Version 2023 for Windows

User’s Guide

Copyright © PG Music Inc. 2008 - 2023. All rights reserved.

 PG Music Inc. License Agreement
CAREFULLY READ THE FOLLOWING TERMS AND CONDITIONS BEFORE COMPLETING THE INSTALLATION OF THIS
SOFTWARE. USAGE OF THE SOFTWARE INDICATES YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THE FOLLOWING TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
LICENSE
A. The program may only be used on a single machine.
B. You may transfer the program and license to another party if the other party agrees to accept the terms of this Agreement. If you transfer
the program, you must either transfer all copies, whether in printed or machine readable form, to the same party, or, destroy all copies not
transferred. This includes all modifications and/or portions of the program merged into other programs.
C. You may receive the program in more than one media. Regardless of the type or size of media you receive, you may install or use the
media on a single machine.
D. The program (including any images, “applets,” photographs, animations, video, audio, music, and text incorporated into the program) is
owned by PG Music Inc. or its suppliers, and is protected by international copyright laws and international treaty provisions.
You may not use, copy, or transfer the program, or any copy, modification or merged portion of the program, in whole or in part, except as
expressly provided for in this license. If you transfer possession of any copy, modification or merged portion of the program to another party,
your license is automatically terminated.
Some programs such as Band-in-a-Box® have a ‘server” function (including BandInABoxServer.exe program) to connect to a “Client”
(mobile client version of Band-in-a-Box® on iPhone or other mobile device). You are only licensed to connect the Server function (including
BandInABoxServer.exe program) to Clients where you own or have properly licensed both the Client and Server software that is being
connected, not to clients or Server software owned/licensed by third parties. The preceding also applies to any other PG Music products
(RealBand etc.) with a similar type of connection between a Server program and a Client.
LIMITATION OF REMEDIES
PG Music Inc.’s entire liability and your exclusive remedy shall be:
A. The replacement of any media not meeting PG Music Inc.’s “Limited Warranty,” which are returned to PG Music Inc., or an authorized
PG Music Inc. dealer, with a copy of your receipt.
B. If PG Music Inc. or the authorized dealer is unable to deliver replacement media which is free of defects in materials or workmanship,
you may terminate this agreement, and your money will be refunded.
In no event will PG Music Inc. be liable to you for any damages, including but not limited to lost profits, lost savings, or other incidental or
consequential damages arising out of the use or the inability to use such program, even if PG Music Inc. or an authorized PG Music Inc. dealer
has been advised of the possibility of such damages, or for any claim by any other party.
NOTICE TO CUSTOMERS
The following paragraph applies to the video join tool (vjt.exe, vjt_ffmpeg.exe, and other files in the \Data\VJT folder) that may be included
with this installation. Notice Required for the License Granted under Articles 2.1 and 2.6 and for Sales to Codec Licensee Customer(s). As a
condition of the license granted under Article 2.6 and the license granted to a Codec Licensee to make Sales to Codec Licensee Customer(s),
Licensee agrees to provide any party that receives an AVC Product from Licensee exercising such license rights the following notice: THIS
PRODUCT IS LICENSED UNDER THE AVC PATENT PORTFOLIO LICENSE. SUCH LICENSE EXTENDS TO THIS PRODUCT
ONLY AND ONLY TO THE EXTENT OF OTHER NOTICES WHICH MAY BE INCLUDED HEREIN. THE LICENSE DOES NOT
EXTEND TO ANY OTHER PRODUCT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER SUCH PRODUCT IS INCLUDED WITH THIS LICENSED
PRODUCT IN A SINGLE ARTICLE. THIS PRODUCT IS LICENSED UNDER THE AVC PATENT PORTFOLIO LICENSE FOR THE
PERSONAL USE OF A CONSUMER OR OTHER USES IN WHICH IT DOES NOT RECEIVE REMUNERATION TO (i) ENCODE
VIDEO IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE AVC STANDARD (“AVC VIDEO”) AND/OR (ii) DECODE AVC VIDEO THAT WAS
ENCODED BY A CONSUMER ENGAGED IN A PERSONAL ACTIVITY AND/OR WAS OBTAINED FROM A VIDEO PROVIDER
LICENSED TO PROVIDE AVC VIDEO. NO LICENSE IS GRANTED OR SHALL BE IMPLIED FOR ANY OTHER USE. ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM MPEG LA, L.L.C. SEE HTTPS://WWW.MPEGLA.COM.
The following paragraph applies to the video join tool (vjt.exe, vjt_ffmpeg.exe and other files in the \Data\VJT folder ) that may be included
with this installation. Video Join Tool "VJT" is hereby licensed to the End-user as a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to run one
copy of the object code version of the x264 Software on one machine, device, or instrument solely as integrated into the Integrated Product. If
the Integrated Product is licensed for concurrent or network use, the End-User may not allow more than the maximum number of authorized
users to access and use the x264 Software concurrently. The End-User may only make copies of the Integrated Product only for backup and
archival purposes. The End-User is Prohibited from: (a) copying the Integrated Product and/or x264 Software onto any public or distributed
network; (b) using the x264 Software to operate in or as a time-sharing, outsourcing, service bureau, application service provider or managed
service provider environment; (c) using the x264 Software as a standalone application or any other purpose than as integrated into the
Integrated Product; (d) changing any proprietary rights notices which appear in the x264 Software or the Integrated Product; or (e) modifying
the x264 Software. The End-User may transfer the license granted by the EULA only if (a) End-User complies with any transfer terms
imposed by Licensee and delivers all copies of the Integrated Product to the transferee along with the EULA; (b) transferee accepts the terms
and conditions of the EULA as a condition to any transfer; and (c) the End-User’s license to use the Integrated Product terminates upon
transfer. The End-User must comply with all applicable export laws and regulations. If the EULA is ever terminated, the End-User is required
to immediately destroy all copies of the Integrated Product and x264 Software upon termination of the EULA.
This program may include video join tool (vjt.exe, vjt_ffmpeg.exe and other files in the \Data\VJT folder). The program uses FFmpeg under
the LGPLv2.1, which can be seen here: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/lgpl-2.1.html. FFmpeg software is not owned by PG Music
and information on ownership can be found at www.ffmpeg.org.
TRADEMARKS

2 PG Music Inc. License Agreement

Band-in-a-Box®, Band-in-a-Box for Bozos®, CloudTracks®, GuitarStar®, JazzU®, PG Music®, PowerTracks Pro®, RealBand®,
RealDrums®, RealStyles®, and RealTracks® are either the trademarks or registered trademarks of PG Music Inc. in the United States,
Canada, and other countries. Microsoft® and Windows® are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the
United States and/or other countries. Apple®, the Apple logo, iPad™, iPhone®, iPod touch®, Leopard®, Macintosh®, Mac®, Panther®,
Power Mac®, QuickTime®, Snow Leopard®, Tiger®, and TrueType® are trademarks of Apple Computer, Inc., registered in the U.S. and
other countries. IBM® is the registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation. Roland® and “Roland” Logo, DIROL®
and “EDIROL” Logo, GS® and “GS” Logo, are registered trademarks and “MIDI2” Logo, EDIROL Virtual Sound Canvas Multi Pack, VSC-
MP1™ are trademarks of Roland Corporation. Steinberg and ASIO are trademarks of Steinberg Media Technologies AG. VST is a registered
trademark of Steinberg Media Technologies AG. Amplitube® and SampleTank® are registered trademarks of IK Multimedia Production srl.
Fretlight® is a registered trademark of Optek Music Systems, Inc. Other brands and their products are trademarks or registered trademarks of
their respective holders and should be noted as such.
PATENTS
Band-in-a-Box® is protected under US Patents 5990407, 8097801, 8581085, and 8680387.
Band-in-a-Box®, RealBand®, and other PG Music software uses “élastique Pro V3 by zplane.development” as a time and pitch stretching engine,
“élastique Tune V1 by zplane.development” as a monophonic pitch editing engine, and “Harmony addon V1 by zplane.development” for the
élastique Tune Engine.
Some audio conversions use libsndfile. Libsndfile is licensed under LPGL. BeStPlain chord font - © 2016 by Bernhard Steuber CDS Design
GmbH https://cdsdesign.de. RealScore and BigBand chord fonts - Copyright © 2014 by Nor Eddine Bahha https://norfonts.ma.

Printed in Canada

PG Music Inc. License Agreement 3

 Table of Contents
PG Music Inc. License Agreement ............................................................................................................... 2
Table of Contents........................................................................................................................................... 4
Chapter 1: Welcome ...................................................................................................................................... 7
Installation ................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Setup and Configuration .............................................................................................................................................................. 7
Audio Drivers ............................................................................................................................................................................ 11
Chapter 2: QuickStart ................................................................................................................................ 15
Step 1 – Playing Music .............................................................................................................................................................. 15
Step 2 – Recording Music .......................................................................................................................................................... 19
Step 3 – Mixing your Song ........................................................................................................................................................ 20
Chapter 3: Summary of New Features ...................................................................................................... 22
Summary of New Features......................................................................................................................................................... 22
Details of New Features ............................................................................................................................................................. 23
Chapter 4: The Main Screen ...................................................................................................................... 32
Status Bar ................................................................................................................................................................................... 32
Menu Bar ................................................................................................................................................................................... 32
Toolbars ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 32
Piano Keyboard.......................................................................................................................................................................... 33
Windows .................................................................................................................................................................................... 34
Chapter 5: MIDI Features .......................................................................................................................... 42
Using DXi and VSTi Synthesizers............................................................................................................................................. 42
Loading and Playing MIDI Songs.............................................................................................................................................. 45
Tracks Window .......................................................................................................................................................................... 55
Plug-in Mode ............................................................................................................................................................................. 58
Classic Tracks View Settings ..................................................................................................................................................... 59
Recording Your Own MIDI Music ............................................................................................................................................ 60
Editing MIDI Files ..................................................................................................................................................................... 63
Split MIDI drums ....................................................................................................................................................................... 66
Chapter 6: Digital Audio Features............................................................................................................. 68
Overview .................................................................................................................................................................................... 68
Loading and Playing Audio Files ............................................................................................................................................... 68
Recording Audio Tracks ............................................................................................................................................................ 69
Generating Audio Harmony ....................................................................................................................................................... 72
Real Time Effects Plug-Ins ........................................................................................................................................................ 72
Rendering MIDI Tracks to Audio .............................................................................................................................................. 76
Render Menu Commands........................................................................................................................................................... 76
RealDrums ................................................................................................................................................................................. 77
Editing Audio Tracks ................................................................................................................................................................. 80
Saving Audio Files ..................................................................................................................................................................... 86
Auto-Backup of .SEQ Files ....................................................................................................................................................... 86
Wave Files ................................................................................................................................................................................. 86
Chapter 7: Mixer Window.......................................................................................................................... 90
Overview .................................................................................................................................................................................... 90
Track Controls ........................................................................................................................................................................... 91

4 Table of Contents
 Master Controls and Mixer Utilities ........................................................................................................................................... 92
Creating Audio Subgroups in the Mixer .................................................................................................................................... 93
Real Time Audio Effects ............................................................................................................................................................ 94
Node-Based Automation ............................................................................................................................................................ 96
Chapter 8: Notation and Printing .............................................................................................................. 97
Notation ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 97
Vocal Synth Support ................................................................................................................................................................ 108
Lead Sheet Notation Window .................................................................................................................................................. 109
Printing ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 112
Chapter 9: Piano Roll Window ................................................................................................................ 115
Overview .................................................................................................................................................................................. 115
Note Panel ................................................................................................................................................................................ 117
Graphic Event Panel ................................................................................................................................................................. 117
Right-click Contextual Menu ................................................................................................................................................... 118
Chapter 10: Plug-in Tools and Utilities ................................................................................................... 120
Plug-in Mode and Drag ‘n’ Drop ............................................................................................................................................. 120
Options for DAW Plug-in Mode .............................................................................................................................................. 121
Audio Chord Wizard ................................................................................................................................................................ 121
Audio Chord Wizard Chord Sheet ........................................................................................................................................... 121
Editing Chords ......................................................................................................................................................................... 122
CoyoteWT ................................................................................................................................................................................ 128
CoyoteWT Overview ............................................................................................................................................................... 129
The Conductor – Live Looping/Playback Control ................................................................................................................... 130
Live Looping/Playback Control ............................................................................................................................................... 130
Conductor Functions with MIDI and QWERTY Hot Keys ..................................................................................................... 132
TranzPort® Support - Wireless Remote Control....................................................................................................................... 133
Pitch to MIDI Converter .......................................................................................................................................................... 134
MIDI Guitar Cleanup ............................................................................................................................................................... 135

Convert to WMA (Windows® Media Audio™) ........................................................................................................................ 136

MiniBurn .................................................................................................................................................................................. 136
®
DirectX (Windows Audio Plug-In Format) ............................................................................................................................ 138
Dynamic 3D Drum Kit Window .............................................................................................................................................. 138
Guitar Tuner ............................................................................................................................................................................. 140
MIDI Monitor........................................................................................................................................................................... 143
Chapter 11: Reference .............................................................................................................................. 146
The File Menu .......................................................................................................................................................................... 146
Edit Menu ................................................................................................................................................................................. 150
Rnder Menu.............................................................................................................................................................................. 168
Action Menu............................................................................................................................................................................. 169
Block Menu .............................................................................................................................................................................. 172
Options Menu ........................................................................................................................................................................... 173
Window Menu .......................................................................................................................................................................... 186
Help Menu................................................................................................................................................................................ 198
Appendix A: PG Music DirectX Plug-Ins ............................................................................................... 200
PG Reverb ................................................................................................................................................................................ 200
PG Echo Chorus ....................................................................................................................................................................... 200
PG Peak Limit .......................................................................................................................................................................... 201

Table of Contents 5
 PG Dynamics ........................................................................................................................................................................... 202
PG Ten Band EQ ..................................................................................................................................................................... 204
PG Five Band EQ..................................................................................................................................................................... 204
PG Flanger ............................................................................................................................................................................... 205
PG AutoWah ............................................................................................................................................................................ 206
PG Distortion ........................................................................................................................................................................... 206
PG RingMod ............................................................................................................................................................................ 207
PG Tremolo.............................................................................................................................................................................. 207
PG Real Time Analyzer ........................................................................................................................................................... 208
PG Vinyl Tool .......................................................................................................................................................................... 209
PG Vocal Remover .................................................................................................................................................................. 213
Appendix B: Keystroke Commands ........................................................................................................ 216
Appendix C: MIDI Controller Numbers................................................................................................. 218
Appendix D: Tutorial - Making RealDrums Styles ................................................................................ 220
Introduction to RealDrums....................................................................................................................................................... 220
Making A RealDrums Style Using An Existing Template ...................................................................................................... 220
Elements of RealDrums Styles ................................................................................................................................................ 224
Alternate Styles & Expanded/Reduced Styles ......................................................................................................................... 232
Using your RealDrums style in Band-in-a-Box ....................................................................................................................... 235
PG Music Inc. ............................................................................................................................................ 236
Index ........................................................................................................................................................... 237
Registration Form ..................................................................................................................................... 243

6 Table of Contents
 Chapter 1: Welcome
Congratulations, and thank you for your purchase of PowerTracks Pro Audio!
PowerTracks Pro Audio offers powerful features for musicians, students, and songwriters. With seamlessly integrated digital
audio/MIDI recording and built-in music notation, PowerTracks Pro Audio turns a typical Windows PC into a music production
powerhouse.
Updates and improvements to this version of the program are ongoing and are freely available at www.pgmusic.com.

Installation
Minimum System Requirements
- Windows® XP/Vista/7/8/10/11.
- 128 MB RAM.
- 7100 MB hard disk space minimum, plus about 100 MB per RealDrums Set. Digital audio recording requires more hard disk
space, about 10 MB per minute of recording.
- Sound card or MIDI module
- Headphones or amplified speaker system.
Installing the Program
Double-click on the setup.exe that you have downloaded. This will copy all of the program files to your PowerTracks Pro Audio
folder (usually C:\pt) and install icons to a PowerTracks Pro Audio program group. If you have a previous version of
PowerTracks Pro Audio installed on your computer, you should install these files to your existing PowerTracks folder.
When the PowerTracks Pro Audio has been installed, click on the PowerTracks Pro Audio icon or run ptw64.exe to open the
program and configure the setup.

Setup and Configuration

Step One - MIDI Setup
The first time the program runs you will be prompted to select a MIDI device from a list of currently installed devices (e.g., SB
Audigy MIDI IO, Microsoft GS Wavetable SW Synth, etc.). If the MIDI Driver Setup dialog doesn’t open automatically, it can
be reached by selecting MIDI Devices from the Options pull-down menu. Select the MIDI device (or devices) that you want to
use with PowerTracks Pro Audio and (optionally) set the internal MIDI clock/timer in milliseconds.
This clock/timer setting determines how often the computer should reset its “MIDI watch.” If you ever find you need an even
higher degree of MIDI accuracy (and your system is extremely fast) you can decrease this number, say to 5, and the MIDI clock
will be checked and reset twice as often. The default is 10 milliseconds (1/100th of a second) –which is fine for most systems.

The MIDI Input Driver is the port that your MIDI controller, for example a MIDI keyboard or MIDI guitar controller, is
attached to.
The MIDI Output Driver selection is the port that your MIDI synthesizer (e.g. Sound Canvas) or an internal sound card, DXi, or
VSTi synth is connected to.
Note: This is a straightforward procedure and you should encounter no difficulties selecting a MIDI driver. However, if you do experience any
difficulties selecting a MIDI driver, or you do not see your sound card’s internal synth or MIDI interface listed in the MIDI Driver Setup dialog,
you may not have the appropriate MIDI drivers installed or configured in your Windows System.

Table of Contents 7
Software Synthesizers
PowerTracks Pro Audio supports both DirectX (DXi) and VSTi software synthesizers, which allow PowerTracks Pro Audio to
play high quality sounds directly through your computer sound card, without requiring any external MIDI hardware.
DXi Synthesizer Support
To use DXi (DirectX instrument) synthesizers with PowerTracks Pro Audio, you can think of the DXi as a type of “MIDI
Output Driver.” As such, you can either visit the MIDI Driver Setup dialog (Options | MIDI Devices) and select the “Re-
Route MIDI Playback to Default DXi Synth” checkbox to send all MIDI playback to the default DXi synth, or you can assign
DXi synths to individual tracks in the Tracks window.
Routing to Default DXi Synth
The “Default DXi Synth:” combo box lets you select which DXi (or VSTi) synth is used as the default software synth.
The “Re-Route MIDI playback to default DXi Synth” setting will cause PowerTracks Pro Audio to re-route all MIDI playback
to the default DXi or VSTi synth. This is the easiest way to use a DXi softsynth for playback.
If this option is checked, then all MIDI tracks’ playback output will be routed to the default DXi/VST synth regardless of the
individual track’s port number.
The “Vol. Trim” (volume trim) setting allows you to easily change the volume of the DXi synth globally, especially useful for
quiet synths like the VSC-DXi. Settings can range from -18 to 18 and are saved between sessions.

VSTi Synthesizer Support

Installing a VSTi Synthesizer
To select a VSTi synthesizer for the first time, click on the [VSTi] toolbar button to open the DirectX/VST Window.

Select >> Synth 16<< in the Track list.

In the Plugin list, select “Add VSTi Plugin...” at the bottom of the list.
Note: VSTi synthesizer plug-ins have the text “<VSTi>” prepended to the plug-in name, and VST effects
plug-ins have “<VST>” prepended to the plug-in name.

VST/VSTi plug-ins are located in the Program Files folder in a subfolder named VST plug-ins.
Select a VSTi plug-in .dll file in the following Select a VST plug-in dialog, and it is added to the plug-in list. After you add
each VST, the plug-in is permanently added to the list. You only have to add each plug-in one time.

Now your VSTi synthesizer will be available along with the DXi Synth selections in the MIDI Driver Setup dialog.

Latency Adjustment

Pressing the [Latency Adjust] button in MIDI Driver Setup or the [Soft Synth Latency Adjust] in Options | Preferences |
Audio opens the Soft Synth Latency Adjust dialog. This lets you adjust for fine tuning latency settings for MIDI (non-DXi, and
non-VSTi) soft synths.
This works by playing a song called LatencyAdjust.SEQ (included with PowerTracks) which contains a MIDI note and audio
note. Pressing the [Start] button starts the playback; you can then tweak the Soft Synth Latency MS setting until you hear the
MIDI and audio tracks are in sync.

8 Table of Contents
 Note: If the notes sound in sync but you later play a song and the MIDI and audio still sound like they are out of sync, then likely you overshot
the correct MS setting by 500ms. If this happens, we recommend starting the adjustment again at a value of zero and increasing it until you
hear the MIDI and audio notes in sync.

Step Two - Digital Audio Setup

PowerTracks Pro Audio includes an auto-configuration utility to profile your computer’s sound card and install optimal
parameters to use when recording and playing back digital audio. Go to Options | Preferences and select the Audio tab to view
and edit these settings. You will see the Audio dialog.
Pressing the [Default (MME only)] button instructs the program to analyze your sound card and apply the optimal values for
your system if you are using the standard MME audio drivers. These settings normally don’t need to be changed.
Project Recording Options

The options you may need to manually adjust in this dialog are:
1) The “Audio File Type” shown at the top of this dialog. Select the 96 kHz, 48 kHz, 44.1 kHz or 22.05 kHz sample rate option
at either 16-bit or 24-bit depth, depending on your system’s speed and storage capacity, on the number of tracks, and on the
fidelity you wish to record. For CD audio use the 16-bit, 44.1 kHz setting. If you experience sluggish performance from your
computer you could try the 22.05 kHz setting.
2) The “Audio Driver Type” is Windows Audio (WASAPI) by default. This allows for low latency audio recording/playback
without requiring ASIO. Note that this supports 1 stereo input plus 1 stereo output at a time. For multiple inputs/outputs, you
should continue to use either MME or ASIO.
3) The [Drivers…] button will opens the Audio Drivers dialog if the Driver Type is set to MME, Windows Audio Drivers
dialog if the Driver Type is set to Windows Audio, or the ASIO Audio Drivers dialog if the Driver Type is ASIO.
4) “Input Channel for MONO Tracks” - Left/Right/L+R (2 Tracks). Since most digital audio sound cards are stereo you have
the option of recording to your project using the left channel, the right channel, or both. To determine the best setting for
your recordings you must consider the audio source being recorded. For example, if you are recording a single voice with a

Table of Contents 9
 mono-microphone you would choose either Left or Right channel to record. If your recording source is stereo, such as a
guitar preamp or a synthesizer with stereo outputs, you should select L+R (2 Tracks) from the “Input Channel for MONO
Tracks” list box.
Note: If you are using multiple sound cards this setting must be set to L+R (2 Tracks). Also, if performance is sluggish with multiple sound
cards selected you should disable some of the sound cards to free up system resources.

5) The text box that displays the path of your “Audio Temp Directory” is another important setting.
If you have only one hard drive then you do not need to worry about this setting, just leave it on the default setting of
C:\windows\temp.
If you have multiple hard drives or multiple partitions you should use the [Browse] button to point to the best performing
drive with the most available disk space.
If you don’t know what your “best” hard drive is, we have also included a special hard drive benchmarking utility so that you
can test your hard drive(s) for their audio-recording capabilities to aid you in making this selection.
To test your hard drive(s) for their audio capabilities select the Test Audio Performance option from the Action menu. This will
test your system and give you its findings on the digital audio recording capabilities.
To reapply this benchmark with another drive revisit the Audio dialog and change the path of the “Audio Temp Directory” to
another drive, D:\temp for instance. Then select Test Audio Performance from the Action menu again and note the difference in
the estimated number of tracks for each drive.
Setup for Multiple Sound Cards or Multi –Port Audio Cards
PowerTracks Pro Audio has the ability to input and output tracks of digital audio through separate channels of multiple sound
cards or multiple ports of a multichannel card. If your computer system has multiple sound cards, or if you have a multiple
channel audio card, you can configure PowerTracks Pro Audio for digital audio production through a mixer or other multi-
channel system such as the front and rear speakers of a surround sound setup.
1) To configure for multiple sound cards, choose the [Drivers] button from the Audio dialog to bring up the Audio Drivers
dialog.
2) Choose the input and output digital audio devices that you want to use.
Note: The Microsoft Sound Mapper driver option refers to the default Windows sound card setup as configured in the Windows Control
Panel.
3) In the Tracks window you can choose which sound card to output each track of audio on by clicking on the track type icon
and selecting one of the ports that you activated in the Audio Drivers dialog.
In the Classic Tracks View window, you can choose which sound card to output a given track of digital audio on by double-
clicking the Pt column for any given audio track. Here, we have set the Bass, Piano, and Guitar tracks to be output through the
Pt 1 sound card, and the Drums to be output through the Pt 2 sound card.

