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What is a Track?
Notes and other events in a song are divided into one or more Tracks. Tracks have a number of properties or parameters, such as a name, a patch (instrument), a volume setting, a MIDI channel, etc. The current song's tracks are shown in the Track View:
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The Track View is a spreadsheet-like window with a cursor. Click on a track name or other parameter to place the cursor. Use the arrow keys to move around. Simply begin typing to enter information. Click on a track's number, or use the left arrow key in the left-most column to "select" the entire track:
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How else may tracks be selected?
Once one track is selected, you may use the up and down arrow keys to select another track. Hold down the Shift key to select a group of tracks in this manner. You may also select one track, then select another while holder the Shift key. To select or unselect individual tracks, hold the Control key as you click on their track numbers.
What is the purpose of selecting tracks?
Once one or more tracks are selected, they may be moved as a block to another location in the track list. Do this by clicking on a track number and dragging to the desired location.
Selected tracks are also treated like "objects" for the purpose of editing commands like Copy, Cut, Paste, and Delete. Cutting and pasting is another way to move tracks from place to place, or between songs in a set.
The most important reason for selecting tracks, however, is that this is the way in which you tell other views what information you would like for them to display. For example, the Staff View (Ctrl+3) will display a staff bar for each selected track.
Can I make the Track View larger?
You can "minimize" the set list by clicking the arrow on the "Songs & Markers" header--this will allow the track view to occupy more space in the window. If that's not enough, you can also open the Track View in its own window. To do that, right-click in the Track View and select "Spawn as top-level window."
What properties are shown in the Track View?
From left to right in the above image, there are in/mute (a checkbox, if checked, the track will be played), track name, volume, reverb (a digital effect), chorus (another digital effect), patch (the instrument), bank (used if the synthesizer supports more than 128 patches), port (from the ports numbered devices list), channel (1-16), key offset (playback transposition), velocity offset (to strike notes harder or softer than written), pan (left-right balance), time offset (in milliseconds), and size (the number of events on the track). Many other properties are available when you "edit the track."
What are all the magnifying glass buttons for?
The "-" buttons "zoom out" and the "+" buttons "zoom in." The vertical zoom buttons (on the right) cause the track height to grow larger (zoom-in) or to grow smaller (zoom-out). The vertical scroll bar and the buttons beneath it appear in the Clips View or Time View instead, if either of those two views are shown. The horizontal zoom buttons (on the bottom) cause the header size and font to change. The actual size of the font that's used in the Track View is the maximum that will fit into a cell given the header size and track height (so, you might have to experiment with this one a bit to get the desired effect!).
How do tracks relate to channels?
It is easy to confuse tracks with MIDI channels. MIDI devices (like your synthesizer) have only 16 channels, although it is possible to have 250 tracks. Each channel can operate with a single patch (instrument) and other controller settings at a time. Now unless you have more than one MIDI device, this means that multiple tracks must share a single MIDI channel if you're going to be using more than 16 tracks. MIDI Maestro makes this very easy to do--when you assign more than one track to the same channel and give them different patches (instruments), MIDI Maestro does the patch and controller switching automatically "behind the scenes." (Other software packages force you to use clumsy patch/bank changes within the tracks themselves).
How do I edit an existing track?
Double-click anywhere on the track that you want to edit. You may also right-click then select "properties." If you have multiple tracks selected, you will be able to set properties on all tracks simultaneously.
