { type: "delay", id: "n3", params: { time: 250, feedback: 0.3, mix: 0.4 } },
+    ],
+  });
+
+  const removeButtons = (host: HTMLElement) =>
+    Array.from(host.querySelectorAll<HTMLButtonElement>(".hf-fx-remove"));
+
+  /**
+   * The panel computes each edit from the attribute it is holding. Written
+   * without a selection resync, the second delete worked from the pre-delete
+   * chain and wrote the same result — so after deleting one effect, no further
+   * delete did anything.
+   */
+  it("deletes a second effect after the first, not from a stale chain", () => {
+    const first = mount({ "fx-chain": three });
+    act(() => removeButtons(first.host)[0]!.click());
+    const afterFirst = JSON.parse(String(first.onSetAttributeQuiet.mock.calls[0][1]));
+    expect(afterFirst.nodes.map((n: { id: string }) => n.id)).toEqual(["n2", "n3"]);
+
+    // The resync hands the panel what it just wrote; the next delete starts there.
+    const second = mount({ "fx-chain": JSON.stringify(afterFirst) });
+    act(() => removeButtons(second.host)[0]!.click());
+    const afterSecond = JSON.parse(String(second.onSetAttributeQuiet.mock.calls[0][1]));
+    expect(afterSecond.nodes.map((n: { id: string }) => n.id)).toEqual(["n3"]);
+
+    const third = mount({ "fx-chain": JSON.stringify(afterSecond) });
+    act(() => removeButtons(third.host)[0]!.click());
+    // The last one leaves no chain at all.
+    expect(third.onSetAttributeQuiet.mock.calls[0][1]).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("writes with the commit that resyncs the selection, not the silent one", () => {
+    // Both skip the preview reload; only this one re-reads the selection, which
+    // is what makes a following edit see the current value.
+    const { host, onSetAttributeQuiet } = mount({ "fx-chain": three });
+    act(() => removeButtons(host)[0]!.click());
+    expect(onSetAttributeQuiet).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(onSetAttributeQuiet.mock.calls[0][0]).toBe("data-fx-chain");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("AudioFxGroup carve visibility", () => {
+  it("offers carve when the composition holds another audio track", () => {
+    const { host } = mount({ "fx-chain": CHAIN });
+    expect(host.querySelector(".hf-fx-carve")).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+
+  it("does not offer carve for the only audio track in the composition", () => {
+    // Nothing to listen to, so the picker would be empty and Analyse inert.
+    const { host } = mount({ "fx-chain": CHAIN }, true);
+    expect(host.querySelector(".hf-fx-carve")).toBeNull();
+  });
+});
+
+describe("AudioFxGroup deleting an effect", () => {
+  const twoNodes = JSON.stringify({
+    version: 1,
+    nodes: [
+      { type: "lowpass", id: "n1", params: { frequency: 400, q: 0.9, poles: "2" } },
+      { type: "peaking", id: "n2", params: { frequency: 900, gain: -6, q: 1 } },
+    ],
+  });
+
+  it("takes the deleted node's lanes with it", () => {
+    // resolveAutomation only hides an orphan at read time. Left in the attribute,
+    // and with ids minted lowest-free, the next effect added takes the same id and
+    // inherits the dead envelope — disabled and "Automated" without the author
+    // ever automating it, and baked into the render.
+    const { host, onSetAttributeQuiet } = mount({
+      "fx-chain": twoNodes,
+      automation: JSON.stringify({
+        version: 1,
+        lanes: [
+          { target: "fx.n1.frequency", points: [{ t: 0, v: 400 }] },
+          { target: "fx.n2.gain", points: [{ t: 0, v: -6 }] },
+          { target: "volume", points: [{ t: 0, v: 1 }] },
+        ],
+      }),
+    });
+    const remove = host.querySelectorAll<HTMLButtonElement>(".hf-fx-remove")[0]!;
+    act(() => remove.click());
+    const automationWrite = onSetAttributeQuiet.mock.calls.find((c) => c[0] === "data-automation");
+    expect(automationWrite).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(
+      JSON.parse(String(automationWrite![1])).lanes.map((l: { target: string }) => l.target),
+    ).toEqual(["fx.n2.gain", "volume"]);
+  });
+
+  it("leaves automation alone when the deleted node had none", () => {
+    const { host, onSetAttributeQuiet } = mount({
+      "fx-chain": twoNodes,
+      automation: JSON.stringify({
+        version: 1,
+        lanes: [{ target: "fx.n2.gain", points: [{ t: 0, v: -6 }] }],
+      }),
+    });
+    act(() => host.querySelectorAll<HTMLButtonElement>(".hf-fx-remove")[0]!.click());
+    expect(onSetAttributeQuiet.mock.calls.some((c) => c[0] === "data-automation")).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/propertyPanelAudioFxGroup.tsx b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/propertyPanelAudioFxGroup.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..0a04892e97
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/propertyPanelAudioFxGroup.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,244 @@
+/**
+ * The audio FX panel's bridge to the element/attribute world.
