The Step Editor provides several unique methods for creating and editing MIDI events. In some situations, manual entry of MIDI note and controller events is more efficient than performing and recording them. One example would be the creation of 1/16 note hi-hats in a region when the tempo is 180 bpm, which would be difficult to play.
You can also record events with a MIDI keyboard, and then refine your performances in the Step Editor.
With the Pencil tool, click a time position in the appropriate lane.
Drag up or down to alter the event value before you release the mouse button.
With the Pencil tool, drag horizontally over the time position on the appropriate lane.
This action results in a freehand curve of new events that follows the (vertical and horizontal) Pencil tool movements in the lane.
Select the Line tool.
Hold the Line tool down at a position on the lane.
A help tag appears, showing the exact position and event (step) value.
Drag the Line tool over the steps you want to edit. This can be to the right or left.
As you move the Line tool, a line trails behind it with the exact position and event value shown in a help tag.
Release the Line tool to change the values of several event beams, aligned along the line.
Note: You can use the Line tool to alter values for all MIDI events in the Step Editor. However, it is not possible to create MIDI note events with the Line tool.
Select the Line tool.
Click a position in the appropriate lane.
A help tag appears, showing the exact position and event value in the top line.
Drag the Line tool to the right or left over positions where you want to create or edit steps.
As you drag the Line tool, a line trails behind it with the exact position and event value shown in a help tag.
Release the Line tool, press and hold it again at the same position, and then drag it to a new position.
Another line is immediately drawn from the end point of the original line.
Select the Line tool.
Click a position on the appropriate lane.
A help tag appears, showing the exact position and event value in the top line.
Move the pointer to the end point of the line (to the right or left).
As you move the pointer, a line trails behind the Line tool, with the exact position and event value shown in a help tag.
Press and hold Option when releasing the Line tool.
The values of existing events in the area between the line start and end points are aligned along the line (creating a crescendo, for example). New events are created at every (unoccupied) grid value.
You can assign a fixed value when creating event steps. When enabled, the Fix Value item in the Lane Set pop-up menu prevents any event value from being altered with the Pointer or Pencil tool.
This is ideal when adding steps with the Pencil tool, as all are assigned the value of the previously selected event. This allows you to draw a succession of events with the same value, such as a row of 1/16 note hi-hats, for example.
Choose Fix Value from the Lane Set pop-up menu.
Click any existing event with the Pencil tool to use its value as a preset.
In Fix Value mode, it’s impossible to alter an event value by clicking it.
Note: When adding events with the Line tool in Fix Value mode, the preset value is always used as the starting value of the line.