Adding controllers

When you add a new controller type to a track, the controller type is automatically chosen in the Show/Hide MIDI Events menu, so that you can see it. For help showing and hiding all the other MIDI data you may have in your track or tracks, see Displaying notes and controllers in the Inline Piano Roll view, Displaying notes and controllers (Piano Roll view only), and Working with multiple tracks in the Piano Roll view.

To add controller data with the Freehand tool

1.	Click the controller lane’s Event Filter and choose New Value Type to open the MIDI Event Type dialog box.

2.	Choose options from the following fields:

Type. Choose the type of controller you want to add (for example, choose Control if you want to edit volume).

Value. This field is grayed-out if you choose Wheel or ChanAft in the Type field. If you choose Control, RPN, or NRPN in the Type field, choose which Control, RPN, or NRPN you want to add. For example, to edit volume, choose 7-Volume in this field if you chose Control in the Type field.

Channel. Choose a MIDI channel for the controller if you want. If your track has a MIDI channel listed in the Ch field, all MIDI data in your track uses the listed MIDI channel.

3.	Click OK to close the dialog box.

4.	Select the Freehand tool in the Control Bar, and add your controller values by using one of the following methods:

Depress the mouse at the point where you want your controller messages to start, and drag the Draw tool to draw the kind of curve you want your controller messages to follow. A tooltip appears when you depress the mouse, and constantly reports the controller name, channel, value, and location of the controller value that you are entering. Release the mouse where you want your curve to end.

Tip: To draw a straight line, hold the SHIFT key down while you draw.

To add one controller event at a time, click each place that you want to add a controller value. A tooltip appears when you click, and reports the controller name, channel, value, and location of the controller value that you are entering.

The controller events you added appear as vertical lines, each with an edit handle at the top that you can drag. Each different type of controller event appears with a different color (see Adding and editing controllers in the Piano Roll for more information).

When you use the Draw tool, the speed with which you drag the mouse determines the density of controller events. To insert a larger number of controller events with relatively small changes in value, move the mouse slowly. To insert a smaller number of controller events with relatively large changes in value, drag the mouse quickly.

To insert a series of controllers

1.	Choose Insert > Series of Controllers to display the Insert Series of Controllers dialog box.

2.	Choose the controller type from the Insert list.

3.	Choose the controller number or type from the Number list.

4.	Use the spinners or enter the desired MIDI channel.

5.	Enter a starting and ending value in the Begin and End boxes.

6.	Enter a starting and ending time in the From and Thru boxes.

7.	Click OK when you are done.

SONAR inserts a series of controller events with values that change smoothly over time from the starting to the ending value indicated in the dialog box. This command never inserts more than one event on the same clock tick. If any controllers of the type you have selected already exist in the time region, SONAR deletes these before inserting the new ones.

 

See:

Selecting controllers