+ *
+ * Chain, carve and automation are all serialised onto the element the way colour
+ * grading carries its config, so persistence is an ordinary attribute write with
+ * no new server route. Split out of PropertyPanelFlat, which is at its size
+ * budget, and self-contained enough to test on its own.
+ */
+
+import { useState } from "react";
+import {
+  HF_AUDIO_FX_ATTR,
+  parseAudioFxChain,
+  serializeAudioFxChain,
+  type HfAudioFxChain,
+} from "@hyperframes/core/audio-fx";
+import {
+  analyseCarveBands,
+  carveBandsToChain,
+  HF_AUDIO_CARVE_ATTR,
+  normalizeCarveSettings,
+  type HfCarveSettings,
+} from "@hyperframes/core/audio-carve";
+import { fxAutomationTarget, type HfAutomation } from "@hyperframes/core/audio-automation";
+import {
+  automatedTargetsOf,
+  automationAttrValue,
+  HF_AUDIO_AUTOMATION_ATTR,
+  readPanelAutomation,
+  resolveAutomationRange,
+  withoutLane,
+  withSeededLane,
+} from "./propertyPanelAutomation";
+import type { DomEditSelection } from "./domEditingTypes";
+
+/**
+ * Rate the carve source is decoded at. Analysis is self-consistent because it
+ * reads the decoded buffer's own rate, so this only has to be a sane audio rate.
+ */
+const DECODE_SAMPLE_RATE = 48000;
+import { FxSection, type AudioTrackOption } from "./propertyPanelFxSection.js";
+
+/**
+ * Bridges the FX panel to the element/attribute world. Chain and carve are
+ * serialised onto the element the way colour grading carries its config, so
+ * persistence is an ordinary attribute write with no new server route.
+ */
+export function AudioFxGroup({
+  element,
+  onSetAttributeQuiet,
+  onSetAttributeLive,
+}: {
+  element: DomEditSelection;
+  /**
+   * Every write here is quiet: it persists to the source and skips the preview
+   * reload, because the runtime applies chain and automation edits to the
+   * running graph — a reload would only interrupt the audio to reach the same
+   * state, which is heard as the track chopping.
+   *
+   * It does re-read the selection afterwards, which this panel depends on: each
+   * edit is computed from the current attribute, so without the resync a second
+   * edit would work from a pre-edit value and appear to do nothing.
+   */
+  onSetAttributeQuiet: (attr: string, value: string | null) => void | Promise<void>;
+  /** Continuous, non-persisting write for a dial being dragged. */
+  onSetAttributeLive: (attr: string, value: string | null) => void | Promise<void>;
+}) {
+  const chain = ((): HfAudioFxChain => {
+    const raw = element.dataAttributes?.["fx-chain"];
+    if (!raw) return { version: 1, nodes: [] };
+    try {
+      return parseAudioFxChain(raw);
+    } catch {
+      // Show an unreadable chain as empty rather than breaking the panel; the
+      // attribute is left untouched until the user changes something.
+      return { version: 1, nodes: [] };
+    }
+  })();
+
+  const automation = readPanelAutomation(element.dataAttributes?.["automation"], chain);
+  const automatedTargets = automatedTargetsOf(automation);
+
+  // Written through the live path on purpose. It persists to the source just
+  // like the refreshing one, but skips the preview reload — and a reload
+  // restarts every playing track, which is heard as the audio chopping. The
+  // runtime follows the attribute and swaps the graph in place instead.
+  const writeAutomation = (next: HfAutomation): void => {
+    void onSetAttributeQuiet(HF_AUDIO_AUTOMATION_ATTR, automationAttrValue(next) || null);
+  };
+
+  /**
+   * Start automating one effect parameter.
+   *
+   * The lane is seeded with a single point at the value the control currently
+   * holds, so switching to an envelope never changes the sound — it only moves
+   * where the value comes from. The author then adds points in the timeline.
+   */
+  const automateParam = (nodeId: string, paramKey: string): void => {
+    const target = fxAutomationTarget(nodeId, paramKey);
+    const node = chain.nodes.find((n) => n.id === nodeId);
+    const range = resolveAutomationRange(target, chain);
+    if (!node || !range) return;
+    const raw = node.params?.[paramKey];
+    writeAutomation(
+      withSeededLane(automation, target, typeof raw === "number" ? raw : range.default),
+    );
+  };
+
+  /** Stop automating it, handing the value back to the panel control. */
+  const removeParamAutomation = (nodeId: string, paramKey: string): void => {
+    writeAutomation(withoutLane(automation, fxAutomationTarget(nodeId, paramKey)));
+  };
+
+  /**
+   * Turn carve on or off.
+   *
+   * Switching off drops the filters it generated — left behind they keep dipping
+   * the bed with nothing in the panel to explain them — but that is a second
+   * attribute, and each write is a read-modify-write against the same source
+   * file. Fired together, both read the same content and the later one drops the
+   * earlier: either the carve settings went and the filters stayed, or the
+   * reverse. Awaiting the first means the second reads the file it produced.
