Inserting Note Events via Step Input

Step Input allows you to insert note events or chords one at a time, without worrying about the exact timing. This is useful, for example, when you know the part to record but are not able to play it exactly as you want it.

Procedure

  1. Right-click the Key Editor toolbar, and activate Step/MIDI Input.
  2. In the Step/MIDI Input section, activate Step Input.
  3. Open the Length Quantize pop-up menu, and select a value to determine the length of the note events or chords that you want to insert.
    Note

    If you set the Length Quantize value to Quantize Link, the note length is determined by the Quantize value.

  4. Open the Quantize pop-up menu, and select a value to determine the step length, that is, the position of the following note events or chords that you want to insert.
  5. Set the project cursor to the position where you want the first note event or chord to start.
  6. Do one of the following:

    • To insert a note event or a chord, press one or several keys on your MIDI instrument.

      Note

      The length of the inserted note event or chord is determined by the Length Quantize value.

    • To lengthen/shorten the note event or chord while inserting it, press one or several keys on your MIDI instrument, and press Right Arrow/Left Arrow while you hold the keys.

      Note

      The initial length of the inserted note event or chord is determined by the Length Quantize value. However, the lengthening/shortening factor is determined by the Quantize value.

    The step input cursor is displayed with blue a handle in the ruler, and a vertical line in the note display.

    The note event or chord is inserted and the step input cursor automatically jumps to the next position on the timeline that is determined by the Quantize value.

    Note

    You can move the step input cursor manually by clicking in the note display, or by pressing Right Arrow/Left Arrow.

  7. Optional: To insert a rest, press the Right Arrow key. This advances the step input cursor by one step.
  8. Repeat the steps above to insert further note events or chords.
  9. When you are done, click Step Input again to deactivate step input.