<h2>Adding new notes</h2>
<p>
- In general, you will probably do most MIDI editing with the mouse in object
- mode. This allows you to select notes, copy, move or delete them and alter
- their properties (see below). But at some point, you're going to want to
- <em>add</em> notes to a MIDI region using the mouse, and if they are to be
- anything other than a fixed length, this means dragging with the mouse.
- Since this would normally be a selection operation if the mouse is in object
- mode, there needs to be some way for you to tell Ardour that you are trying
- to <dfn>draw</dfn> new notes within a MIDI region. Ardour provides two ways
- do this. One is to leave the mouse in object mode and
- <kbd class="mouse mod1">Left</kbd>-drag. The other, useful if you plan to
- enter a lot of notes for a while, is to switch the mouse into
+ In general, most MIDI editing will probably be done with the mouse in object
+ mode. This allows to select notes, copy, move or delete them and alter their
+ properties (see below). But at some point, <em>adding</em> notes to a MIDI
+ region using the mouse will mean dragging with the mouse. Since this would
+ normally be a selection operation if the mouse is in object mode, there needs
+ to be some way to tell Ardour that the user is trying to <dfn>draw</dfn> new
+ notes within a MIDI region. Ardour provides two ways do this. One is to leave
+ the mouse in object mode and <kbd class="mouse mod1">Left</kbd>-drag. The
+ other, useful to enter a lot of notes for a while, is to switch the mouse into
<kbd class="menu">Draw Notes</kbd> mode, which will now interpret any drags
- and clicks as requests to add a new note. For obvious reasons, you cannot
- use Draw Notes mode while using region-level editing.
+ and clicks as requests to add a new note. For obvious reasons, Draw Notes mode
+ can not be used while using region-level editing.
</p>
<p>So, to summarize:</p>
<table class="dl">
- <tr><th>Selecting, moving, copying, trimming, deleting <em>regions</em></th>
- <td>
- leave <kbd class="menu">Note Level Editing</kbd> disabled, use object,
- range or other mouse modes
- </td></tr>
- <tr><th>Selecting, moving, copying trimming, deleting <em>notes</em></th>
- <td>enable <kbd class="menu">Note Level Editing</kbd>and use mouse object mode</td></tr>
- <tr><th>Adding new notes</th>
- <td>
- enable "Note Level Editing" and then either
- <ul>
- <li>use mouse object mode and <kbd class="mouse mod1">Left</kbd>-drag,
- or</li>
- <li>use mouse draw mode.</li>
- </ul>
- </td></tr>
+ <tr><th>Selecting, moving, copying, trimming, deleting <em>regions</em></th>
+ <td><kbd class="menu">Note Level Editing</kbd> disabled, using object,
+ range or other mouse modes</td></tr>
+ <tr><th>Selecting, moving, copying trimming, deleting <em>notes</em></th>
+ <td><kbd class="menu">Note Level Editing</kbd> enabled, and using mouse object mode</td></tr>
+ <tr><th>Adding new notes</th>
+ <td>enabling "Note Level Editing" and then either
+ <ul>
+ <li>using mouse object mode and <kbd class="mouse mod1">Left</kbd>-drag, or</li>
+ <li>using mouse draw mode.</li>
+ </ul>
+ </td></tr>
</table>
<p>
- Note that is also a
- <a href="@@step-entry">a step entry editor</a>
- allowing you to enter notes from a virtual keyboard and lots more besides.
+ Note that is also a <a href="@@step-entry">a step entry editor</a> allowing to
+ enter notes from a virtual keyboard and lots more besides.
</p>
-
often desirable to do so as part of editing/arranging.
</p>
<p>
- To create a new MIDI region, simply <kbd class="mouse">Left</kbd>-click in
- a MIDI track. A region will be created that is one bar long. You can
- <a href="@@trimming-regions">trim</a> it to any
- length you want.
+ Create a new MIDI region is as simple as <kbd
+ class="mouse">Left</kbd>-clicking in a MIDI track. A region will be created
+ that is one bar long. It can then be <a href="@@trimming-regions">trimmed</a>
+ to any length desired.
</p>
<p>
- Once you have created a region, you will probably want to
- <a href="@@add-new-notes">Add some notes to it</a>.
+ Once a region has been created, <a href="@@add-new-notes">some notes</a>
+ should be added to it.
</p>
-
<ul>
<li>
All editing is done in-place, in-window. There is no separate piano roll
- window or pane. Edit notes right where you see them.
+ window or pane. Edit notes right where they appear.
</li>
<li>
MIDI, just like audio, exists in regions. MIDI regions behave like audio
- regions: they can be moved, trimmed, copied (cloned), or deleted. Ardour allows
- either editing MIDI (or audio) regions, or MIDI region content (the notes), but
- never both at the same time. The <kbd class="menu">e</kbd> key (by default)
- toggles between region level and note level editing
+ regions: they can be moved, trimmed, copied (cloned), or deleted. Ardour
+ allows either editing MIDI (or audio) regions, or MIDI region content (the
+ notes), but never both at the same time. The <kbd class="menu">e</kbd> key
+ (by default) toggles between region level and note level editing
</li>
<li>
- Editing note information in Ardour occurs in only a single region. There is no
- way currently to edit in note data for multiple regions at the same time, so for
- example notes cannot be selected in several regions and then all deleted, nor
- can they be copied-and-pasted from one region to another. Region(s), though, can
- be copy-pasted just as with audio.
+ Editing note information in Ardour occurs in only a single region. There is
+ no way currently to edit in note data for multiple regions at the same time,
+ so for example notes cannot be selected in several regions and then all
+ deleted, nor can they be copied-and-pasted from one region to another.