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Property |
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Description |
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Name |
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Text label associated with a track. |
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Content |
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MIDI (notes and controllers), waveform (audio clips), or meta (events to be forced onto track 0). |
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Input device |
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The MIDI-In port to use from the numbered devices list. |
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Input channel |
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The channel(s) to "listen" to when recording. |
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Output device |
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The MIDI-Out port to use from the numbered devices list. |
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Output channel |
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The channel on which to play the track. Most MIDI devices support 16 channels, and each channel may play one patch (instrument) at a time. |
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Bank |
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A number from 0-16383 used if the synthesizer supports more than 128 patches. The number is also shown in (X/Y) format, because some devices only support bank numbers 0, 128, 256, 384, 512, etc., and refer to these as bank 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. in their literature. You may enter a number as "4/0" and you will see that replaced with "512 (4/0)" in the box. |
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Patch |
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A number from 1-128 which represents the instrument or "program" to be used on the track. A given number may have different meaning depending on the bank setting. Some synthesizers refer to patches with numbers 0-127 instead, and you may set this preference in the synthesizer database. |
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Patch name |
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An alphabetical list of all patches as supplied by the synthesizer database. When you select a patch from this list, the bank and patch fields are automatically adjusted. |
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Sort |
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This option when checked sorts the patch name list by patch category. You may assign an arbitrary category name to each patch in the synthesizer database. |
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Key +/- |
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This is a number of half-steps that will be applied to notes on the track as they are played. It does not affect the way notes appear in the staff view, although it does cause the key signature for the track to be transposed accordingly. For example, you may enter "-2" and record from a Bb clarinet or Bb trumpet book. Playback will be in concert pitch. |
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Time +/- |
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This is a number of milliseconds that will be applied to the playback timing of notes on the track. This may help to offset undesirable "attack" effects of certain patches, or may be used to assist with the alignment of MIDI and waveform audio tracks. |
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Velocity +/- |
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This is a number that is added to the velocity of notes on the track as they are played. Note velocities range from 0-127, where 127 is the hardest (loudest) that a note may be played. |
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Volume |
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A number 0-127 representing the volume level for the track. This value should be used to "mix" tracks relative to each other. When you want to change the volume dynamically within the track (such as for a crescendo), use the Expression controller (#11). This allows you to later re-mix tracks by changing their volume settings without having to change all events within the track. |
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Pan |
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A number -64 to +63, corresponding to the left-right balance in the stereo field. A value of -64 will cause notes to play on the left speaker only; a value of 63 will cause notes to play on the right speaker only; a value of 0 is balanced in the middle. |
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Clef |
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The clef that will be used in the Staff View. You may choose treble, bass, keyboard, tenor, alto, percussion, or percussion line. The keyboard staff combines the treble and bass clefs as used in standard piano literature. The percussion clef will cause the Staff View to use special percussion notation. |
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Split |
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The note which separates notes between the treble and bass clefs in the keyboard clef. By default, this is middle-C. You may always override this split for any individual note by dragging it between clefs in the Staff View. |
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Color |
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The color that will be used in the Track View and other views when representing notes from this track. When sequencing for a full orchestra, it's nice to have different section (brass, winds, strings) represented by different colors. Also, you may have to use a color like red to stand out in the Clips View for upcoming events that require cuing. |
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In (play) |
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This checkbox corresponds with the check box in the Track View. When checked, notes on the track will be played. |
When editing multiple tracks, the properties window will contain "empty" fields unless all tracks share the same value; only the properties that you change will be applied to the selected tracks.
How do I add a new track?
Use the Insert/Track menu command, or double-click on the "new track" label at the bottom of the track list. With the Insert/Track command, the new track will be inserted before the first selected track or the track view cursor. When adding a new track, the "Content" selection box is available. Your choices here are MIDI, Waveform audio, or Meta. MIDI tracks (the default) may hold notes or any other type of MIDI event. Waveform audio tracks hold audio clips. Meta tracks hold MIDI meta events (may be lyrics, system exclusive messages, etc.), that will be forced onto "track 0." Track 0 is a "hidden" track that's normally reserved for tempo, key changes, etc. You may use this feature to force something onto that track.
Can tracks be selected for solo playback or recording?
To hear only one track while muting all others, place the cursor anywhere on the track (or select the track) and press the / key. To "solo" more than one track together, just select the tracks before using the / key. Red asterisks will be shown in tracks that are being soloed:
To return to the original in/mute track settings, press the \ key.
Recording normally occurs on the track with the cursor or the selected track or tracks. To override this and specify one or more tracks for recording, place the cursor or select one or more tracks then press the R key. A red letter R will be shown alongside the in/mute checkboxes:
Now you are free to select other tracks for viewing or editing while continuing to record to the designated track(s). To return to the normal recording behavior, press Shift+R.
