CHAPTER THREE

MIDI Editing
“Editing MIDI in Pro Tools”

This chapter is divided into seven sections:

1) Introduction
2) Windows for MIDI Editing
3) The MIDI Editor
4) The Score Editor
5) The Event List
6) Selecting MIDI Data
7) Manually editing MIDI Notes

Introduction

Ever since MIDI sequencing came on the scene in the mid 1980’s, people have been
editing MIDI. It gives them the ability to tweak a recorded performance to “perfection”.
A MIDI recording with sloppy timing or wrong notes can be easily corrected with just a
few clicks or keystrokes. Each recorded note can be adjusted independently giving you
detailed control not only for correcting but also for arranging and experimenting.

So MIDI editing is a logical step to follow our last chapter on MIDI recording. The
subject is vast. Therefore, it has been divided up into two chapters. This chapter will
introduce you to the various windows for working with MIDI and how to begin manually
editing data. The next chapter will focus on Event Operations such as quantization and
transposition. But for now, let’s begin our quest with an overview of the various windows
for MIDI.
Windows for MIDI Editing

Prior to version 8, I spent most of my time in Pro Tools working in the Edit and Mix
Windows. I wish I had a nickel for each time I pressed the Command and Equal keys
together to toggle between these two main windows (I would probably be writing this at a
beach resort!). These two windows gave you all the features needed for audio recording,
editing and mixing, but their MIDI features fell short. A different window, the MIDI
Event List, was added to Pro Tools 5.1 (released in year 2000), but it lacked friendly
graphic editing. Pro Tools, because of its lack of features for MIDI editing, was
considered inferior for MIDI when compared to other DAW programs such as Logic
Audio and Digital Performer. These programs have hosted a myriad of ways to edit MIDI
for decades.

It’s a different story in this day and age with Pro Tools 8. A generous amount of features
have been added to Pro Tools that allow you to edit MIDI quicker and more intuitively.
This includes new features added to the familiar Edit Window and two completely new
windows: the MIDI Editor and the Score Editor. We now have a total of four
environments for working with MIDI: the Edit Window, the MIDI Editor, the Score
Editor and the Event List Window. Let’s take a quick tour of these four windows.

The Edit Window displays all track types and their content in a linear fashion against the
timeline. Different views can be selected for each track. For instance “regions” view
allows you to apply edits to regions such as trim, separate, copy, paste, duplicate and
more. This view works great for editing MIDI regions in MIDI and instrument tracks
allowing you to quickly construct a song. However, it doesn’t allow detailed editing of
notes and velocities. A better solution for this is “notes” view, which allows you to work
with individual MIDI notes and velocities on a piano roll. However, it can be
cumbersome; vertical zooming and scrolling to accommodate a wide range of notes can
be frustrating. However, it still might be okay for a quick edit (see figure 3.1).
Figure 3.1 – The Edit window with an instrument track in regions view and a MIDI track
in notes view

Fortunately, the new MIDI Editor is much friendlier for working on a piano roll (see
figure 3.2). It is the go-to-place for detailed editing of your MIDI and instrument tracks.
Only MIDI, instrument and aux input tracks are displayed; you will never work with
audio in this window (as the name implies). We will discuss the window much more later
in the chapter.

I was exited to hear in 2006 that Avid Technology purchased Sibelius, a software
company with a leading notation program called Sibelius. I knew it would only be a
matter of time before notation features would be added to Pro Tools. Sure enough,
beginning with version 8, Pro Tools has the ability to view, edit and print all MIDI and
instrument tracks in standard notation (figure 3.3). This is a powerful addition for users
who like to work with notation and need the ability to print out sheet music from Pro
Tools. However, this is not the best environment in Pro Tools for editing MIDI.
Figure 3.2 – The MIDI Editor window with two MIDI tracks superimposed

Figure 3.3 – The Score Editor with two MIDI tracks

The fourth and final window for MIDI editing is the MIDI Event List window, which
displays MIDI events as rows in a list. As previously mentioned, this window has been a
part of Pro Tools since year 2000. Editing with an event list is also found on hardware
sequencers such as those found built into keyboard workstations. In Pro Tools, most
everything that can be done in the Event List can be done elsewhere in a more visually
friendly manner. However, I find myself occasionally making my way to this window. Its
unique View Filter can be very handy.