The Audio Output Port dialog is presented when the Pt column is double-clicked.
The sound cards/drivers selected in this dialog will correspond to the number shown to
the left of the driver name and in the Pt column in the Classic Tracks window.

The Safe boot-up option gives the user the chance to boot-up PowerTracks Pro Audio with clean configuration and INI files if a
crash occurred during the most recent session. This runs automatically on launching the program after a crash.

10 Table of Contents
Audio Drivers
Windows Audio Session Audio Driver
PowerTracks supports Windows Audio Session (WASAPI) audio driver, an alternative to ASIO (a driver with low latency, but
usually can be used by one program at a time) or MME (an older driver with worse latency). The Windows Audio Session
driver has ultra-low latency (< 25 ms on a typical Windows PC), so audio operations like playing or sending out information via
MIDI happen with no noticeable delay. Note that this supports 1 stereo input plus 1 stereo output at a time. For multiple
inputs/outputs, you should continue to use either MME or ASIO.
When you boot up PowerTracks, it will be already set to use this driver without any action from you. If you want to confirm the
selection, open the Preferences dialog (Options | Preferences | [Audio]) and see the “Audio Driver Type” option. When the
WASAPI is selected for the driver type, clicking on the [Drivers] button will open Windows Audio Drivers dialog.

Audio Input Driver / Audio Output Driver: The Audio Input Driver is the device that will be used for recording sound (e.g. a
microphone). The Audio Output Driver is the device that will be used for playing sound.
User Default Driver: If enabled, the device that is selected as the "Default Device" in your Windows Sound Control Panel will
be used.
Buffer size: This is an audio buffer size in sample frames.
Exclusive Mode / Shared Mode: Shared Mode is recommended so that other programs will still be able to access the audio
input/output devices.
Song Sampling Rate: This is the sampling rate of the current song.
Actual Driver Sampling Rate: This is the actual sampling rate of the audio driver. If this is different from song, then
resampling will be in use.
MME Audio Drivers
If the current Audio driver type is set to MME, the [Drivers…] button in the Options | Preferences Audio dialog brings the
Audio Drivers dialog, which lets you select Audio Input and Audio Output drivers. This dialog is for MME drivers, and not
ASIO or ASIO.

By default, the Microsoft Sound Mapper is selected for both input and output. If you have multiple sound cards, or a multiple
I/O card, you can select more than one input or output. This affects computer performance; the more ports that are selected, the
more demand is placed on your computer.

Table of Contents 11
If Output always on checkbox is enabled, sound will always be sent to the device. If this is checkbox is disabled, sound will be
sent to the device only when the song is playing. Enable this option if you want MIDI plugins to work when the song is not
playing.
Order of Audio Ports
The [Move Selected Devices to Top] button lets you adjust the order of the Audio Output ports. You can choose which Audio
Output devices appear as Port 1, Port 2, etc. within PowerTracks Pro Audio, and not be stuck with the default ordering for the
ports determined by the Windows operating system.
If the ports are in a different order than the order you want, you can select (highlight) one or more ports, and press the [Move
Selected Devices to Top] button. This will move the highlighted ports to the top of the list.
When you launch the Audio Drivers dialog, all the highlighted ports will always be shown at the top. They will be in the same
order they were before, relative to each other. For example, let’s say you have 4 ports on your system, and, by default they show
up sequentially:
Driver A
Driver B
Driver C
Driver D
In the preceding picture, none are highlighted. Now, let’s say that you highlight the 4th port (Driver D), and move it to the top,
and then you highlight the last port in the list (which is now Driver C, since Driver D was moved to the top). You now have 2
ports selected, (Driver D at the top and Driver C at the bottom). Driver D and Driver C will be ports 1 and 2 within PowerTracks
Pro Audio.
Driver D
Driver A
Driver B
Driver C
The next time you launch the Audio Drivers dialog, you’ll see Driver D and Driver C at the top, followed by the other two un-
highlighted ports. The important point here is that the chosen order of the highlighted ports Driver D followed by Driver C was
preserved, as shown in the picture below.
Driver D
Driver C
Driver A
Driver B
The Microsoft Sound Mapper will use the sound card selected as the preferred device in the Control Panel | Sounds and Audio
Devices | Audio tab. You should not select both the Microsoft Sound Mapper and the device it uses. For example, if the
preferred output device in the Audio Tab of the Multimedia settings in Control Panel is set to “AWE 64 Wave Out” you should
NOT select both the “Microsoft Sound Mapper” and the “AWE 64 Wave Out” as two output ports in PowerTracks Pro. You
would just select one or the other, but not both. If you selected both you would get an error message saying you couldn’t open
one of the devices.
Recording Tracks in Stereo or Mono
Each Input and Output port is a Stereo pair, with a left and right channel. For example, if you select 4 Input Ports and 4 Output
Ports, then you would be actually getting 8 input and 8 output channels, since each audio port has both a left and right channel.
In the Tracks window, you can select the output port for each track, and in the Mixer window you can use the pan setting for
the track to control where the output gets sent (left or right channel for the port).
When recording to a stereo audio track, the track will contain both the left and right channels. If you’ve selected multiple input
ports, PowerTracks will record to multiple stereo tracks and offer to insert stereo track(s) if necessary.
MONO tracks contain only 1 channel per track, but you could record mono tracks in pairs if you’ve set the “Input Channel for
MONO Tracks” to L+R in the Options | Preferences | Audio settings.
When recording to MONO tracks, multiple ports are only utilized if the Input Channel for MONO tracks in the Options |
Preferences | Audio settings is set to “L+R.” This will be set to “L+R” automatically if you select multiple input ports. The
audio data will be recorded as 1 L+R pair per input port with all the data recorded on adjacent available tracks. Tracks will be
inserted if necessary (same method as when recording L+R with a single port).
See the Options - Audio Preferences help topic for more information on stereo recording. Multi-port recording works the same
as stereo recording, except there is more than one pair of stereo tracks being recorded by PowerTracks.
If the Record Channel is set to “Left” or “Right” only Input Port number 1 (the first input port in the list that was selected by
you in the Audio Drivers dialog) will be recorded onto a MONO track.
Note: Port number 1 is used as a source of timing when syncing MIDI to digital audio. If you are attempting to use two different brands of
sound cards together on one computer as two separate ports, there may be timing problems if the cards have different DMA buffer sizes, but it

12 Table of Contents
 is possible you may not encounter any noticeable timing issues. The multi-port feature is mainly meant for multi-port cards. Feel free to try
multiple sound cards, but your results may vary.

MME Recording Offset

The Recording Offset MS [MME/Windows Audio] setting is found in the Options | Preferences Audio dialog. It can be used
to correct a timing issue under Windows Vista that can cause recorded tracks to be delayed in time. Should that happen, you can
increase the offset to a setting greater than zero. Usually the delay is around 50 to 60ms.
ASIO Audio Drivers
This dialog lets you choose an ASIO driver. ASIO is an alternate driver system developed by Steinberg. It has much lower
latency than ordinary MME drivers.
You can arrive at this dialog in 3 different ways:
1) If you haven’t used ASIO drivers, but PowerTracks Pro Audio detected them, and you answered “Yes” when asked if you
want to use an ASIO driver.
2) If, within the Audio Preferences, you change the audio Driver Type from MME to ASIO.
3) If the audio Driver Type is already set to ASIO, but you later press the Drivers button in the Audio Preferences.
The Select one ASIO Driver list box lets you select an ASIO driver to use. You can only select one ASIO driver at a time.
ASIO4All Driver Warning
There is warning if the ASIO4All driver is "not connected"
Sometimes the ASIO4All driver will not be connected to an audio driver and output will be silent. This is usually due to a soft synth already
using the audio driver. If PowerTracks detects that ASIO4ALL isn’t connected, it will warn you about this, so you are aware of why the audio is
silent.

Once you have selected an ASIO driver, you will see the Input Port(s) and Output Port(s) list boxes filled with your driver’s
input and output ports. By default, the first of each will be selected. You are allowed to select multiple ports with a Ctrl+click
on the ports you choose in the list, and all the ports you select will be available for output within PowerTracks. If you do not
hear input or output, then you may need to try different ports than the defaults. You may need to read your sound card’s
instructions to determine the correct ports to use.
The [ASIO Driver’s Control Panel] button launches a settings dialog specifically provided by your driver manufacturer. This
usually lets you adjust the latency by letting you choose different buffer sizes in milliseconds.
Some drivers might let you choose the buffer size in samples, which is less convenient than milliseconds.

Table of Contents 13
The smaller the buffer size, the lower the latency, and the faster the response. Smaller buffers require more CPU power and if
you hear dropouts or artifacts, you may need to increase the buffer size.
Since many ASIO drivers do not support multiple sample rates, PowerTracks has a built-in resampler which lets you play and
record songs that have a different sampling rate than the rate(s) directly supported by your ASIO driver. The Resampler
Quality combo lets you choose Fast, Good, Better, or Best. Fast is the quickest but is the lowest of the four levels of quality.
Best is the slowest (uses more CPU time) but the most transparent and accurate quality.
See the following Understanding Latency section.
ASIO always on is normally selected, but it can be disabled if a driver has trouble running ASIO constantly. When this setting
is turned off (unchecked), the ASIO driver is only used for playback and recording and MIDI Thru will be routed to the default
MIDI Output destination as selected in the MIDI Driver Setup. This minimizes MIDI Thru latency when ASIO is not on, and it
is the same way MIDI Thru behaves with high-latency MME drivers.
The Driver Info field shows various characteristics of your driver.
The Name is the driver’s name.
The Version is the version number of your driver.
Input Channels is the total number of mono input channels that your sound card has. (Note: PowerTracks groups these into
stereo pairs.)
Output Channels is the total number of mono output channels that your sound card has. (Note: PowerTracks groups these into
stereo pairs.)
The Allowed Sample Rates field shows the sample rates allowed by your sound card’s ASIO driver. PowerTracks has a built-in
resampler which lets you play and record files that aren’t directly supported by your ASIO driver.
Input data format and output data format is the format of the data that the ASIO driver uses (such as integer or float, 16 or 32
bit, LSB or MSB which is the ordering of the bytes).
The Buffer Sizes In Samples shows a range of allowed buffer sizes. The Pref is the preferred size, and this is the size that
PowerTracks uses. Your driver may alter the preferred size if you’ve launched the ASIO Driver Control Panel and have selected
a new buffer size from within the driver’s Control Panel. If your driver changes the preferred size, then PowerTracks will be
aware of the new preferred size.
Actual ASIO buffer size in MS is the length of an ASIO buffer in milliseconds.
Actual ASIO sample rate used is the sample rate of the ASIO driver itself. If it says (RESAMPLER IN USE) then the .SEQ
file is a different sample rate than the ASIO driver. If it says (RESAMPLER NOT IN USE) then the .SEQ file and ASIO driver
both are using the same sample rate.
Understanding Latency
Latency is based on the buffer sizes. The smaller the buffer sizes the lower the latency. Lower latency lets you hear mixer
volume changes quickly, as well as hear MIDI thru echoed out via a DXi soft synth practically in real time.
The latency, in MS is determined by the buffer size in samples, as well as the driver’s sampling rate.
Note: If your ASIO Driver’s control panel lets you select the buffer size in MS, then you don’t have to pay much attention to the part of this
discussion about converting samples to MS.
Converting Samples to MS: For example, suppose the driver’s sample rate is 48K. A 48K sampling rate means that it is
playing at 48,000 samples per second. If the buffer size were 48000 samples, then the latency would be 1 second, or 1000ms
(which is very large and slow, and usually not allowed in ASIO). If the buffer size were 4800 samples, which is 1/10 second,
then the latency would be 100ms. If the buffer size were 2400 samples, which is 1/20 second, the latency would be 50 ms. If the
buffer size were 240 samples, which is 1/200 second, the latency would be a mere 5ms which is incredibly low and very fast.
Normally, you can change your driver’s latency by pressing the [ASIO Driver’s Control Panel] button. Normally, the driver
specifies the buffer sizes in milliseconds, which equals the latency.
Low latency is faster and more responsive, but uses more CPU power.
Depending on the speed of your computer, you may find that the playback has dropouts, clicks/pops, or other artifacts if you set
the buffer sizes too small. This is because smaller buffers use more CPU power and if your computer can’t handle the low
latency you will hear artifacts. If this happens, you would need to use larger buffer sizes. You may need to experiment to find
what works well. You may be able to use smaller buffers with songs that don’t have a lot of tracks and effects, but may find that
you need to use larger buffers with songs that have more tracks and use more effects. This is because more tracks and more
effects use more CPU power, which leaves less CPU power available for the audio routines to keep up with lower latencies.

14 Table of Contents
 Chapter 2: QuickStart
Playing, recording, and mixing great music with PowerTracks Pro Audio is as easy as 1-2-3! In this chapter, you’ll see just how
easy it is to get PowerTracks working for you. Later chapters describe the features in full detail.

Step 1 – Playing Music

There are numerous ways of playing existing files with PowerTracks Pro Audio. Here are the types of files that PowerTracks
can load and play.
1. Sequence files (*.seq) are native PowerTracks Pro Audio files that can contain MIDI information, digital audio, or both.
2. Standard MIDI files (*.mid), Type 1 (multiple track) or Type 0 (single track).
3. PowerTracks Drum Pattern files (*.dp) contain drum pattern information.
4. Karaoke files (*.kar), sing-along MIDI files with lyrics.
5. Windows wave files (*.wav), native digital audio files for the Microsoft Windows platform. A widely supported PC format.
6. MP3 files (*.mp3), compressed audio files, popular on the Internet.
7. Windows Media Audio (*.wma) and Windows Media Video (*.wmv) are compressed media file formats for the Windows
Media Player.
8. CD Audio files (*.cda) are the standard file format for audio CDs.
9. Music XML files (*.xml/) are the standard file format designed for music notation.

Loading a Song
There are many ways of opening a file. Perhaps the easiest is to choose the [Open] button on the toolbar. Or you could
choose Open from the File menu.
As with many features in PowerTracks, there are keystroke shortcuts. In this case you can type ALT+F  O. There are other
shortcuts to do other operations, and you can see them in a later chapter.
By default, PowerTracks Pro Audio shows you the files contained in the PowerTracks folder, usually c:\pt on your hard drive.
You can open any of these files that we’ve included as samples.
Playing the Song
Now that you have a song loaded, it’s easy to play the song. You can:
1. Play the song using the [Play] button located in the toolbar.

Chapter 2: QuickStart 15
2. Type P to play the song from its current position.
3. Type CTRL+P to play the song from the starting position.
4. Type ALT+A to play from the start of the song.
All 4 functions will get your tune playing. Note that you can start and stop the song from its current position by tapping the
<SPACE BAR>.
Chord Wizards
PowerTracks Pro Audio has two chord wizards to figure out the chords to a song so that you can play along by following the
chords in the Chords window.
The chord wizards can be launched from the Chords window.

There is also a button for the Audio Chord Wizard on the main toolbar.

The Audio Chord Wizard interprets the chords from audio files (WAV, MP3, WMA, WMV, and CDA) and imports
them to PowerTracks.
This is an extremely powerful feature that automatically finds chord symbols by analyzing the audio content of a song. The song
can be one that you created yourself, a song from a CD, or a song in a digital file format such as MP3. The Audio Chord Wizard
also can automatically determine bar lines for a song as well as a Tempo Map.

There is a right click menu which allows you to launch the MIDI Chord Wizard, which will work out the chords for a MIDI file
(MID) and import them to the Chords window.
Creating a New Song Arrangement
To generate a new song arrangement, you begin by typing the chords into the Chords window using standard chord
symbols. This window opens with the [Chords] button, the hot key combination Ctrl+3, or the menu command
Window | Chords.

You’ll see the bars of the song displayed in rows. If a bar contains chord symbols, they will be displayed to the right of the bar
number.
Entering Chords
Enter the chords for your song by typing them in using standard chord symbols such as C, or Fm7, or Bb7, or Bb13#9/E. For
example, type c6 to get the C6 chord. Note that you should never have to use the Shift key, as PowerTracks will sort this out for
you.
- Use b for a flat, e.g., Bb7.
- Use # or 3 for a sharp, e.g., F#7. (# is the uppercase symbol of 3, so you can actually type F37 to get F#7 - PowerTracks will
sort out the case, saving you the effort of using <SHIFT>3 to type the # symbol.
- Use / for Slash Chords with alternate Roots such as C7/E (C7 with E bass)
- Use a comma to enter 2 chords in a row. In the example below, we would type Ab9,G9 to enter 2 chords at a time (on beat 3
and 4 of bar 2)

16 Chapter 2: QuickStart
You can use the Delete key to delete a chord, or type a comma and press Enter.
Each measure is divided into Beat Groups, indicated by a highlight cell, A Beat Group consists of two beats. If a song is in 4/4,
then each measure will contain two beat groups. The current beat group will have a rectangle drawn around it. You can type two
chords into the current beat group. For example if you type this: “C7,G7” (without the quotes) you’ll see the text you’re typing
in the white rectangular panel on the toolbar. If you then hit <Enter> you’ll see the C7 and G7 chords appear within the current
beat group, and the input rectangle will automatically advance to the next beat group. When you’re in the middle of typing
chord symbols, you can use the backspace key to correct a mistake.
The Left Arrow and Right Arrow keys let you move the input rectangle to a different beat group without entering chords. You
can also click the mouse on a different beat group to move the input rectangle to a new location.
Note: Don’t use the mouse in a situation where you’ve just typed a chord symbol but haven’t yet pressed enter or pressed the left arrow
unless you want your input to go into another beat group.
The help topic Entering Chord Symbols has additional information and a list of the chord spellings that are recognized by
PowerTracks. The Chords Window topic explains how to enter breaks such as rests and pushes, and how to copy chords.
Let’s enter some chords in the chord sheet.
We’ll put our highlight cell in the first beat group of bar and type the letters cm7. Press the Enter key and the chord symbol
Cm7 is entered at the start of bar 1.
Press the Enter key again and the highlight cell moves to bar 2. Type f7 for an F seventh chord and press Enter.
Now we’ll use some chord shortcuts. The letter “j” is the shortcut for a major seventh chord. Type bbj and press Enter to write
the chord symbol BbMaj7 on the chord sheet. Move to the next bar and type ebj to write EbMaj7 in that bar. Advance to the
next bar and type the letters ah to write Am7b5 – the h is for a half-diminished chord. In the next bar type df and the chord
symbol D7b9 will be entered, then enter gm for a G minor chord in bar 7. We’ll stop there for purposes of this tutorial, and here
is what our Chords window looks like now.

MicroChords
You can enter up to 4 chords per beat. Previously, limit was 1 chord per beat, but now you can have chords on 8th notes, triplets,
or 16ths notes. This is especially useful on slow songs. You can select which tracks will play the MicroChords, allowing some
tracks to play fast moving chord progressions and others to play the main chords.
Note: The soloist and background RealTracks do not follow MicroChords by design because playing would be too chopping if they did.
MicroChords are stacked vertically on the Chords Window. If there is also a main chord at the same beat, it will display in gray.

You can enter MicroChords on the Chords Window using parentheses and commas. Start with an open parenthesis, type chords
separated by commas, and end with a close parenthesis.
For example, typing (C,F) enters two chords for 8th notes, (C,F,G) enters three chords for triplets, and (C,F,G,Am) enters four
chords for 16th notes. If you do not type a chord between commas, it will enter a blank chord. For example, typing (C,F,G,,)
would enter the first and the second chords for 16th notes and the third chord for an 8th note.

You can have both MicroChords and a main chord at the same beat. For example, type D(A,F) to enter D as a main chord and A
and F as MicroChords.

You can erase all chords (main and/or MicroChords) from the highlighted cell with the Delete key.

Chapter 2: QuickStart 17
Pressing the () and Enter keys will erase just the MicroChords and advance the cell.

You can change the current main chord and keep the current MicroChords at the beat by typing another main chord. For
example, if you type G and press the Enter key, the main chord will be replaced with G and the MicroChords will remain.

If you want to change the main chord and erase the MicroChords, type a chord followed by parentheses. For example, type G()
to replace the current main chord with G and erase the MicroChords.

You can also use a dialog to enter MicroChords. Right-click on the Chords Window and select MicroChord Settings (up to 4
chords per beat) from the menu.

This will open the Set MicroChords dialog. It has additional settings including the option to exclude some tracks from playing
the MicroChords.

MicroChords will be entered to the bar and beat shown at the top of the dialog.
Each beat is divided into four for an even style and three for a swing style. You can change this division with the
“Triplets/16ths” combo box above the cells.
Type a chord in each cell. You can move to other bar and/or beat with the arrow buttons.
Force Enabled: This is useful if you do not enter any MicroChords in the current beat but still want a beat of silence instead of
the main chord.
Disabled for this bar: If this option is checked, none of the MicroChords settings will be played for this bar.
[Clear]: This delete all MicroChords from the current beat.
Rest: A rest will cause the previous chord duration to stop playing, turning the previous chord into a “shot.”
Motif: Enter a checkmark if you want to create a specific rhythmic pattern. You do not need to enter chords as the motif will use
whatever current chord is in the song.
Triplets/16ths: This sets the number of divisions per beat. “Triplet” divides the beat into 3, and 16th divides the beat into 4. If
“Auto” is selected, the division is automatically selected by the style loaded.

18 Chapter 2: QuickStart
Set Excluded Tracks: This area allows you to select tracks to be excluded from playing the MicroChords. Enabling the
“Change Excluded Tracks at this bar” allows you to select tracks that should be excluded from playing the MicroChords. Press
the [Set] button to select tracks that should be excluded. The excluded tracks will play main chords, instead. The [Clear Bar
(Excluded Tracks)] button clears any excluded-track setting for the current bar, and the [Clear All Bars] button clears any
track-excluded settings for all bars in the song.

Step 2 – Recording Music

PowerTracks Pro Audio is a versatile multitrack player and recorder. This section shows you the basics of recording MIDI and
digital audio.
Destination Track (Current Track)
In the Tracks window, we’re going to select a particular track. When a track is selected as the Current Track, the track name
field is shaded in red.
Note: If the track's number field is shown in silver, this means it is unselected altogether. If the track's number field is yellow, then this means
it's selected for multitrack editing commands but NOT for recording.

Track Types
PowerTracks needs to know what kind of data it will be recording. Sometimes you’ll be recording from your digital piano or
synthesizer. This type of recording means you’ll be recording MIDI. If you were recording your vocals from a microphone or
directly into the sound card from your guitar or other instrument, you would be recording digital audio.
In the Tracks window, the MIDI tracks display an icon for the General MIDI instrument that is assigned to that
track. If you are not using a GM instrument, the patch number is shown.
Audio tracks show either a Generic Audio icon or the icon for the track category, such as the female vocalist
shown. Click on the icon with your mouse to select a track category. The track category will optionally load a
group of preset audio effects.
You can create track categories with associated effects groups and import your own pictures for these track
category icons.
In the Classic Tracks View, the Ty column has icons representing the types of track data possible.
By clicking on the MIDI icon, you can turn it into an audio icon. Another click will produce
a stereo audio icon. A third click would return it to a MIDI icon.
MIDI Mono Audio Stereo Audio
For now we’ll discuss mono audio recording only, stereo recording is detailed elsewhere.
Recording MIDI
MIDI music can be entered in PowerTracks Pro Audio very easily. If you’ve set up your input devices correctly in the MIDI
options dialog, and your synthesizer/keyboard is properly connected, PowerTracks will record anything you play between the
time the count-in ends and the time you stop recording.
Starting to Record
To start recording, click on the Record button, press the R key on the computer keyboard, or use the menu command
Action | Record.

Chapter 2: QuickStart 19
- Use Record Audio Only to prevent MIDI from also being recorded. This will avoid extra popup questions after recording.
- Use Record MIDI Only to prevent audio from also being recorded. This will also avoid extra popup questions.
- Use Record Audio and MIDI to record both regardless of the current track type.
- Use Record Click Track menu item for recording a click track to align events to the locations you clicked. This automatically
will ensure that the current track gets set to MIDI, or switch to a new track if the current track is audio. This will also designate
the track as the Click Track after recording, and set the name to “Click Track” as well.
- If Always Record both Audio and MIDI menu command is enabled, then when the Record button is pressed, both types of
recording will occur by default. If this is not checked, then either MIDI or audio will be recorded, depending upon the track
type.
After you start the recording process you’ll see and hear a count-in to prompt you to
get ready to play.
You can change count-in settings in the Options | Metronome dialog.

Recording is stopped by hitting the spacebar or pressing the Stop button.