+   *
+   * One commit carrying both would also close the window where a failure of just
+   * the second leaves them half-applied; that needs a multi-attribute quiet
+   * commit, which does not exist yet.
+   */
+  const setCarve = async (next: HfCarveSettings | null): Promise<void> => {
+    if (!next) {
+      const kept = chain.nodes.filter((n) => !n.fromCarve);
+      if (kept.length !== chain.nodes.length) {
+        await onSetAttributeQuiet(
+          HF_AUDIO_FX_ATTR,
+          kept.length ? serializeAudioFxChain({ version: 1, nodes: kept }) : null,
+        );
+      }
+    }
+    await onSetAttributeQuiet(HF_AUDIO_CARVE_ATTR, next ? JSON.stringify(next) : null);
+  };
+
+  /** Every lane belonging to a node that is going away. */
+  const removeNodeAutomation = (nodeId: string): void => {
+    const prefix = `fx.${nodeId}.`;
+    const kept = automation.lanes.filter((lane) => !lane.target.startsWith(prefix));
+    if (kept.length !== automation.lanes.length) {
+      writeAutomation({ version: 1, lanes: kept });
+    }
+  };
+
+  const carve = ((): HfCarveSettings | null => {
+    const raw = element.dataAttributes?.["fx-carve"];
+    if (!raw) return null;
+    try {
+      return normalizeCarveSettings(JSON.parse(raw));
+    } catch {
+      return null;
+    }
+  })();
+
+  const sourceOptions: AudioTrackOption[] = (() => {
+    const doc = element.element?.ownerDocument;
+    if (!doc) return [];
+    return Array.from(doc.querySelectorAll<HTMLAudioElement>("audio[id]"))
+      .filter((a) => a.id !== element.id)
+      .map((a) => ({ id: a.id, label: a.id }));
+  })();
+
+  const [analysing, setAnalysing] = useState(false);
+
+  /**
+   * Decodes the chosen voice track and turns its spectrum into peaking filters
+   * on this one. The bands replace any previous carve output but leave
+   * hand-added effects alone, so re-analysing does not discard other work.
+   */
+  const analyse = async (): Promise<void> => {
+    if (!carve?.source) return;
+    const doc = element.element?.ownerDocument;
+    const voice = doc?.getElementById(carve.source) as HTMLAudioElement | null;
+    const src = voice?.getAttribute("src");
+    if (!src) return;
+    setAnalysing(true);
+    try {
+      const res = await fetch(new URL(src, doc!.baseURI).href);
+      const bytes = await res.arrayBuffer();
+      // Decoded in an OfflineAudioContext, not a live one. Opening a second
+      // output device mid-playback makes the running track glitch while the
+      // hardware is reconfigured; an offline context touches no device.
+      const Ctor =
+        window.OfflineAudioContext ??
+        (window as unknown as { webkitOfflineAudioContext?: typeof OfflineAudioContext })
+          .webkitOfflineAudioContext;
+      if (!Ctor) return;
+      const decoder = new Ctor(1, 1, DECODE_SAMPLE_RATE);
+      const buffer = await decoder.decodeAudioData(bytes);
+      const bands = analyseCarveBands(buffer.getChannelData(0), buffer.sampleRate, carve);
+      const carved = carveBandsToChain(bands);
+      // Carve output is tagged so a re-run replaces it instead of stacking.
+      const kept = chain.nodes.filter((n) => !n.fromCarve);
+      const next = {
+        version: 1,
+        nodes: [...carved.nodes.map((n) => ({ ...n, fromCarve: true })), ...kept],
+      };
+      // Live, like every other chain write: the runtime swaps the graph in
+      // place, so a reload would only interrupt the audio to reach the same
+      // filters.
+      onSetAttributeQuiet(HF_AUDIO_FX_ATTR, serializeAudioFxChain(next));
+    } catch {
+      // Leave the chain as it was; the button simply re-enables.
+    } finally {
+      setAnalysing(false);
+    }
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <FxSection
+      chain={chain}
+      automatedTargets={automatedTargets}
+      onAutomateParam={automateParam}
+      onRemoveParamAutomation={removeParamAutomation}
+      onRemoveNodeAutomation={removeNodeAutomation}
+      onChainChange={(next) =>
+        // Live for the same reason as automation above: adding, removing or
+        // bypassing an effect is applied to the running graph, so a reload would
+        // only interrupt the audio to reach the same state.
+        onSetAttributeQuiet(
+          HF_AUDIO_FX_ATTR,
+          next.nodes.length ? serializeAudioFxChain(next) : null,
+        )
+      }
+      onChainPreview={(next) =>
+        // Live writes skip the preview refresh entirely, so dragging a knob no
+        // longer reloads the composition and restarts playback on every pixel.
+        // The gesture-end write above is the one that resyncs.