+ Region(s), though, can be copy-pasted just as with audio.
</li>
<li>
All MIDI I/O is done via JACK for sample accurate timing and maximal
data).
</li>
<li>
- There is a Normal and a Percussive mode for note data editing.
+ There is a Normal and a Percussive mode for note data editing.
</li>
<li>
The <dfn>scroomer</dfn> is a combination scroll/zoom tool for altering
<h2>Notable Differences</h2>
<ul>
<li>
- Fader (volume) control currently operates on transmitted MIDI data, not by sending CC
- #7.
+ Fader (volume) control currently operates on transmitted MIDI data, not by
+ sending CC #7.
</li>
<li>
- All note/data editing is per-region. There are no cross-region operations at this
- time.
+ All note/data editing is per-region. There are no cross-region operations at
+ this time.
</li>
<li>
By default, copying a MIDI region creates a <dfn>deep link</dfn>—both
- regions share the same data source, and edits to the contents of
- one will affect the other. To break this link, select
- <kbd class="menu">MIDI > Unlink from other copies</kbd> from the region
+ regions share the same data source, and edits to the contents of one will
+ affect the other. Breaking this link is done by selecting <kbd
+ class="menu">MIDI > Unlink from other copies</kbd> from the region
context menu, after which the selected region(s) will have their own copies
- of <em>only</em> the data that they visually display on screen. You will not
- be able to trim the region back its original length after an Unlink operation,
- and the operation cannot be undone.
+ of <em>only</em> the data that they visually display on screen. The region
+ will no longer be trimmable back to its original length after an Unlink
+ operation, and the operation cannot be undone.
</li>
</ul>
-
associated. So, the first playlist for a track called "Cowbell" will be called
"Cowbell.1", the next one "Cowbell.2", etc. This name can be changed at any
time, to anything: Ardour does not require playlist names to be unique,
- although it will make the user's life easier if they are. Suggested examples
+ although it will make the user's life easier if they are. Suggested examples
of user-assigned names for a playlist might include <kbd class="input"> Lead
Guitar, 2nd take</kbd>, <kbd class="input">vocals (quiet)</kbd>, and <kbd
- class="input">downbeat cuica</kbd>. Notice how these might be different from the
+ class="input">downbeat cuica</kbd>. These might be different from the
associated track names, which for these examples might be <kbd
class="input">Lead Guitar</kbd>, <kbd class="input">Vocals</kbd> and <kbd
class="input">Cuica</kbd>. The playlist name provides more information because
<p class="note">Using the fact that playlist names are based on the active one with
an incremented version number, one can rename a playlist "Cowbell take.1" so that
- the next playlist crated is automatically named "Cowbell take.2" etc. This allows
+ the next playlist created is automatically named "Cowbell take.2" etc. This allows
for a quick way to label different takes.
</p>
<h3>Using Playlists for Parallel Processing</h3>
<p>
- One of the uses of playlists is to apply multiple effects to the same
- audio stream. For example, let's say you would like to apply two
- different non-linear effects such as distortion or compression to the
- same audio source (for linear effects, you could just apply them one after
- the other in the same track).<br>
- Create a new track, apply the original track's playlist, and
- then apply effects to both tracks independently.
+ One of the uses of playlists is to apply multiple effects to the same audio
+ stream. For example, applying two different non-linear effects such as
+ distortion or compression to the same audio source (linear effects can be just
+ applied one after the other in the same track) can be done by creating a new
+ track, applying the original track's playlist, and then applying effects to
+ both tracks independently.
</p>
<p class="note">
- The same result could be achieved by feeding your track to multiple busses which
- then contain the processing, but this increases the overall latency,
+ The same result could be achieved by feeding the track to multiple busses
+ which then contain the processing, but this increases the overall latency,
complicates routing and uses more space in the Mixer window.
</p>
<h2>Using Playlists for "Takes"</h2>
<p>
- Using Playlists for <dfn>takes</dfn> is a good solution if you are going
- to need the ability to edit individual takes, and select between them.
+ Using Playlists for <dfn>takes</dfn> is a good solution when one needs the
+ ability to edit individual takes, and select between them.
</p>
<p>
- Each time you start a new take, create a new playlist with
- <kbd class="menu">p > New</kbd>
- Later, you can Select your way back to previous or later takes as
- desired.
+ Each time a new take is started, a new playlist should be created with <kbd
+ class="menu">p > New</kbd>. Thus, later, any previous or later takes can be
+ selected as desired.
</p>
<p>
- If you want to create a composite edit from multiple takes, create a new
- track to assemble the final version, and "cherry pick" from the playlists
- in the original track by copying regions over as required.<br>
- Alternatively, record each successive take on top of the
- others in "layers" and then edit them using the layer tools, explained
- later.
+ Creating a composite edit from multiple takes, can be achieved either:
</p>
+<ul>
+ <li>by creating a new track to assemble the final version, and "cherry picking" from
+ the playlists in the original track by copying regions over as required</li>
+ <li>by recording each successive take on top of the others in "layers" and then
+ editing them using the layer tools.</li>
+</ul>
<h2>Using Playlists for Multi-Language Productions</h2>
<p>
- The same approach as for takes is useful when you are recording or
- editing content in multiple versions, such as dubbed movie dialog in
- several languages, and you want all versions on the same track, to
- get the same processing. <br>
- Select the appropriate language before exporting the session.
+ The same approach as for takes is useful when recording or editing content in
+ multiple versions, such as dubbed movie dialog in several languages : having
+ all versions on the same track allows to apply the same processing, making it
+ easy to switch language before exporting the session.
</p>
-
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