5.0

196
The MIDI editors
Ö With the Pencil tool and the Line tool in Paint mode, the
quantize value determines the “density” of created control-
ler curves (if Snap is activated, see “Snap” on page 187).
For very smooth curves, you should use a small quantize value or turn off
Snap. However, this will create a very large number of MIDI events, which
can cause MIDI playback to “stutter” in some situations. A medium-low
density is often sufficient.
• Clicking and dragging with the Line tool in Line mode
shows a line in the controller lane, and creates events with
values aligned to this line.
This is the best way to draw linear controller ramps. If you press [Alt]/[Op-
tion], no new events are created – use this mode for modifying existing
controller curves.
• The Parabola mode works in the same way, but aligns
the values to a parabola curve instead, giving more “natu-
ral” curves and fades.
Note that the result depends on the direction from which you draw the
parabola.
• In Parabola mode, you can use modifier keys to deter-
mine the shape of the parabola curve.
If you press [Ctrl]/[Command], the parabola curve will be reversed. If you
press [Alt]/[Option]-[Ctrl]/[Command] while Snap is activated, you can
change the position of the whole curve (in both cases the snap value for
the positioning will be a quarter of the quantize value). If you press [Shift],
the exponent will be increased or decreased.
Ö In Line and Parabola modes, the length quantize value
determines the “density” of created controller curves (if
Snap is activated).
For very smooth curves, you should use a small length quantize value or
turn off Snap. To avoid over-dense controller curves (which may cause
MIDI playback to “stutter”), use a medium-low density.
• The Sine, Triangle and Square modes create events
with values aligned to continuous curves.
In these modes, the quantize value determines the period of the curve
(the length of one curve “cycle”) and the length quantize value deter-
mines the density of the events (the lower the length quantize note value,
the smoother the curve).
• In Sine, Triangle and Square mode you can also use
modifier keys to determine the shape of the curve.
If you press [Ctrl]/[Command] you can change the phase of the beginning
of the curve, if you press [Alt]/[Option]-[Ctrl]/[Command] while snap is ac-
tivated you can change the position of the whole curve (in both cases the
snap value for the positioning will be a quarter of the quantize value).
Ö You can also set the curve period freely by holding
down [Shift] when you insert events in Sine, Triangle or
Square mode.
Activate Snap, [Shift]-click and drag to set the length of one period. The
period length will be a multiple of the quantize value.
• In Triangle and Square mode, you can press [Shift]-
[Ctrl]/[Command] to change the maximum position of the
triangle curve (to create sawtooth curves) or the pulse of
the square curve. As in other modes, you can press [Alt]/
Converting a controller curve to a ramp using the
Line tool.