+        onSetAttributeLive(HF_AUDIO_FX_ATTR, next.nodes.length ? serializeAudioFxChain(next) : null)
+      }
+      carve={carve}
+      onCarveChange={(next) => void setCarve(next)}
+      onCarvePreview={(next) => onSetAttributeLive(HF_AUDIO_CARVE_ATTR, JSON.stringify(next))}
+      sourceOptions={sourceOptions}
+      onAnalyseCarve={() => void analyse()}
+      analysing={analysing}
+    />
+  );
+}
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/propertyPanelFxSection.test.tsx b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/propertyPanelFxSection.test.tsx
index b77cae9201..bbd20f63ed 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/propertyPanelFxSection.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/propertyPanelFxSection.test.tsx
@@ -45,6 +45,9 @@ function mount(overrides: Partial<Parameters<typeof FxSection>[0]> = {}) {
       onAnalyseCarve={overrides.onAnalyseCarve ?? noop}
       analysing={overrides.analysing}
       disabled={overrides.disabled}
+      automatedTargets={overrides.automatedTargets}
+      onAutomateParam={overrides.onAutomateParam}
+      onRemoveParamAutomation={overrides.onRemoveParamAutomation}
     />,
   );
   return { host, onChainChange, onChainPreview, onCarveChange };
@@ -246,3 +249,161 @@ describe("FxSection carve", () => {
     }
   });
 });
+
+describe("automation in the panel", () => {
+  const automatable = (chain: HfAudioFxChain, over = {}) =>
+    mount({
+      chain,
+      automatedTargets: new Set<string>(),
+      onAutomateParam: vi.fn(),
+      onRemoveParamAutomation: vi.fn(),
+      ...over,
+    });
+
+  const idChain = (type: string, id = "n1"): HfAudioFxChain => ({
+    version: 1,
+    nodes: [{ type, id, enabled: true, params: defaultAudioFxParams(type) }],
+  });
+
+  const rowFor = (host: HTMLElement, label: string): HTMLElement | null => {
+    for (const row of Array.from(host.querySelectorAll<HTMLElement>(".hf-fx-row"))) {
+      if (row.querySelector(".hf-fx-label")?.textContent === label) return row;
+    }
+    return null;
+  };
+
+  it("offers an automate button only for parameters an envelope can drive", () => {
+    // Saturate: `output` is a make-up gain, but the curve's type and threshold
+    // are rebuilt wholesale and cannot be scheduled.
+    const { host } = automatable(idChain("saturate"));
+    expect(rowFor(host, "Output")?.querySelector(".hf-fx-automate")).toBeTruthy();
+    expect(rowFor(host, "Threshold")?.querySelector(".hf-fx-automate")).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("offers nothing for a worklet effect, which exposes no AudioParams", () => {
+    const { host } = automatable(idChain("compressor"));
+    expect(host.querySelectorAll(".hf-fx-automate").length).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it("asks to automate a parameter by node id and key", () => {
+    const onAutomateParam = vi.fn();
+    const { host } = automatable(idChain("lowpass", "n7"), { onAutomateParam });
+    const button = rowFor(host, "Cutoff")!.querySelector(".hf-fx-automate") as HTMLButtonElement;
+    expect(button.hasAttribute("title")).toBe(false);
+    act(() => button.click());
+    expect(onAutomateParam).toHaveBeenCalledWith("n7", "frequency");
+  });
+
+  it("disables an automated control, since a value typed here would be overwritten", () => {
+    const { host } = automatable(idChain("lowpass"), {
+      automatedTargets: new Set(["fx.n1.frequency"]),
+    });
+    const row = rowFor(host, "Cutoff")!;
+    expect(row.querySelector<HTMLInputElement>('input[type="range"]')?.disabled).toBe(true);
+    expect(row.querySelector<HTMLInputElement>('input[type="number"]')?.disabled).toBe(true);
+    expect(row.hasAttribute("data-automated")).toBe(true);
+    // A sibling parameter on the same effect stays editable.
+    const q = rowFor(host, "Q")!;
+    expect(q.querySelector<HTMLInputElement>('input[type="range"]')?.disabled).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("turns the automated parameter's button into a delete", () => {
+    const onRemoveParamAutomation = vi.fn();
+    const { host } = automatable(idChain("lowpass"), {
+      automatedTargets: new Set(["fx.n1.frequency"]),
+      onRemoveParamAutomation,
+    });
+    const button = rowFor(host, "Cutoff")!.querySelector(".hf-fx-automate") as HTMLButtonElement;
+    expect(button.getAttribute("aria-pressed")).toBe("true");
+    expect(button.getAttribute("aria-label")).toMatch(/remove/i);
+    // The wording lives in the Tooltip component, which only renders its bubble
+    // on hover; the button itself carries no native title hover.
+    expect(button.hasAttribute("title")).toBe(false);
+    act(() => button.click());
+    expect(onRemoveParamAutomation).toHaveBeenCalledWith("n1", "frequency");
+  });
+
+  it("shows the wording in a tooltip bubble, not a native browser hover", async () => {
+    vi.useFakeTimers();
+    try {
+      const { host } = automatable(idChain("lowpass"), {
+        automatedTargets: new Set(["fx.n1.frequency"]),
+      });
+      const button = rowFor(host, "Cutoff")!.querySelector(".hf-fx-automate") as HTMLButtonElement;
+      // Tooltip positions itself from the trigger's box and gives up on a 0x0
+      // one, which is every element in happy-dom.