Can I rearrange the track column headers?
To do this, click and "drag" a column label either left or right. A blue "insertion point" shows you where the label will be moved when you release the mouse button. You may also click and drag any of the border lines that appear between column header labels in order to change the width of a column. Column sizes and order are saved and then recalled each time you run MIDI Maestro.
What are the "advanced" track properties for?
The "advanced" button on the track properties window opens yet another window:
You may change a controller's value by either dragging the associated slider, or by entering the value manually in an edit box. Some controllers have values which range from 0-127, and others are "centered" around 0, with ranges from -64 to 63. The "parameters" have values with 2 decimal places. When editing multiple tracks, boxes will be blank where all selected tracks do not share the same value. Boxes also will be blank when the controller's value has not yet been defined.
These controllers are taken from the GM2 (General MIDI 2) specification. Note that not all synthesizers will support all of these settings.
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Property |
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Description |
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Volume/Pan |
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Identical to the values on the properties page |
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Portamento time |
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Sets the pitch increment speed when Portamento (controller #65) is on. |
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Resonance |
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Also called Timbre/Harmonic Intensity. Sets the strength of the resonance effect for the channel's filters(s). This (as well as most controllers here) is a relative change. When the value is less than 0, the resonance becomes weaker. When the value is greater than 0, the resonance becomes stronger, and overtones in the area of the cutoff frequency will be emphasized, creating a sound with a stronger character. |
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Brightness |
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Controls the preset cutoff frequency for the channel's filter(s). This is a relative change. When the value is less than 0, the frequency becomes lower. When the value is greater than 0, the cutoff frequency becomes higher. |
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Attack |
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Adjusts the sharpness of the beginning of the sound. Note that not all instrument sounds may respond to changes in the envelope timing settings. |
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Decay |
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Adjusts the time over which the sound will fall from the highest point of the attack down to the sustain level. Note that some instruments, such as piano and guitar, have a sustain level of 0. |
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Release |
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Adjusts the time over which the sound will decay after the note is released until it is no longer heard. The cutoff frequency will also fall according to this setting. |
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Vibrato rate |
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Controls the frequency (speed) of vibrato pitch modulation. This (as well as most controllers here) is a relative change. When the value is less than 0, the frequency becomes lower. When the value is greater than 0, the frequency becomes higher. |
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Vibrato depth |
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Amplitude of vibrato pitch fluctuation. |
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Vibrato delay |
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Time that elapses from the beginning of a note until vibrato begins. |
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Reverb |
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When mixing, you may assign each track a reverb value (0-127). Reverb is a digital effect supported by the majority of synthesizers that causes the sound to reverberate or echo, as in a concert hall. 0 is no reverb; 127 is maximum reverb. |
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Chorus |
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When mixing, you may assign each track a chorus value (0-127). Chorus is a digital effect supported by the majority of synthesizers that causes the sound to "swell," providing the effect of more than one instrument playing the sound. 0 is no chorus; 127 is maximum chorus. Higher chorus values tend to increase the loudness, so it may be necessary also adjust the "volume" controller. |
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Delay |
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Delay creates echoes, which you may use to give "depth" to a sound. |
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Coarse tune |
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Allows you to tune in semitone (half-step) units. |
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Fine tune |
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Allows you to tune or "detune" individual channels in units of cents (hundredths of a semitone). |
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Pitch bend range |
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Sets the sensitivity of Pitch Bend. |
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Mod depth |
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Sets the peak value of Vibrato or LFO Pitch change amount from the basic pitch set by the Modulation Depth controller (#1). The Modulation Depth controller is often associated with a "mod wheel" on a MIDI controller keyboard. |
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Controller dest |
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Channel pressure or a particular controller number may be assigned to affect the sound in a number of ways beyond the scope of this article. Please consult the GM2 literature for details. |
How are resonance and brightness related to frequency?
Basically, resonance refers to low-frequency attenuation, and brightness refers to high-frequency attenuation:
How are attack, decay, and release related?
Once a note is pressed, there is an attack phase, followed by decay. The remainder of time before the key is released is called the sustain phase. Once the key is released, there is a release phase:
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