When recording is stopped you will be asked whether or not you wish to keep the take.
Remember that with MIDI recording small glitches are easily corrected; so you don’t need to
discard an otherwise good take because of a minor slip.

Note: If you see a message that audio data was recorded that is because “Always Record Audio too, if current track is MIDI” has been
enabled in the Audio preferences dialog. This is an automatic backup feature in case you wanted to record audio, but accidentally selected
the current track as a MIDI track.
Since PowerTracks Pro is also a powerful editor, you can edit the track later in the Tracks window, the Editable Notation
window, or the Event List.
Recording Audio
If the audio properties are correctly set in the Windows Control Panel | Sound and Audio Devices panel, and the same driver is
set in the Audio Drivers dialog, you are ready to record.
Connect your microphone to your sound card’s Mic jack, choose a track, and set the track type to audio. To start recording, click
on the Record Audio button or press the R key.
Audio editing and effects are also possible and are discussed in detail in further chapters. PowerTracks Pro Audio has two types
of audio effects, ones that permanently alter the track and are accessed from the Edit | Audio Effects menu, and real time effects
that are accessed via the mixer.

Step 3 – Mixing your Song

After you’ve recorded a few takes, and are satisfied that you have all the parts you want, you may wish to do a little mixing.
The Mixer
The scrollable and resizable Mixer window is a combination mixer that lets you control all 48 MIDI and/or audio tracks, 8
auxiliary busses, and up to 16 outputs including any audio subgroups you may have assigned.
The Mixer window provides real time control of effects and track volumes. You can launch it by typing ALT+W 8.

20 Chapter 2: QuickStart
It is here that you control MIDI panning, reverb, and chorus. When a track type is set to Audio, you can set panning, and assign
that track to use up to four track-specific chained audio effects on the FX inserts and route the track through any four of the
eight auxiliary busses.
The term “chained” means that the effects operate in series, rather than in parallel. For example, imagine we have added two
effects, effect A and effect B. First effect A will be applied to that track, and then the resulting sound will have effect B applied
to it.
In addition to the track-specific effects, there are eight global busses that can each have four chained effects. You can adjust the
amount that each audio track uses the effects in these eight auxiliary busses. If that isn’t enough, you can add four chained
effects to the main audio output, and to each audio subgroup.
Having more fun with PowerTracks Pro Audio!
It’s that easy to quickly create music from start to finish with PowerTracks Pro Audio. But don’t forget that this powerful
program has many more features and configurable settings which are discussed in later chapters.
These features give you the ability to produce great sounding music in your own home “studio” with production values and
effects that once required expensive studio time.
Have fun making your music with PowerTracks Pro Audio!

Chapter 2: QuickStart 21
 Chapter 3: Summary of New Features
There are over 20 new features to PowerTracks, including MIDI Vocoder and Fix Tuning modes for Audio Harmonies,
MicroChords (up to 4 chords per beat), Reverse Audio Effects, easy Tab key navigation on the Chords Window, smoother
mouse wheel operation on the Tracks Window, and much more.

Summary of New Features

MIDI Vocoder Mode Available for Audio Harmonies
Audio harmonies now support MIDI vocoder mode. You can enter notes in a MIDI track to change the pitch of an audio track to
match the MIDI notes. (When the MIDI notes are placed in the same time location as the music (e.g. vocals) in an audio track,
the audio will be transposed to the midi note pitches.)
Fix Tuning Mode Available for Audio Harmonies
Audio harmonies now support fix tuning mode, which will correct the tuning of an audio track.
MicroChords (Up to 4 Chords per Beat)
You can now enter up to 4 chords per beat. Previously, limit was 1 chord per beat, but now you can have chords on 8th notes,
triplets, or 16ths notes. This is especially useful on slow songs. You can select which tracks will play the MicroChords, allowing
some tracks to play fast moving chord progressions and others to play the main chords.
Hi-Q MIDI Selection Dialog Includes Playable RealTrack/RealDrum Instruments and SynthMaster
Instruments
The Hi-Q MIDI instrument selection dialog (accessed from the right click menu in the Tracks Window) now includes Playable
RealTrack/RealDrum instruments and SynthMaster instruments. (Note: This feature requires Band-in-a-Box.)
Reverse Audio Effects
In the Edit | Audio Effects menu, there is an item to reverse a highlighted section of audio to create backwards effects in your
song. This can be used for “classic” backwards soloing effects or for transitions to a new section of a song.
Better Mouse Wheel Operation
Mouse wheel operation was too fast in the Tracks Window and could easily overshoot. Now, it is smoother.
Chords Window Navigation with Tab and Shift+Tab
You can now navigate the Chords Window with the Tab and Shift+Tab keys.
Always Launchable Notation Window
Pressing the Notation button now always launches the Notation Window even if the current track is audio. It will still ask if you
want to change the current track to MIDI if the current track is a blank audio track. If you do open the Notation Window with
the current track being an audio track, you will see a flash message indicating this.
Always Launchable Audio Edit Window
Pressing the Audio Edit button now always launches the Audio Edit Window even if the current track is MIDI. It will still ask if
you want to change the current track to audio if it's a blank MIDI track. If you do open the Audio Edit Window with the current
track being a MIDI Track you will see a flash message indicating this.
New Menu Item to Erase All Lyrics
There is a new menu item to easily delete all lyrics on a track.
New Dialog to Increase/Decrease Audio Trim Decibel
There is a dialog box to easily increase/decrease the audio trim db for all tracks at the same time or set them all to the same
specific value.
Notation Options Enhancements
Notation settings are now saved between sessions. Previously, only some of them were saved.
The Defaults button lets you reset the notation options to factory default settings.
The Update button will apply your settings to the Notation Window display without having to exit the Notation Window
Options dialog.
The “Not in chord/key” color options will display a note in black if the note is within the current chord; green if in the current
key; orange if not in the current chord or key.
The Notation Window (Editable or Staff Roll mode) has hotkeys for changing note times left/right. When a note is highlighted

22 Chapter 3: Summary of New Features

in red (using the Shift+Arrow R/L keys), use the Ctrl+Alt+Arrow R/L keys to change the note time +/- 5 ticks (120 ticks per
beat).
Hard rests in the Notation Window will, in most cases, automatically be transposed to a new clef if the notes it affects would be
transposed to a different clef.
Print Options Enhancements
The Staff Lines check box allows you to exclude staff lines. This can be useful if you're just printing a chord sheet.
There is now a setting to ignore bars per line markers when printing.
When you do not include staff lines in printout, there is an option to show chords above instead of inside each bar.
The Defaults button lets you reset the print options to default settings.
Lead Sheet Options Enhancements
Lead Sheet Options are saved between sessions. Previously. only some of them were saved.
The Defaults button lets you reset the Lead Sheet to factory default settings.
The Updates button will apply your settings to the Lead Sheet display without having to exit the settings dialog.
Relevant Menu Items Displayed in Tracks Window’s Right-Click Menu
When you right-click on the Tracks Window and the track is an audio track, it will now hide the two MIDI-specific items that
are grayed out involving converting MIDI tracks to audio tracks. Also, when the track is a MIDI track, it will hide audio-specific
items like the Audio Effects submenu items, Save Audio Track as wav/wma/mp4/m4a/mp3 and Import Wave File, Time Stretch
and Pitch Shift Selected Audio Tracks, Show Real Chart Notation and other audio-specific items like Generate Intelligent Audio
Harmony in the Track submenu, etc.
Fixes since 2022 Release
Fixed: When dragging a section of audio, the From/Thru display wasn’t updated while dragging.
Fixed: In the Tracks Window and Audio Edit Window, pressing the Alt or Shift key along with the Ctrl control to copy or move
a section of audio in the without showing any dialog wasn't working correctly.
Fixed: Slash key in the number section of keyboard wasn't working in the Chords Window.
Fixed: When saving to a .SEQ file, stereo audio tracks that didn't have any audio data but had info such as a track name could
show up as mono tracks when the .SEQ was loaded back into PowerTracks.
Fixed: The DAW plugin mode button didn't work in the Tracks Window.
Fixed: In the Key Signature dialog, changing the semitones setting itself would not result in any transposition of the tracks.
Fixed: When loading an .SEQ file to Scrap (File | Scrap | Load Scrap) and the audio in the .SEQ is a different sampling rate
than the existing song, MIDI tracks in the SEQ would not be loaded into the scrap buffer.
Fixed: PowerTracks could not load in a .TGS file that was saved by Band-in-a-Box if it was a version 2 format.
Fixed: When loading using Load Scrap or Import and selecting a .SEQ file, a File Has Invalid Data error could occur.
Fixed: When the Notation Window is displaying in the Staff Roll mode, accidentals were not being displayed.
Fixed: The built-in Audio Chord Wizard routines (Reinterpret Chords button in Chords Window) would still revert to the old
chord detection routines.
Fixed: When using the Audio Chord Wizard (Audio Chord Wizard button on the main toolbar), there could be a loop of popup
message boxes asking if you want to stretch/reduce audio.
Fixed: Adding a repeat in the Chords Window Bar Settings dialog could cause the program to crash during playback.
Fixed: The tuner was not loading.
… and more!

Details of New Features

MIDI Vocoder Mode Available for Audio Harmonies
Audio harmonies now support MIDI vocoder mode. You can enter notes in a MIDI track to change the pitch of notes on the
audio track (such as vocals) to match the MIDI notes. When the MIDI notes are placed in the same time location as the music on
the audio track, the audio will be transposed to the MIDI note pitches.
To use this feature, go to menu Edit | Track | Generate Intelligent Audio Harmony (with passing tones), MIDI Vocoder, Fix
Tuning. In the Generate Intelligent Audio Harmony dialog, select the MIDI mode, the MIDI source track, number of harmony
voices to generate, and target tracks, and press OK.

Chapter 3: Summary of New Features 23

 Note: The target track(s) (e.g., Voice 1, etc.) that contain the results may have silence in any time locations where the MIDI Source Track has
silence (no active MIDI notes) whether the Original Melody Track had any audio occurring in those same time locations or not.

Fix Tuning Mode Available for Audio Harmonies

Audio harmonies now support fix tuning mode, which will correct the tuning of the original melody track and place it on the
target track.
To use this feature, select Generate Intelligent Audio Harmony (with passing tones), MIDI Vocoder, Fix Tuning from the
Generate menu. In the Generate Intelligent Audio Harmony dialog, select the Fix Tuning mode, specify the original melody
track, select target track and press OK.

24 Chapter 3: Summary of New Features

MicroChords (Up to 4 Chords per Beat)
You can now enter up to 4 chords per beat. Previously, limit was 1 chord per beat, but now you can have chords on 8th notes,
triplets, or 16ths notes. This is especially useful on slow songs. You can select which tracks will play the MicroChords, allowing
some tracks to play fast moving chord progressions and others to play the main chords.
Note: The soloist and background RealTracks do not follow MicroChords by design because playing would be too chopping if they did.
MicroChords are stacked vertically on the Chords Window. If there is also a main chord at the same beat, it will display in gray.

You can enter MicroChords on the Chords Window using parentheses and commas. Start with an open parenthesis, type chords
separated by commas, and end with a close parenthesis.
For example, typing (C,F) enters two chords for 8th notes, (C,F,G) enters three chords for triplets, and (C,F,G,Am) enters four
chords for 16th notes. If you do not type a chord between commas, it will enter a blank chord. For example, typing (C,F,G,,)
would enter the first and the second chords for 16th notes and the third chord for an 8th note.

You can have both MicroChords and a main chord at the same beat. For example, type D(A,F) to enter D as a main chord and A
and F as MicroChords.

You can erase all chords (main and/or MicroChords) from the highlighted cell with the Delete key.

Pressing the () and Enter keys will erase just the MicroChords and advance the cell.

You can change the current main chord and keep the current MicroChords at the beat by typing another main chord. For
example, if you type G and press the Enter key, the main chord will be replaced with G and the MicroChords will remain.

If you want to change the main chord and erase the MicroChords, type a chord followed by parentheses. For example, type G()
to replace the current main chord with G and erase the MicroChords.

You can also use a dialog to enter MicroChords. Right-click on the Chords Window and select MicroChord Settings (up to 4
chords per beat) from the menu, or press the F10 key.

This will open the Set MicroChords dialog. It has additional settings including the option to exclude some tracks from playing
the MicroChords.

Chapter 3: Summary of New Features 25

MicroChords will be entered to the bar and beat shown at the top of the dialog.
Each beat is divided into four for an even style and three for a swing style. You can change this division with the
“Triplets/16ths” combo box above the cells.
Type a chord in each cell. You can move to other bar and/or beat with the arrow buttons.
Force Enabled: This is useful if you do not enter any MicroChords in the current beat but still want a beat of silence instead of
the main chord.
Disabled for this bar: If this option is checked, none of the MicroChords settings will be played for this bar.
[Clear]: This delete all MicroChords from the current beat.
Rest: A rest will cause the previous chord duration to stop playing, turning the previous chord into a “shot.”
Motif: Enter a checkmark if you want to create a specific rhythmic pattern. You do not need to enter chords as the motif will use
whatever current chord is in the song.
Triplets/16ths: This sets the number of divisions per beat. “Triplet” divides the beat into 3, and 16th divides the beat into 4. If
“Auto” is selected, the division is automatically selected by the style loaded.
Set Excluded Tracks: This area allows you to select tracks to be excluded from playing the MicroChords. Enabling the
“Change Excluded Tracks at this bar” allows you to select tracks that should be excluded from playing the MicroChords. Press
the [Set] button to select tracks that should be excluded. The excluded tracks will play main chords, instead. The [Clear Bar
(Excluded Tracks)] button clears any excluded-track setting for the current bar, and the [Clear All Bars] button clears any
track-excluded settings for all bars in the song.
Hi-Q MIDI Selection Dialog Includes Playable RealTrack/RealDrum Instruments and SynthMaster
Instruments
The Hi-Q MIDI instrument selection dialog now includes Playable RealTrack/RealDrum instruments and SynthMaster
instruments. (Note: This feature requires Band-in-a-Box.)
To open this dialog, right-click on a MIDI track in the Tracks Window, choose Select Hi-Q MIDI Synth Patch from the menu,
and select your Band-in-a-Box folder. You will see hundreds of Playable RealTrack and RealDrum instruments (.tgs) listed.
You can filter the list by typing “playable” or “SynthMaster” in the text filter.

26 Chapter 3: Summary of New Features

Reverse Audio Effects
In the Edit | Audio Effects menu, there is an item to reverse a highlighted section of audio to create backwards effects in your
song. This can be used for backwards soloing effects or for transitions to a new section of a song. For example, if you reverse a
held chord or a sustained cymbal, it can be used as a “crescendo” effect to transition from one section to another section of a
song.

Better Mouse Wheel Operation

Mouse wheel operation was too fast in the Tracks Window and could easily overshoot. Now, it is smoother.
Chords Window Navigation with Tab and Shift+Tab
You can now navigate the Chords Window with the Tab and Shift+Tab keys.
Tab will move the current cell forward.

Shift+Tab will move the current cell backward.

Always Launchable Notation Window

Pressing the Notation button now always launches the Notation Window even if the current track is audio. It will still ask if you
want to change the current track to MIDI if the current track is a blank audio track. If you do open the Notation Window with
the current track being an audio track, you will see a flash message indicating this.

Chapter 3: Summary of New Features 27

Always Launchable Audio Edit Window
Pressing the Audio Edit button now always launches the Audio Edit Window even if the current track is MIDI. It will still ask if
you want to change the current track to audio if it's a blank MIDI track. If you do open the Audio Edit Window with the current
track being a MIDI Track you will see a flash message indicating this.

Menu Item to Erase All Lyrics

There is a new menu item in to easily delete all lyrics on a track. This is found in the Edit | Track submenu.

New Dialog to Increase/Decrease Audio Trim Decibel

There is a new dialog to increase/decrease the audio trim db for all tracks at the same time or set them all to the same specific
value. This is found in the Edit | Track submenu.

Notation Enhancements
Notation settings are now saved between sessions. Previously, only some of them were saved.
Notation Options - The Defaults button lets you reset the notation options to factory default settings.
Notation Options - The Update button will apply your settings to the Notation Window display without having to exit the
Notation Window Options dialog.
Notation Options - The “Not in chord/key” color options will display a note in black if the note is within the current chord;
green if in the current key; orange if not in the current chord or key.
The Notation window (Editable or Staff Roll mode) has hotkeys for changing note times left/right. When a note is highlighted in
red (using the Shift+Arrow R/L keys), use the Ctrl+Alt+Arrow R/L keys to change the note time +/- 5 ticks (120 ticks per
beat). (Note: Some graphics drivers may use the Ctrl+Alt+Arrow R/L keys to rotate the screen in 90 degrees right/left. If that’s
the case, you need to disable it in order to use those keys for changing note times in the Notation window. You can do this in
your graphics control panel, which opens by clicking on the desktop and selecting Graphics Properties.)
Hard rests in the Notation Window will, in most cases, automatically be transposed to a new clef if the notes it affects would be
transposed to a different clef.

28 Chapter 3: Summary of New Features

Print Options Enhancements
The Staff Lines check box allows you to exclude staff lines. This can be useful if you're just printing a chord sheet.
There is now a setting to ignore bars per line markers when printing.
When you do not include staff lines in printout, there is an option to show chords above instead of inside each bar. This is set
with the “Regular chord pos when no staff lines” option.
The Defaults button lets you reset the print options to default settings.

Lead Sheet Options Enhancements

Lead Sheet Options are saved between sessions. Previously. only some of them were saved.
The Defaults button lets you reset the Lead Sheet to factory default settings.
The Updates button will apply your settings to the Lead Sheet display without having to exit the settings dialog.

Chapter 3: Summary of New Features 29

Only Relevant Menu Items Displayed in Tracks Window’s Right-Click Menu
When you right-click on the Tracks Window and the track is an audio track, it will now hide the two MIDI-specific items that
are grayed out involving converting MIDI tracks to audio tracks. Also, when the track is a MIDI track, it will hide audio-specific
items like the Audio Effects submenu items, Save Audio Track as wav/wma/mp4/m4a/mp3 and Import Wave File, Time Stretch
and Pitch Shift Selected Audio Tracks, Show Real Chart Notation and other audio-specific items like Generate Intelligent Audio
Harmony in the Track submenu, etc.

30 Chapter 3: Summary of New Features

Chapter 3: Summary of New Features 31
 Chapter 4: The Main Screen
There are five parts to the PowerTracks Pro Audio main screen.
1. The Status Bar shows information about the current project.
2. The Menu Bar is where menus and commands are accessed.
3. The Toolbars give information and access to program functions.
4. The Windows area, the main workspace for all program windows.
5. The Piano Keyboard displays, and can input, MIDI notes.
6. The Transport controls and readouts for song progress.
1–
2–
3–

4–

5–
6–

Status Bar

The status bar is the colored header across the top of the screen.
PowerTracks Pro Audio shows the file name for the currently loaded song in the status bar. It also shows the song title if the
song has been given one, and the name of the current window, e.g., Chords, if the window is maximized. When the jukebox is
playing then Juke Box mode is displayed in the status bar.
The buttons to minimize, maximize, and close the program appear at the right side of the status bar.

Menu Bar

Like most Windows applications, PowerTracks Pro Audio has a pull-down menu interface. You can access the menus by
pressing Alt+<letter> with the letter being the first letter of the menu you wish to activate, e.g., Alt+F for the File menu. You
can also activate a menu by clicking the left mouse button with the mouse cursor positioned directly over the menu name on the
Menu Bar. The menus list many operations that can be controlled with key strokes. These can save time and it is a good idea to
memorize the ones you use regularly.

Toolbars

The toolbar buttons are conveniently arranged in groups according to function. The group name is displayed in vertical text at
the front end of the toolbar.
File - These are features for opening, saving, or converting files.
Tools - These are basic editing tools, including an Undo function.
Views - These are all the windows with the different views and workspaces for PowerTracks Pro Audio.

32 Chapter 4: The Main Screen

Perform - This special group of buttons is for playing a list of songs or for live playback control.
MIDI - Control the MIDI features of PowerTracks Pro Audio with these buttons.
Help - Help is available in several forms.
Song - This group has all the basic information about your song.
Audio - Audio file import and export, audio plug-ins, and special audio features not found in other DAWs.
Markers - Use these buttons to insert markers in your songs and navigate between them.
Utilities - These include the program Preferences and other useful utilities including CPU usage.
Transport - Controls for playing and recording your music.
Time - Professional song location display with SMPTE option, song location slider, and Big Clock window.
Selection - Gives the beginning and end points of the currently highlighted selection.
Levels - The horizontal VU meters are always on and display stereo levels for Input and Output.

Piano Keyboard

The re-sizeable piano keyboard is located below the main window.

The piano can be “played” by clicking with the mouse, either while a song is playing or when it is stopped, and clicking on a
note while in Editable Notation mode enters that note in the selected track at the current time location.
There is a 1-peg hot key in the Notation window to move current time forward or backward by 1 peg (normally a 16th note).
Alt+left arrow moves the current time backward by 1 peg. Alt+right arrow moves it forward by 1 peg. This makes it easier if
you are using the on-screen piano for entering notes into the Notation window.
The on-screen piano also responds to mouse clicks if the current track is an audio track. This is useful if you want to hear a note
played as a reference without having to change the current track to a MIDI track.
You can vertically resize the Big Piano by placing the mouse on the top edge of the piano and then clicking and dragging the
mouse up or down.
The menu item Options | Piano Settings… has settings for the display mode and the size of
the keyboard.
When the display mode is set to “Current Track,” the piano will display notes as they are
being played from the current track. If the display mode is set to “All notes except for drum
channel” the piano will display notes that are played from all the tracks except for notes that
are on the drum channel.
When the “Big Sizeable Piano” setting is enabled, PowerTracks Pro Audio will show a
bigger piano instead of the smaller piano.

For the Big Sizeable Piano, there is also a setting that gives you a choice of Show Track Number (drawn as a tiny number within
the notes), Show MIDI Channel, or Show No Text.
If “Big Piano Varies Colors By Track” is enabled, then the colors of the notes drawn on the big piano will vary depending on
the track number. For tracks 1 through 10, PowerTracks uses 10 different colors, then repeats these colors for higher track
numbers.

These settings are automatically saved to PTW.INI and PTPA.CFG so that they will remain in effect the next time you use
PowerTracks Pro.
The piano keyboard can be closed with the menu command Options | Hide Piano.

Chapter 4: The Main Screen 33

Windows
Most of the main screen is used for the windows workspace. There are many window views to choose from and you can open as
many as you wish to. The Tracks window is the default view.
Tracks Window
The Tracks window opens with the [Tracks] toolbar button, with the key strokes Ctrl+1, or by selecting Tracks in the
Windows menu. It shows the track names, track type (MIDI or audio), instrument settings, and an overview section
showing either MIDI or audio data.

The Track Number field shows the track number.

If the track is the current track it will be highlighted in red.
When multiple tracks are selected, the track numbers will be highlighted in yellow for tracks other than the current track.
If the track is not selected it will be gray.
Click on the track number field to make a track the current track.
If you click on the track number field while holding the Shift key, this will select a range of tracks from the current track
through the number you clicked on. For example, if track 1 is the current track, and you hold the shift key and then click on the
number field for Track 4, this will make tracks 1 through 4 selected. Track 1 will still be the current track and tracks 2, 3, and 4
will be highlighted in yellow. You can select/deselect individual tracks by clicking on a track’s number field while holding
down the Ctrl key.
The Track Name field shows the track’s name, which is edited by right-clicking or double-clicking on the track name field.
Type the name and press Enter.

The track disclosure triangle cycles through three options for viewing a track in the Tracks window.
Normal height

Full track info

Mini View

Full track info view reveals more information about a track by making the track row height taller. If a track is a MIDI
track, you’ll see Vel (velocity offset), Rvb (reverb), Mod (modulation), Loop, Key (key transpose), Cho (chorus), and
Exp (expression) settings.
You can make changes to these settings by clicking on the edit
fields with the left mouse button, and then moving the mouse
up or down while holding the mouse button down.

The [Edit DXi] button launches the DirectX Window dialog and will display the settings panel for either the Default DXi
Synth (16th DXi synth slot which is MIDI port 32) or the current DXi port number if the track is set to a valid DXi port (17-32).
Any track’s MIDI Output Port can be set to send to one of the 16 available DXi synth ports or to any other available MIDI port.