+      vi.spyOn(button, "getBoundingClientRect").mockReturnValue({
+        x: 100,
+        y: 300,
+        left: 100,
+        top: 300,
+        right: 116,
+        bottom: 316,
+        width: 16,
+        height: 16,
+        toJSON: () => ({}),
+      } as DOMRect);
+      // React synthesises pointer-enter from pointerover and delegates focus via
+      // focusin; focus is also how a keyboard user reaches the same tooltip.
+      act(() => {
+        button.dispatchEvent(new Event("focusin", { bubbles: true }));
+      });
+      act(() => {
+        vi.advanceTimersByTime(600);
+      });
+      const bubble = document.querySelector('[role="tooltip"]');
+      expect(bubble?.textContent).toBe("Automated");
+    } finally {
+      vi.useRealTimers();
+    }
+  });
+
+  it("cannot automate a node with no id, which a lane could not address", () => {
+    const { host } = automatable({
+      version: 1,
+      nodes: [{ type: "lowpass", enabled: true, params: defaultAudioFxParams("lowpass") }],
+    });
+    expect(host.querySelectorAll(".hf-fx-automate").length).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  it("gives a newly added effect an id, so its parameters can be automated", () => {
+    const onChainChange = vi.fn();
+    const { host } = mount({ chain: { version: 1, nodes: [] }, onChainChange });
+    const add = host.querySelector(".hf-fx-add") as HTMLButtonElement;
+    act(() => add.click());
+    const item = Array.from(host.querySelectorAll<HTMLButtonElement>(".hf-fx-add-item")).find(
+      (b) => b.textContent === "Low-pass",
+    )!;
+    act(() => item.click());
+    expect(onChainChange.mock.calls[0][0].nodes[0].id).toBe("n1");
+  });
+});
+
+describe("voiceover carve visibility", () => {
+  const carveBlock = (host: HTMLElement) => host.querySelector(".hf-fx-carve");
+
+  it("is hidden when the composition has no other audio track to listen to", () => {
+    // Carve dips this bed where another track's voice sits. Alone, the control
+    // could only offer an empty picker.
+    const { host } = mount({ chain: chainOf("lowpass"), sourceOptions: [] });
+    expect(carveBlock(host)).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("is shown once there is another audio track", () => {
+    const { host } = mount({
+      chain: chainOf("lowpass"),
+      sourceOptions: [{ id: "vo", label: "vo" }],
+    });
+    expect(carveBlock(host)).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+
+  it("stays shown for an existing carve whose voice track has gone", () => {
+    // Otherwise the setting would keep dipping the bed from out of sight.
+    const { host } = mount({
+      chain: chainOf("lowpass"),
+      sourceOptions: [],
+      carve: { ...DEFAULT_CARVE, source: "vo" },
+    });
+    expect(carveBlock(host)).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/propertyPanelFxSection.tsx b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/propertyPanelFxSection.tsx
index 16e60ea5af..56b7b09132 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/propertyPanelFxSection.tsx
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/propertyPanelFxSection.tsx
@@ -13,12 +13,15 @@ import {
   defaultAudioFxParams,
   getAudioFxDef,
   HF_AUDIO_FX,
+  mintAudioFxNodeId,
   type HfAudioFxChain,
+  type HfAudioFxDef,
   type HfAudioFxGroup,
   type HfAudioFxNode,
   type HfAudioFxParamValues,
 } from "@hyperframes/core/audio-fx";
 import { DEFAULT_CARVE, type HfCarveSettings } from "@hyperframes/core/audio-carve";
+import { fxAutomationTarget } from "@hyperframes/core/audio-automation";
 import { FxParams, FxParamRow } from "./propertyPanelFxControls.js";
 
 const GROUP_ORDER: HfAudioFxGroup[] = ["filter", "dynamics", "nonlinear", "time"];
@@ -37,6 +40,9 @@ export interface AudioTrackOption {
 interface FxNodeRowProps {
   node: HfAudioFxNode;
   index: number;
+  automatedTargets?: ReadonlySet<string>;
+  onAutomateParam?(nodeId: string, paramKey: string): void;
+  onRemoveParamAutomation?(nodeId: string, paramKey: string): void;
   open: boolean;
   /** Last in the chain, so it cannot move further down. */
   last: boolean;
@@ -142,10 +148,73 @@ function FxNodeHeader({
   );
 }
 
+/**
+ * Which of an effect's knobs already have a lane.
+ *
+ * A lane addresses a node by id, so a node the panel has not yet given one
+ * cannot be automated at all. Adding an effect mints the id, so this only
+ * affects chains written before ids existed.
