manual/include/edit-midi.html

<p>
  Ardour's handling of <dfn>MIDI editing</dfn> differs from most other DAWs
  and MIDI sequencers.
</p>

<h2>Key features of Ardour MIDI handling</h2>
<ul>
  <li>
    All editing is done in-place, in-window. There is no separate piano roll
    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
  </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.
  </li>
  <li>
	When using jackd as the audio server for Ardour, all MIDI I/O is done
	via JACK for sample accurate timing and maximal efficiency when communicating
	with external software synthesizers. Otherwise, Ardour connects to midi
	via the existing OS MIDI system.
  </li>
  <li>
    Every MIDI track has its own MIDI port for input; it may have an
    arbitrary combination of audio and MIDI outputs, depending on the signal
    processing in the track.
  </li>
  <li>
    Full automation for MIDI tracks, integrated with the handling of all MIDI
    CC data for each track.
  </li>
  <li>
    Controllers (CC data) can be set to discrete or continuous modes (the
    latter will interpolate between control points and send additional
    data).
  </li>
  <li>
    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
    the zoom level and range of visible MIDI data.
  </li>
</ul>

<h2>Notable Differences</h2>
<ul>
  <li>
    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.
  </li>
  <li>
    By default, copying a MIDI region creates a <dfn>deep link</dfn>&mdash;both
    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 &gt; 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. The region
    will no longer be trimmable back to its original length after an Unlink
    operation, and the operation cannot be undone.
  </li>
</ul>