34 Chapter 4: The Main Screen

 A right mouse click on a track in the Tracks window or the
Mixer window opens a menu of track settings.
You can make your MIDI settings here, including Output Port,
DXi/VSTi Synth, Channel, Program (Patch) setting, and Bank
(MSB) and Bank LSB settings.
There is an option to Set All Midi Tracks to the same port used
by the current track you are adjusting.
You can assign a DXi or VSTi softsynth to the track and open
its control panel to configure it.
There is also a menu item Patch Select Dialog that launches a
patch selection dialog, which lets you select patches and
variations as well as allowing you to change the track’s patch
list. If the patch list is set to General MIDI, Roland GS, or
Yamaha XG, the track will display an instrument icon
corresponding to the patch. Otherwise, you’ll see the patch
number displayed instead of an icon.
The track can be converted to a WAV file or to an audio track
with single menu commands. If the track is and audio track, a
WAV file can be imported to a specific location. Audio tracks
can have time stretch and pitch shifting applied. As well as
editing functions like cut, copy and paste there are additional
edit commands and audio effects.

The Mute button lets you mute or unmute a track. Green indicates the track is playing, red is mute.
Click on the solo button(s) to solo one or more tracks. Bright yellow shows that the track is soloed.
The [fx] button launches the dialog to choose VST/DX audio effects or MIDI synths for the track. If any effects or
synths are assigned the [fx] button will be blue.
The Volume and Pan sliders let you adjust a track’s volume and pan settings without having to go
into the Mixer window.

The stereo VU level meters give you a general idea of a track’s playback level.
Mini View mode has a shorter track height, allowing you to reduce the height of inactive tracks to make more room on the
screen for the tracks that you are actively working on.

Track Overview Display

To the right of the track info panels, you’ll see the overview display.

This lets you view MIDI or audio data, and select sections for editing.

Chapter 4: The Main Screen 35

The Track window’s right-click context menu includes several track options.

MIDI tracks can be automatically converted to .WAV files or audio tracks.

The Time Stretch and Pitch Shift feature allows you to permanently change the duration and pitch of individual audio tracks,
or change the speed and pitch of the entire PowerTracks Pro Audio mix. It is described in detail in the Digital Audio Features
chapter.
Select Whole Track makes it easy to select the whole track for editing.
Kill Selected Region will deselect a selected region of a MIDI (or audio) track.
Change Current Time sets the time to the position where the menu is opened.
Highlight the current Audio Event selects a specific audio event (see note), which then could be clicked and dragged (with
the Ctrl button held down) to a new location, etc.

Note: An event is defined as an event in the Event List. If an audio track is a single event, and doesn't have any boundaries shown in the
Tracks window, then the whole track will be highlighted.
You can click and drag to highlight a section of the song for editing.

Shift+click (Shift key + left mouse button) support makes it easy to tweak the beginning or end of the highlighted area.
- If you Shift+click before the start of the From/Thru range, or after the end of the From/Thru range, the highlighted area will
be extended.
- If you Shift+click within the From/Thru range, the range will be reduced, and the location you clicked on will become either
From or Thru depending on which boundary was closer to where you Shift+clicked the mouse.
- If you keep the left mouse button held after the Shift+click, and you move the mouse you can adjust the boundary of the range
while moving the mouse.
Copy/Move Current Event (selection) opens the Drag/Drop Edit dialog where you can enter the new location for the selected
region of a track.

Use Current Track Event Colors to highlight a single track, or use Default Track Event Color Setup to define a new color
scheme for the Tracks window.

36 Chapter 4: The Main Screen

Save Audio Track (or selection) as wav/wma/mp4/m4a/mp3 lets you export a track or a section of a track to a separate audio
file in one of the available formats. Some formats, such as MP3, require a proprietary codec that may not be present on your
system.
If the track is and audio track, you can Import WAV File or other audio formats at any location.

The [Drop] station is used for dragging and dropping in Plug-In mode. It is explained in the Plug-in Tools and Utilities chapter.
◄ Left and right ►cursor arrow keys will move the current time forward or backward by 1 beat in the Tracks window.

►
The [-] and [+] buttons (upper far left corner of the Tracks window) let you zoom in or zoom out the overview section.
The [Snap] button causes the time indicator to snap to the nearest beat when changing the time location or when highlighting a
region for editing.
Click on [Play Selected Area] to hear the highlighted section being edited.
Note: If you have selected non-consecutive multiple tracks (e.g., 2, 3, and 5) for editing, you should not click on the track overview section
area directly, since it will cause your track selections to be lost. If you only want to change the edit From/Thru settings, then you can click on
the timeline (immediately above the track overviews) with the mouse, and then press the F7 key to set the From: location, and then click on
the timeline again and press F8 to select the Thru: location.

Jump from Tracks to Notation, Audio Edit, or Piano Roll

Double-clicking on a track in the Tracks window will either launch the Notation or Audio Edit window for the track, depending
on track type.
If Ctrl is held and track is MIDI, then the Piano Roll will launch instead of notation.
Chords Window
The Chords window opens with the [Chords] toolbar button. This window displays the chord symbols of a song
displayed in rows. If a bar contains chord symbols they will be displayed to the right of the bar number.

You enter chords in a similar manner to the Notation window, except that the Chords window is always ready for chord entry if
the song is currently not playing.

The “a” and “b” part markers indicate section breaks and also control which RealDrums substyle plays. The “a”
substyle is usually the basic style, “b” is a variation. When the Chords window is the current window, the keyboard letter
P is a shortcut for toggling part markers between a, b, and none.

Settings for Bar

The [Bar] button opens the Settings for Bar dialog where you can change key and set repeats.

Chapter 4: The Main Screen 37

Repeats
You can add repeats to an arrangement in PowerTracks Pro Audio. The repeats display on the Chords window, and audio/MIDI
play with the repeats.
To add repeats, click on the first bar of the section to be repeated in the Chords window. Then click on the F5 key function key
to open the Settings for Bar dialog, which has settings for the number of bars to repeat and number of times to repeat them.

When the number of bars is greater than zero, a repeat will be enabled and repeat signs shown in Chords window. The repeat
signs are also shown in the Notation and Lead Sheet windows.

[Reset Bar] and [Reset All Bars] buttons allow you to quickly remove settings that apply to the current bar or all bars.
Canceling the dialog will restore the original.
The [User Tracks] feature is not implemented in this version of PowerTracks Pro Audio.
“K” KwikCopy Command
Sections can be easily copied using the “K” KwikCopy command. For example, by typing K12,1 we copied 12 bars starting at
bar 1 to bar 13.

By simply typing “K” at any bar followed by the Enter key you can instantly copy the last 8 bars to the current position. By
adding additional keys in the K command, you can customize this shortcut (e.g. typing K 12, 3 would copy from bar 3 for 12
bars to current position.) The current position is advanced to the bar beyond the copy. This makes it much easier to enter the
chords for a song.
More Chord Window Features
- Chords can be entered while the song is playing, allowing you to fix chords on the fly.
- Drag/Drop sections in Chords window. Simply drag a bar # to another bar #, and the chords in the section selected will be
copied. If you hold down the Ctrl key when doing the drag/drop the Paste dialog will open so that you can customize the
paste.
- Easy entry of boxed section text. In the Chords window, type the \ key followed by some text, to create boxed section text in
the current track.
The text is not visible in the Chords window, but it appears in the Notation and Lead
Sheet windows.

38 Chapter 4: The Main Screen

- The Chords window draws the window background color in gray after the song ending.
The [Opt...] button launches the Chords Window Options dialog.

The “Bars Per Line” setting determines how many measures will be drawn per line in the Chords window.
The “Visible Lines Per Screen:” setting determines how many lines (rows) of chords are will be visible per screen. Each
screen will always have 125 lines per screen in the Chords window, but the Visible Lines Per Screen setting controls how
many lines will be visible without scrolling.
The [Choose Font…] button lets you select a font for the Chords window. The font’s overall size will be determined by the
amount of Visible Lines Per Screen, as well as the height of the Chords window.
The “New line for every section (part marker)” option will start each section, as indicated by the part markers you insert, on its
own line. This makes it easier to identify the different sections of the song.
“Extra space between sections” has the effect of separating each section with a line. The width of the line is determined by the
number of pixels you enter.
The “Auto-Interpret Chords” setting is useful in a situation where a file is loaded, but the file doesn’t already contain any
chord symbols. If you set this to “Always,” then PowerTracks Pro Audio will always attempt to automatically interpret the
chord symbols using the Chord Wizard. If set to “Ask First,” then PowerTracks will ask before attempting to automatically
interpret chord symbols. If set to “Never,” then PowerTracks will just load the file without attempting to figure out the Chord
Symbols.
This button launches the Audio Chord Wizard. This function automatically figures out the chords from audio files
(WAV/MP3/WMA/SEQ).
If you hold the Ctrl key and press the Endless Loop button on the toolbar, PowerTracks will play the highlighted section
in an endless loop. If no section is highlighted then the entire song will be looped.
The command Ctrl+Spacebar command will also loop the highlighted region of a song (or whole song if nothing is currently
highlighted). You can use this feature in the Tracks, Bars, Chords, and Audio Edit windows.
While the highlighted section is playing, Ctrl+Spacebar will stop and start playback at the current location in the song.
Windows Menu
Other program windows can be launched by selection in the Windows menu or by clicking on their buttons in the Toolbar.

The VU Meters shows the input and output levels when recording or playing back digital audio.
The Markers window, where song markers can be inserted, opens with the menu command Window | Show Markers Window
The Karaoke window plays .KAR files, including CDG format with graphics.

Chapter 4: The Main Screen 39

The resizable Big Clock window displays the time position in three different modes: musical time, real time, and sample frames.

The Tracks window is for making settings and editing for both MIDI and audio tracks.

The Bars window shows the bars (or measures) of the song. Bars with MIDI data will be shaded, while bars with audio
will show the audio waveform in miniature.

The Chords window shows the chords of the song.

The SysEx window is a built-in system exclusive (SysEx) librarian to transmit or receive SysEx data.

The Guitar window displays notes played in the current track or MIDI Thru on a guitar fretboard.

The Mixer window is a graphical mixer that lets you control the 48 tracks in PowerTracks Pro Audio.

The Tempo Map is a list of all the tempo changes that occur during the course of the song.

The Meter Map is a list of all the meter changes that occur during the course of the song.
PowerTracks Pro Audio’s Classic Tracks View is still available in the Window menu or with the keystrokes Ctrl+9.
Other Windows on the Toolbar
The windows for many other features open directly from their toolbar buttons.
The Piano Roll window allows editing of MIDI notes and graphic editing of controllers.

The Comments window is a simple text editor, which allows you to edit or view comments.
The Notation window displays the notes of a MIDI track on a staff and lets you print music on your printer.

The Lead Sheet window is similar to the Notation window, except that it can display multiple staves.

The video help toolbar button takes you directly to the PowerTracks Pro Audio video tutorial page on the PG Music
web site, www.pgmusic.com.
The Event List window is an event editor that lets you insert, delete, or change MIDI events.

The Audio Edit window shows audio data as a waveform. Select a region to edit by mouse clicking on the waveform
and dragging the mouse to the right.
The Big Lyrics window will display any existing lyrics in a track and can be resized. The lyrics highlight and scroll,
great for singing along.

The Conductor window offers amazing control over live playback and looping with 80 programmable functions.

The Jukebox feature lets you automatically play a list of songs. When selected, a dialog box will pop up that offers
you choices as to which songs will be played.

40 Chapter 4: The Main Screen

 Automatically convert multiple files over to another file type.

This button displays a menu that allows you to save tracks as a file. You can choose to save as a stereo .WAV file, as
a compressed file such as an MP4 or M4A, or a WMA file. You can save all tracks to individual files if you wish.
Other Plug-Ins and Utilities
The Plugin Mode button has two menu options. It starts and ends the DAW Plugin Mode, and it also launches the
Options for DAW Plugin Mode where the plug-in settings are made.
The VST/DX button opens the DirectX/VST window where you can select real-time audio effects

The VSTi/DXi button opens the DirectX/VST window with the currently loaded softsynth control panel.

Generate RealDrums to hear live drum tracks instead of MIDI drums.

Launch the Audio Chord Wizard to automatically figure out the chords from audio files (WAV, MP3,
WMA, SEQ, CDA).

The MIDI button launches the MIDI Monitor plug-in with detailed MIDI data.

The Tuner button launches the built-in Guitar Tuner plug-in.

MIDI Guitar Cleanup is a useful tool to de-glitch MIDI guitar tracks and compensate for latency.

Alert Messages
Many messages appear as “yellow alerts” that display at the top right of the main screen. With these alert messages you don’t
have to respond to the message, interrupting workflow.

The Icon Row

There is a row of icons at the bottom of the main screen window. They give quick access to the most commonly used windows,
and when you minimize any window it appears in the icon row, which makes it easy to restore when you want to work in that
window again. Double click on the icon or use the standard Windows buttons to open a window from the icon row.

Chapter 4: The Main Screen 41

 Chapter 5: MIDI Features
PowerTracks Pro Audio is a full-featured MIDI sequencer for Windows. You can record and edit music for playback through
your sound card or MIDI synthesizer as configured in the MIDI Driver Setup (see MIDI Setup, Ch. 1). MIDI music can be
displayed in standard music notation on the screen, and also with the on-screen piano keyboard or guitar fretboard. PowerTracks
Pro Audio MIDI sequences are saved in its native sequence file format with the file extension .SEQ. PowerTracks Pro Audio
also includes full support for saving, playing, and editing Standard MIDI files (*.MID) and Karaoke files (*.KAR).

Using DXi and VSTi Synthesizers

DXi and VSTi software synthesizers allow PowerTracks Pro Audio to play high quality sounds directly through your
computer’s sound system without external MIDI hardware. Connecting PowerTracks Pro Audio to the software synth as a plug-
in has several advantages over connecting as a MIDI driver.
The plug-in allows PowerTracks Pro Audio to merge/sync in any existing audio file (vocals etc.) with the synth output. You can
also directly render your performance to a .WAV file using the DXi or VSTi plug-in.
To use DXi/VSTi softsynths with PowerTracks Pro Audio, you can think of them as a type of “MIDI Output Driver.”

When the program is run for the first time, and the MIDI Driver Setup dialog is popped up, the Coyote WT, if present, will be
automatically loaded into the default DXi /VSTi slot.
You can either visit the MIDI Driver Setup dialog (Options | MIDI Devices) and select the “Re-Route MIDI Playback to
Default DXi Synth” checkbox to send all MIDI playback to the default DXi synth, or you can assign DXi/VSTi synths to
individual tracks.

Routing to Default DXi/VSTi Synth

The Default DXi /VSTi Synth: combo box lets you select which DXi or VSTi synth is used as the default synth.
The Re-Route MIDI Playback to Default DXi/VSTi Synth setting will cause PowerTracks Pro Audio to re-route all MIDI
playback to the default synth. This is the easiest way to use a DXi or VSTi softsynth for playback. If this option is checked, then
all MIDI playback output will be routed to the default DXi/VSTi synth regardless of the MIDI track’s port number.
Assigning DXi or VSTi Synths to Tracks
To assign a DXi/VSTi synth to a particular MIDI track, select the track in the Tracks window and then click on the Disclosure
Triangle.

The Disclosure Triangle will reveal more information about a track by making the track row height taller.

42 Chapter 5: MIDI Features

The [Edit DXi/VSTi] button launches the DirectX/VST Window.

In the DirectX/VST Window you can select the type of DXi/VSTi softsynth to use and also see a control panel display of the
softsynth that allows you to make settings directly for your DXi or VSTi synth.
The Coyote Wavetable DXi synth is included with PowerTracks Pro Audio. This works with PowerTracks and other DXi
compatible host programs to produce realistic instrument sounds, and is compatible with all the latest Windows operating
systems, including the 64-bit version of Windows 7.
The CoyoteWT installs automatically when you install PowerTracks Pro Audio and loads into the Default DXi/VSTi slot the
first time the program runs. You can also install it by running the file SetupCoyoteWT.exe from the PowerTracks (pt) folder
The settings panel that opens is either for the default DXi synth (16th DXi synth slot which is MIDI port 32) or the current DXi
port number if the track is set to a valid DXi port (17-32).
The DXi/VSTi softsynth will convert the MIDI information to audio, which PowerTracks will play back through your sound
card to audio speakers.

Note: If using MME drivers, only the MIDI playback output can use softsynths. MIDI Thru, MIDI metronome, scrub mode, and chord
advance/backup will default to a regular MIDI port. With ASIO drivers, MIDI Thru will play through softsynths.
The Coyote WT is fully described in the chapter titled Plug-in Tools and Utilities.
Selecting another DXi/VSTi default synth
To use another softsynth as your default DXi/VSTi synth, open the MIDI Driver Setup, select “Re-route MIDI
playback to default DXi/VSTi synth,” and select your new choice from the pull-down menu.

Context Menu MIDI Settings

A right- click on a track in the Tracks window or the Mixer window opens a context menu of track settings.

Chapter 5: MIDI Features 43

 You can make your MIDI settings here, including Output Port,
DXi/VSTi Synth, Channel, Program (Patch) setting, and Bank
(MSB) and Bank LSB settings.
There is an option to Set All Midi Tracks to the same port used by
the current track you are adjusting.
You can assign a DXi or VSTi softsynth to the track and open its
control panel to configure it.
There is also a menu item Patch Select Dialog that launches a patch
selection dialog, which lets you select patches and variations as well
as allowing you to change the track’s patch list. If the patch list is set
to General MIDI, Roland GS, or Yamaha XG, the track will display
an instrument icon corresponding to the patch. Otherwise, you’ll see
the patch number displayed instead of an icon.
The track can be converted to a WAV file or to an audio track with
single menu commands. Audio tracks can have time stretch and
pitch shifting applied.
There are editing shortcuts for selecting, killing, copying, and
moving regions.
Track background and foreground colors can be individually
applied, or a complete new default color scheme can be applied.
As well as editing functions like cut, copy and paste there are
additional edit commands and audio effects.

Rendering Songs to Audio with DXi/VSTi

Rendering songs to audio in PowerTracks Pro Audio is much easier if the MIDI tracks are using a DXi (or VSTi) synth.
Rendering DXi/VSTi MIDI tracks to audio is as simple as selecting the Render | Merge Audio and DXi Tracks to Stereo Wave
File menu command. You will be prompted for a wave file name, and then PowerTracks Pro Audio will render to the .WAV
file. It’s as simple as that.
Remember that audio tracks will also be rendered, so if you only want to render MIDI, then be sure to mute all audio tracks first.

Rendering Individual Tracks to Audio

Right-click in the Tracks window to access these audio rendering commands.

Auto Convert Individual MIDI Track to WAV File: Choose this command to convert any MIDI track to a .WAV file.
PowerTracks will automatically render using a DXi or VSTi synth. WAV files can be exported to other sequencers or Windows
Media Player.
Auto Convert Individual MIDI Track to Audio Track: It is easy to convert any MIDI track to an audio track. PowerTracks Pro
Audio will automatically render using a DXi or VSTi synth and import the audio into the first available track in the Tracks
window.

44 Chapter 5: MIDI Features

Loading and Playing MIDI Songs
Loading a Song
To load in a new song, choose File | Open. You will then see a list of files available for use with the program.
To see the custom Open dialog, go to Options | Preferences (Ctrl+F5) and select the checkbox for “Long File Names use
custom open/save dialog.”

This lets you use a more advanced custom file dialog.

This dialog lets you choose a font, and it will remember the dialog’s window size and placement along with the currently
selected font. It also has a tree button that lets you view the directory structure, and a button that lets you choose between details
mode and list mode. PowerTracks Pro Audio will remember these settings the next time you load or save a file using the custom
file dialog.

The font selection button lets you use any font on your system for the file dialog, in your choice of font size and style.
The find button in the custom Open dialog lets you search for a file within the current folder, useful when a folder has
many files.
The favorite folders button in the custom Open dialog will let you quickly change the current folder by selecting from a
list of “favorite” folders.
PowerTracks will remember up to 25 folders from which you had previously loaded files. You can quickly select a folder and
instantly go there without having to navigate through the Windows tree structure.
Let’s load in the demo song Listen. The file name is Listen.seq. Open the song as you would any file, either with
a double mouse click on the file name or by selecting the
file name in the dialog and then clicking on the [Open] button.

The song title and file name appear in the status bar at the top of the screen.

The song’s key signature, time signature and tempo are seen in the Song area on the toolbar.

Chapter 5: MIDI Features 45

Changing Tempos
To change the tempo you can use the up/down scroll arrows or click the [-] button four times in tempo. If you click the [=]
button four times it will set the tempo and start the song playing. You can also use the minus and equals keys on the computer
keyboard to do this.
Use the square bracket [ and ] hot keys to change the tempo by +/- 5 bpm.
Tempo changes are no problem, with audio time stretching from the élastique Pro V2 time stretching and pitch transposition
engine allowing audio tracks (and imported RealTracks) to be used over a much greater range of tempos.
To Change the Tempo of your project:

Double-click on the currently selected tempo. The Tempo dialog will pop up.

Enter a new tempo.

All MIDI durations are automatically changed. If you would also like to stretch or compact the audio to match the new tempo
put a check in the “Stretch Audio” box.
If you have more than one tempo, and would like all tempos to be adjusted proportionately put a check in the “Adjust all
tempos proportionately” box.
The “Clear out all existing tempo” option allows you to wipe out existing tempos if you just want to get rid of multiple tempo changes.
Click [OK].
NOTE: If you check the Stretch Audio box, adjust all Tempos Proportionately is automatically checked.
You can use the Tempo Calculator, which is found in the Edit menu under Tempo, to determine a tempo for your song.
The length of a song depends on tempo and number of bars. With this calculator, you can enter 2 of the 3 variables (length of
song in seconds, tempo, number of bars), and the program calculates the third variable for you.
So, for example, if you need a piece of music lasting 60.00 seconds, and it is 45 bars, you can use the calculator to find the
tempo that will achieve that.

46 Chapter 5: MIDI Features

Precise “Floating Point” Tempos
PowerTracks supports precise floating-point tempos, such as 120.514 BPM. This makes it easier to sync MIDI tracks to
prerecorded audio tracks if the audio tracks weren’t recorded exactly at an integer tempo. This also is what lets PowerTracks Pro
Audio play a song in sync to an existing audio track after the Audio Chord Wizard has worked its magic.
Tempo mapping for MIDI tracks (Align Music to Click Track)
This allows you to align a freely recorded MIDI performance (i.e., not recorded to a click track) such that it displays properly in
notation and follows the bar lines correctly, but still sounds exactly the same as how you recorded it. To do this, select Align
Music to Click Track from the Edit menu under Track, and use the option to “Insert tempo changes.”

To use the Align Music to Click Track feature:

This feature attempts to align a track of music that was recorded in free time to a click track. It tries to take a free time track and
make adjustments to the times of the events so that the music becomes a standard track that can be synced to a metronome.
You can now easily record a click track along with any audio and/or MIDI, and then have PowerTracks automatically line up
everything with tempo and time signature changes. This can have many useful applications. For example, if you recorded a
strumming guitar in free time, PowerTracks can line it up to the grid so you can add loops, RealDrums, or RealTracks. Or, if
you have just purchased a song from iTunes, you can have it line up to the grid in PowerTracks to make it easier for you to
learn. Or, if you have recorded MIDI (not to a click track), and you can have that MIDI line up to the grid without affecting the
actual performance.
Method 1: Recording of Bars
For example, you have just recorded your guitar, but since you sped up a little throughout the whole song, you want to make it
line up correctly with the grid. Go down to the bottom of the screen and click on the arrow on the Record button. You will see a
menu item Record Click Track and the additional information: Beat (K or Note E5) or Bar (L or middle C5). When you start
recording, you can just type the letter L on your keyboard to indicate where the bar lines are. If you have an external MIDI
keyboard, you can do this with the note C5. You can also enter specific beats by typing the letter K or playing the note E5 on
your external MIDI keyboard. In this example, we will show you how to enter bars only.

Select this menu item and then select a blank track to designate as the click track.

Then, type the letter L during the recording.

The Tracks window displays where you have placed the bar lines.

Chapter 5: MIDI Features 47

 When you stop recording, you will also see the green lines on the grid, which
indicate where the bar lines are.

Right click on the Tracks window, and go to Click Track | Align (or Realign) music to click track.
When the dialog opens, select “Every Bar” for “Insert Tempo Changes,”
and click OK.

Now you will see the actual bar lines above are in the correct places.

And when you play, you will see at the bottom of the screen that the bars and beats are displaying correctly.

If you open the Tempo Map, you can see exactly what PowerTracks has done.
It has put in tempo changes automatically at every bar so
it will match up with the bar lines that you have typed in.
You can see that it wavers between 64 and 65 beats per
minute based on the bar lines you have entered.

When you open the Audio Edit window for your guitar track, you can see the green lines. If you zoom in some of them, you can
see they are not all perfectly line up with your guitar. You can easily move these around, and then re-align.