+ */
+function automatedKeysOf(
+  node: HfAudioFxNode,
+  params: readonly { key: string }[],
+  automatedTargets: ReadonlySet<string> | undefined,
+): Set<string> {
+  if (!node.id || !automatedTargets) return new Set();
+  const nodeId = node.id;
+  return new Set(
+    params.filter((p) => automatedTargets.has(fxAutomationTarget(nodeId, p.key))).map((p) => p.key),
+  );
+}
+
+/** An open effect's knobs, with whatever automation surface applies to them. */
+function FxNodeParams({
+  node,
+  def,
+  index,
+  disabled,
+  automatedTargets,
+  onUpdate,
+  onPreview,
+  onAutomateParam,
+  onRemoveParamAutomation,
+}: {
+  node: HfAudioFxNode;
+  def: HfAudioFxDef;
+  index: number;
+  disabled: boolean;
+  automatedTargets?: ReadonlySet<string>;
+  onUpdate(index: number, patch: Partial<HfAudioFxNode>): void;
+  onPreview(index: number, params: HfAudioFxParamValues): void;
+  onAutomateParam?(nodeId: string, paramKey: string): void;
+  onRemoveParamAutomation?(nodeId: string, paramKey: string): void;
+}) {
+  const nodeId = node.id;
+  return (
+    <FxParams
+      def={def}
+      params={node.params ?? defaultAudioFxParams(node.type)}
+      disabled={disabled}
+      onChange={(params: HfAudioFxParamValues) => onPreview(index, params)}
+      onCommit={(params: HfAudioFxParamValues) => onUpdate(index, { params })}
+      automatedKeys={automatedKeysOf(node, def.params, automatedTargets)}
+      onAutomate={nodeId && onAutomateParam ? (key) => onAutomateParam(nodeId, key) : undefined}
+      onRemoveAutomation={
+        nodeId && onRemoveParamAutomation
+          ? (key) => onRemoveParamAutomation(nodeId, key)
+          : undefined
+      }
+    />
+  );
+}
+
 /** One effect in the chain: its header controls, and its knobs when open. */
 function FxNodeRow({
   node,
   index,
+  automatedTargets,
+  onAutomateParam,
+  onRemoveParamAutomation,
   open,
   last,
   disabled,
@@ -176,12 +245,16 @@ function FxNodeRow({
         onRemove={() => onRemove(index)}
       />
       {open ? (
-        <FxParams
+        <FxNodeParams
+          node={node}
           def={def}
-          params={node.params ?? defaultAudioFxParams(node.type)}
-          disabled={disabled || bypassed}
-          onChange={(params: HfAudioFxParamValues) => onPreview(index, params)}
-          onCommit={(params: HfAudioFxParamValues) => onUpdate(index, { params })}
+          index={index}
+          disabled={Boolean(disabled) || bypassed}
+          automatedTargets={automatedTargets}
+          onUpdate={onUpdate}
+          onPreview={onPreview}
+          onAutomateParam={onAutomateParam}
+          onRemoveParamAutomation={onRemoveParamAutomation}
         />
       ) : null}
     </div>
@@ -190,12 +263,24 @@ function FxNodeRow({
 
 export interface FxSectionProps {
   chain: HfAudioFxChain;
+  /** Targets this track already automates, as `fx.<nodeId>.<param>` strings. */
+  automatedTargets?: ReadonlySet<string>;
+  /** Add a lane for one effect parameter, seeded at its current value. */
+  onAutomateParam?(nodeId: string, paramKey: string): void;
+  /** Delete one effect parameter's lane. */
+  onRemoveParamAutomation?(nodeId: string, paramKey: string): void;
+  /** Delete every lane belonging to a node that is being removed. */
+  onRemoveNodeAutomation?(nodeId: string): void;
   /** Structural edits and gesture-end writes; this is the one that persists. */
   onChainChange(chain: HfAudioFxChain): void;
   /** Continuous updates while a control is being dragged. */
   onChainPreview?(chain: HfAudioFxChain): void;
   carve: HfCarveSettings | null;
+  /** Gesture-end write; this is the one that persists. */
   onCarveChange(carve: HfCarveSettings | null): void;
+  /** Continuous updates while a carve slider is dragged. Without this every
+   *  pointermove patched the source file and resynced the selection. */
+  onCarvePreview?(carve: HfCarveSettings): void;
   /** Other audio elements that could act as the carve source. */
   sourceOptions: AudioTrackOption[];
   /** Re-run analysis against the current source audio. */
@@ -206,15 +291,27 @@ export interface FxSectionProps {
 
 export function FxSection({
   chain,
+  automatedTargets,
+  onAutomateParam,
+  onRemoveParamAutomation,
+  onRemoveNodeAutomation,
   onChainChange,
   onChainPreview,
   carve,
   onCarveChange,
+  onCarvePreview,
   sourceOptions,
   onAnalyseCarve,
   analysing,
   disabled,
 }: FxSectionProps) {
+  // Falls back to the persisting write when no preview handler is supplied, which
+  // keeps the control working rather than going dead.
+  const previewCarve = onCarvePreview ?? onCarveChange;
+
+  // Nothing to carve against means nothing to show — see the block below.
