Key Editor

The Key Editor is the default MIDI editor. It displays notes graphically in a piano roll-style grid. The Key Editor allows for detailed editing of notes and non-note events, such as MIDI controllers.

You can open the Key Editor in a separate window or in a tab in the lower zone of the Project window. Opening the Key Editor in the lower zone of the Project window is useful if you want to access the Key Editor functions from within a fixed zone of the Project window.

To open a MIDI part in the Key Editor, do one of the following:

  • Double-click a MIDI part in the Project window.

  • Select a MIDI part in the Project window and press Return or Ctrl/Cmd-E.

  • Select a MIDI part in the Project window and select MIDI > Open Key Editor.

  • In the Key Commands dialog in the Editors category, assign a key command for Open Key Editor. Select a MIDI part in the Project window and use the key command.

Note

If you select MIDI > Set up Editor Preferences, the Preferences dialog opens on the Editors page. Make your changes to specify if you want the editors to open in a separate window or in the lower zone of the Project window.

The Key Editor window:

The Key Editor is shown in the Editor tab in the lower zone of the Project window:

The Key Editor is divided into several sections:

  1. Toolbar

    Contains tools and settings.

  2. Status line

    Informs about the mouse time position, the mouse value, and the current chord.

  3. Info line

    Displays note event information about a selected MIDI note.

  4. Ruler

    Displays the timeline.

  5. Key Editor Inspector

    Contains tools and functions for working with MIDI data.

  6. Note display

    Contains a grid in which MIDI notes are displayed as boxes.

  7. Piano keyboard display

    Helps you to find the right note number.

  8. Controller display

    The area below the note display consists of one or multiple controller lanes.

Note

You can activate/deactivate the status line, the info line, and the controller lanes by clicking Set up Window Layout on the toolbar and activating/deactivating the corresponding options.