Right click where you want the bar line moved to, and go to Click Track | Move nearest click track event to location you clicked
on.

48 Chapter 5: MIDI Features

Then, right click again and go to Click Track | Align (or Realign) music to click track.

You can do this process for any bar if necessary.

When all bar lines are lined up, it will be much easier to record additional tracks. Or you can even add RealDrums, Loops, or
RealTracks.

Method 2: Recording of Bars and Beats

You can also easily deal with more complex songs. For example, if you have a 4/4 song that has a bar of 3/4 and want to learn
from it, just drag it into PowerTracks.
Next, click on the arrow on the Record button, and select Record Click Track.

When the Align Music to Click Track dialog opens, select a blank track to designate as the click track.
And now do the same thing as before, but with one change; because the song has a 3/4 bar, you will also need to record beats by
typing the letter K (or playing the note E5 if you are using an external MIDI keyboard).
This time, the Tracks window looks slightly different. Because you are entering beats too, you will see dashes in addition to
lines. And for the bar of 3/4, you only see two dashes because has 3 beats instead of 4. You don’t need to enter beats for all bars;
if you stop entering beats, PowerTracks will assume that the beats are following the main time signature (4/4) of the song. You
only need to enter beats for bars that are different from the main time signature.

When you finish recording, right click and go to Click Track | Align (or Realign) music to click track.

Chapter 5: MIDI Features 49

 You could set a new tempo every BEAT since there are beat events that you
recorded. But the only reason why you entered beats was to let PowerTracks
know there is a bar of 3/3. So either way would be fine.

If you look at the Tempo Map, you can see how PowerTracks has aligned tempos.

And if you look at the Meter Map, you can see that the meter switches to 3/4 at bar 8, then back to 4/4 at bar
9.

Method 3: Manually Entering Bars

Instead of recording the bars or beats, you can just designate the first and lar bars as click track bars.
For example, you have a song that gradually speeds up from the start to the finish, and you want it to line up with all the bars.
You could tap the letter L to enter bars, but if you know exactly how long the song is, you can just specify the first bar and a bar
near the end and have it just fill in the rest.

First of all, because you are not recording a click track, you need to select an empty track and designate it as the click track.
Right click and go to Click Track | Choose Click Track.
Select the track 2.

50 Chapter 5: MIDI Features

Now, right click at the very beginning, where the musicians start, and go to Click Track | Insert new bar click track event to
manually add a bar event there.

Go to the end of the song and locate the last bar before the ending. Right click, and go to Click Track | Make the current location
the Nth bar.

For example, if you want to make that location the 129th click track bar, enter 129 and press
OK.

You will then see bar lines on the click track. When you look at the grid, it has a green line where you have entered manually. It
also has yellow lines. These are inferred bar lines. Since you have entered bars 1 and 129, PowerTracks know where all the in-
between bars should be.

In the Click Track menu, there are options to take the inferred bar lines and make them definite bar lines, which would change
them to Green. But you cand just select Align (or Realign) music to click track.

Now you will see that by just entering the first and last bars, it’s pretty close to lining up. If it’s not perfectly lining up, you can
specify another location in the middle, for example bar 65.

Chapter 5: MIDI Features 51

Right click where bar 65 should be should be located and go to Click Track | Move nearest click track event to location you
clicked on.
You will then see the yellow line at bar 65 has changed to green, which means this bar has been changed from an inferred bar to
a definite bar.

However, since all of the other bars remain as the inferred bars, you will need to do a quick realign by selecting Click Track |
Align (or Realign) music to click track from the right click menu.
And this has made every part of the song much better.

Method 4: Aligning MIDI

You can also align MIDI that wasn’t recorded to a click track. For example, if you have a MIDI where the tempo is frequently
slowed down and sped up for a dramatic effect, you can have it aligned to a click track without affecting the fluid nature of the
performance.
First, right click on the arrow on the Record button to select the Record Click Track menu item, and start recording the click
track.

When you have entered bars and beats, you will see that where the tempo is quicker, the beats are closer together, and where the
tempo is slower, the beats are stretched out.
Right click and go to Click Track | Align (or Realign) music to click track.
You can select “Every Beat” for the “Insert Tempo Changes” option to have
the tempo changes reflect on each beat you have entered.

When you press OK, you will see the bar lines are all lined up.

52 Chapter 5: MIDI Features

Chord Interpretation
Many people who play music by ear think of songs in terms of "chords and melody." However many MIDI files and
PowerTracks SEQ files lack chord symbols, so they become difficult to learn without the user having to figure out the chords in
a time consuming process.
When you open any MIDI file or PowerTracks .SEQ file in PowerTracks Pro Audio, the program will automatically figure out
the chords of the song for you. It automatically analyzes the MIDI data, figures out where the bass, piano, melody and other
tracks are, and then figures out the chord changes for the song.
The chords are written onto the PowerTracks windows (Chords window, Notation window, Lead Sheet window) just like any
other song. This allows you to quickly learn how to play a song from a MIDI file - just read it into PowerTracks Pro Audio and
you'll see the chord symbols, and then learn the melody!
Chords Window

The Chords window, or chord sheet, opens with the [Chords] toolbar button.

The “a” and “b” part markers indicate section breaks and also control which RealDrums substyle plays. The “a”
substyle is usually the basic style, “b” is a variation. When the Chords window is the current window, the keyboard letter
P is a shortcut for toggling part markers between a, b, and none.

The [Opt...] button launches the Chords Window Options dialog.

The “Bars Per Line” setting determines how many measures will be drawn per line in the Chords window.
The “Visible Lines Per Screen:” setting determines how many lines (rows) of chords are will be visible per screen. Each screen
will always have 125 lines per screen in the Chords window, but the Visible Lines Per Screen setting controls how many lines
will be visible without scrolling.
The [Choose Font…] button lets you select a font for the Chords window. The
font’s overall size will be determined by the amount of Visible Lines Per Screen,
as well as the height of the Chords window.
When “New line for every section (part marker)” is checked a line will be
inserted between each section of the song based on the part markers. Each section
will start on a new line, similar to paragraphs in a book, making the chords easier
to follow.
“Extra space between sections (pixels)” sets the height of the line between
sections. The setting can be between 0 and 100 pixels.
The “Auto-Interpret Chords” setting is useful in a situation where a file is loaded,
but the file doesn’t already contain any chord symbols. If you set this to
“Always,” then PowerTracks Pro Audio will always attempt to automatically
interpret the chord symbols using the Chord Wizard. If set to “Ask First,” then
PowerTracks will ask before attempting to automatically interpret chord symbols.
If set to “Never,” then PowerTracks will just load the file without attempting to
figure out the Chord Symbols.
Bar Settings
Pressing the [Bar] button or the F5 key in the Chords window will bring up the Settings for Bar dialog.

Chapter 5: MIDI Features 53

 Key Change inserts a new key signature in the notation at the
current bar location.
Style Change: Click on the [.STY] button to open the
StylePicker and select a new style for the current bar.
Instrument changes: allow a selection of volume changes for
BB tracks and RealTracks at the current bar. Settings include
Mute, Back to Normal, Change by the value entered, Fade, and
Back to Normal. The change can either be applied to all BB
tracks (or RealTracks) or to individual parts.
Note: The volume changes/Mute/Fadeout options are for BB MIDI
or RealTrack generation only. It does not affect normal tracks.
The [UserTracks] button opens the UserTracks Development Settings for Bar dialog.
Repeat will automatically enter a repeat at the current bar for the number of bars you type in. So if you have the Settings for
Bar dialog open at bar 7 and enter 8 bars for the repeat, the song will repeat bars 7 through 14 (eight bars) for the Number of
Repeats you enter.
The repeat signs will show in the Chords window and both MIDI and audio will play according to the repeats.
The [Reset Bar] button resets the current bar to the defaults.
The [Reset All Bars] button resets all bars to defaults.
Audio Chord Wizard
The Audio Chord Wizard is an extremely powerful feature that automatically finds chord symbols (C, Fm7 etc.) by
analyzing the audio content of a song. The song can be in a digital file format (MP3, WAV, WMA, or CD audio file),
one that you created in PowerTracks Pro Audio, or directly loaded from a CD.
In addition to the chords, the Audio Chord Wizard also automatically determines the bar lines and a Tempo map.
The Audio Chord Wizard imports chord symbols it finds into the Chords window.
Use this feature to instantly play along to your favorite songs, by reading and printing the chord symbols.
In the Chords window, you can use the loop button to either loop the entire song or just a highlighted range of bars. The
loop button starts looped playback. Press Stop and then Play for normal playback.
Playing a Song
Use the familiar media player control buttons to Record, Play, Rewind to the start, Fast
Forward to the end, and Stop song playback.
Playback can be stopped and started anywhere in the song. The fast-forward and rewind buttons jump to either the end or the
beginning of the song.
The red circle indicates the Record button for recording MIDI tracks.
Auto Rewind
Auto Rewind is found in the Options menu. When enabled, PowerTracks will automatically rewind to the location that playback
or recording was started. The choices are Recording Only, Playback Only, Both recording and playback, or Disabled.

Soloing Tracks
You can solo any track or any combination of tracks by pressing the [S] button on the Track Window. Select multiple
tracks by holding down the Shift key and clicking on the track numbers.
Auto-Solo Bass and Drums
PowerTracks Pro Audio will detect the drum track based on the Drum channel in the Options
| Piano Settings dialog.
PowerTracks Pro Audio will detect the bass track using an algorithm that looks at the number
of notes vs. chords in a track as well as the average pitch.
In addition, if a track has “Bass” in the name or patch name, then it will be considered a bass
track as well.

Use the slider to jump to a new song location. Markers can be inserted anywhere in the song to mark sections.

54 Chapter 5: MIDI Features

The current location is shown in bars, beats, and MIDI clock ticks according to the current resolution setting, which could range
from 48 to 3840 system clock ticks per quarter note (ppq).

The From: and Thru: locations define the range of bars and beats that will be affected by the various Edit menu operations.
The settings are made in the Block menu, or by selecting a range of bars in the Bars window, the Audio Edit window, or the
track overview in the Tracks window.
PowerTracks Pro Audio defaults to showing the Tracks window. Each row in the Tracks window represents a different track of
the song.

Tracks Window
The Tracks window opens with the [Tracks] toolbar button, with the key strokes Ctrl+1, or by selecting Tracks in the
Windows menu.

The Tracks window shows the track names, track type (MIDI or audio), instrument settings, and an overview section showing
either MIDI or audio data. The Track Number field shows the track number.
If the track is the current Track, it will be highlighted in red.

If the track is selected, the number will be highlighted in yellow. If the track is not selected it will be gray. You can click on the
track number field to make a track the current track (highlighted in red).
If you click on the track number field while holding the Shift key, this will select a range of tracks from the current track
through the number you clicked on. For example, if track 2 is the Current Track, and you hold the Shift key and then click on
the number field for Track 4, this will make tracks 2 through 4 selected. Track 2 will still be the Current Track and tracks 3 and
4 will be highlighted in yellow. You can select/deselect individual tracks by clicking on a Track’s number field while holding
down the Ctrl key.
The Disclosure Triangle will reveal more information about a track by making the track row height taller.

If a track is a MIDI track, then you’ll see the Vel (velocity offset), Rvb (reverb), Mod (modulation), Loop, Key (key
transpose), Cho (Chorus), and Exp (expression) settings.
You can make changes to these settings by clicking on the edit fields with the left mouse button, and then moving the mouse up
or down while holding the mouse button down. The [Edit DXi] button launches the DirectX Window dialog and will display
the settings panel for either the Default DXi Synth (16th DXi synth slot which is MIDI port 32) or the current DXi port number if
the track is set to a valid DXi port (17-32). Any track’s MIDI Output Port can be set to send to one of the 16 available DXi synth
ports or to any other available MIDI port.
The Tracks window also has a mini-view mode with a shorter track height, allowing you to reduce the height of inactive tracks
to make more room on the screen for the tracks that you are actively working on.

Chapter 5: MIDI Features 55

 The track disclosure triangle cycles through the three options for viewing a track in the Tracks window.
Normal height

Full track info

Mini View

The Tracks window lets you resize track heights individually by dragging the border with the mouse.

Node-based automation is available by dragging the lower track border down to reveal the turquoise-colored line that indicates
level. Click and drag on the line to make volume changes.

Right-Click Contextual Menu

A right mouse click on a track in the Tracks window or the Mixer
window opens a context menu of track settings.
You can make your MIDI settings here, including Output Port,
DXi/VSTi Synth, Channel, Program (Patch) setting, and Bank
(MSB) and Bank LSB settings.
There is an option to Set All Midi Tracks to the same port used
by the current track you are adjusting.
You can assign a DXi or VSTi softsynth to the track and open its
control panel to configure it.
There is also a menu item Patch Select Dialog that launches a
patch selection dialog, which lets you select patches and
variations as well as allowing you to change the track’s patch list.
If the patch list is set to General MIDI, Roland GS, or Yamaha
XG, the track will display an instrument icon corresponding to the
patch. Otherwise, you’ll see the patch number displayed instead
of an icon.
The track can be converted to a WAV file or to an audio track
with single menu commands. Audio tracks can have time stretch
and pitch shifting applied.
There are editing shortcuts for selecting, killing, copying, and
moving regions.
Track background and foreground colors can be individually
applied, or a complete new default color scheme can be applied.
As well as editing functions like cut, copy and paste there are
additional edit commands and audio effects.

Individual Tracks

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The Track Name field shows the track’s name, which is edited by right-clicking or double-clicking on the track name field.
Type the name and press Enter.
When using the General MIDI patch map the program will automatically display an
icon for the instrument selected.

The Mute button lets you mute or unmute a track. Green indicates the track is playing, red is mute.
Click on the solo button(s) to solo one or more tracks. Bright yellow shows that the track is soloed.
The [fx] button launches the dialog to choose VST/DX audio effects or MIDI synths for the track. If any effects or
synths are assigned the [fx] button will be blue.
The Volume and Pan sliders let you adjust a track’s volume and pan settings without opening the
Mixer window. Right-clicking on the Volume or Pan controls will let you edit the setting by typing in a
number.
Below the Volume slider stereo VU meters give you a general idea of a track’s level during playback.

Track Overview Display

To the right of the track info panels you’ll see the overview display. This lets you view MIDI or audio data, and select sections
for editing.

The mouse scroll wheel in the Tracks window will zoom in/out if hovering over the overview section. It will still scroll
horizontally if hovering to the left of the overview section.

The Track window’s right-click context menu includes several track options.

MIDI tracks can be automatically converted to .WAV files or audio tracks.

The Time Stretch and Pitch Shift feature allows you to permanently change the duration and pitch of individual audio tracks,
or change the speed and pitch of the entire PowerTracks Pro Audio mix. It is described in detail in the Digital Audio Features
chapter.
Select Whole Track makes it easy to select the whole track for editing.
Kill Selected Region will deselect a selected region of a MIDI (or audio) track.
Change Current Time sets the time to the position where the menu is opened.
Highlight Current Audio Event makes it easier to select specific audio events, which then could be clicked and dragged
(with Ctrl button held down) to a new location, etc.

Note: An event is defined as an event in the Event List. If an audio track is a single event, and doesn't have any boundaries shown in the
tracks window, then the whole track will be highlighted.
You can click and drag to highlight a section of the song for editing.
Shift+click (Shift key + left mouse button) makes it easy to tweak the beginning or end of the highlighted area.

Chapter 5: MIDI Features 57

- If you Shift+click before the start of the From/Thru range, or after the end of the From/Thru range, the highlighted area will
be extended.
- If you Shift+click within the From/Thru range, the range will be reduced, and the location you clicked on will become either
From or Thru depending on which boundary was closer to where you Shift+clicked the mouse.
- If you keep the left mouse button held after the Shift+click, and you move the mouse you can adjust the boundary of the range
while moving the mouse.
The command Ctrl+Spacebar will loop the highlighted region of a song (or whole song if nothing is currently highlighted).
You can use this feature in the Tracks, Bars, Chords, and Audio Edit windows.
While the highlighted section is playing, Ctrl+Spacebar will stop and start playback at the current location in the song.
Copy/Move Current Event (selection) opens the Drag/Drop Edit dialog, with four options for copying and moving events:
1. Move to new location and overwrite
2. Move to new location and merge
3. Copy to new location and overwrite
4. Copy to new location and merge.
Current Track Event Colors lets you assign custom colors to a single track to make it stand out. It opens the Color Selection
dialog, where you can define two color elements for the track, the Event Color Foreground and Event Color Background.
Default Track Event Colors allows you to create your own personal color scheme for all types of tracks. The process is the
same as for the current track, but you can assign different colors to audio and MIDI tracks, and to odd and even numbered
tracks. Once you have made your selections, they become the default color scheme for the Tracks window.
Save Audio Track (or selection) as wav/wma/mp4/m4a/mp3 saves a highlighted region or an entire track of a song as a
WAV, WMA, MP4, M4A or MP3 file.
Import WAV File opens a dialog where you can select a WAV file or other audio files and specify a location on the track to
import the file.
Cut, Copy, Paste, and 1-Track Paste open the edit dialogs for these operations.
Generate Intelligent Audio Harmony (with passing tones) applies to audio tracks only. It generates audio harmonies using
elastique.
Delete will delete the currently highlighted section of the track, leaving it blank.
Insert Volume Change will insert a MIDI controller into the track at the current location. If a highlighted region exists, then the
program will ask if you want to apply this change to the highlighted region (as opposed to a change at the location you clicked).
If applying the change to a region, then program will insert a volume change at the beginning of the region, and a 2nd volume
change at the end to restore the prior volume.
If necessary, the program will insert a controller at the very beginning of the song to preserve the original volume if you insert a
volume change beyond the start of the track. This will normally be done the first time you insert a volume change into a track
beyond the tracks’ beginning.
Audio Effects opens the selection list of built-in PG Music audio effects.
Note: These effects are for AUDIO tracks only. They have no effect on MIDI tracks.

The [Drop] station is used for dragging and dropping in Plug-In mode. It is explained in the following topics on Plug-in Mode
and Drag ‘n’ Drop.
◄ Left and right ►cursor arrow keys will move the current time forward or backward by 1 beat in the Tracks window.

►
The [-] and [+] buttons (upper far left corner of the Tracks window) let you zoom in or zoom out the overview section.
The [Z-Whole] button zooms the overview out to show the whole song. This is a sticky button that displays in bold type when
pressed in.
The [Z-Sel] button zooms a highlighted selection in the overview.
The [Snap] button causes the time indicator to snap to the nearest beat when changing the time location or when highlighting a
region for editing. This is a sticky button that displays in bold type when pressed in.
Click on [Play Selected Area] to hear the highlighted section that is being edited.

Plug-in Mode

To enter plug-in mode, click this button on the main toolbar and select Start DAW Plugin Mode.

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In plug-in mode, PowerTracks Pro Audio is open as a small always-on-top window, and acts as a plug-in for your favorite
DAW/sequencer, so that you can drag-and-drop MIDI and audio (WAV or WMA) tracks from PowerTracks Pro Audio to
another sequencer (or to Explorer). You can work in another sequencer, type a chord progression in PowerTracks Pro Audio,
and then simply drag the track from PowerTracks Pro Audio to your sequencer's track at the desired track and bar location.
Drag ‘n’ Drop
You can drag ‘n’ drop wave, MIDI, MP4 and M4A files into the Tracks window from Explorer. They will get added to the
project on the track that you dropped them, at the current time.
Easily move tracks up or down in relation to each other by drag ‘n’ drop using the mouse, e.g., drag track 1 below track 2 to
change the order of the tracks.

Dragging and dropping from PowerTracks Pro Audio to an outside location, such as the desktop or another audio program,
involves:
- entering the Tracks window.
- holding down the left mouse button on the Track Number of the source track.
- dragging the mouse (still holding down the button) to the new location of the track, either the desktop or a track in another
sequencing program.

To drag and drop part of a track, first highlight the section that you want and then hold down the left mouse button on the track
number and drag the mouse to the desired drop site.
Drop Station
The drop station is located in the top left corner of the Tracks window.
Drag-and-drop from the PowerTracks Pro Audio Tracks window to another program now supports 3 additional file formats:
MP4, M4A, and MP3 (in addition to WAV and WMA).
The improved Drop Station in the Tracks window is divided into quadrants for the different target file types.

For example, say you want to convert your bass track into an M4A file and copy it into another program. You would hold down
the left mouse button on the track number of the bass track and drag-and-drop it into the M4A quadrant of the drop station.
PowerTracks Pro Audio will then render the track to M4A format and display a message when the M4A file is ready.

The M4A quadrant will be highlighted in green, indicating that there is a file ready to export. You can
then drag-and-drop from the M4A quadrant to the destination for the file. Programs that require this
include Cubase and Abelton Live.

Classic Tracks View Settings

Click your mouse anywhere on a row to select that track. The number of the currently selected track (Tr) is highlighted in blue.
Ty = Type. The type field determines the track type: MIDI, Mono Audio, and Stereo Audio. You
can’t change the track type if a track already has data in it.
MIDI Audio Stereo
P = Play Status. The Play Status field shows the status of the track as Play (P), Muted (m).

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Name = Track Name. This is any name you want to give to the track.
Ch = Forced MIDI channel. When not set to zero, all events in a track will be sent out over the selected channel.
Key = Forced Key Transposition. This setting transposes the events in a track up or down by the number of semitones
you specify.
Vel = Forced Velocity transposition. This setting increases or decreases the velocity of the notes in a track by the amount
you specify.
Pt = Port. Determines the MIDI port, or audio port, through which the data in a track is sent
out.
Prg = Program change. When this setting is enabled a MIDI patch change will be sent at the start of the
song. When you change this setting, a MIDI program change is sent.
Bank = Bank change. This is the MSB (Most Significant Byte) portion of the bank change, controller
number 0.
LSB. This is the Least Significant Byte (controller number 32) portion of the bank change. Some synths use LSB
instead of MSB, and some synths use a combination of the LSB and the MSB.
Loop. When this setting is enabled, the track will automatically repeat for the number of times specified.
Events. The number of events in a track.
Selecting MIDI Patches
A double mouse click in the Prg (Program Change) field for any track will launch the Select Patch dialog.
This dialog lets you select a patch from the current patch list shown in the Patch List combo box. For example, if you select
“General MIDI” then the patch list used for current track will be the General MIDI patch list. PowerTracks saves the most
recently selected Patch List for each track in its native .SEQ files. This example shows Roland GS, which is an extension of the
General MIDI list with variations (alternate choices) for many instruments.

To select a patch, simply click on the patch in the main list box then hit the [OK] button to exit the dialog. The “Variations” list
box shows the variations, which are patches in other banks that have the same number as the selected patch.
If the “Always Show Bank 0 Names” checkbox is checked, the main list box will be filled with the patches of the default bank
(those patches with both the bank MSB and LSB being 0), and the highlighted variation is the actual patch that is selected. If the
checkbox is unchecked, then the patches in the list box will change to those of the bank number of the current variation.
Only patches that have names will be in the list box, e.g., if there are only 9 named patches in the current bank, the list box will
only be filled with 9 patches. When you select a patch in the list box, the number of the patch will appear in the “Patch” edit
control.
You can select any patch by number by typing the number in the “Patch” edit control. You can press the send button to send the
patch change you just typed without having to exit the dialog. The disabled checkbox simply means no patch change is selected
for the current track, and a value of “---” will show in the Prg column of the Classic Tracks View window.
The [Recently Selected Patches…] button brings up a dialog with a list of the 20 most recently selected patches, if any recently
selected patches exist.

Recording Your Own MIDI Music

MIDI data can be recorded on any track in PowerTracks Pro Audio. Just select the track by clicking on the track number, and
make sure that the track type is set to MIDI.

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MIDI is recorded with the Input driver that is selected in the MIDI Driver Setup dialog. (Go to Options | MIDI Devices to open
the dialog.) If more than one Input Driver is available, then choose the one that is connected to your MIDI keyboard or
controller.
Before you start, you might want to select a higher resolution for greater precision. PowerTracks Pro supports note resolutions
as high as 3840 PPQ.
Note: Higher note resolution reduces the maximum allowed song length, as well as reducing the maximum allowed note duration length. At
3840 PPQ, the maximum song length of a 4/4 song is around 35 minutes long at a tempo of 120, less at faster tempos. At 3840 PPQ and a
4/4 time signature the maximum allowed note duration length is around 17 beats regardless of the tempo.
Then make the necessary settings in the Tracks window to select the port, MIDI channel, patch, etc. for the part you are
recording.

Start recording with the Record button, by pressing the R key on the computer keyboard, or with the menu
command Action | Record.