+  const showCarve = sourceOptions.length > 0 || carve !== null;
+
   const [adding, setAdding] = useState(false);
   const [openNode, setOpenNode] = useState<number | null>(0);
 
@@ -240,11 +337,14 @@ export function FxSection({
 
   const addEffect = useCallback(
     (type: string) => {
-      mutate([...chain.nodes, { type, enabled: true, params: defaultAudioFxParams(type) }]);
+      mutate([
+        ...chain.nodes,
+        { type, id: mintAudioFxNodeId(chain), enabled: true, params: defaultAudioFxParams(type) },
+      ]);
       setOpenNode(chain.nodes.length);
       setAdding(false);
     },
-    [chain.nodes, mutate],
+    [chain, mutate],
   );
 
   const updateNode = useCallback(
@@ -255,10 +355,17 @@ export function FxSection({
 
   const removeNode = useCallback(
     (index: number) => {
+      // The node's lanes go with it. `resolveAutomation` only hides an orphan at
+      // read time; left in the attribute, and with ids minted lowest-free, the
+      // next effect added takes the same id and inherits the dead envelope —
+      // arriving with its control disabled and "Automated" without the author
+      // ever automating it, and baked into the render.
+      const removedId = chain.nodes[index]?.id;
+      if (removedId) onRemoveNodeAutomation?.(removedId);
       mutate(chain.nodes.filter((_, i) => i !== index));
       setOpenNode(null);
     },
-    [chain.nodes, mutate],
+    [chain.nodes, mutate, onRemoveNodeAutomation],
   );
 
   const moveNode = useCallback(
@@ -287,6 +394,9 @@ export function FxSection({
               key={`${node.type}-${i}`}
               node={node}
               index={i}
+              automatedTargets={automatedTargets}
+              onAutomateParam={onAutomateParam}
+              onRemoveParamAutomation={onRemoveParamAutomation}
               open={openNode === i}
               last={i === chain.nodes.length - 1}
               disabled={disabled}
@@ -332,98 +442,109 @@ export function FxSection({
         </button>
       )}
 
-      <div className="hf-fx-carve space-y-1 rounded-[4px] border border-panel-border-input p-1.5">
-        <div className="hf-fx-carve-head flex min-h-6 items-center justify-between">
-          <span className="hf-fx-carve-title text-[11px] font-semibold text-panel-text-1">
-            Voiceover carve
-          </span>
-          <button
-            type="button"
-            className="hf-fx-bypass rounded-[3px] border border-panel-border-input px-1.5 py-0.5 font-mono text-[9px] text-panel-text-4 hover:text-panel-text-0 disabled:opacity-40"
-            aria-pressed={carve !== null}
-            disabled={disabled}
-            onClick={() => onCarveChange(carve ? null : { ...DEFAULT_CARVE })}
-          >
-            {carve ? "On" : "Off"}
-          </button>
-        </div>
-        {carve ? (
-          <>
-            <label className="hf-fx-row flex min-h-6 items-center gap-2">
-              <span className="hf-fx-label w-[86px] flex-shrink-0 truncate text-[10px] text-panel-text-4">
-                Listen to
-              </span>
-              <select
-                className="hf-fx-select min-w-0 flex-1 rounded-[3px] bg-panel-surface px-1 py-0.5 font-mono text-[10px] text-panel-text-0"
-                value={carve.source}
-                disabled={disabled}
-                onChange={(e) => onCarveChange({ ...carve, source: e.target.value })}
-              >
-                <option value="">Select a voice track…</option>
-                {sourceOptions.map((o) => (
-                  <option key={o.id} value={o.id}>
-                    {o.label}
-                  </option>
-                ))}
-              </select>
-            </label>
-            <FxParamRow
-              param={{
-                kind: "number",
-                key: "maxCutDb",
-                label: "Depth",
-                unit: "dB",
-                min: 0,
-                max: 24,
-                step: 0.5,
-                default: DEFAULT_CARVE.maxCutDb,
-              }}
-              value={carve.maxCutDb}
-              disabled={disabled}
-              onChange={(_k, v) => onCarveChange({ ...carve, maxCutDb: Number(v) })}
-            />
-            <FxParamRow
-              param={{
-                kind: "number",
-                key: "bands",
-                label: "Bands",
-                unit: "",
-                min: 1,
-                max: 6,
-                step: 1,
-                default: DEFAULT_CARVE.bands,
-              }}
-              value={carve.bands}
-              disabled={disabled}
-              onChange={(_k, v) => onCarveChange({ ...carve, bands: Number(v) })}
-            />
-            <FxParamRow
-              param={{
-                kind: "number",
-                key: "intelligibilityBias",
-                label: "Speech bias",
-                unit: "",
-                min: 0,
-                max: 1,
-                step: 0.05,
-                default: DEFAULT_CARVE.intelligibilityBias,
-                hint: "At 0 the deepest cuts follow raw voice energy, which lands on the fundamental. Higher weights selection toward 1-3 kHz, where a bed actually masks a voice.",
-              }}
-              value={carve.intelligibilityBias}
-              disabled={disabled}
