DP9 Pencil Tool: Default Duration??

[ggm1960]

I've been away from DP for a while and it's like trying to learn to walk again. I'm literally spending hours here trying to do things that should be dead simple.

Right now when I use the pencil tool in the MIDI tab to click in a note it's a whole measure long, no I only want my note to be 1/16. I'm pretty certain I used to be able to set that default note length. It's hard to believe that functionality would have been taken out but I just can't figure it out. I can't find it in the manual or on-line, seems like a pretty basic function, what the heck?!

[stubbsonic]

First, set your edit snap-grid to 16ths (if it isn't already). That's in the upper right of that window. It has a G next it it. You probably want that grid enabled, but perhaps not.

Now, when you draw your first note, click and hold-- now drag left or right to get the length of note you want, then release the mouse button. The next notes you add will default to that new value until you change to a different value (by again click-dragging left or right as you enter a note).

The snap grid and the pencil tool kind of work together to give you that kind of capability. If you want a note with a release that is "off-grid", draw your first note with the grid-snap disabled. Set the release/length to what you want, then turn the grid snap back on. The custom note length will be remembered as you now add notes where the attacks snap to grid points.

[ggm1960]

First, set your edit snap-grid to 16ths (if it isn't already). That's in the upper right of that window. It has a G next it it. You probably want that grid enabled, but perhaps not.

Now, when you draw your first note, click and hold-- now drag left or right to get the length of note you want, then release the mouse button. The next notes you add will default to that new value until you change to a different value (by again click-dragging left or right as you enter a note).

Thanks stubbsonic, appreciate the assist. I was a little stressed with that. I've been away from sequencing for a while and was sort of last minute trying to prepare something I could use in performance tomorrow night. It seemed to me I used to just be able to change the grid and have the note length follow that, I suppose that was in an earlier version.

It can also rather frustrating trying to find info in the manual or on-line. With so many pages of text covering so many features it can be difficult to come up with the right search term.

[stubbsonic]

Here's a little finesse tip.

If you want a note value that starts on-grid, and releases off-grid, you can use the COMMAND key to toggle the grid on/off after you've started to enter the note.

So with the grid turned on, you hold down P to get the pencil, click-hold to start your note on-grid, then before releasing the mouse button, press the COMMAND key (as long as you hold the mouse button down, you can let go of P). COMMAND temporarily disables the grid, so now you can drag the note length off-grid. Now you can release the COMMAND key and the grid is back on. The next notes will use that new duration.

[ggm1960]

Thanks for the additional info. I should have been working on all this a while back but not getting it done won't ruin our gig tomorrow night. Going forward I'll be digging in and getting some "background enhancements" together for the duo gigs my wife and I have scheduled.