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C#5 Pn 64 .00
By default, cells in the pattern have spaces for pitch, instrument, volume, and effect. The example above shows a C# in the 5th octave at max. velocity (64) using a piano (Pn).
Notes can be entered using a virtual piano (see below), MIDI keyboard or alphabetical text, depending on the input mode (cycle using Ctrl-Alt-M). New notes acquire the currently selected instrument (shown in the toolbar) or, if specified, use the channel's instrument setting (in Channels), which hides the instrument column:
C#5 64 .00
Notes end automatically with the start of the next note or manually with a 'note off' (===, using the ` key). All other cell values (e.g. instrument, volume, pan, depth, and effects) are simply entered as text.
Playback runs down the pattern, looping back to the start – use multiple channels (in parallel) to create chords, harmony, polyphony and other musical parts.
Move around the pattern using the cursor keys (←, ↑, →, ↓), tabbing (⇤, ⇥) to move between channels, and Page Up/Down (or fn-▲/▼ on Mac) to jump up or down quickly. While the mouse can be used, with a little practice, the keyboard is much faster.
Use the following tips and keyboard shortcuts to recreate the chord sequence from Jan Hammer's "Crockett's Theme" (from Miami Vice - link):
- The first three channels use a warm synth pad (P2), which has already been specified in the channels' settings (F3, or Channels button), hiding the cells' instrument column.
- As a guide, the pitches of the required chords are shown in red labels, at the appropriate time and position in the pattern. Use the keyboard to place corresponding notes in each labelled cell using the virtual piano (NB: the label will automatically move out of the way when you're in the cell):
` 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 - = ← ⇥ Q W E R T Y U I O P [ ] ⏎ Caps A S D F G H J K L ; ' # Shift \ Z X C V B N M , . / Shift - Use the playback shortcuts (i.e. Space) to listen to the pattern as you work. Other useful keyboard shortcuts are listed below.
- When done, click 2 (top) to move to the next step.
| General | |
| Page Up / Dn | Move cursor by bar. |
| Tab / Shift-Tab | Skip to next / previous channel. |
| Ctrl −/= | Increment / decrement base octave. |
| Playback | |
| Space | Start / stop playback from cursor. |
| Alt-Space | Play from start. |
| Ctrl-Space | Stop / reset playback. |
| Editing | |
| Delete | Delete current note from channel. |
| Backspace | Delete previous row from channel. |
| Shift-Return | Insert blank note in channel. |
| . (period) | Erase data at cursor. |
| Ctrl-Alt-M | Cycle input mode (piano/MIDI/text). |
| ` (left of 1) | Enter a Note Off. |
Selecting blocks of cells to move, copy and edit them collectively enables a faster way of working. As in other programs, selections are made by holding Shift while navigating around the pattern with the keyboard (using cursors, Page Up/Dn, Tab, etc.).
An important use of selections is in combination with the clipboard, which allows you to cut (⌘X), copy (⌘C) and paste (⌘V) data within the pattern. By default, the program will insert the clipboard data at the cursor, moving existing data down. However, other clipboard functions are also available, such as overwrite (Alt-⌘V), which replaces data, and mix (⌘M), where only empty cells are filled.
The clipboard is especially useful when you have repeating elements, allowing you to write once, then quickly make several copies - either as repeats, or the basis for variations on the original themes.
Using the clipboard, finish the drum part for your chord progression:
- One beat of a drum pattern has been provided for you in the first 4 rows of Channels 4 to 6 (grey). The fragment includes dynamics (volume entries) and timing variation (note delay, SDx).
- You can move the editing cursor over any unfamiliar term and press ⌘H (Help) to find out what it means (Escape will return you to this page).
- At the moment, these channels are disabled (muted). Move the cursor to Channel 4, then press Alt-M to enable it – repeating for the next two channels to unmute the drum part.
- Using the cursors and Shift, select all cells in the drum pattern and copy (⌘C) them to the clipboard.
- Now move the cursor to the top left of the existing drum pattern and repeatedly paste (⌘V) to insert multiple copies into the pattern. Notice how the existing data is moved down as the clipboard data is inserted. Repeat until the drum part fills the pattern.
- Press Alt-Space to play the pattern from the beginning (without having to move the cursor). When ready, click 3 (top) to move to the final step.
| Playback | |
| Alt-M / Alt-9 | Mute / unmute current channel. |
| Alt-0 | Solo / unsolo current channel. |
| Alt-1 to Alt-8 | Mute / unmute channel 1 to 8. |
| Selection | |
| Shift-Cursor | Create selection. |
| ⌘A | Select all (channel/pattern). |
| ⌘U | Unselect current selection. |
| Clipboard | |
| ⌘X / ⌘C | Cut / Copy selection to clipboard. |
| ⌘V | Paste (insert) clipboard at cursor. |
| Alt-⌘V | Paste (overwrite) clipboard at cursor. |
| ⌘M | Paste (mix) clipboard at cursor. |
Selections are also used to edit multiple cells at once – transposing their pitch, switching instruments, or automating tasks that would otherwise be labourious (see the keyboard shortcuts, below). Combining clipboard with such editing functionality supports a very fast way of entering and editing music.
Using the clipboard and selections, create a bass part for the piece:
- The first two notes of a bass part are shown in Channel 7 (blue). Unmute the channel, select the notes, and use the clipboard to have them repeat throughout the entire length of pattern.
- Because we have simply repeated the notes, they do not follow our chord changes. However, the channel is annotated with pitch suggestions for a bass line that would fit, and we can use selections to easily make the changes.
- Select the eight-row section of the bass part labelled 'F', cursor to the pitch column, and hold Alt while using the ↑ and ↓ cursor to transpose the pitches up to match. Complete the bass part by selecting and transposing the remaining sections accordingly, then audition the pattern.
To finish the piece, add the melody:
- Space has been left in Channel 8 (yellow) for you to transcribe the following melody:
- The part begins on D-6, on the second beat of the bar, following a 'rest' (musical pause).
- Think carefully about note timing and duration, and how the score relates to the pattern grid.
- If you're new to score notation, you can hover the mouse over each note to reveal its pitch and timing. For a further hint, click notes to see them inserted.
| Selection | |
| Shift-Cursor | Create selection. |
| ⌘A | Select all (channel/pattern). |
| ⌘U | Unselect current selection. |
| Clipboard | |
| ⌘X / ⌘C | Cut / Copyselection to clipboard. |
| ⌘V | Paste (insert) clipboard at cursor. |
| Editing | |
| Alt-Up/Down | Transpose current note or selection up/down one semitone. |
| Alt-S | Set selection to current instrument. |
| Alt-K | Interpolate volume (within selection). (x2 clears volumes in selection) |
| Alt-X | Interpolate effects (within selection). (x2 clears effects in selection) |
| Alt-F/G | Stretch to double / half length. |