-              onChange={(_k, v) => onCarveChange({ ...carve, intelligibilityBias: Number(v) })}
-            />
+      {/* Carve is a relationship between two tracks: it dips this bed where
+          another track's voice sits. With no other audio track in the
+          composition there is nothing to listen to, so the control would only
+          offer an empty picker. Still shown when carve is already configured,
+          so an existing setting cannot be stranded out of sight after its voice
+          track is removed. */}
+      {showCarve ? (
+        <div className="hf-fx-carve space-y-1 rounded-[4px] border border-panel-border-input p-1.5">
+          <div className="hf-fx-carve-head flex min-h-6 items-center justify-between">
+            <span className="hf-fx-carve-title text-[11px] font-semibold text-panel-text-1">
+              Voiceover carve
+            </span>
             <button
               type="button"
-              className="hf-fx-analyse mt-1 w-full rounded-[3px] bg-panel-surface py-1 text-[10px] text-panel-text-1 hover:text-panel-text-0 disabled:opacity-40"
-              disabled={disabled || analysing || !carve.source || !onAnalyseCarve}
-              onClick={() => onAnalyseCarve?.()}
+              className="hf-fx-bypass rounded-[3px] border border-panel-border-input px-1.5 py-0.5 font-mono text-[9px] text-panel-text-4 hover:text-panel-text-0 disabled:opacity-40"
+              aria-pressed={carve !== null}
+              disabled={disabled}
+              onClick={() => onCarveChange(carve ? null : { ...DEFAULT_CARVE })}
             >
-              {analysing ? "Analysing…" : "Analyse and apply"}
+              {carve ? "On" : "Off"}
             </button>
-          </>
-        ) : null}
-      </div>
+          </div>
+          {carve ? (
+            <>
+              <label className="hf-fx-row flex min-h-6 items-center gap-2">
+                <span className="hf-fx-label w-[86px] flex-shrink-0 truncate text-[10px] text-panel-text-4">
+                  Listen to
+                </span>
+                <select
+                  className="hf-fx-select min-w-0 flex-1 rounded-[3px] bg-panel-surface px-1 py-0.5 font-mono text-[10px] text-panel-text-0"
+                  value={carve.source}
+                  disabled={disabled}
+                  onChange={(e) => onCarveChange({ ...carve, source: e.target.value })}
+                >
+                  <option value="">Select a voice track…</option>
+                  {sourceOptions.map((o) => (
+                    <option key={o.id} value={o.id}>
+                      {o.label}
+                    </option>
+                  ))}
+                </select>
+              </label>
+              <FxParamRow
+                param={{
+                  kind: "number",
+                  key: "maxCutDb",
+                  label: "Depth",
+                  unit: "dB",
+                  min: 0,
+                  max: 24,
+                  step: 0.5,
+                  default: DEFAULT_CARVE.maxCutDb,
+                }}
+                value={carve.maxCutDb}
+                disabled={disabled}
+                onChange={(_k, v) => previewCarve({ ...carve, maxCutDb: Number(v) })}
+                onCommit={(_k, v) => onCarveChange({ ...carve, maxCutDb: Number(v) })}
+              />
+              <FxParamRow
+                param={{
+                  kind: "number",
+                  key: "bands",
+                  label: "Bands",
+                  unit: "",
+                  min: 1,
+                  max: 6,
+                  step: 1,
+                  default: DEFAULT_CARVE.bands,
+                }}
+                value={carve.bands}
+                disabled={disabled}
+                onChange={(_k, v) => previewCarve({ ...carve, bands: Number(v) })}
+                onCommit={(_k, v) => onCarveChange({ ...carve, bands: Number(v) })}
+              />
+              <FxParamRow
+                param={{
+                  kind: "number",
+                  key: "intelligibilityBias",
+                  label: "Speech bias",
+                  unit: "",
+                  min: 0,
+                  max: 1,
+                  step: 0.05,
+                  default: DEFAULT_CARVE.intelligibilityBias,
+                  hint: "At 0 the deepest cuts follow raw voice energy, which lands on the fundamental. Higher weights selection toward 1-3 kHz, where a bed actually masks a voice.",
+                }}
+                value={carve.intelligibilityBias}
+                disabled={disabled}
+                onChange={(_k, v) => previewCarve({ ...carve, intelligibilityBias: Number(v) })}
+                onCommit={(_k, v) => onCarveChange({ ...carve, intelligibilityBias: Number(v) })}
+              />
+              <button
+                type="button"
+                className="hf-fx-analyse mt-1 w-full rounded-[3px] bg-panel-surface py-1 text-[10px] text-panel-text-1 hover:text-panel-text-0 disabled:opacity-40"
+                disabled={disabled || analysing || !carve.source || !onAnalyseCarve}
+                onClick={() => onAnalyseCarve?.()}
+              >
+                {analysing ? "Analysing…" : "Analyse and apply"}
+              </button>
+            </>
+          ) : null}
+        </div>
+      ) : null}
     </div>
   );
 }