# Notes editor JJazzLab embeds a Midi notes editor which is used to [**edit user tracks**](#edit-a-user-track) or [**song part custom phrases**](#edit-a-custom-phrase-for-a-song-part)**.**

Melodic track. Below is the velocity panel.

Below is the simplified score panel (non-editable)

## Opening the notes editor ### Edit a user track The notes editor is automatically opened when you [add a user track](https://jjazzlab.gitbook.io/user-guide/mix-console#adding-user-tracks). For existing user tracks, click the edit button in the track overview component, as shown below.

Rhythm tracks can also be edited with the notes editor by cloning them first as a user track :

### Edit a Custom phrase for a song part In the song structure editor, click the top-left button of a Custom phrase rhythm parameter:

Then select the phrases you wish to customize and press Edit to open the notes editor.

## Moving and zooming You can move the editor by pressing **ctrl + dragging** in the top ruler as shown below:

You can use the main application zoom sliders in the lower right corner, or use **ctrl+mouse-wheel** for horizontal zoom, **ctrl+shift+mouse-wheel** for vertical zoom. Use **ctrl-F** to zoom to fit width.

## Playback controls Use the toolbar button shown in the image below, or press **ctrl-shift-SPACE,** to play **in loop mode** the edited phrase, or the [playback loop zone](#playback-loop-zone) if it is set.

Press **ctrl-SPACE** to start playback : * from the [playback loop zone](#playback-loop-zone) if it is set * from the bar of the first selected note * if no note selected, from the first visible bar Other controls:

### Playback loop zone A playback loop zone can be set by **mouse dragging** in the top **ruler**. Use **shift+click** in the ruler to extend the loop zone. **Click** in the ruler to remove the loop zone.

Use the toolbar button (see above) of press **ctrl-shift-spac**e to start playing the loop zone. ## Snap to grid Use the **Snap to grid** button (or press **G**) to snap notes to the grid when you draw/move/resize them. The size of the grid can be set using the drop-down list (1/4=quarter note, 1/8=quaver, ...):

{% hint style="info" %} When you move or resize notes with the **Select tool**, you can temporarily reverse the "snap to grid" setting by pressing **alt**. {% endhint %} To change the position of existing notes, use [Quantize](#quantize-notes). ## Edit tools You can use 3 tools to modify notes: **select tool**, **draw tool**, **erase tool**. The 2 first edit tools are sensitive to the [snap to grid](#snap-to-grid) settings. Tools can be selected using buttons from the notes editor top toolbar, or by right-clicking in the editor:

Use the **select tool** to select, move, resize, copy/cut (**ctrl-C/X**), delete notes (press **Delete**). Use **ctrl-V** to paste notes. {% hint style="danger" %} How to control at which position notes are pasted ? * If a note is selected, the first pasted note is aligned with that selected note * If no notes selected, the first pasted note is aligned to the left side of the notes editor The new pasted notes are automatically selected, so you can move them to the appropriate position if required. {% endhint %} **Drag** to select several notes. Use **ctrl-drag** notes to duplicate notes. **ctrl-shift-I** invert the notes selection.

Use the **draw tool** to draw notes, and the **erase tool** to erase notes.

## Changing notes velocity Notes color vary with their velocity. There are several way to change notes velocity, as shown below. #### Using the main editor panel First select the notes to change. Then either use the velocity spinner in the toolbar, or use **alt + mouse-wheel** or **alt + page up/down**.

#### Using the velocity panel **Click** or **mouse-drag** on notes to adjust their velocity.

## Quantize & humanize notes Use the **Quantize** button or press **Q** to move the selected notes start position on the current grid. If no note selected, all notes are quantized. Check the **Iterative** box to perform iterative quantize : notes are gradually moved towards the grid. This is usually recommended to avoid a too mechanical sound.

You can also **humanize** all or selected notes. Humanization introduces slight random variations in the notes start position and velocity. Use the **Humanize** button on the left, or press **ctrl-H** to show the Humanize dialog.

Once you clicked the Humanize button, you can adjust the humanization parameters and see the different results. #### Example This bass line is very uniform: all notes have the same velocity and are quantized. This sounds too "robotic".

We can use the Humanize dialog to improve this, as shown below.

## Simplified score panel This panel shows a **simplified musical notation:** notes positions are just aligned with the editor notes, without any embellishment. The score panel is **NOT** editable.

Simplified score panel below the piano roll

Use the **Octave** display transposition if notes are too low or too high to be seen in the score panel. This only impacts the display in the panel, notes are not actually transposed. ## Importing notes You can import notes by dragging an external Midi file into the editor. You can also drag from an individual track in the mix console.

{% hint style="warning" %} If the imported Midi file contains notes from several Midi channels, then JazzLab **only imports the notes which match the editor Midi channel.** If the imported Midi file only contains notes from a single channel, then JJazzLab imports the notes with the channel updated to the editor Midi channel. {% endhint %} ## Mouse shortcuts

Selection	Mouse	Action
Notes	ctrl-click	select multiple notes
Editor	drag	select multiple notes
Notes	drag	move/resize
Notes	ctrl-drag	duplicate notes
Notes	alt-drag	move/resize with snap-to-grid setting reversed
Notes	alt-wheel	change velocity
Editor	wheel	move editor up down
Editor	shift mouse-wheel	movbe editor left right
Editor	ctrl mouse-wheel	zoom in/out horizontally
Editor	ctrl-shift mouse-wheel	zoom in/out vertically
Editor	ctrl-drag	Move editor
Ruler	drag	set playback loop zone
Ruler	shift-click	extend playback loop zone
Ruler	click	remove playback loop zone

## Keyboard shortcuts | Selection | Key | Action | | --------- | ---------------- | -------------------------------------------------------- | | Notes | alt-up/down | change velocity | | Notes | ctrl-C/X/V | copy/cut/paste notes | | Notes | delete | delete notes | | Notes | ctrl-shift-I | invert notes selection | | Notes | ctrl-H | open humanize dialog | | Notes | Q | quantize selected notes (or all no selection) | | Editor | ctrl-F | zoom to fit notes | | Editor | G | snap-to-grid | | Editor | A | auto-scroll during playback | | Editor | S | solo the edited phrase | | Editor | H | hear the selected notes | | Editor | Home/End | Move editor to start/end | | Editor | ctrl-shift-space | play the loop zone (if set) or whole phrase | | Editor | ctrl-space | play from loop zone (if set) or from first selected note | | Editor | ctrl-Z/Y | undo/redo |