Figure 3.4 – The Event List window showing one MIDI track

Now that you have been given an overview of the four different windows for working
with MIDI, let’s look at the MIDI Editor, Score Editor and Event List in more detail.

The MIDI Editor

As previously mentioned, the MIDI Editor is the best environment for detailed editing of
MIDI data. There are two ways to view this window: in the bottom of the Edit Window
as in figure 3.5 (select MIDI Editor from the Edit Window Toolbar menu or just click the
upward pointing arrow in the bottom left corner of the Edit window) or as a separate
independent window (select Window > MIDI Editor or press Control + Equals) as in the
previous figure 3.2. You can also open the MIDI Editor as a separate window by double-
clicking a MIDI region in the Edit window (if “Double-Clicking a MIDI Region Opens”
in Preferences is set to MIDI Editor). Once the MIDI Editor is open as a separate
window, you can press Control + Equals whenever you want to make it the front window.

Figure 3.5 – The MIDI Editor at the bottom of the Edit Window. Notice tracks are in
“regions” view in the top part of the Edit Window and velocity lanes have been hidden.

The MIDI Editor has a simple layout. It has a tool bar across the top. Below it, notes can
be displayed on a piano roll (called the Note Pane) or as notation. Across the bottom are
lanes that display velocities and controller data. In addition, a track list can be shown or
hidden along the left side.
When you first open the MIDI Editor, I recommend you configure the MIDI Editor
Toolbar menu. Accessed from a downward pointing arrow at the far right of the tool bar,
the menu has some important display options. I typically check all three choices and set
Scrolling to “Page” (see figure 3.6).

Figure 3.6 – the MIDI Editor Toolbar menu

The toolbar controls are identical to other windows with a couple of exceptions. The Solo
and Mute buttons affect all the tracks displayed in the Edit window instead of just one
track as in the Edit Window. Another control in the toolbar, the Notation Display Enable
button (looks like two sixteenth notes), allows you to switch to a notation view. I find this
to be very useful at times (see figure 3.7).

Figure 3.7 – The MIDI Editor in notation view. Notice the highlighted Notation Display
Enable button in the upper left corner.
Some controls in the tool bar are global and others are independent. For example, if you
change the status of Link Timeline and Edit Selection in the MIDI Editor, it will also
change in the Edit Window. Conversely, if you select a different Tool or Mode in the
MIDI Editor, it will not change in the Edit Window. I suggest you get familiar with
which controls are global and which are independent.

When shown tracks are viewed as notes (and not as notation), they will be superimposed
(stacked on top of each other). This is very different from the Edit window where all your
tracks are viewed separately.

Due to this superimposition in the MIDI Editor, it is important that your tracks are color
coded so you can differentiate the tracks. The two color code buttons in the upper left
corner of the MIDI Editor give you three choices: color coding like the Edit window,
coding by track and coding by velocity (see figure 3.8). If both of these controls are off,
tracks will be displayed in the same color as selected in the Edit window. If the top button
(Color Coding by Track) is enabled, tracks in the MIDI Editor will be randomly assigned
different colors. If the bottom button (Color Coding by Velocity) is enabled, all tracks
will be colored red and will vary in color saturation depending on velocity level.

Figure 3.8 – The color code controls in the MIDI Editor. Both are off.

I typically leave these controls off, assign different colors to tracks in the Edit Window,
and assure to check “MIDI Note Shows Velocity Color” under the Display tab in
Preferences. This will assure that all my tracks have different colors in the MIDI Editor
and notes will vary in color saturation depending on velocity level - a very hand feature
when working with velocities (see 3.5 again).
In the last chapter, we discussed how to manually insert notes using the pencil tool.
Fortunately, it works the same way in the MIDI Editor with once exception; since your
tracks are superimposed, you need to define which track, or tracks, the note will be
inserted for. This is simply done by choosing the inserted track(s) from the pencil drop-
down menu in the tool bar or by clicking in the pencil column in the tracks list (see figure
3.9). To pencil enable multiple tracks, hold the shift key while clicking in the pencil
column.