The Record command starts the count-in according to the settings that you have
made in the Options | Metronome dialog.
In addition to the on-screen countdown, there is an option for a MIDI drum count-in
on any drum kit instrument. The default note is F#3, side stick but you can specify
notes and velocities per beat. For example, you might want to emphasize beat 1 by
making it louder.
Or, if you have the metronome enabled during playback, you can give it a more musical sounding pattern than just steady
ticking.
Presets load patterns for count-ins typically used in different genres. For example, the Jazz
preset is silent on beats 1 and 3, with closed hi-hat on beats 2 and 4.
The [Write to Track] button in the Metronome Settings dialog lets you write the metronome to a
MIDI track, or to just a region of a track.
There is a setting in the Options | Metronome dialog, “Keep these settings permanent (ignore settings stored in .SEQ files),” that
will cause PowerTracks Pro Audio to remember the current metronome settings and ignore any settings stored in .SEQ files.

Recording is stopped by hitting the spacebar or pressing the Stop button.

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 When recording is stopped you will be asked whether or not you wish to keep the take.
Remember that with MIDI recording small glitches are easily corrected; so you don’t
need to discard an otherwise good take because of a minor slip.

Note: If you see a message that audio data was recorded that is because “Always Record Audio too, if current track is MIDI” has been
enabled in the Audio preferences dialog. This is an automatic backup feature in case you wanted to record audio, but accidentally selected
the current track as a MIDI track.

Auto Rewind
Auto Rewind is found in the Options menu. When enabled, PowerTracks will automatically rewind to the location that playback
or recording was started. The choices are Recording Only, Playback Only, Both Recording and Playback, or Disabled.
It is convenient to rewind to the start of a recording after a take so that you can listen to the result immediately.

Overdubs
If there is MIDI data on the selected track it will be overdubbed, i.e., the existing MIDI notes will not be erased as the new ones
are recorded. This is sometimes useful, but a better way to make overdubs is to select a blank track and give it the same settings
as the track you want to overdub. Then record the overdub part on the new track, using as many tracks as you need for
additional overdubs or layers. This is a great way to overdub drum fills or layer string parts.
Then you can delete, edit, or re-record each separate overdub without affecting the original track. Use Track | Merge to combine
all of the overdubs onto a single track.
To clear any previously recorded material from a track go to Track | Erase Data Only. This will erase the recorded MIDI data
on the track, but will preserve all of the other track settings such as volume, patch, and channel.
Punch-In
The Punch-In button allows you to enable or disable Punch-In. If Punch-In mode is active, recording will erase
previously recorded MIDI data in the Punch In range without the need to erase the old MIDI data.
Pressing the Ctrl key while clicking on the Punch button allows you to enable or disable punch-in mode without having to go
into the Punch In setting dialog.
When Punch In is enabled, recording will take place during the period
between From: and Thru: and will overwrite any existing events during that
time.
The From: and Thru: settings for punch-in recording can be set in the
Punch In dialog, or they can be the settings from the main toolbar.
The pre-roll feature automatically starts playback by a specified number of
bars and beats before the start of the punch-in point.
When Punch-In is disabled, recording may occur at any time within the song
and data will be merged with any existing events if the track is a MIDI track,
or the data will overwrite existing data if the track is an Audio track.

Recording Mixer Moves

Any volume, pan, chorus, and reverb mixer adjustments made during recording will be recorded in real time as MIDI controller
messages. Adjustments made in the All column of the mixer will not be recorded, however.
When recording mixer moves for audio tracks, you must move the slider for the current track in order to record the mixer
moves. For MIDI tracks, you could move any slider and the data will get recorded onto the current track, but normally you’ll
move the slider of the current track.

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 There is a special “Record Mixer Moves” button in the mixer, which will let you record ONLY mixer moves.
This special button will also let you record mixer moves onto an audio track without the audio being silent during recording.
In order for the recording of mixer moves to work correctly for MIDI tracks, please make sure each track has its own unique
MIDI channel in the Tracks window. Also, keep in mind that mixer moves will only be recorded onto the current track, so you
can only record mixer moves for one track at a time.
Note: If a track is an audio track, and the regular “Keep Take” is selected, the audio will be deleted for the section of the track where mixer
moves were recorded. You’re better off using the “record ONLY mixer moves” button in the Mixer window to start recording, and you can then
concentrate on recording ONLY mixer moves.
For audio tracks, recorded Mixer moves show up as control changes in the Event List for that track. For example, if you used the
volume slider to fade the song out you will see a series of Controller 7 (volume) changes in the Event List.
Alternatively, you could just use the Edit | MIDI | Fill command or insert MIDI controller events into the Event List for the
particular audio track.
SysEx MIDI Events
You can insert System Exclusive data directly into a MIDI track as MIDI events. You can record SysEx data in real time and
when you keep a take, the SysEx data will be added to a MIDI track as SysEx events. You could also load SysEx data into a
SysEx MIDI event by receiving SysEx data from your synth, or by loading the SysEx data from a file. SysEx MIDI events can
also be edited.

Editing MIDI Files

Editing in the Tracks Window
Select a precise area of the track overview to edit with the From (F7) and To (F8) settings, or simply drag a section of the track
with the mouse to set the From and To boundaries if your edits can be less precise.
Standard Windows edits can be applied to the highlighted sections using the usual keystroke combinations like Ctrl+C to copy
the section and Ctrl+V to paste it at a new location in the same track or a different track.
Erase a highlighted section of a track with either the Delete key or Ctrl+X.
Tracks Window Right-Click Contextual Menu

The right-click menu has items for Cut, Copy, and Paste as well as Delete (DEL) to erase the current selection.
There is an Insert Volume Change command in the Tracks right-click menu. This will insert a MIDI controller into the track at
the current location, or in a highlighted region.

If applying the change to a region, then program will insert a volume change at the beginning of the region, and a 2nd volume
change at the end to restore the prior volume.
PowerTracks will insert a controller at the very beginning of the song to preserve the original volume if you insert a volume
change beyond the start of the track. This will normally be done the first time you insert a volume change into a track beyond
the track's beginning.
This menu has an “Audio Effects” sub menu that is the same as the Edit | Audio Effects window.

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It also contains Fade In and Fade Out menu items which launch a Flash Message w/ instructions, and then launch the Gain
Change dialog.

Edit Menu
The Edit menu lists all of the regular editing commands like Cut, Copy, and Paste plus many features that are unique to
PowerTracks Pro Audio. All editing commands are fully described in the Reference chapter.
Editable Notation
The Notation button with dotted vertical lines intersecting the staff is the button that opens the Editable Notation mode.

Editable Notation window in eighth note triplet (Swing) resolution.

Editable Notation mode is the same as Standard Notation mode, but notes can be inserted by clicking on the Notation window
with the left mouse button, moved by dragging with the left mouse button, or edited by clicking on a note head with the right
mouse button. Broken vertical gray lines are shown across the staff to show each note subdivision for either eighth note triplets
or sixteenth notes.
Moving Notes (Drag and Drop)
To move a note, move the mouse cursor over an existing note and then click and hold the left mouse button. The mouse cursor
will change to a different shape. While keeping the mouse button pressed, move the mouse cursor over to the location you wish
to drop the note and then let go of the mouse button. The note will be moved to the place you dropped it. Certain areas of the
screen are not valid locations to drop a note. The mouse cursor will change to a circle with line through it to indicate an invalid
location.
When you click and drag a note with the left mouse button you will hear the note being played as you move it up and down the
screen. The note’s pitch will be increased or decreased chromatically as you move it up/down the screen.
Entering Notes
Notes can be inserted simply by clicking on the staff in an appropriate location. You will see the name and octave of the current
note location in a box at the top of the window, helpful for inserting a note above or below the grand staff.
When inserting a note, holding down the mouse button and then pressing the Shift key (click+Shift) will make the note 1 half-
step sharper than the position that you click on. Holding down the Ctrl key and then clicking (Ctrl+click) will make the note 1
half-step flatter, and holding down the Alt key will make the note a natural. Hold the key down until after you release the mouse
button.
You can also insert notes by clicking on the Piano or the Guitar window. Notes will be inserted at the current location in the
Notation window.

64 Chapter 5: MIDI Features

 Note: By default, you must hold the Ctrl key before clicking on the Guitar fretboard to insert a note into a Notation window. If the “Send Notes
To Notation Windows” option in the Guitar Settings dialog is enabled, holding the Ctrl key won't be required, but be careful not to accidentally
insert a note when using the mouse to switch to the Guitar window.
Notes can be deleted by holding down the Delete key and then clicking over the note you wish to delete.
Editing Notes
Notes can be edited with a right click directly on the note with to launch a menu
of Editable Notation commands.
In addition to editing or deleting note events, this menu has commands for
adding section text and notation symbols.
There is also a cleanup tool for controller events and 1 peg advance/backup to
pinpoint the location of inserted notes.
The Notation chapter has full descriptions of these commands.

Click on Edit Note to open the NOTE editing dialog.

The NOTE dialog allows editing of:

− The MIDI channel for the note.
− The exact time location.
− Note name.
− Velocity of the note.
− Duration of the note in beats and ppq.
Notes can be Normal, Invisible, or a Guitar Bend.

The [Delete] button removes the note.

Micro-Resolutions
You can change the resolution for any individual beat of a song to a different resolution by clicking with the right mouse button
above that beat on the Notation window’s time line.
For example, if you click on the time line above the 2nd beat in a measure, a dialog box will pop which
will let you set the resolution of the current beat for both clefs.

If you select a resolution of 8, then 32nd notes can be displayed. You can even select a
resolution as high as 32, which would allow 128th notes to be shown.
When you choose a micro-resolution PowerTracks Pro Audio will insert a special
controller event into the track as a means of storing the resolution.

Highlighting a section of the Notation window.

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When the Notation window is in Editable Notation Mode, you can highlight a section of the Notation window, so that you can
cut or copy the section.
To highlight a section of the Notation window:
1) Click and hold the left mouse button at the upper right corner of the rectangular section you want to highlight. Make sure
you don’t click on any existing notes, and make sure you don’t release the left mouse button until you are finished
highlighting.
2) Move the mouse down and to the right to form a rectangle. You will see a rectangular section of the Notation Window
become highlighted in reverse.
3) When you’ve finished highlighting release the left mouse button.
During the process of highlighting a section, you can highlight a section beyond the current notation screen by moving the
mouse cursor beyond the right edge of the notation window. When you do this, the Notation window will advance to the next
screen. The Notation window will continue advancing until you move the mouse cursor back inside of the Notation window.
You should move the mouse cursor back inside the notation window when it has reached the screen that contains the last
measure of the section you wish to highlight. Then you can move the mouse cursor to the left or right within the Notation
window to adjust to make any final adjustments to the highlighted section.
Event List Editing
An Event List window is an event editor that lets you insert or delete MIDI events, and lets you make changes to existing
events. A list of events is displayed vertically in a window, with each line in the list representing an individual event. Each event
is shown with its track number, time, MIDI channel number, the kind of the event, and the parameters of the event. The [Ins],
[Del], and [Change] buttons may be used to insert, delete, and change events. You can also type directly in the Ch, Time, and
Event fields to change the values of an event.

When an Event List is created by pressing the F2 key, or by using the Window | New | Event List menu, it is based on the tracks
that are currently selected. For example, if only track 1 is selected, and you use the New command to create an Event List
window, it will only deal with events that occur in track 1.
Click on the ▼ down arrow in the Track combo to see the list of tracks. You can select an individual track to view, or select
“Multi” to see all tracks. The Tr column to the left shows the track number(s) for the events displayed.
You can also open an Event List while multiple tracks are selected. In this case the Event List will deal with events in all the
tracks which were selected at the time of the creation of the Event List window. For example, if tracks 1 through 3 were selected
when you created an Event List window, the Event List will deal with events occurring in those 3 tracks regardless of what
tracks you've selected after it was created.
Events may be inserted by pressing the computer keyboard’s Insert key. After pressing Insert, a menu will pop up, and you
may choose which type of event to insert. After picking the kind of event to insert, an entry box will pop up which will let you
choose the MIDI channel, time, and any other parameters of the event. Events may be deleted simply by pressing the computer’s
Delete key.
Existing events may be edited by pressing the [Change] button. A dialog box will pop up, and you may make changes to the
event. You can also type directly in the Time, Ch, and Event fields in the Event List window. You can use either the period (.) or
colon (:) key to separate the Measures:Beats:Ticks (or the Hours:Minutes:Seconds:Frames when the SMPTE display mode is
enabled).
Notes can be made into “invisible notes” using the radio button in the edit entry box. Invisible notes will be invisible in the
Notation window when in non-editable notation mode.
You can play events one at a time by pressing the Transmit button. If the event you're playing isn't a note, the cursor will be
advanced to the next event, but if the event is a note, it will be sustained until any other key is pressed. You can stop a sustained
note from sounding by pressing the Silence button. The sustained note will also stop in other situations, such as when you
switch to a different window or choose a different event list command.

Split MIDI drums

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The Edit | MIDI | Split MIDI drums command will split a MIDI drum track to separate tracks, which allows for precise editing
of drum kit balance and dynamics. The “Custom” settings allow you to control which notes go to which track. This feature acts
upon the current track, and is not necessarily limited to drum tracks.

If the “Auto-Fill Tracks for each MIDI note used setting” is enabled, then PowerTracks will automatically move each MIDI note
over to a new blank track.
If the Custom setting is enabled, you can specify which midi notes go to which track. On the left column of the Custom section,
you will see the track numbers that notes will be placed onto. You can type the note numbers into MIDI Note Nums edit field,
separated by commas. For example, “62,65” would mean that MIDI note numbers 62 and 65 will go onto the track specified on
the left field E.g. <7>.
If you press the “...” button a list box will pop up that makes it easier to specify the note numbers. The Note Name Octave
number of each note is shown (e.g. E 5) and, for notes in the GM drum range, the GM drum sound names for GM drums are
shown (e.g. Acoustic Snare, Closed High Hat, etc) .
You could override the track number by enabling the checkbox next to the “Hard Trk” field and typing another track number in
the hard track field. The Hard Track can be any MIDI or blank track that you specify.
Auto-Backup of .SEQ Files
When you save a file, PowerTracks now saves a backup of the file in a c:\PT\PTBACKUP folder. This doesn’t add any time to
the file-save command, and the number of backups is configurable. So the next time that you mistakenly overwrite a file when
saving, go the backup folder to look for a saved previous copy!

Chapter 5: MIDI Features 67

 Chapter 6: Digital Audio Features
Overview
Audio tracks are great for recording live performances or adding in tracks from other sources, such as Band-in-a-Box tracks or
other audio files. You can import .WAV, .MP3, .WMA, .WMV, and .CDA files to be inserted into audio tracks, you can edit
audio data by cutting and pasting in the Tracks window, the Audio Edit window or the Bars window, and you can also process
audio tracks with the built-in effects included with PowerTracks Pro Audio or with any other DirectX or VST effects that you
have installed on your system.
Any track of PowerTracks’ 48 tracks can be designated as an audio track - mono or stereo. Click on the track
icon to set the track type.

Other Audio Formats

PowerTracks Pro Audio supports .WAV, .WMA, .WMV, .CDA, .MP3, .MP4, and M4A audio file formats. These files can be
loaded directly with the File | Open menu option, or they can be imported to an exact location in a specific track with the Import
Wave File command in the Tracks window’s right-click menu.

Loading and Playing Audio Files

Let’s load an audio wave file and explore the audio features of PowerTracks Pro Audio. PowerTracks Pro Audio files have the
.SEQ (sequence) file extension and open in the same way as a MIDI file.
Use the “Open a File” button or the menu command File | Open to go to the PT directory. In the “Samples” folder
choose the file tutor2.seq.

Tracks Window
Here’s how the Tracks window looks when the audio file is loaded.

Press the Play button. You should now be hearing the demo song playing through your computer’s sound system. What
you’re hearing are four discrete tracks of digital audio.
To mute any track, click on the green [M] button to the right of the track name. The button turns red when the track is
muted.

Note: If you wanted to add MIDI data to this project you would select one of the empty tracks and press the record button.

68 Chapter 6: Digital Audio Features

 Click on the [S] button to solo any track, the button background will show as bright yellow. You can solo a number of
tracks at that same time, all other tracks will be muted.
You can also solo the current track by pressing the [Solo] button on the toolbar. Or solo multiple tracks by holding
down either the Shift key or the Ctrl key and clicking on the track numbers.
The [fx] button launches the DirectX/VST window to choose VST/DX audio effects or MIDI synths for the track. If
any effects or synths are assigned the [fx] button will be colored blue.
Mixer Window
To adjust track volume level and panning controls, open the Mixer window by selecting the Window | Mixer menu item
or by clicking the
Mixer button on the toolbar palette.

Here, you can change things such as track levels and panning to the left or right speaker as the song is playing.
Select a track view range from the combo list, or use the Mixer window left/right scroll bar directly above to scroll
horizontally across the mixer layout.

The vertical splitter bar between the track strips and the bus strips can be moved right or left to make a
custom mixer view.

The Delete button in the mixer will automatically delete all mixer events (volume, reverb, pan, chorus) that are
currently embedded within the song's selected tracks.
The mixer’s Insert button will automatically insert mixer events (volume, reverb, pan, chorus) into the song’s non-
blank tracks.
The Ctrl+M and Ctrl+U hot keys are a convenient way to mute or unmute any track within the Bars or Mixer window.
Mixer moves can be recorded as the song is playing. There is a special “Record Mixer Moves” button in the mixer
that will let
you record ONLY mixer moves. This special button also lets you record mixer moves onto an audio track without the audio
being silent during recording.
Note: This mixer is a combination mixer that controls audio and MIDI data in one integrated console. Therefore, MIDI tracks have reverb,
chorus, modulation and expression controls in place of the Aux sends, and there is no [FX] button.

Creating Audio Subgroups in the Mixer

Unassigned Outputs Work As Subgroups

When this checkbox is enabled in the Audio preferences dialog, any audio output ports
that do not currently have a driver port assigned to them will function as subgroups. A subgroup is a bus or signal path that gives
you the ability to control several tracks as a group.
The Mixer Window chapter has full instructions for creating audio subgroups.

Recording Audio Tracks

Audio tracks are great for recording live sounds such as a person singing or playing guitar. You can then edit
the audio data by cutting and pasting in the Tracks, Audio Edit, or Bars windows.
Recording will occur over the current track selection, i.e., the track number that is highlighted in the Tracks window. The
track type is automatically set to “Audio” when the Record Audio button is pressed.

Chapter 6: Digital Audio Features 69

The “Always Record Audio too, if current track is MIDI” setting in the Audio Options dialog (Options | Preferences | Audio)
will cause PowerTracks to record audio even when the current track type is MIDI. PowerTracks will offer to keep the audio take
on the nearest available blank track. This can be a “lifesaver” in those situations where you wanted to record audio, but you
accidentally selected the current track as a MIDI track.
The “Backup Most Recent Audio Take” setting in the Audio Options dialog, when enabled, will always backup the most recent
audio take. This can be helpful if you accidentally recorded audio onto the WRONG audio track, or you accidentally punched-in
instead of recording a regular take. If this happens you can undo the keeping of the most recent take and then use the Edit |
Audio | Import Wave File menu command to insert the recorded audio onto a different track, by importing the PTABAKx.WAV
file from the Temporary Audio Directory.
You can also import .WAV, .MP3, .WMA, .WMV, and .CDA files to be inserted into audio tracks. You can also process audio
tracks with effects in the Mixer window and the Edit | Audio Effects menu.
Setting Audio Levels
There are 2 pairs of VU meters, one for input and one for audio output, always
open on the toolbar.

You can also open a separate VU meters window with the menu Windows | Show VU Meters. This window is dockable and
resizable. If you re-size the VU Meters window vertically the height of the meters will expand or shrink to match the new
window height.

The clipping indicator at the top of the meters indicates that clipping has occurred. Try to keep the
levels low enough so they’re safely below 0 db, and so that the clipping indicator doesn’t light up.
To be on the safe side, it’s probably a good idea to adjust the levels so that the meters don’t get
close to 0 db even if the clipping indicator hasn’t yet lit up.
The VU meters have an automatic peak-hold feature with gradual peak fallback, so it will be easy
to see the transient peak levels if you’ve got your eye on the meters.
For the Output, you may have to adjust your mixer settings within PowerTracks Pro Audio to keep
the levels within a reasonable range.
For the Input, you may have to press the speaker button to launch the Windows Recording
Control properties and adjust the input level.

Start recording by pressing the Record button.

Stop recording by pressing the Stop button or the <SPACE> bar.

When recording is stopped a “Keep Take?” dialog appears that gives you the option to keep
or reject the take.
If you choose [Yes] the audio wave file will be saved and you will see an added event in the
Events column for the track (Classic view).

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Punch In
This feature is used to automatically record between by pre-selected in and out points on the timeline of the track. When the
Punch In feature is enabled recording takes place between the From and Thru settings and will overwrite existing events in the
specified section. When Punch In is disabled recording may occur at any time within the song and the data will be merged with
any existing MIDI events.
Press the Ctrl key while clicking on the Punch button to enable or disable punch-in mode without going into the
Punch In dialog.

Note: The From and Thru settings for Punch In are not the same as the From and Thru settings used for editing-menu purposes.
The Punch In dialog offers the option of using the From/Thru values from the main toolbar instead of the values in the dialog.
This makes it easier to select the punch-in region by highlighting a section in a Bars or Audio window.
If punch in is “on” the program offers to keep the take as a regular take rather than a punch-in. This is helpful if you forgot to
disable punch in and meant to record a full take.
The Punch In dialog’s pre-roll feature automatically starts playback by a specified number of bars and beats before the start of
the punch-in point.
With pre-roll a count-in may not be needed, and it can be disabled with the “No count-in…” checkbox.

Auto Rewind
Auto Rewind is found in the Options menu. When enabled, PowerTracks will automatically rewind to the location that playback
or recording was started. The choices are “Recording Only, Playback Only, Both Recording and Playback,” or “Disabled.”

Any of the forty-eight tracks within PowerTracks can be designated as either mono audio or stereo audio. If you edit a stereo
track in the Audio Edit window, you will see two channels (waveforms) in the window.

Chapter 6: Digital Audio Features 71

The Audio Edit window lets you edit only the left or right channels of a stereo track instead of always editing both channels.
This lets you Cut/Paste just the left or right channel, or you can apply a non-real time effect (Edit | Audio Effects) to just the left
or right channel.
Stereo tracks are normally panned to the center so the stereo signal is centered.

Generating Audio Harmony

Intelligent Audio Harmony (elastique)
The intelligent audio harmony feature uses elastique.
The feature includes:
- Harmonizing the audio with up to 4 harmony voices
- Transcribing the original audio to MIDI
- Transcribing the harmony voices to MIDI
To use, right-click on the Tracks window and select Generate | Generate Intelligent Audio Harmony (with passing tones). If you
want to generate harmonies for a region, highlight the region before selecting this command. This will open the Generate
Intelligent Audio Harmony (with passing tones) dialog.
Select the number of “Harmony Voices” that you want to
generate.
The “Voices Above” setting determines the number of
harmony voices that will sing higher than the original voice.
The “Melody Double” option allows you to double original
voice either in unison or an octave above/below.
The “Duet Voicing” option is for the 2-part harmony that
doesn’t include a melody double (i.e. “Harmony Voices” = 1
and “Melody Double” = None). It allows you to make the
harmony voice 3rds, 6ths, or a combination of 3rds and 6ths,
above or below the original voice depending on the “Voice
Above” setting.
In the “Track” fields, specify the track of the original voice
and select the destination tracks of the harmony voices. You
can set the “Volume” and the stereo “Balance” for the
original voice and each harmony voice.
This dialog can also transcribe the original voice and/or
generated harmony voices to MIDI. Check the “Transcribe
audio to MIDI Track” option to transcribe the original voice
and select the destination track for the transcribed MIDI. To
transcribe harmony voices, check the “Transcribe harmony
voices” option. Harmony voices can be transcribed to either a
single MIDI track or multiple tracks.

Real Time Effects Plug-Ins

72 Chapter 6: Digital Audio Features
PowerTracks Pro Audio supports DirectX and VST effects, which you can apply in real time to the audio tracks. A full range of
PG Music effects is included with the program; you can also use any other third party DirectX or VST effects to add effects in
real time without permanently altering the actual track data.
Installing DirectX Effects Plug-Ins
DirectX effects are installed by default in the Program Files folder on Windows computers. They will be present in the “Plugin”
list in the DirectX/VST window. There is a “Scan” feature in the DirectX/VST Options that will search for newly installed
DirectX plug-ins not on the list.
Installing a VST Effects Plug-In
You can click on the [fx] button in the Tracks window, on the [FX] button in the Mixer window, or the DX
Plug-Ins button on the toolbar to open the DirectX/VST Window.

