Add notes

Add notes in the Piano Roll Editor

You can add notes in the Piano Roll Editor using either the Pencil tool or the Brush tool. You can also add notes with your computer keyboard. For more information, see Use step input recording techniques.

Tip: The info display in the Piano Roll Editor menu bar shows the note name and time position under the pointer. Watch the info display as you add notes with the pointer to ensure that you add them at the correct position.

Add a note

Do one of the following:

  • Control-click the Piano Roll Editor background, then choose Create Note from the shortcut menu.

  • Select the Pencil tool, then click the start position for the note.

The newly created note’s length, velocity, and channel match that of the previously created or edited note event. When you start a new project, the default values are a length of 240 ticks, a velocity of 80, and MIDI channel 1.

Note: When you create a note using the Pencil tool, you can edit the length of notes on the fly. Simply hold down the mouse button and drag left or right.

Add a note of a specific length

  • Select the Pencil tool, click the start position for the note, then drag right or left.

    Figure. Dragging with Pencil tool to create note of specific length.

A help tag shows the length change in real time.

Finer adjustments can be made by holding down Option or Control while altering the note length (see Snap items to the Piano Roll Editor grid).

Add notes based on defined time and pitch settings

Do either of the following:

  • Select the Brush tool, then drag right or left.

    The repetition rate of added notes is based on the current Time Quantize settings, and the pitch based on the current value Scale Quantize settings.

  • Select the Brush tool, drag right or left, then press and release Shift while dragging.

    This restricts all notes to the same pitch.

Duplicate an existing note at another position or pitch

  1. Do one of the following:

    • Control-click the original note, then choose Define as Default Note from the shortcut menu.

    • Click the original note with the Pencil tool.

    Note: Editing an existing note also defines it as the default note.

  2. Click a position in the Piano Roll Editor background with the Pencil tool.

The new note’s length, velocity, and channel are the same as the default note.