Figure 3.9 – The Drum Kit track is pencil enabled in the Tracks list. Inserted notes will
go in this track and not the Organ track.

When working in the Note Pane, I am constantly scrolling and zooming. I incessantly use
the tiny scroll wheel on my mouse to quickly scroll horizontally/vertically, and I use two
indispensable shortcuts for zooming: Command + Bracket keys for horizontal zooming
and Shift + Command + Bracket keys for vertical zooming. Be sure and learn these
shortcuts. Also be sure to learn how to access the Right-Click Menu Options menu by
right clicking most anywhere in the window. It gives you access to several commands
with a simple right-click.

Like the Edit Window, the MIDI Editor allows you to view lanes underneath your notes.
Clicking the show/hide lane button (the arrow in the bottom left corner of the Notes
Pane), will by default, show a lane in velocity view. You can change the view to show
other MIDI data (MIDI volume, mute, pan etc.) or automation for instrument tracks
(audio volume, mute and pan) (see figure 3.10).
Figure 3.10 – Selections for track view in lanes. Notice velocity is selected.

Like the Note Pane, tracks are superimposed in a lane when velocity is selected, but with
all other views (controllers, automation, etc.), a different lane is created for each track
(see figure 3.11).

Figure 3.11 – Two tracks superimposed in the velocity lane but separated in the MIDI
volume lanes. Click the “-“ and “+” buttons at the beginning of lanes to remove/add.

I almost always have the velocity lane showing since I’m constantly editing them (color
coding helps here too). As far as other lanes go, I typically add them only when I need
them since they can potentially take up lots of space!
The Score Editor

To open the Score Editor or to make it the front most window, use the shortcut Control +
Option + Equals. This window allows you to view your MIDI notes as notation much like
the MIDI Editor notation display. The difference is that notes are displayed like sheet
music in the Score Editor and as a long continuous staff (or staves) in the MIDI Editor
(this is called panorama view in Sibelius).

The Score Editor allows you to print your MIDI and instrument tracks as music notation.
It doesn’t have a plethora of features like Sibelius but it has enough to make and print
something simple. For something more complex, you can send your track(s) to Sibelius
and make it publisher ready.

The layout for the Score Editor is very simple. There is a tool bar across the top with your
music notation displayed underneath. A track list can be shown or hidden along the left
side. Just like the MIDI Editor, I suggest you configure the Score Editor Window menu
so that everything is checked and Scrolling is set to “page”.

Figure 3.12 – The Score Editor Toolbar menu

The toolbar in the Score Editor has fewer controls than other windows. I am clueless why
a smart tool was omitted. There is also no Solo or Mute buttons and no Mode buttons (the
Score Editor is always in Grid mode). Just like the MIDI editor, some toolbar controls are
global and others are independent.
At times, I find that I may need to manually insert a note while viewing this window.
Fortunately, manually inserting notes with the pencil tool works the same as it does in all
other windows. When zooming is needed, I most often use the zoom presets found in the
bottom right corner of the window (see figure 3.13).

Figure 3.13 – The zoom presets

The Notation Display Track Settings for the MIDI Editor and Score Editor is opened
from the Right-Click Options menu or from a right-click on a track name in the tracks list
(you can also double-click on a clef at the beginning of a staff) (see figure 3.14).

Figure 3.14 – The Notation Display Track Settings

With the Notation Display Track Settings, you can change the clef, transpose, quantize
(for display only) and more for each track (see figure 3.14). The transposition feature is
essential when printing a part for transposing instruments. For example, a bass sounds an
octave lower than written. Therefore, before printing a part for a bass player, you will
want to use this window to transpose the notes up one octave by sliding the “octaves”
slider to the right until the number 1 appears. Now, when a bass player reads the printed
sheet music, the notes will sound correctly (they will sound an octave lower than written).
This does not actually change the MIDI data; it only changes the way it is displayed in
the Score Editor.

Score Setup is also used to configure the Score Editor. Accessed from the File menu or
from the Right-Click Options menu, these settings give you control over display settings
and layout. It is very important to get familiar with these settings (see figure 3.15). Notice
in figure 3.15 that I typed in the title and composer, unchecked Chord Diagrams
(tablature) and increased the Staff Size to 7.50 to make notes a little larger.