In the Plugin list, select the “Add VST Plugin...” item at the bottom of the list.
Select a VST plug-in .dll file in the following Select a VST plug-in dialog, and it is added to the plug-in list. After you add each
VST, the plug-in is permanently added to the list. You only have to add each plug-in one time.
Remove VST/VSTi Plug-In
You can remove a VSTi or VST plug-in that you have installed. This only removes the VST/VSTi plug-in from PowerTracks'
list of remembered VST plug-ins. The feature does not uninstall a plug-in or delete any plug-in files.
After you remove a plug-in from view in PowerTracks, that plug-in still remains usable to any other VST program where you
prefer to have it available.
To remove a VSTi or VST plug-in from PowerTracks Pro Audio:
Click on the [Options] button in the DirectX/VST Window to launch the DX/VST Options dialog.
Select the [Remove VST Plugin (from list)…] button.
Select the plug-in to remove so it is highlighted in the list, then click the [Remove] button.

Uninstall a VST/VSTi Plug-In

If you want to permanently delete a VST/VSTi plug-in from your computer, first check if the plug-in has an uninstaller in the
Windows menu “Start | Settings | Control Panel | Add or Remove Programs.” If an uninstaller is available, that is the best way
to get a clean plug-in uninstall.
With plug-ins that do not have an uninstaller, it is safe to drag the plug-in's DLL and any other plug-in support files to the
Windows Recycle folder.
DX/VST Options
The [Options] button brings up the DX/VST Options dialog where you can manage your real time effects plug-ins.

Chapter 6: Digital Audio Features 73

 [Save Default DXi Synths] saves your plug-in default settings.
The [Edit DX Exclusion List…] button lets you edit the list of plug-ins to
include or exclude in the DirectX editor. This is useful if you have some plug-ins
which were found and which aren’t compatible with PowerTracks Pro Audio. If
you edit the exclusion list, you’ll see a dialog box with the left side displaying
the included plug-ins and the right side displaying the excluded plug-ins.

The [>] button moves a plug-in from the Include to the Exclude list. The [<]
button moves a plug-in from the Exclude to the Include list.

The [Scan for New Plug-Ins…] button will cause PowerTracks Pro Audio to scan for newly installed plug-ins.
The [Register a New Plug-In…] button can be used to register a plug-in with DirectX, so that audio applications such as
PowerTracks Pro Audio can use the plug-in if you have a plug-in that doesn’t automatically register itself.
The [Unregister a Plug-In…] button removes a plug-in from DirectX so that audio applications will no longer be able to use
this plug-in.
The [Run DirectX Diagnostic Tool…] button will run the Microsoft Direct X Diagnostic tool, which checks for problems with
DirectX.
Select the [Remove VST Plugin (from list)…] button to remove a VST plug-in so that it is no longer included in the “Plugin”
list in the DirectX/VST Window.
Note: VST/VSTi plug-ins are added manually to the Plugin list in the DirectX/VST Window. Once added, a VST/VSTi plug-in is available on
the list until removed.

Effects Controls
Track Settings
The [FX] track insert button assigns effects to the specific track alone. Up to four effects can be chained on the FX
insert.
Each of the four Aux control knobs can be assigned to one of the eight auxiliary effects busses. The position of the
control knob determines the amount of the signal that is routed through the auxiliary bus and how much of the “dry”
signal goes directly to the audio output bus.

Auxiliary Effects Busses

Each of the eight Aux busses can have a chain of up to four real time effects. These can be any DirectX or VST effects that you
have installed on your system, either the included PG Music effects or third party effects.
The effects on each bus or insert are chained (in sequence), which means that the processed signal from each plug-in is then
further processed by the chain’s next plug-in. There are no hard-and-fast rules, but a typical effects chain might start with effects
that condition the incoming signal (noise gate, EQ, dynamics), then add effects that alter the tonal qualities of the sound (chorus,
distortion, modulation) and then time-based effects (reverb, delay).
To run effects in parallel, rather than chained, you can assign them to any of the eight auxiliary busses and route each track
individually through any four effects.

Aux Bus FX insert window

74 Chapter 6: Digital Audio Features

Choosing and Editing DirectX/VST Effects
The Track field of the DirectX/VST window lets you choose a track in which to select or edit effects. A “track” can be a Track
Insert, an Aux bus, or an Output Insert.
The “Edit” radio buttons let you choose which of the four effects to edit in the group of effects available in each track. The
“Bypass” checkboxes lets you bypass any of the four effects in a group.
In the example, the Melody is the currently selected Track and slot 1 (PG Dynamics) is selected for editing.
The [Load Group] and [Save Group] buttons let you load and save the effects settings for the currently selected track. The
[Load Preset] and [Save Preset] buttons let you save and load presets for the current effect. The [Delete Preset] button lets you
remove a preset from the list of already saved presets.
The Trim knob lets you boost or decrease the overall volume of a synth or an audio track. If the Track field is set to a
synth slot you can make this setting permanent for all songs by clicking [Options] and then [Save Default DXi Synths].

VST/VSTi Additional Panel Controls

VST is necessarily different from DirectX/DXi, and some extra controls are available for VST plug-ins. DirectX/DXi plug-ins
save their presets to the Windows Registry, and only one setting is “alive” at a time.
VST/VSTi plug-ins save their presets to disk files. VST/VSTi plug-ins contain a bank of presets in memory. You can switch
between presets while editing, and each edited preset is remembered in the current bank.
VST Generic User Interface
VST/VSTi plug-ins are not required to have a fancy graphic control panel. There are many “faceless” VST plug-ins that have
many adjustable parameters, but no fancy control panel. When you open such a plug-in, the control panel will look like this
example. PowerTracks Pro Audio presents one “generic” slider for each adjustable parameter in the plug-in.
Parameter Name: Simply the name of each adjustable parameter.
Value Slider: Move the slider to adjust the parameter value.
Value Indication Text: Displays the value of the slider, as interpreted by the plug-in. In the above example, Parameter 0:
Bright is interpreted as an ON/OFF switch, but Parameter 1: Volume is interpreted as a value from 0 to 10.

Chapter 6: Digital Audio Features 75

The number of real time effects that you can expect to activate at a time without stressing the system depends on the speed of
your computer. Normally you would mostly be using the Aux busses, since the effects used in the Aux busses can be applied to
multiple tracks efficiently. In other words, it isn’t very taxing on the CPU to apply an Aux effect to multiple tracks. For
example, let’s say you were to select a reverb in the Aux 1 section of the mixer, and you adjust the Aux1 send knobs for 5 tracks
so that they were all using Aux 1 for reverb. In this case, there would only be one instance of this reverb plug-in active in
PowerTracks, regardless of the number of tracks (5) that were utilizing the Aux1 bus. What’s nice about this is that you can
apply completely different amounts of the same effect to different tracks, so some tracks can be very “wet” with lots of reverb,
while others can be relatively “dry” with very little reverb.
If you use Track Inserts on multiple-tracks, you will use up CPU processing power relatively quickly and your computer may
have trouble handling this depending on the speed of your CPU. The reason for this is that the Track Inserts each involve the
usage of a unique instance of each effect, since each Track Insert is a unique signal path for each track.
Note: The more effects you chain together within each Aux bus, Track Insert, or Output Insert, the more CPU power will be required. For
example, an Aux bus with just an EQ will require a lot less CPU power than an Aux bus with chain of 4 effects such as (Compressor – EQ –
Chorus – Reverb).

Reset Effects
The [Reset Realtime Effects] button is found in the Audio preferences dialog. It removes all real time
effects from your project so you can remix your project from scratch.

Rendering MIDI Tracks to Audio

Render Menu Commands
The Render menu on the main menu bar has commands to automatically render entire sequences to audio files, or to export
selected tracks to WAV files.
There is a setting in File Preferences to “Beep after rendering the song to a file.”
This tells you that audio rendering of a MIDI file is done and the audio file is ready.
Rendering MIDI to audio is virtually automatic when using the DXi/VSTi synthesizer support in PowerTracks Pro Audio. Just
go to the Render menu and choose Merge Audio and DXi Tracks to Stereo Wave File, or to a WMA file, or to any compressed
format (such as .MP3) that is supported by your computer.

Note: If no audio tracks are present the MIDI tracks will still be rendered to audio using the DXi synthesizer. This feature requires that you
have a DXi software synth assigned to the MIDI track(s) you are rendering.
All levels and effects settings will be rendered exactly as they are in the Tracks and/or Mixer windows.
Auto Convert MIDI Tracks

Auto Convert Individual MIDI Track to WAV File

Invoke this command by right-clicking on the track overview section of the Tracks window and easily convert any MIDI track
to a .WAV file. PowerTracks will automatically render using a DXi or VSTi synth.
Auto Convert Individual MIDI Track to Audio Track
It is easy to convert any MIDI track to an audio track. PowerTracks Pro Audio will
automatically render using a DXi or VSTi synth. This command is accessible by right-
clicking on the track overview section of the Tracks window. By default, the audio will
be rendered to the original MIDI track, but a different track can be specified if you want
to keep the source MIDI data.

76 Chapter 6: Digital Audio Features

Manual Rendering of MIDI to Audio
MIDI tracks can easily be rendered (recorded) to audio using your system’s sound card and its onboard MIDI synthesizer or by
recording the audio output from an external MIDI device.
To render MIDI tracks to audio with the internal system sound device:
1. Load the source MIDI file into PowerTracks Pro Audio.
2. In the Tracks window select a blank track and set the track type to stereo audio.
3. In Options | MIDI Devices verify that the internal MIDI synthesizer is selected. This could be the Microsoft GS Wavetable
SW Synthesizer, any model of Sound Blaster, or another onboard sound device.
4. Click on the VU Meters button on the Tool Bar.
5. In the VU Meters window click on the Windows mixer button to open the Volume Control (see note following). To see the
Recording Control, select Options | Properties in the Volume Control window.
6. In the Recording Control select the input source by checking the Select checkbox. Different systems and sound cards use
different labels, you might be selecting “MIDI” as the input source, or “What You Hear,” or “Stereo Mix.” If you aren’t
sure which source to choose, start by eliminating the obvious like CD Player, Microphone, or Line In.
7. Play the MIDI file and monitor the levels on the Input VU meter. Levels can be adjusted in both the Recording Control and
the Volume (or Playback) control. The levels can occasionally go into the yellow zone, and a transient peak in the red zone
is OK. Consistent readings in the red or lighting up the clip indicator means your levels are set too high.
8. Unless you want to record the metronome, check to be sure it is disabled in Options | Metronome.
9. Click on the Record Audio button to record the song. The Input VU meters will become active during recording.
10. When done, click the Stop button and choose to “Keep Take” when prompted. A stereo track will have been recorded.
You could then use the menu command Edit | Track | Save Track to File… to save the recorded audio track as a .WAV file.
Note: PowerTracks Pro Audio attempts to open the Recording Control panel associated with the Windows mixer. If you get an error message
when the Windows Mixer button is pressed you probably have a sound card with its own control panel and mixer. In that case, you need to
open the sound card’s software separately to adjust the recording properties.
To render MIDI to audio when you’re using an external synthesizer or sound module you connect its audio output to the Line In
of your sound card and select Line In as your input source in the Windows Recording Control.
Rendering when you’re using an external synthesizer:
1. Load the source MIDI file into PowerTracks Pro Audio.
2. In the Tracks window select a blank track and set the track type to stereo audio.
3. In Options | MIDI Devices verify that the external MIDI driver is selected. It could be named MPU-401, MIDI Out Port or
another name with the word “out” such as SB Live MIDI Out, or MIDI IO (input/output).
4. Click on the VU Meters button on the Tool Bar.
5. In the VU Meters window click on the Windows mixer button to open the Volume Control. To see the Recording Control,
select Options | Properties in the Volume Control window.
6. In the Recording Control select “Line In” as the input source by checking the Select checkbox. Make sure that the audio
output of your MIDI synthesizer or sound module is connected to your computer’s Line In jack.
7. Play the MIDI file and monitor the levels on the Input VU meter. Levels can be adjusted in both the Recording Control and
the Volume (or Playback) Control, the levels can occasionally go into the yellow zone, and a transient peak in the red zone is
OK. Consistent readings in the red or lighting up the clip indicator means that your levels are set too high.
8. Unless you want to record the metronome, check to be sure it is disabled in Options | Metronome.
9. Click on the Record Audio button to record the song. The Input VU meters will become active during recording.
10. When done, click the Stop button and choose to “Keep Take” when prompted. A stereo track will have been recorded.
You could then use the menu command Edit | Track | Save Track to File… to save the recorded audio track as a .WAV file.
Note: While recording (rendering) the MIDI tracks you can perform real time mixer moves, such as fading volume levels up or down, which
will be recorded to the audio track. These changes cannot be undone, but the tracks could be re-rendered if necessary.

RealDrums
What are RealDrums?

RealDrums allow you to instantly create audio drums tracks with real recordings of top studio drummers.
These are not "samples," but are full recordings, lasting from 1 to 8 bars, playing along in perfect sync with the other tracks. For
example, choose a “brushes” style and you will now hear lush Jazz brushes, or choose “RockGrunge” for a heavier sound. The
results are dramatically better than MIDI. They sound like a real drummer, because they are recordings of a real drummer. We
include many RealDrums styles with PowerTracks Pro Audio.

Chapter 6: Digital Audio Features 77

Why do RealDrums sound better than MIDI Drums?
The RealDrums are recordings of top studio drummers, playing multi-bar patterns. MIDI drums are patterns based on single
drum hits, being programmed, typically on a quantized grid, of what people assume drummers are typically playing.
We record drummers at multiple tempos, so the playing you hear at various tempos is also musically different, not just “sped
up.” Drummers play different types of fills etc. at slower/faster tempos, and these are captured with RealDrums.
As well as improved drum sounds, you are hearing the exact rhythms played by the drummer, including features not seen in
MIDI (subtle drum rolls, variations in ride cymbal taps, complex fills etc.). And the tracks intelligently play differently at
faster/slower tempos, so you hear appropriate playing for the current tempo (not seen in MIDI drums). Change tempos or
volumes during playback, using the same tempo/volume controls as MIDI.
How Do RealDrums Work?
This powerful feature lets you generate realistic drum tracks using RealDrums styles. There are A and B variations for each
RealDrums style.
To assign the substyles for your song, click on the Chords button to open the Chords window and insert A or B part
markers.
Click on the desired bar numbers to toggle through the A/B selection or to clear a marker.

When the Chords window is the current window, the keyboard letter P is a shortcut for toggling part markers between a,
b, and none.
Drum Accents –Rests, Shots, Holds, and Pushes
Breaks and accents are supported by the RealDrums generation routines.
They are entered in the Chords window.
Rests, Shots, Held Chords:
A chord can be specified as a Rest by adding a period after the chord.
e.g. "C." indicates a C chord that is a Rest.
A chord can be specified as a Shot by adding two periods after the chord.
e.g. "C.." indicates a C chord that is a Shot.
A chord can be specified as a Held Chord by adding three periods after the chord.
e.g. "C…" indicates a C chord that is a Held Chord.
Pushes:
^C = 8th push
^^C = 16th push
Note: Pushes, Shots, Rests, Held Chords can ONLY be entered in the Chords window.

RealDrums Dialog
The RealDrums toolbar button launches the RealDrums dialog.

In this dialog the RealDrums style is chosen and options such as lead-ins, endings, or generating drums for a particular range of
bars are selected.

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First 2 Bars in Song are Lead In – generate a lead-in for the first 2 bars of the song (this assumes you’re generating real drums
from the beginning of song).
Generate ending for last 2 bars – last 2 bars of real drums being generated are an ending
Song has straight feel plays straight time instead of swing time.
Developer Mode – Only set this when you are a developer making a RealDrums style and want to see additional debug
information, such as drumaudioresults.txt file and messages about errors in the _style.txt file.
RealDrums Folder Path – this is the path for real drums. Normally the path is C:\bb\drums. When running PowerTracks Pro
Audio for the 1st time, PowerTracks will select this path by default if it exists. If your RealDrums styles have been installed in a
different folder, then you will need to press the [Select...] button to the right of the path to choose a new folder.
RealDrums Style – This [Select...] button pops up a menu that lets you select a style of real drums to use.
Audio Output Track – the track onto which the real drums will go
Generate Drums for – select whole song to generate drums for the entire existing song, otherwise choose “Range of Bars” to
generate RealDrums over a range of bars.
Install - this completes installation of any RealDrums styles by decompressing any WAV/MP3 files in the \drums folder that do
not have a WAV file, or that have an older wave file.
Press OK- Generate RealDrums Audio! and PowerTracks will generate the drums.
Note: PowerTracks Pro Audio uses the same RealDrums files as Band-in-a-Box. You don't need to re-install RealDrums sets that you already
have installed, and any RealDrums sets that you purchase will work with both programs.

Making RealDrums Styles

For detailed instruction in making your own RealDrums styles, please see the Help file topic Tutorial: Making RealDrums
Styles.
Overview
RealDrums are actual recordings of studio drummers, pieced together by PowerTracks to create a unique “real” drum track that is played along
with other audio and MIDI tracks in perfect time. In addition, the RealDrums that you use with PowerTracks will also work with PG Music’s
intelligent automatic accompaniment program Band-in-a-Box (versions 2007 and higher).
A RealDrums style consists of a wave file containing various bars of drum patterns, and a text file with instructions on how PowerTracks
should interpret the wave file. In order for the style to work, the text file needs to be located in a folder called “Drums,” and then in a sub-
directory that is the name of the style group. The file-name needs to be the same as the style group, followed by an underscore ( _ ) and a three
digit number representing the tempo. Additionally, “_Style” has to be in the filename after the tempo.
For example, RockEven8_120_Style has two files in the c:\bb\Drums\RockEven8 folder. RockEven8_120_Style.wav is the wave file with
bars of various drum patterns in the Rock even 8th note style played by a studio drummer at a tempo of 120. Instructions for how PowerTracks
should interpret the wave file are in the RockEven8_120_Style.txt file.
The Help file tutorial has step-by-step instructions for actually making a style.
Because both PowerTracks Pro Audio and Band-in-a-Box can use RealDrums, it is only necessary to have RealDrums styles in a single
location on your hard drive. The default location is c:\bb\Drums where “bb” is the default Band-in-a-Box folder, but your drums folder can
actually be located anywhere on your hard drive and it will still work with PowerTracks Pro Audio as long as you select the correct folder in
the RealDrums dialog.

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Using your RealDrums style in Band-in-a-Box
As we have indicated above, you can use your RealDrums style in either PowerTracks Pro Audio, or Band-in-a-Box (version 2007 or higher).
In PowerTracks, it is simply a matter of setting your part markers and shots in the Chords Window and generating a drum track from the
RealDrums dialog.
When RealDrum styles are used in Band-in-a-Box, there are a number of ways you can assign them to songs or styles. In the RealDrums
Settings dialog, you can tell Band-in-a-Box to use RealDrums a certain amount of time (when it finds suitable matches, based on the current
Band-in-a-Box style), or you can assign a specific RealDrums style to a specific song.
It is also possible to assign your RealDrums style to a particular Band-in-a-Box style. This is done in the StyleMaker. If you have either a new
or existing Band-in-a-Box style open in the StyleMaker, simply select “Style| Misc. Settings” or press ctrl-<F10>, and adjust the RealDrums
settings in this dialog. See the Band-in-a-Box documentation for more information on this.
Another feature in Band-in-a-Box (not required, but is very useful for testing styles) is “Developer mode.” This is a checkbox in the
RealDrums settings dialog in Band-in-a-Box. When it is turned on, Band-in-a-Box does two things. First of all it spell-checks your text file
when you play a song. If it finds an error, it reports the error to you before beginning the song. When Developer mode is off, if there are typos
in the text file, the entire pattern definition is simply ignored. For example, if you misspell “pattern” as “pattrn,” you will see an error message
when you start that will tell you the typo as well as the line number where you can find it in the text file. When you press OK, the song
resumes.
The other thing that developer mode does is open the “DrumAudioResults.txt” text file automatically every time you press play.

Editing Audio Tracks

Note: By default the program uses the Windows/Temp directory for temporary audio files created during editing. You can change the
directory in the Options | Preferences dialog under the Audio tab.
You may find that you do much of your audio editing in the Tracks window overview, but the Bars window and the Audio Edit
window are also very useful.
Bars Window
The Bars window provides an overview of the data (WAV and/or MIDI) in a song file. This view makes it easy to select a large
region of a track for editing.

Bars view displaying a song with both digital audio and MIDI tracks.
You’ll see that as the song plays the Bars window scrolls along, showing graphical representations of the waveforms that are
contained in the individual tracks. A small cursor at the top of the window indicates the current bar and the numbers indicate the
bar numbers of the song.
If the Alt key is held when left-mouse clicking on the overview section of the Bars window the time will be changed without
affecting the currently highlighted region. This lets you quickly adjust the current time without having to worry about
accidentally changing the highlighted region.
Audio Edit Window
You can open an Audio Edit window for any track that contains WAV data. To view the waveforms of the individual
tracks click on the track that you want and then click on the Audio Edit toolbar button.
You can also the Audio Edit window with the menu command Window | New | Audio Edit Window (Ctrl+F2).

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 In the Audio Edit window, use the Track Name Combo drop-down to change to a view of a
different track. The list shows the track number in addition to the name for non-blank tracks.

This window lets you view audio data as a graphical representation of the waveforms on the selected track. It scrolls as the song
plays, with a thin red vertical stripe to mark the current song position.
The number-ruler at the top of the window denotes the bar numbers of the current song.

Small vertical lines are displayed at 8th and 16th note

boundaries. This makes it easier to align audio to correct timing issues.
◄ Left and right ►cursor arrow keys will move the current time forward or backward by 1 beat in the Audio Edit window.
The dB Scale on the left side of the Audio Edit window gives you a better idea of the level of an audio track.
By clicking on the [+] and [-] buttons you can “zoom” in or out on the waveform to facilitate very precise
waveform editing.
The large +/- buttons zoom horizontally, the smaller set zooms vertically.
The [Z-Whole] button zooms out to show the entire waveform.
The [Z-Sel] button zooms in on the highlighted section of the waveform.
The [M] button mutes or plays the track. Red indicates the track is muted, green indicates playing.
The [S] button solos the track. Bright yellow indicates the track is soloed.
The [Snap] button will cause the highlighted region to snap to the nearest beat when selecting a region with the
mouse.
The [Play Selected Area] button will play the highlighted area to let you hear what was selected.

The [Select Whole] button selects the whole audio track.

This combo box displays for stereo tracks. You can choose to edit both channels, edit only the left
channel, or edit only the right channel.

These are speed buttons that play the song at the selected percentage of its tempo.
The current time within the song, if visible within the Audio Edit window, will be shown as a vertical line in red. This will be
drawn in reverse video if the current time is within the selected region.
You can select a region to edit with the mouse by clicking on the waveform and dragging the mouse to the right. You can also
select a region of the song during playback.
Shift+click (Shift key + left mouse button) support makes it easy to tweak the beginning or end of the highlighted area.

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- If you Shift+click before the start of the From/Thru range, or after the end of the From/Thru range, the highlighted area will
be extended.
- If you Shift+click within the From/Thru range, the range will be reduced, and the location you clicked on will become either
From or Thru depending on which boundary was closer to where you Shift+clicked the mouse.
- If you keep the left mouse button held after the Shift+click, and you move the mouse you can adjust the boundary of the range
while moving the mouse.
Alt+click is supported the same way as for the overview section of the Tracks window. In other words, Alt+click will ONLY
move the time marker, which ensures you don't accidentally alter the current selected area.
After selecting a region, you can then execute Cut, or one of the audio effects in the Edit menu.
Note: PowerTracks Pro Audio has support for resolutions as high as 3840 PPQ, which allows for more precise audio editing, since at higher
resolutions each tick spans a finer section of audio. Go to Options | Resolution to make this setting.

The Audio Edit window lets you edit only the left or right channels of a Stereo track instead of editing both channels. This lets
you cut/paste or apply a non-real time effect (Edit | Audio Effects) to just one channel.

PowerTracks Pro Audio supports drag-and-drop editing in the Audio Edit windows. Select the highlighted region by holding
down the Ctrl key with the left mouse button pressed, then drag the region to a new location in the song.
Audio Edit Context Menu

The right-click popup menu in the Audio Edit Window is similar to the right-click menu in the Tracks window.
The Time Stretch and Pitch Shift Audio Track feature allows you to permanently change the duration and pitch of individual
audio tracks, or change the speed and pitch of the entire PowerTracks Pro Audio mix.
Select Whole Track makes it easy to select the whole track for editing.
Change Current Time sets the time to the position where the menu is opened.
Highlight Current Audio Event makes it easier to select specific audio events, which then could be clicked and dragged
(with Ctrl button held down) to a new location, etc.
Note: An event is defined as an event in the Event List. If an audio track is a single event, and doesn't have any boundaries shown in the
tracks window, then the whole track will be highlighted.
Copy/Move Current Event (selection) launches the Drag/Drop Edit dialog
- If nothing is selected, and you Ctrl+click to drag and drop, it will assume that you want to drag the entire current audio
event.

