Feature Request: Let Piano Roll keys play notes!

tjatja
edited December 2018 in Support

To be moved into a future FR category.

Please, please, please, let the keys in the Piano Roll produce sound!
It's really a basic and massively important feature, I play on that keyboard all of the day!

The workaround with temporary drawing notes is cumbersome and takes way too much time.

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Comments

  • The workaround with temporary drawing notes is cumbersome and takes way too much time.

    how exactly you do this workaround ? Like "draw note, delete note, again draw note, again delete" - and so on ?

  • I've thought about this since you suggested it, but I still can't really get my head around it enough to agree with you. We all have different methods and I'm not voting against this, but I still don't quite see what is going on to need it. No matter. I don't need to use every feature.

  • +1 absolutely. And the Slate samples too please.

  • If I understand the problem correctly, you want to audition melodies while inside the part editor?

    The way I do this is on the performance page. When I’m fairly satisfied with what I have, I just hit record and quickly play the notes without being too specific about timing. Then I switch to the part editor and move the notes to the correct places. I’m not saying this is the best alternative, but it’s what we have right now.

  • @dendy said:

    The workaround with temporary drawing notes is cumbersome and takes way too much time.

    how exactly you do this workaround ? Like "draw note, delete note, again draw note, again delete" - and so on ?

    Like this, or also with the buttons to move the note around.

    But hammering onto the keyboard is still much faster, easier and of course just the same as I do in other Apps.

    And to ask: Why not add this? Would it hurt your workflow?
    It seems like a very small change.

  • edited December 2018

    Why not add this? Would it hurt your workflow? It seems like a very small change.

    actually yes :-) i use tha area for scrolling up / down and i woukd be pretty upset if it woukd always play note when i touch it :)) Also double
    tap on that are switches between full vertical zoom to whole piano roll and zoom in to one octave - which is super handy. Making piano roll playable would destroy this feature

    the way "draw note, move it with handles, delete note" works perfectly fast for me..

    plus touching that supersmall vertical piano roll on iPhone to play meaningfull notes would be mission impossible :-) Hold in mind that whole NS UI/UX is designed the way that for every element is considered also it's behaviour in iPhone version

  • @dendy
    Kind of understand the arguments.

    Maybe a simple toggle in the settings? :);):)

  • Maybe a simple toggle in the settings?

    yes, this might work...

  • Strong +1 on this one. It’s standard on almost every piano roll editor I have ever used. It’s extremely helpful when interactively editing notes. You can try things out while deciding what you want to drop into the piano roll, either while the pattern is playing or not.

    Flipping screens, recording, flipping back, locating those notes, and adjusting them is cumbersome. This is very inconvenient for the way I often work, especially on longer and more complex patterns.

    Alternatively, if a keyboard is available at the bottom of the window, this is OK too.

    Yes, it would have to be a toggle given the existing actions associated with the area now.

  • I have to agree on that too...
    it’s really helpful for amateurs like me to try different notes when you don’t have a midi keyboard connected.

    There is already a button for turning off-on auditioning notes in the piano roll menu, so it could be handy to have one for auditioning keys.
    Or have the keys sound audition always on and double tap to a blank space on the piano roll canvas relative to where you want to zoom, kinda tricky I guess...

  • Yeah +1. I was kind of surprised it wasn't there in the first place.

  • @Zupi said:
    Or have the keys sound audition always on and double tap to a blank space on the piano roll canvas relative to where you want to zoom, kinda tricky I guess...

    This gesture already seems to select all notes wich is super useful so it’s out of question I reckon.

  • edited December 2018

    I just make sure the note audition toggle is enabled (beside grid in the note/pattern editor). Then i click and drag a note to hear it at different intervals.

    It is a workaround for the suggestion in the op. Which I'm sure Matt will consider implementing as he sees these requests!

  • I'm happy to consider this as I agree it would be useful.

    There is a trade off as currently that area can be used for scrolling and pinch zooming.

    If the majority agree that audition is far more use than scroll/pinch in that area, then you've sold me.

  • @Blip Interactive said:
    I'm happy to consider this as I agree it would be useful.

    There is a trade off as currently that area can be used for scrolling and pinch zooming.

    If the majority agree that audition is far more use than scroll/pinch in that area, then you've sold me.

    A toggle in the settings would be great and allow for both ways to work - or even change the way to work over time.

  • Cubasis has a good implementation of this where scroll and zoom are enabled as well as key auditioning. Just an example where both are enabled.

  • Thanks, I've made a note to take a look. It's just after my 'have a rest' item :)

  • I thought “have a rest” wasn’t scheduled until January 2020 though?

  • Audition and scrolling seem to be the usual approach. I don’t find the quick zoom all that useful.

  • @jenkweb said:
    Cubasis has a good implementation of this where scroll and zoom are enabled as well as key auditioning. Just an example where both are enabled.

    Exactly. +1

  • edited December 2018

    @Blip Interactive said:
    I'm happy to consider this as I agree it would be useful.

    There is a trade off as currently that area can be used for scrolling and pinch zooming.

    If the majority agree that audition is far more use than scroll/pinch in that area, then you've sold me.

    I have to say the pinch/zoom/scroll is pretty handy there.

  • I have to say the pinch/zoom/scroll is pretty handy there.

    Ooh interesting - I wasn't expecting a vote for that.

  • +1 for auditioning, after rest period :)

  • edited December 2018

    Ableton Live has a little headphones icon where you can toggle that feature on and off. Seems like you could do the same here.

    Like once I’m zoomed in and working on a section, then I can toggle and audition. Right now I’m sequencing a string section and I just need to audition notes to find the voicing I want. I didn’t think I’d miss it but...it’s starting to trigger me a bit, haha. It’s way faster to tap the notes on the left than creating a note and having to tap the up and down arrows. In all seriousness it would speed up my workflow considerably. In play almost all my stuff on the glass keyboard so it doesn’t bother me, but when i’m doing full string parts for cello, viola, etc and i’m trying to find the right gaps for the voicing of the type of instrument I’m working on, it’s frustrating.

    Further, on a string part, they might have a slow attack so you don’t actually hear the note when you move it with the arrows.

    BUT I LOVE THE SEQUENCER! How I have missed it so.

  • edited December 2018

    +1 one of those 'amazed it isn't/wasn't'. Can understand the toggle etc for pinchers and zoomers, but creatively the ability to hit and hear is huge. So, yes, an enthusiastic post-nap please :)

  • Yeah definitely one for audition :)

  • @drez said:
    Ableton Live has a little headphones icon where you can toggle that feature on and off. Seems like you could do the same here.

    I like this solution!

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