Figure 3.15 – The Score Setup window

Speaking of chord symbols, you can insert them in the Score Editor with the Right-Click
Options menu. In fact, many things can be done with this menu such as sending your
notation to Sibelius or printing your score from Pro Tools. But before you print, be sure
to click and highlight the Double Barline button in the tool bar to delete any empty bars
at the end of your score! Figure 3.16 shows the organ track, with inserted chord symbols,
ready to be printed. I also had to set the Split Point in the Display Track Settings to Bb2
to put all the notes in the treble clef (see figure 3.14 again).

Figure 3.16 – The organ track ready to be printed and played

The Event List

As previously mentioned, the Event List displays MIDI data as rows of events divided
into columns (much similar to a spreadsheet). To open it or to make it the front window,
go to Window > MIDI Event List or press Option + Equals (see figure 3.17).

Notice in the figure 3.17 that the Event List is divided into three columns. The first
column, labeled start, shows you the start of a MIDI event. You can also display the sub-
counter in this column (if checked in the Event List menu), but I prefer to not view the
sub counter unless needed (it creates clutter).

Figure 3.17 – The MIDI Event List

The next column to the right, the Event column, gives you the event type and associated
values. For example, in figure 3.17, you know the first event (the first row) is a note
event (notice the note icon) and is note G3 with an attack velocity of 80 and a release
velocity of 64. I am most interested in the note and attack velocity. The release velocity is
rarely used and I would prefer to hide it, but Pro Tools doesn’t give that option. Also, you
have the option to view note names (the G3) as MIDI notes number (66) from “Note
Display” settings found in the MIDI tab Preferences. However, I most always prefer to
view note names like shown in figure 3.17.

The last column to the right gives you one of two views depending on your selection in
the Event List menu: Show Note Length or Show Note End Time. Figure 3.17 displays a
note length of 0|480 (an eighth note since PPQN = 960). I prefer to check Show Note
Length since that is what I am most likely to edit (the note length).

Just like other windows, you can manually insert in the Event List, however, not with the
pencil tool (there are no tools in this window). This is accomplished, from the Event List
menu (found in the upper right corner of the window). Figure 3.18 shows all the options
you get for inserting.

Figure 3.18 - Insert options from the Event List menu

For example, if you wanted to insert a note, choose Insert > Note and then type in values
for the event (start time, note, velocities and end time). Hit the Enter key to insert and
stay in insert mode for more inserting or hit the Return key to get out of insert mode and
finish. For years, I manually inserted MIDI with an Event List, but in this day and age, I
most always use the pencil tool in other windows.

That said, there is still a feature I use from time to time in the Event List: the View Filter.
Let’s say you have a MIDI message, such as a program change, in your session but you
cannot find it. Go to the Event List and choose View Filter from the Event List menu and
choose to view only Program Changes. All other events will be hidden allowing the
Program Change to be easily seen.

Selecting MIDI Data

Before discussing MIDI editing, we need to see examples of MIDI selecting since
anytime you want to edit data, you must first select it. The following examples of
selecting MIDI take place in the MIDI Editor. They also apply to the Edit Window (in
notes view). These are the windows where you will do most of your editing. In addition,
the Smart Tool is used. Let’s begin selecting!

The majority of your editing is working with notes and velocities. If you need to select a
single note, place your cursor on top it turning the cursor into a pointed finger and then
click to select (the note will become highlighted). To select a group of notes, hold the
Shift key as you click and add additional notes to the first selected note. In other words,
select one note and then hold down the Shift key as you click on additional notes. Figure
3.19 shows three noncontiguous notes selected by holding down the Shift key (notice that
when a note is selected, its corresponding velocity is selected too).

