Held from the first release. Bench (the declaration notebook and the Patch Bay board) has no menu, header or shortcut entry in this release; the piano roll it hosts still opens from a track's Edit notes.
Use the notebook's visual tools to change notes, envelopes, grooves and samples. Edits update the song's code, so you can move between a control and the expression it changes. Undo reverses a completed gesture.
Choose a tool#
Select a definition in the notebook's Compose workspace to see compatible tools. Pattern cells can show notes, steps or chord progressions; sound definitions expose envelopes and effects; sample expressions offer waveform editing. Some computed expressions are inspectable but cannot be edited safely with a grid or knob. Their source remains available for editing.
Piano roll#
Choose roll on a literal pattern cell to see pitches against time. Drag notes to change pitch or position, and use scale lock when you want edits to stay in a key. Written mode retains links to code for structures that cannot be edited as a simple grid. Result mode shows the events produced by computed patterns, with cycle inspection and pagination. See Pattern rolls and phrase editing.
Envelopes and curves#
The env control opens an envelope or curve editor for adsr, LFO and ramp expressions. You can also click the dotted strip beneath one of those calls. A cell can have more than one target, each with its own dock. Literal values can be edited directly; computed values remain expressions in the source.
Groove and tap-in rhythm#
Use the groove controls to add swing, timing variation or velocity variation. The controls update the corresponding pattern expression. Tap-in rhythm captures your timing and offers a quantized pattern for review before applying it. Existing source that cannot be rewritten safely remains available as code. See Rhythm and groove and Control patterns for individual events for timing options.
Trim and slice a sample#
A sample cell's waveform dock lets you set the playback range, choose a chop count, detect onsets or place slice markers. A playhead shows the current position when the sample is playing. Preview the result before keeping an edit. Sample audio must be available to display and analyze its waveform. See Slice a recording at its attacks and The sampler for slice and playback rules.
Chord pads and progressions#
Use chord pads to try harmonies, then replace, remove or append steps in a literal progression. The progression's chord names and auditions follow the song's key. The pad's key controls the chords you insert; sync key resolves a mismatch. Roman-numeral insertion requires the pad and song keys to agree, and the Roman row is available for seven-degree scales.
Edits preserve untouched chord spellings. When a progression uses slow equal to its number of steps, appending or removing a chord updates that duration along with the pattern. Otherwise its timing expression is left in place. Computed or unsupported progressions remain read-only in this tool.
EQ and compression#
The dynamics view combines EQ response, compressor settings and gain reduction. Literal EQ values written in the synth's or track's own declaration can be dragged; computed, macro-controlled and imported values (an imported synth, or a node an imported function supplies) are shown as read-only handles. Multiband compression is inspectable but does not have the same direct editing controls. Master-insert compressors do not have a notebook declaration cell. See EQ and frequency balance and Mixing tracks and buses.
Try pattern variations#
The variation auditioner proposes a small set of changes to a literal pattern: rhythm, rests, accents, pitch movement and sample variants where applicable. Degree changes need a key; sample-variant changes need bare sample names. Audition a candidate, compare it with the original, and apply the one you want. Reroll explores another deterministic set. The tool uses literal mini-notation changes; operators requiring a second pattern need you to supply that pattern in code.
XY macro pad#
Assign two different macros to the XY pad to move them together. In the song outline, letting go writes both values where they take effect (one undo step; Esc cancels); the Macros pane's pad only plays. To record automation, enable capture, ride the pad while the song is playing, stop capture and review the result before choosing insert (verified). One insert is one undo step. A macro name must be a valid identifier to be captured as an automation lane; unusable names are skipped with an explanation in the review.
The pad appears under the macro rows of the song outline, which Studio shows beside Source and the context panel in a non-notebook view when the window is at least 1440 points wide and no Learn, Structure, Mixer or Visuals panel has taken the split, and in the workspace's Macros pane (the Perform profile). The pad needs at least two macros. It is not a floating notebook tool. See Macros and automation for writing automation directly.
Next steps#
Try an idea in the notebook lets you try an expression without changing the song. Recording and takes explains recording and assembling audio takes.