Notes editor
Last updated
Last updated
JJazzLab embeds a Midi notes editor which is used to edit user tracks or song part custom phrases.
The notes editor is automatically opened when you add a user track. 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 :
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.
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.
Use the toolbar button, or press ctrl-shift-SPACE, to start the playback in loop mode of the edited phrase, or of the playback loop zone if it is set.
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 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, ...):
When you move or resize notes with the Select tool, you can temporarily reverse the "snap to grid" setting by pressing alt.
To change the position of existing notes, use Quantize.
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 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 (ctrl-C), delete notes (press delete). Drag to select several notes. Use ctrl-drag notes to duplicate notes. ctrl-shift-I invert the notes selection.
If one or more notes are selected, pasted notes are aligned with the first selected note. If no notes selected, pasted notes are aligned to the left side of the notes editor.
Use the draw tool to draw notes, and the erase tool to erase notes.
Notes color vary with their velocity.
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.
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.
Once you clicked the Humanize button, you can adjust the humanization parameters and see the different results.
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.
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.
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-wheel | movbe editor left right |
Editor | ctrl-wheel | zoom horizontally |
Editor | ctrl-shift-wheel | zoom vertically |
Editor | right-click | select edit tool |
Ruler | drag | set playback loop zone |
Ruler | shift-click | extend playback loop zone |
Ruler | click | remove playback loop zone |
Ruler | ctrl-drag | move editor |
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 |
Editor | ctrl-F | zoom to fit notes |
Editor | Q | quantize |
Editor | G | snap-to-grid |
Editor | A | auto-scroll during playback |
Editor | S | solo the edited phrase |
Editor | H | hear the selected notes |
Editor | ctrl-alt-space | play the edited phrase |
Editor | ctrl-Z/Y | undo/redo |