If the notes from the groups are close together, you may be able to select them more
quickly using the marquee. What is the marquee? If you place the cursor within the notes
pane or velocity lane without being on top of a note, your cursor will transform into a
plus sign. This is the marquee. To select notes with it, click outside the notes or velocities
and drag at an angle forming a rectangle around them (see figure 3.20). Any notes the
rectangle touches will become selected.
Figure 3.19 – Three notes from the organ track selected using the Shift key

Figure 3.20 – A group of notes selected with the marquee

If you are new to MIDI, you may find it frustrating trying to use the marquee to select by
dragging across multiple tracks in the Edit Window. When dragging to the top or bottom
of the track, the track will scroll. This allows you to select notes beyond the viewable
range, but prevents you from dragging over adjacent tracks. If you want to use the
marquee tool for this, you will have to hold down the Shift key and do multiple drags.
However, you may prefer using the Selector to do this. Let’s talk about that.

If you want to select all MIDI notes that fall within a time range (for one or more tracks),
use the Selector or the Note Selector. To do this, first, press the Option button to change
the cursor into the Selector (at the upper part of the track) or the Note Selector (at the
lower part of the track). Now, click and drag left or right to select a time range (and
downwards or upwards to include other tracks). The start of a note must be within the
time range to be included in the selection.

What is the difference between the Selector and the Note Selector? The Selector will
select notes and all other controller and automation data within the time range (see figure
3.21). The Note Selector will only select notes (see figure 3.22).

Figure 3.21 – A range of time selected with the Selector. Notice all the lanes at the
bottom are included in the selection.
Figure 3.22 – A range of time selected with the Note Selector

Figure 3.23 – All D1 notes for the entire session are selected with one click
You can also select multiple notes from the keyboard by simply dragging over the keys
or using the Shift key to click the lowest and highest keys (use the Command key for
noncontiguous notes). Press and hold the Option key while clicking a key to sound the
note without selecting (a handy way to audition a note).

All the examples thus far have been in the MIDI Editor and also work in the Edit
Window (in notes view). Most of them work in the Score Editor too. Unfortunately, there
is no smart tool. Instead, use the Grabber tool for a marquee selection and the Selector
tool for selecting with a Note Selector. Of course, there is no vertical keyboard for
selecting single notes.

Selecting in the Event List is a bit different. You simply have a list of events to select. As
strange as it sounds, it is not much different than selecting notes with the vertical
keyboard in the MIDI Editor. Simply click on an event to select it, drag or Shift-click to
select a group of adjacent events, or Command click to select noncontiguous events (be
careful, Option-click will delete events).

I have one last tip for selecting; if you ever need to deselect a note from a selected group,
Shift-click it.

Manually Editing MIDI Notes

Now that you know different techniques for selecting, it’s time to learn techniques for
editing. Like the last section, examples will use the smart tool within the MIDI Editor.
And this is probably a good time to tell you that when editing MIDI, I always uncheck
Link Timeline and Edit Selection from Options Menu. Keeping this checked works great
for editing audio but does not work well with the details of MIDI.

Once a note or group of notes is selected, they can be moved up, down, left or right with
a simple click and drag. Obviously, dragging notes up or down will transpose them
(change them to different notes) and dragging them left or right will change their location
in time (the procedure to correct sloppy timing). If you are concerned about notes
changing location when dragging up or down, or changing pitch when dragging left or
right, press and hold the Shift key to restrict them before you click and drag. For
example, if a note starts at 3|1|068 and you want to drag it down a couple of octaves, it is
possible that you may inadvertently drag the note a little to the left or right resulting in a
different start time for the note. To lock the note to 3|1|068, press and hold the Shift key
before you click and drag it downward. A feature you may need from time to time. Here
is an important tip: notes will lock to location if you drag up or down first or they will
lock to pitch if you drag left or right first.

If you hold the Option key before you click and drag notes, a copy of the notes will be
created. For example, you can double the chords in previous examples one octave higher
by holding down the Option key as you click and drag the notes up one octave. The result
will be the original chords plus an identical copy one octave higher (see figure 3.24).

Figure 3.24 – Chords are copied one octave higher with Option + click and drag
This technique also works great for drum parts. Let’s say you want to double the snare
with a clap. First, click on the vertical keyboard to select all occurrences of the snare.
Then, hold the Option key as you click and drag the notes to the key that triggers a clap.
Voila! You have doubled the snare with a clap (see figure 3.25).

Figure 3.25 – The clap on D has doubled the snare on D1#.

