manual/include/add-new-notes.html

<p>
  MIDI notes can be added a few different way in Ardour:
<p>

<h2 id="add-new-notes-using-the-mouse">Using the mouse</h2>

<p>
  Drawing notes with the mouse requires that a MIDI track <a
  href="@@create-midi-tracks">exists</a>, and a blank MIDI region has
  been <a href="@@create-midi-regions">created</a> in this track.
</p>
<p>
  In either <em>Draw</em> or <em>Internal Edit</em> <a
  href="@@toolbox">Mode</a> new notes can be added with a click or
  drag: a mouse <em>click</em> creates a note at the pointer location
  (or the nearest grid anchor if grid is enabled), and its duration is
  one <a href="@@grid-controls">Grid unit</a>. A mouse <em>drag</em>
  creates the note like a click does, but allows continuously setting
  the duration of the note until the mouse button is released.
</p>

<p>
  The toolbar available in the <dfn>Draw</dfn> mode helps drawing notes
  of exact length, in a certain MIDI channel, with predefined velocity:
</p>

<figure>
<img style="width:75%" src="/images/midi-draw-toolbar.png" alt="MIDI draw toolbar">
<figcaption>MIDI draw toolbar</figcaption>
</figure>

<p>
  While the <dfn>Velocity</dfn> drop-down list only displays presets,
  you can hover it and use mouse wheel scrolling to increment the current
  value by 1. Scrolling above the other two drop-down lists will cycle
  through the presets.
</p>

<p>
  The <dfn>Auto</dfn> option in three drop-down lists works differently
  in all three cases:
</p>

<table class="dl">
  <tr>
    <th>Length</th>
    <td>The length will be defined by the grid snapping setting</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <th>Channel</th>
    <td>This value will be inherited from the closest note</td>
  </tr>
  <tr>
    <th>Velocity</th>
    <td>The value will be an interpolation between two closest notes,
    the position of the newly added note relative to either of the two
    notes will also be taken into consideration</td>
  </tr>
</table>

<h2 id="add-new-notes-using-step-entry">Using Step Entry</h2>

<p>
  The <a href="@@step-entry">Step Entry editor</a> allows to enter a
  melody in sequence along time, using a virtual keyboard and specific
  controls. It can be a very handy and fast way to create MIDI lines, in a
  kind of typewriter way, all the more when using its different
  keyboard shortcuts.
</p>
<p>
  The Step Entry window is shown by <kbd class="mouse">right</kbd>
  clicking the record button in the <a
  href="@@midi-track-controls">MIDI track header</a> and selecting <kbd
  class="menu">Step Entry</kbd>. This will automatically create a MIDI
  region to type into at the playhead position, which will automatically expand at each step.
</p>

<h2 id="add-new-notes-using-the-virtual-keyboard">Using the Virtual Keyboard</h2>

<p>
  The <a href="@@virtual-keyboard">Virtual MIDI Keyboard</a> &mdash; or
  a real MIDI keyboard plugged in as the tracks input &mdash; can be
  used to record MIDI, as a microphone would record audio.
</p>
<p>
  It can be started by choosing the <kbd class="menu">Window &gt;
  Virtual Keyboard</kbd> menu. Exactly like for audio recording, the
  track(s) must be armed for recording, the main record engaged, then
  the transport started. As for the Step Entry, a MIDI region will be
  auto-generated at the playhead position, and expanded as long as the
  recording lasts.
</p>