CHAPTER 8: THE QUANTIZE MENU

8.1 The Quantise menu
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* THE FIRST GROUP OF MENU CHOICES select the quantisation interval.
Quantisation is used to force notes to start at the nearest fraction of a beat.
This makes things sound much tighter and is particularly useful in
programming drum parts and bass lines. Experiment with the quantise
setting while recording. If you change the setting during record it will
become effective at the start of the next bar. Quantise is also used to set the
speed for repeats. The duration of notes is unaffected by quantise.


* REPEAT 
allows the characteristics of the auto repeat notes to be changed. 
The repeat parameters are adjusted using slide controls. The part of the
slider that moves is called a 'thumb'. 
There are three ways to move the thumb:

1. Clicking on the arrow at either end of the slider will move it in
increments of one.
2. Clicking in the slider between the thumb and the arrow will move it in
increments of ten.
3. Click and drag the thumb to get a large instantaneous change
proportional to the thumb position.

- Maximum Note Duration
This is the length of the repeated notes. Small values produce staccato
notes. The actual note duration used is affected by the repeat rate. This is to
prevent overlapping notes which would 'steal' synthesizer voices.

- Pressure Sensitivity
The MIDI velocity of the repeats is taken from the note you hit. This velocity
can be modified by MIDI channel pressure if your MIDI keyboard sends it.
The amount is variable so experiment to find a value that works well for
your system. This will depend on the velocity sensitivity of the synthesizer
patch as well as the playing characteristics of your keyboard. Use the track
fader to help adjust this if necessary.

- Velocity Decay
The MIDI velocity of repeated notes can decay at each repeat producing a
range of echo like effects. A small decay value produces more echo
repeats. The relationship between this and the repeat rate deserves some
experimentation.

- The Repeat Pattern
Additional to these controls is the repeat pattern. Click on any of the
sixteen note symbols to switch them on or off. The repeat pattern is
scanned at the current quantise rate (which sets the speed of repeats). The
pattern can be synchronized to the sequencer by selecting 'Bar Start' sync
in which case the pattern starts on the first beat of each bar. Alternatively,
you may select 'Note On' sync when the pattern will start each time a new
key is struck.  

As repeats occur at the current quantise rate a warning message will
appear if you activate the repeats with quantise set to off.


* SHUFFLE 
is used to delay the quantisation of even numbered beats. 
It does not function with triplet quantisation. Use shuffle to get a swing
while recording with quantise. Try changing it during record with
quantise set to 8ths. Jazz!. Try it with repeats too.