You can also change the start and end times for a note or group of notes. This can be
accomplished by placing the cursor at the start or end of a note where the cursor changes
into a Trimmer tool. Now, simply click and drag left or right to change the start or end
time. If a group of notes are selected before you click and drag a note, the edit will affect
all the notes in the group (see figure 3.26). Note: invert the Trimmer by holding down the
option key.
Figure 3.26 – The end time for the chords on beat four have been extended.

You can also use the trim tool to edit velocities. If you place the cursor over the middle of
a note and hold down the Command key, the cursor changes into a horizontal Trimmer
tool. Now click and drag vertically to change the velocity level for that note. Of course,
you could change the velocity by clicking directly on a velocity stalk in the velocity lane
but using the Command key and clicking on a note can be helpful when there are several
notes and you are having a hard time discerning which velocity stalk corresponds with
which note. This technique also works on a selected group of notes.

The Command key is helpful in another way. When working in Grid mode, your notes
will snap to the grid when dragging left or right or trimming start and end times. If you
want to temporarily override this snapping (like working in Slip mode), hold down the
Command key as you drag. Dragging will now be smooth allowing you to precisely set
notes between grid boundaries. Be aware that you must press the Command key after you
click on the note and before you drag (dragging left and right only). Figure 3.27 shows
how the notes in the last chord where dragged to the right (at different amounts) while
pressing down the Command key to get between grid boundaries. The notes are now
“strummed”.

Figure 3.27 – Notes in the last chord were dragged while pressing the Command key

New in Pro Tools 8 is the ability to separate and consolidate notes. Separating a note is
accomplished by placing the edit cursor on top of a note, and then choosing Separate > At
Selection from the Edit menu, or press Command + E (Separate > On Grid is another
option in the Edit menu) (see figure 3.28). As an alternative, you can hold Shift + Control
to change the cursor into a knife. Place the knife over a note and click to separate (or
splice might be a more appropriate term!). However, the knife will not separate between
grid boundaries in Grid mode.
Figure 3.28 – The hi-hat notes at F# where quickly converted to sixteenth notes with
Separate > On Grid. The Grid value is set to 1/16 note.

Consolidation of selected notes (joining them together) is accomplished by choosing

Consolidate from the Edit menu, or by holding Shift + Control to change the cursor into a
band-aid over the separation before clicking.

There is an undocumented shortcut that allows you to move or copy a note to the edit
selection. First, place the edit selection at the location you want notes to be moved or
copied to. Do this by clicking on a note or somewhere off a note in the notes pane. Then
while holding down the Control key, click the note you want to move to the edit
selection. This will snap the note start to the edit selection (which could be the first note
you selected). Figure 3.29 shows the notes in the last chord lined back up after placing
the edit selection at the beginning of the beat and then quickly clicking each note while
holding down the Control key. This shortcut is handy anytime you want to stack up notes.
Figure 3.29 – Notes in the last chord snapped to the beginning of the beat by clicking on
them with the Control key pressed.

There are some variations on this shortcut that you should try. Holding down Control and
Option before clicking on a note will snap a copy of it to the edit cursor. Alternatively,
hold down Control and Command to snap the end of the note to the edit cursor, or hold
down Control, Option and Command (all three modifiers) to snap the end of a copy to the
edit cursor. Lots of options!

The following are some other techniques that I use over and over:
• If you want to insert a note, hold Control (to get the pencil tool) and click in the note
pane, or just double-click (without pressing any other keys) to do the same thing.
• If you want to delete a note, select it and press the Delete key or just double-click on
it.
• If you want to mute a note (not delete it), select it and press Command + M. I will do
this when I may want to use the note again.
• If you want to increase or decrease all velocity levels in a track, drag up or down in
the velocity lane while holding down the Command key (with nothing selected). This
will change the cursor into the handy horizontal Trimmer tool.
• If you want to shape velocity levels, drag across the velocities while holding down
the Control key (see figure 3.30). Be sure to first select the Pencil shape from the
Right-Click Options menu.

Figure 3.30 – The hi-hat on F# has alternating velocity levels after dragging across the
velocity stalks with the Control key held. The square wave from the Pencil tool was first
selected. Also, the organ track is hidden in the tracks list and the other drum notes are
muted to make the hi-hat velocities more visible.

