User guide

Chapter 14 Recording in Logic Express 405
Rather than assigning key commands to all twelve pitches, you also have the option of
defining key commands for the seven pitches of the C major scale. These can be used
in conjunction with the Next Note Will be Sharp and Next Note Will be Flat key
commands, allowing you to insert the other pitches.
When creating a system for these key command assignments, two approaches seem
most obvious:
 Lay out these commands on the computer keyboard to resemble a piano keyboard
(C D E F G A B in one row, next to each other and C# D# F# G# A# above these at
corresponding positions).
 Assign alphabetical keys to pitches of the C major scale—in accordance with their
note names—especially when the second approach mentioned above is used.
Octave Range Key Commands
The octave of an inserted note depends on the current position of the insert range bar.
There is a small horizontal bar (that spans one octave) above the piano keyboard in the
Step Input Keyboard. The chosen note will always be inserted inside the range
indicated by this bar.
This bar continuously changes its position in accordance with the last inserted
note: The center of the insert range bar is always aligned with the last inserted note.
The next note will be inserted within this octave range—unless the range bar is moved
via key commands or with the mouse.
An example: If a G is inserted immediately after inserting a C, the G will be placed
below the C. Inserting the C places the insert range bar between G (left end) and F#
(right end), with the C in the center. Regardless of which note is chosen next, it will
always be inserted inside this range. The range bar will, however, move as further notes
are inserted, with the (range bar) center always aligned to the most recently inserted
note.
Further key commands allow you to place the range bar in different octaves: Octave 0
to Octave 6, and also Octave +1/–1/+2/–2, which moves the range bar up or down one
or two octaves. The range bar can also be moved with the mouse.
Note Length and Velocity
Note Length and Velocity are determined before a pitch command is used to actually
insert a note. The currently selected values can be seen in the Step Input Keyboard
window.