Introduction to MIDI and Computer Music: DP Track Overview

Digital Performer Track Overview

Before you can use a command in the Edit or Region menus, you must specify what data (notes, pitch bend, etc.) the command should process. You do this by selecting the data or a time range that includes the data. For example, to transpose some notes, you select them and then issue the Transpose command. If you don't select some notes first, the Transpose command will have no effect. There are many selection methods in Digital Performer. Experiment with them to find the most useful method for each situation.

The Track Overview is good both for making selections before issuing menu commands, and for performing some editing functions directly by dragging with the mouse. The Track Overview occupies the right side of the Tracks window, which you see when you create a new file.

The Track Overview represents groups of notes and other data inside little boxes called phrase blocks. To select the notes inside a phrase block, you can either select the phrase block, or you can select a time range that includes the phrase block.

To select a phrase block:

move the cursor to the middle of the phrase block until it changes from a crosshair into an arrow.
Then click the block. The notes inside it turn yellow, indicating that they are selected, and the arrow turns into a pointing finger.

Hold down the shift key and click on other blocks to include them in the selection.

To select a time range that includes a phrase block:

move the cursor to the left part of the block (or to the left of the block itself), making sure that the cursor remains in the shape of a crosshair.
Click and drag to the right to enclose the block in a selection rectangle. As you drag, you will see the selection growing column by column. When you release the mouse, the notes — and some of the empty space around them — will be selected. Notice that this method lets you select material in a manner that respects the musical time grid, regardless of how the position of the block relates to that grid.

After you've selected some notes in either of these ways, you can issue an editing command, like Transpose, Invert Pitch, Quantize, Change Velocity, etc. Or, you can drag your selection to move or copy the notes to a new place in the track (or some place in a different track).

To move a phrase block:

Select the block, as described above.
Before clicking again, move the cursor over the phrase block until it turns into a pointing finger.
Click and drag the block wherever you want to move it.

To copy a phrase block:

Pretend that you're going to move it (as described above).
When you see the pointing finger cursor, hold down the option (or alt) key on the computer keyboard. The cursor shows two fingers pointing instead of just one, suggesting that your action will create a copy.
Click the phrase block, and drag it to a new place. The original block remains.

The position of the block relative to the time columns is maintained automatically when you move the block. Let's say that the columns represent measures, and the block you want to move begins on the second beat of a measure. Then, after you drag the block to a new measure, the block will snap to the second beat of that measure without any special effort on your part. (If you want to suppress this automatic behavior, hold down the Apple key before you drag.) Clicking the + and - magnifying glasses at the bottom right of the window changes the musical duration of the columns.