• If you want to shape controllers or automation (e.g. MIDI or audio volume), drag in
one of the controller lanes while holding down the Control key. Like with velocities,
first select the Pencil shape from the Right-Click Options menu.

All the editing examples thus far have been in the MIDI Editor. The Score Editor works
very differently. You can drag a note up, down, left or right, but you cannot use the Shift
key to restrict a note or use the Option to copy a note. The Trimmer tool can only be used
to change the end time of a note and cannot be used to change the start time of a note.
Fortunately, you can use the horizontal Trimmer tool (press Control) to change velocity
level. Unfortunately, there is no Grid override with the Command key, no Separation,
Consolidation or Snap to Edit Selection. That said, the editing in the Score Editor is much
more limited. There isn’t even a smart tool. However, it has its place.

The Event List is a very different beast when it comes to editing. As previously
mentioned, the event list is laid out like a spreadsheet. Each event is a row divided into
three columns, which are divided into fields (values). You can edit any of the fields
within an event by simply double-clicking on it (going into edit mode) and then type in a
new value or send a MIDI message (e.g. play a key on your controller to change a note or
velocity level). Notice in figure 3.31, The G4 in the first event has been double-clicked.
Now playing a key on your MIDI controller will change it to the note you play.

Figure 3.31 – The Event List in edit mode

Once you are in edit mode, you can use the arrow keys on your computer keyboard to
move from field to field just like a spreadsheet. Once you are finished editing, hit the
Return key to come out of edit mode.

One last tip for the Event List: delete an event by selecting it and pressing the Delete key,
or clicking on it while holding down the Option key. You can also Copy and Paste events
in the conventional manner.

It is simple as that! Now go edit, edit, edit and make some good music! 

Questions for Chapter Three: MIDI Editing

1. The four windows for working with MIDI in Pro Tools 8 are the _______ Window,
the __________ Editor, the ___________ Editor and the __________ List Window.
2. To Open the MIDI Editor is as a separate window or to make it the front window
(bring it to the front), press the ______________ + _______________ keys.
3. The MIDI Editor allows you to view MIDI as notes on a piano roll or as notation.
True or False: ________________
4. When viewed as notes (not notation), Tracks are superimposed in the MIDI Editor.
True or False: ________________
5. Use the ___________ + ________________ + Bracket keys for vertical zooming.
6. Like the Note Pane, tracks are superimposed in a lane when __________________ is
selected.
7. To open the Score Editor or to make it the front most window, use the shortcut
________________ + ______________ + __________________.
8. To transpose notation for transposing instruments in the Score editor, go to the:
a. Notation Display Track Settings
b. Score Setup
c. Tools Bar menu
d. Track List
9. To type in the Title and Composer in the Score editor, go to the:
a. Notation Display Track Settings
b. Score Setup
c. Tools Bar menu
d. Track List

10. To open the Event List Window or to make it the front window, go to Window >
MIDI Event List or press __________ + __________.
11. The ____________ ______________ in the Event List Window allows you to see
only specific types of MIDI data (e.g. program changes).
12. To select a group of notes, hold the ____________ key as you click and add
additional notes to the first selected note.
13. The _________________ allows you to select a group of notes by forming a
rectangle around them.
14. If you want to select all MIDI notes that fall within a time range (for one or more
tracks), hold the Option key and use the __________________ or the
_________________ _________________.
15. Clicking on the vertical ______________ will select all notes for a key for the entire
session.
16. Press and hold the _____________ key to lock notes vertically or horizontally before
dragging them.
17. If you hold the Option key before you click and drag notes,
a. they will be deleted.
b. they will snap to the grid.
c. a copy of the notes will be created.
d. they will be transposed.

18. You can change the start time for a note or group of notes but not the end time. True
or False: ________________
19. If you want to temporarily override grid snapping (like working in Slip mode)
whenever you drag notes left or right, hold down the ________________ key as you
drag.
20. In the Event List Window, you can edit any field within an event by:
a. single-clicking on it
b. double-clicking on it
c. click on it while holding the Option key
d. click on it while holding the Shift key