ARPEGGIATOR MODULE ================== With this module, you can create arpeggios by pressing chords on your MIDI keyboard. The module contains not one, but four arpeggiators which run simultaneously. Each one of the four arpeggiators can have its own settings for input/output, MIDI channel, type of arpeggio etc. The arpeggiator can be played in real time and you can record its output to any MIDI track in Cubase. You can also use a recorded track as an input to the arpeggiator. On/Off, Input and Output ======================== In the top left corner of the Arpeggiator you will find four activity indicators with a checkbox below each one. Each checkbox has two functions: You click on it once to select an Arpeggiator to make settings for (see below). When selected, the box turns black. Another click turns the module on/off. This is shown with a tick inside the box. It is possible to have all four arpeggiators turned on at the same time (checked), but only one can be selected for editing (black). To the right of the checkboxes you will find the Input pop-up menu. This is where you select the source of MIDI input to the arpeggiator. The MROS alternative is used to route the output of a track to the arpeggiator (explained in detail below). The input setting applies to all of the four arpeggiators. The two buttons below the Input pop-up are used to Load and Save Arpeggiator settings. Individual Arpeggiator Settings =============================== The following settings are made separately for each one of the four arpeggiators. LEFT PART OF THE DIALOG BOX: Channel: This is the output MIDI channel of the selected arpeggiator. Output: The output device of the selected arpeggiator. The MROS setting is used to record the arpeggio into a track in Cubase (explained below). Instr If you have defined an Instrument in the Arrange window, you can direct your arpeggio output to this instrument. The Channel and Output settings will then change correspondingly. Classic Arp: When this box is checked the arpeggiator does a classic arpeggio that plays the notes you press up and down repeatedly through the range set in the range or max/min note boxes. When the box is unchecked you can set the arpeggio characteristics in the "Sort Box" below. The Sort Box: The Sort Box is a graphical description of the arpeggio. It becomes "greyed out" when Classic Arp is checked. The number of notes in the graph represent the number of different notes in the arpeggio. The pitches of the notes in the graph represent the relative pitch of each note in the arpeggio. The pitch range of the notes is C1 to A2 (treble clef), but please note that these are not absolute pitches, but relative ones. The actual pitches produced by the arpeggiator depends on which notes you play on your keyboard. You can add, delete and move notes up/down with the mouse buttons. Clicking a note with the right mouse button will raise the pitch one "step". The left button lowers the pitch until the lowest pitch is reached. * A click with the left mouse button on a C1 (the lowest possible pitch) deletes that note and all following notes. * Clicking a note with the right mouse button while holding the [Alt] key will produce an arrow that changes the pitch one half tone. Repeated clicks will switch the arrow up/down. * [Alt]+left mouse button deletes the arrow. * Double clicking in the white field will call up a menu with preset note series. Use Record: With this function activated, the Arpeggiator uses the notes "recorded" in the Rec./Hold section as input to the arpeggiator, instead of realtime input from a MIDI keyboard or a track. To use it, follow the steps below: 1. Check the "Use Record" box. 2. Click the Rec./Hold button so it gets highlighted. 3. Press the keys you want to record on your MIDI keyboard. 4. Click the Rec./Hold button again to deactivate it. 5. Play a key on your MIDI keyboard. The arpeggiator will now play a transposed arpeggio based on the notes on the screen keyboard, beginning at the note you pressed on your MIDI keyboard. If you want to change chord "on the fly", proceed like this: 1. Click the Rec./Hold button while you're still holding down the key on the MIDI keyboard. 2. Release the key on the MIDI keyboard and play the new chord. 3. Release the chord and click the Rec./Hold button to deactivate it. 4. Press a key on the MIDI keyboard to trigger the new chord. Min Notes: When "Use Record" is unchecked, this parameter sets the minimum amount of keys that have to be pressed for the arpeggio to start. MIDDLE OF THE SCREEN: Mode: This pop-up menu sets the arpeggio mode. -Normal: This is the normal up/down arpeggio. -Invert: If Classic Arp is unchecked this inverts the arpeggio when the top note is reached. -Down: A repeating arpeggio downwards. Only works in Classic Arp mode. -Up: A repeating arpeggio upwards. Run quant: This function will quantize the arpeggio output to the song position, when Cubase is running. If you want the arpeggio to run "in sync" with Cubase, activate this. Quantize: This parameter sets the "speed" of the arpeggio. Length: Sets the length (in ticks) of the output notes. Max/Min Note:Sets the maximum range of the arpeggio notes when the Range switch is set to Off. Range: This function deactivates the Max/Min function. Instead it sets the range to a number of notes starting with the lowest note you press on your MIDI keyboard. A setting of 12 gives you a range of one octave, counted upwards from the lowest note you press. Imm. Range: This function only works when Classic Arp is unchecked. When Immediate Range is checked the arpeggio immediately jumps to the nearest note inside the set range when a chord is pressed. If unchecked, the arpeggio will start at the pressed key and work itself into the set range and then stay there. Recording An Arpeggio Into A Cubase Track: ========================================== 1. Open the MIDI Setup dialog box and make sure that both ATARI and MROS are active in the "Record From" pop-up. 2. Set the arpeggiator input to "ATARI". Set all arpeggiator outputs that you want to record, to "MROS". 3. Make the Arrange window the top window and activate recording. 4. Play the desired chords on your keyboard. If the arpeggio outputs were set to different MIDI channels, be sure to set the MIDI channel on the recorded track to "Any" if you want to keep the channel assignments when playing back. Using A Cubase Track As Input To The Arpeggiator ================================================ 1. Set the desired Tracks to output to "MROS". 2. Set the arpeggiator Input to MROS. 3. Start Playback.