PIANO ROLL

Strum Tool

The Strum tool shifts the timing and velocity of the individual notes in chords to simulate strumming (guitar playing for example). The tool works by treating any overlapping notes, that share the same start time, as belonging to the same chord. The pop-up controls allow control of the relative start time, velocity and end time of the note group (see the example picture below).

Controls

Start

The Start section lets you modify note start times and/or velocity. Enable this section by activating the LED in the top left corner.

  • Time: Shifts the start time of chord notes to create strumming effects.
    • Start knob - Adjusts the start time offset applied to the notes. A positive shift strums from low to high notes, while a negative shift strums from high to low notes. Think about the string/note order depending on an up or down strum, on a guitar, for example. Down contacts low to high strings. Up contacts high to low strings in the chord.
    • Tension knob - Adjusts the strum 'tension', i.e. acceleration. Set a positive value to accelerate the strum or a negative value to decelerate it.
  • Velocity: Increase or decrease the velocity (volume) of the subsequent notes in strummed chords.
    • Start knob - Adjusts the change in velocity applied to successive notes. A positive value decreases the velocity with each note, while a negative value increases it.
    • Tension knob - Adjusts the velocity acceleration or 'tension'. Set a positive value to accelerate the velocity change with each note or a negative value to decelerate velocity.
  • Preserve end - Enable this option to preserve the end time of the affected notes (note that the End section can still modify the end time) thus modifying the notes' length.
  • Trigger ahead - Enables the strum to 'straddle' the start-time of the selected notes (before and after).

End

Enable this section by activating the LED in the top left corner. The End section modifies note end time.

  • Time: Shifts the end time of chord notes.
    • Start knob - Adjusts the amount of time shift applied to the end of the notes. You can also apply a negative shift.
    • Tension knob - Adjusts the strum 'tension', i.e. acceleration. Set a positive value to accelerate the effect with time, or a negative value to decelerate it.

Misc

  • Chop chords - Where notes (or chords) overlap previously held chords an automatic chop will be made to create a new strum.
  • Alternate direction - Alternates the strum direction (top to bottom, bottom to top) of the Piano roll (single notes are ignored when counting reversal events).

Action buttons

  • Reset - Reset the tool to the default state.
  • Accept - Accept changes and close the tool. Note, these changes can be subsequently undone using the Current project History or Ctrl+Z.