Reference Guide

1698
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Step Sequencer view
Toolbar
Figure 459. Step sequencer toolbar
A. Pattern Length (beats per measure and steps per beat) B. Fit to Quarters C. Entry mode (monophonic or
polyphonic) D. Step Record E. Play F. Position indicator
The Step Sequencer toolbar consists of the following controls:
• Pattern Length. The pattern length is determined by the following settings:
• Beats per Measure. This setting specifies the number of beats per measure. The value
range is 1-64 and the default value is 4 beats. Changes are undoable.
• Steps per Beat. This setting specifies the number of steps per beat. The value range is 1-16
and the default value is 4 steps. Changes are undoable.
• Fit to Quarters. Fit to Quarters will force the pattern duration to fit the specified number of
quarter notes.
• Entry Mode Toggle. This button toggles between Monophonic mode and Polyphonic mode,
which affects the behavior when entering new notes. In Monophonic mode, only one note (row)
may be assigned for each step. Monophonic mode is useful for sequencing melodic lines. When
you click in a column to enter a new note, any existing notes in the same column will be removed
automatically in Monophonic mode. In Polyphonic mode, you can enter multiple notes in the same
column.
Note: When changing the number of steps per beat, you can configure how existing notes are
affected. By default, SONAR will preserve the original pattern whenever possible as you add or
remove beats. Doing so ensures that notes retain their original position within each beat. If you
prefer, you can instruct SONAR to instead append additional steps at the end of each beat. To
toggle the behavior, click the Options button and select Preserve Pattern for Step Sizes
on the pop-up menu (enabled by default).
Note: When you adjust the Fit to Quarters value, the clip duration may change depending on
whether or not the clip has been rolled out to expose additional pattern iterations:
• If the clip has a single pattern iteration. When you change the Fit to Quarters value
(number of quarter notes), the clip duration will continue to equal the length of one pattern
iteration. That is, the clip will not be rolled out.
• If the clip has multiple pattern iterations. When you change the Fit to Quarters value
(number of quarter notes), the new clip duration will either equal the old clip duration or the
length of the new pattern, whichever is greater.
A B C ED F