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- If you hold Ctrl+Shift then the drag will move the current event. If you hold Ctrl+Alt then the drag will copy the current
event.
- When Dragging/Dropping within the overview section of the Tracks window, you can drop to a blank track even if the track
type wasn't originally set to the correct track type.
- Drag/Drop will automatically be set to the original time if within 20 ticks (at a PPQ of 120). So if you drag a region down
to a new track, you just need to be “approximate” in the drop location, as the program will snap the time to the same time as
the event on the source track. If you don’t want that behavior, just Ctrl+drag the selection, and the dialog appears with exact
values. In this case, the dialog also has a handy “Set Drop Time to Drag Time” button.
- The Time field has been added to the Drag/Drop Edit dialog, so you can fine-tune the time for the drop when you drag a
selection using Ctrl+drag.
- Destination Track # added to Drag/Drop Edit dialog when launched from the Tracks window.
- [Set Drop Time to Drag Time] button will open the Drag/Drop Edit dialog.

Audio Effects opens the audio effects submenu.

The standard editing commands are available so that you can make edits without leaving the window.
Tracks Window Editing
Audio edits can also be performed directly in the Tracks window, although the Audio Edit window offers a larger view for
precision editing. You can select a region to edit with the mouse by clicking on the waveform and dragging the mouse to the
right, even while the song is playing.
Drag and drop audio editing in the Tracks window makes it easy to drag a clip from one track to another.

You can select a highlighted region by holding down the Ctrl key together with the left mouse button, and then drag the region
to a new location in the song. Release the mouse button to drop the audio clip at the new location.
After releasing the mouse button, you have four options:
1. Move to new location and overwrite.
2. Move to new location and merge.
3. Copy to new location and overwrite.
4. Copy to new location and merge.

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There is a right-click menu item in the Tracks Window to highlight the current Audio Event. This makes it easier to select
specific audio events, which then could be clicked and dragged (with Ctrl button held down) to a new location, etc.

Note: An event is defined as an event in the Event List. If an audio track is a single event, and doesn't have any boundaries shown in the
tracks window, then the whole track will be highlighted.

Audio Edit Commands

Audio editing uses the Edit menu commands. You can Cut, Copy, and Paste
audio data just as if it were text.
Each action brings up its own dialog, which can be launched with the standard
Windows keystroke commands Ctrl+X for Cut, Ctrl+C for Copy, and Ctrl+V
for Paste.
The crossfade option when pasting audio smoothes
out a paste, so that no audible “clicks” are heard at splice points of pastes.

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Audio Effects
This is a submenu that contains all of the permanent audio effects for PowerTracks Pro Audio.
The audio effects in this submenu are actually external plug-ins that are transparently integrated
with PowerTracks, but actually aren’t built-in to the program itself. You’ll be able to use them just
as if they were built-in to PowerTracks.
Unlike the effects that are added in the Mixer window on the FX track insert and the Aux busses,
when the effects in the Audio Effects submenu are applied the content of the audio track is
permanently altered. The effect can be removed with the Edit | Undo command.
This command will undo the last edit command executed and restore the track to its previous state.
The number of Undo Levels is adjustable from 1 to 100 in the General section of the Options |
Preferences dialog.

Each effect has its own dialog with custom settings and commands. Click on the [Help] button for a detailed explanation of the
settings and a concise tutorial on how to apply the effect.

Time Stretch and Pitch Shift

This feature is available from the Tracks window by right-clicking with the mouse on any audio track.

It allows you to permanently change the duration and pitch of individual audio tracks, or change the speed and pitch of the entire
PowerTracks Pro Audio mix.
If an audio track has been inadvertently recorded too flat or too sharp, you can easily modify the pitch without affecting the
track's duration. If the duration of an audio track is incorrect PowerTracks Pro Audio can change the tempo of the audio track
without affecting the pitch. Tempo can be adjusted from 1/4 speed to 4X speed. Pitch can be adjusted +/- one Octave, in one
Cent increments (a Cent is 1/100 of a Semitone).
These features are also useful for learning your favorite up-tempo song. Load the file and play it back at half speed. If the song
is in the key of F but you would rather learn it in Eb, transpose it down 2 semitones and continue playing at half-speed. As you
master the song, you can gradually increase the tempo until you can play along at full speed.
The Time Stretch and Pitch Shift dialog lets you stretch (or reduce) the length of the highlighted section of audio tracks.
Time Stretch (or Reduce)

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 Enabled: if checked, then PowerTracks will change the length based
on the following settings:
New Length Percentage: The new length as a percentage relative to
the original length. For example, a new length percentage of 200%
will result in the section being double the original length.
New Speed Percentage: Time stretching (or reduction) will also
cause the section to be played faster or slower. If you are stretching a
section of the song, it will play slower. If you are reducing a section
it will play faster. This setting is the inverse of the New Length
Percentage. For example, a New Speed Percentage of 50% (half
speed) will result in a New Length Percentage of 200% (double
length).
Old Tempo and New Tempo: If you specify old and new tempos,
this is another way of adjusting the speed, but this method lets you
think in terms of a change in tempo rather than a change in speed as a
percentage.
Pitch Shift
Enabled: If checked, then PowerTracks will pitch shift based on the
following settings:
Semitones: Number of semitones to pitch shift up or down. There are
12 semitones per octave.
Cents: Number of cents to pitch shift up or down. There are 100
cents per semitone.

Saving Audio Files

PowerTracks Pro Audio files are saved in the .SEQ (sequence) file format, which can include both audio and MIDI tracks in the
same file. So you could import a Band-in-a-Box MIDI file into PowerTracks Pro Audio and then record live parts along with the
Band-in-a-Box accompaniment.
Auto-Backup of .SEQ Files
When you save a file, PowerTracks now saves a backup of the file in a c:\PT\PTBACKUP folder. This doesn’t add any time to
the file-save command, and the number of backups is configurable. So the next time that you mistakenly overwrite a file when
saving, go the backup folder to look for a saved previous copy.

When the Create backup file when overwriting a .SEQ file setting is enabled, PowerTracks will always create a backup file
(BKS file) when a .SEQ file is overwritten. For songs saved into the same hard drive where PowerTracks Pro Audio is installed,
the backups are placed into a PTBACKUP subfolder of the PT folder. For songs that are saved to a different hard drive, the
backups are placed in a PTBACKUP folder which is off of the root (e.g. D:\PTBACKUP) The max backups per song setting
determines the maximum number of backups to be kept for each song. If this limit is reached, then PowerTracks will delete the
oldest backup of the song you are overwriting and create a newer backup. The “Max backups per hard drive:” setting is the
maximum total backups allowed per hard drive. If this limit is reached, then PowerTracks will delete the oldest backup file.
There is also on option for moving the older backups into the Recycle Bin instead of deleting them when either of the two limits
is reached.
Wave Files
To make a .WAV file, and even burn a CD of the song, you can render the MIDI tracks to audio and export the whole song to a
wave file.
The [Render Audio/DXi] menu button displays a menu that allows you to save tracks as a file. You can choose to
save as a stereo .WAV file, as a compressed file such as an MP4 or M4A, or a WMA file. You can save all tracks
to individual files if you wish.

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PowerTracks Pro Audio offers a number of options to save or export audio files in different formats. These options are found in
the Edit or Render menu.
Import Wave File
This command offers to import a wave file into the “current track” of your project. These audio file formats can be loaded from
the Edit | Audio | Insert Wave File menu command.

- WAV: Windows wave files, native digital audio files for the Microsoft Windows platform.
- MP3: compressed audio files, popular on the Internet. Requires codec to be present on system.
- WMA: Windows Media Audio, a compressed audio format developed by Microsoft.
- WMV: Windows Media Video is a compressed video format developed by Microsoft. PowerTracks will load the audio from
a WMV.
- CDA: CD Audio is the file extension used by Windows to make CD audio tracks available for loading into programs like
RealBand. Just put an audio CD into your CD-ROM, and then open a .CDA file from that drive (usually drive D).
Note: The latest versions of Windows require a workaround to allow the import of .CDA files. We recommend instead that you rip them to
.WMA files with Windows Media Player and then import the .WMA file into PowerTracks Pro Audio.

- MP4: a video format using separate compression for audio and video tracks. Video is compressed with MPEG-4 video
encoding. Audio is compressed using AAC compression, the same type of audio compression used in .AAC files.
- M4A: Audio-only file created in the MPEG-4 format, a multimedia container format used to store compressed audio and
video data; contains audio encoded with either the Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) codec or the Apple Lossless Audio Codec
(ALAC).
This command will also import MultiTrack .WAV files by offering a choice of merging them to mono or placing additional
tracks of the wave file onto separate tracks. For example, if Track 1 is the current track and Track 2 is empty (and you import a
Stereo Wave file), PowerTracks will place the left channel on track 1. The right channel will be imported to Track 2 on the next
available track, which, in this case, is Track 2 since this track is empty.
A dialog will pop up which lets you select the time location to place the wave file(s). By default, this is the current time (Now:)
of a song.

DirectX/VST Configuration

Open DirectX/VST Plugins Configuration

Open the DirectX/VST window to select and edit effects plug-ins.
Open DXi/VSTi Synth Panel Configuration
Opens the DirectX/VST window with the control panel for the current synth.
Audio Chord Wizard

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Audio Chord Wizard - Open Audio file (WAV/WMA/MP3/CDA)
Select an audio file to load into the Audio Chord Wizard.
Audio Chord Wizard - Use Existing Song
Load the currently loaded song into the Audio Chord Wizard.
Save Wave File
PowerTracks offers a number of options to save or export audio files in different formats. These options are found in the Render
menu.

Export Acid Loop - Highlighted section or entire track to WAV in Loops folder
This command will render the highlighted section of the current track or the whole track as an ACID Loop and save it to the
bb\RealTracks\Loops folder.
Export Highlighted Section (or entire track) to wav/wma/mp4/m4a/mp3
This command will export the highlighted section of the current track to a wave file –as long as the track contains audio data.
Drag a section of the track while holding down the left mouse button to select a highlighted section. Use Ctrl+A to select the
whole track, or open the right-click menu and choose Select Whole Track.
Merge Audio and VSTi/DXi Tracks to Stereo Wave File...
This is an export command that will merge all the audio tracks to a stereo wave file while simultaneously rendering and merging
the MIDI tracks to audio if you have a DXi or VSTi software synth. When played in a wave file player the file will sound the
same as if the audio tracks of the song were being played by PowerTracks. The volume, mute, pan, etc. settings of the track will
affect the sound of the merged stereo wave file.
Merge Audio and VSTi/DXi Tracks to Compressed File...
Overview
When you export audio to alternate file formats a standard Windows Audio Format dialog appears.
Use the Format popup menu to select the ACM codec you wish to use,
and then select the exact specifications of the file from the choices
available in the Attributes popup menu.
If you frequently use a particular combination you can save a setting in
the Name combo box.
When you press OK, PowerTracks will export the song to the format you
have selected using the ACM codec.
Note: Most conversions work fine, but not all codecs can save in every format
listed. PowerTracks does intermediate conversions when necessary (to try to
get the job done), but sometimes a codec will report “Conversion not Possible.”
This error is caused by a limitation of the codec rather than PowerTracks.

Merge Audio and VSTi/DXi Tracks to WMA File

This command works the same as the Render | Merge Audio and DXi Tracks to Stereo Wave File command except that this
feature will compress the file using the Microsoft Streaming Media® Compression Technology™. When you execute this

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command the program first generates a temporary stereo PCM file (Raw Wave). A dialog will then pop-up that will let you save
the resulting stereo PCM wave file to a .WMA file (Windows Media Audio).
Test Wave File or Compressed File
This command launches your default media player so you can test your file for compatibility and playability with a standard
Windows media player.
Launch CD Burner
This command launches the “Miniburn” CD Burner program. If the current song has audio data this feature will first offer to
merge audio tracks in the current song to a WAV file. If you say OK to this option the CD Burner will automatically add the
.WAV file to a list of files to be burned onto a CD (burn list).
If necessary, PowerTracks will convert your file to 16-bit, 44.1 kHz stereo before burning it to an audio CD.
Audio Chord Wizard - Open Audio file (WAV/WMA/MP3/CDA)
This command will save all tracks to either WAV or MID files depending on the track type.
Save all tracks to WAV files
This command will save all tracks to WAV files. MIDI tracks will be rendered using DXi.
Acidize this .WAV file
This command will acidize the selected .WAV file. You can write the Acid information such as tempo, root note, and the tempo
signature.
Batch Convert
The command will convert a group of files in a folder over to another file type (.SEQ, .MID, .MP3, .MP4, .M4A, .WAV,
.MGU, .SGU).
This feature is also available from the Batch button.
So let’s say you want to convert your PowerTracks Pro Audio songs to MP4 files. It’s as easy as entering the location and file
type (or all files) for the files that you want to convert and then choosing the output file type and location. There is also the
option to add a suffix to the file names to identify the rendered files.

Input File Type: The Input File Type combo lists the most common MIDI and audio file formats plus PowerTracks and Band-
in-a-Box file types. There is also the option to select “All Supported File Types” to convert a folder with more than one type of
file.
Input File Path: This is the location where the files to be converted are found.
Click on the [Select] button to browse for a folder.
Output File Type: Choose the output file format for the converted files. The output must be compatible with the input files, i.e.,
it is not possible to convert an audio input file to a MIDI output file format since the audio file does not have any MIDI
information.

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 Chapter 7: Mixer Window
Overview
The Mixer window provides real time control of volume and effects. You can launch it with the toolbar button or by
typing ALT+W8.
This is an integrated mixer that controls both MIDI and Audio tracks. There are sliders for all 48 tracks, 8 auxiliary effects
(Aux) busses, and a combined total of 16 audio output ports or audio subgroups.

The Mixer track strips conveniently show the track name vertically to the left of the volume sliders. This is the track name that
is assigned in the Tracks window, go to that window to add or change track strip names.
When the mouse cursor is positioned over a track number in the Mixer window a popup box will display all of the Track
windows settings for the track - the track name and type, patch name, volume and pan settings, and effects settings.
MIDI tracks show an output port with an “M” prefix for a MIDI port or an “S” for a software synthesizer. They have
controls for volume, pan, reverb, chorus, modulation, and expression plus a VU meter, a MIDI patch selection box,
and a mute/unmute button.
Audio tracks either have a prefix of “A,” for an audio output, or “G,” for an audio subgroup, on their output ports.
They have volume and pan controls, a stereo VU meter, a mute/unmute button, four assignable auxiliary sends, and a
track-specific FX insert.
In addition to the track specific effects, there are eight global busses that can each have four chained effects each. You can
assign each audio track to four different Aux busses and adjust the amount that each audio track uses the effects in each assigned
bus. If that isn’t enough, you can add four chained effects to each audio subgroup and also to the main output - this will affect
all tracks.
Mixer Controls
Knobs To use the knobs, click and hold the left mouse button while the mouse cursor is inside the knob and move
the mouse cursor in a circular motion.
The knob’s pointer will follow your mouse cursor movements. In this follow mode you can even move the mouse cursor off the
knob so that it isn’t obscuring your view of the pointer.
As you move any Mixer knob or slider a continuous readout of its setting displays at
the bottom of the window. At the desired position simply release the mouse button to set the value.
The Mute button lets you mute or unmute a track. Green indicates the track is playing, red is mute.
Click on the solo button(s) to solo one or more tracks. Bright yellow shows that the track is soloed.
Volume Slider To use the slider controls, simply click, hold and drag the control knob using the mouse or click
on the control strip above or below the knob to move the slider in small increments. Holding the
mouse button down on the control strip causes continuous movement of the control in small
increments until the mouse button is released.

Pan Slider If you need to see or edit the precise value of a knob or slider you can right mouse click on the knob
to pop
up a dialog box which displays the exact setting as a number, allowing you to manually type in a new numeric value (e.g., 80,
28, 12, etc.).
These knobs and sliders can be automated with MIDI controller messages for volume, pan, chorus, and reverb that are present as
events in a song.

90 Chapter 7: Mixer Window

Track Controls
The Mixer has different controls for MIDI tracks and audio tracks.
MIDI Track Strip
This is the Mixer strip for a MIDI track.
Click on the patch number box to see the Select Patch dialog where the name of the patch will be highlighted. You can
select a new patch from this dialog.
Control knobs for Reverb, Chorus, Modulation, and Expression effects have a smooth “real feel” response. Right-click
on these control knobs to type in an exact controller value.
Click on the [M] mute button above the fader to turn tracks on and off, i.e., to toggle between active and mute states. A
red button indicates the track is muted, and green indicates it is playing.
The [S] solo button will change to bright yellow when the track is soloing.
Right-click on the sliders to type in an exact fader level.
The track name (from the Tracks window) is shown vertically to the left of the Volume slider.
Each track strip has its own stereo VU meter.
The LR stereo pan slider also has a smooth, even response with the option to right-click and type in an exact value.
Click in the “Out” box to assign the track to a MIDI output port. DXi and VSTi synths are identified with an S. For
example, the default DXi synth or VSTi synth is S16.
The selected tracks are highlighted in red or yellow, as in the Tracks window.
Audio Track Strip
This is the Mixer strip for an Audio track.
The [FX] button opens the DirectX/VST Window where up to four real time effects can be inserted into the track.
When effects are assigned the button appears “pushed in.”
Each track has four auxiliary effects sends that can be assigned to any four of the eight available Aux busses. Each Aux
bus can have up to four chained effects.
The rotary knobs set the send level to each Aux bus. Right-click on a knob to enter an exact level for the send.
Click on the [M] mute button above the fader to turn tracks on and off, i.e., to toggle between active and mute states. A
red button indicates the track is muted, and green indicates it is playing.
The [S] solo button will change to bright yellow when the track is soloing.
The track name displays vertically to the left of the volume slider. The track name is entered in the Tracks window.
Right-click on the volume slider to enter an exact fader level.
Each track strip has its own stereo VU meter.
The LR stereo pan slider also has a smooth, even response with the option to right-click and type in an exact value.
Tracks can be assigned to audio subgroups using audio output ports that do not currently have a driver port assigned.
This track is assigned to subgroup 2.
When using audio subgroups the Aux busses should also be sent to that subgroup, so auxiliary busses 5, 6, 7, and 8
would be assigned to Subgroup 2 (G2) in this example.
Press the [FX] button to bring up the DirectX/VST Window, and you can select/edit the effects you wish to
insert. When effects are assigned to a track the [FX] button appears “pushed in.”

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 A click in area around the track number will open the context menu with a full list of commands and settings for the
particular track. This is the same menu that opens with a right-click in the Tracks window, so it reduces the need to
switch back and forth between windows.

Master Controls and Mixer Utilities

The two knobs in the All column serve as master reverb and chorus settings. These controls will affect the overall level
of Reverb and Chorus without changing the settings on individual tracks.
◄ Reverb
◄ Chorus

The volume slider control in the All column is the master volume control. This setting is also displayed on the main
toolbar.

The L-R panning knob in the All column will change the settings for all 48 tracks at the same time.
When a .SEQ file is saved, all of the Mixer’s current volume, pan, chorus, and reverb settings are also saved. These
settings will be restored when the file is reloaded.
The current mixer track corresponds to the current/highlighted track in the Tracks and/or Bars windows. You can change the
current track in the Mixer window simply by clicking on the track number.
The Mixer’s Range Combo settings are determined by the display configuration you set with the splitter bar. These
two examples show the Range Combo settings with the splitter bar set to show 12 or 16 tracks at a
time, but you could use different settings depending on the size of your display or on what
combination of track strips, Aux busses, and output ports you want to see.

This panel is scrollable, so if you can’t see all of the faders just use the scroll bar to get to the one you want. Horizontal mouse
wheel scrolling is also available for the rows of tracks, auxes, and masters.
NOTE: This will occur if the scroll wheel is moved and there are less than the full amount of tracks, masters, or auxes visible, and if the mouse
cursor is over a particular section, and if the Mixer is the currently active window.

The [Default] button located on the lower-left of the Mixer will reset all mixer parameters to the default
settings.
The [Tune] knob lets you fine-tune your synth or MIDI sound source. When you click on the Tune knob you’ll
hear an “A” note sent out through the current part. Adjust the knob until the module is set to the desired tuning
and release the mouse button.
This button launches the Select .DLL or .EXE dialog that lets you select a .DLL or .EXE that was written
specifically to work with PowerTracks Pro Audio. The name of the button changes from .EXE to .DLL
depending on the plug-in that is running.
All .DLLs or .EXEs that begin with the “$” character, e.g., $GS.DLL, will
show up in the dialog (without the “$” character).

This run button (to the left of the [.EXE] [.DLL] button) changes to show the name of the currently
running .DLL or .EXE plug-in, such as the GS Settings dialog or the PowerTracks built-in Tuner.
Click on this button to open the window displaying the currently running application.

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These .DLLs and .EXEs are small plug-in programs that have been specifically designed to work with the program to extend
functionality and features, such as the .DLL plug-in that is used to edit Roland GS settings (gs.dll). All of these special
.DLL/EXE plug-in files should reside in the PowerTracks default directory, e.g., c:\pt. A list of all plug-in files will be displayed
automatically.
Clicking on the Record Mixer Moves button starts the song playing and lets you record only mixer moves. The
controller moves are saved as MIDI events in the selected track (including audio tracks).
The Delete button in the mixer will automatically delete all mixer events (volume, reverb, pan, chorus) that are
currently embedded within the song's selected tracks.
The Insert button in the mixer will automatically insert Mixer Events (volume, reverb, pan, chorus) into song’s non-
blank tracks.
Sometimes a stereo mix will have problems when it is played back in mono. Use this checkbox to hear the mix in
mono and check for problems such as flanging or canceling.

Creating Audio Subgroups in the Mixer

Unassigned Outputs Work As Subgroups
When this checkbox is enabled in the Audio preferences dialog, any audio output
ports that do not have a driver port assigned to them will function as subgroups. A subgroup is a bus or signal path that gives
you the ability to control several tracks as a group.
Let’s suppose you only have one audio Output Driver port installed in PowerTracks Pro Audio and you’ve enabled the
“Unassigned Outputs Work As Subgroups” checkbox. Audio Output Ports 2 -15 can then become subgroups.

Note that this panel is scrollable, so if you can’t see all of the faders just use the ◄ ► scroll arrows to get to the one you want.
If you were to then set the output ports of tracks 2, 3, and 4 to G2 (i.e., port 2, which is now called
Subgroup 2), and you were to adjust the volume of Subgroup 2 in the mixer the same way you do for
output ports, this will affect the volume of all 3 tracks as a whole.
You could also add effects to the subgroup in the mixer the same way you do for output ports. For
example, you could apply an EQ to the subgroup as a whole.

The final output of the subgroup (G2) is sent to the audio output port (A1).
Mixer labels for master effects.
You can type in a label and it is shown vertically next to volume slider, and the labels are saved with .SEQ files. Right click on
the fader to enter the label.

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Real Time Audio Effects
Real time effects will let you add your favorite effects (such as chorus, reverb, EQ, etc.) at the same time that the audio tracks
are played without permanently altering the actual track data. You can apply real time DirectX and VST effects to the audio
tracks, Aux busses, audio subgroups, and audio output ports.
Track FX Inserts
On the mixer, there is an [FX] button at the top of each channel (track) strip of the mixer. Press the [FX] button to
bring up the DirectX/VST Window and you can select/edit a chain of up to four effects plug-ins you wish to insert
for just that particular track.
The “Track” field of the DirectX/VST Window lets you choose a track in which to select or edit effects. The “Edit”
radio buttons let you chose which of the four effects to edit in the group of effects available in each Track.

DirectX/VST Window
In the illustration, the Melody is the currently selected Track, and slot 1 (PG Dynamics) is selected for editing.
Note: A “track” can be a track FX Insert, an Aux bus, or an Output insert.
Effects Groups and Presets
The [Load Group] and [Save Group] buttons let you load and save the effects settings for the currently selected track. The
[Load Preset] and [Save Preset] buttons let you save and load presets for the current effect (such as Echo/Chorus). The [Delete
Preset] button lets you remove a preset from the list of already saved presets.

Options
The [Options] button brings up the DX/VST Options dialog.

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 These options are for managing the real time DirectX and VST effects plug-ins on
your system. The chapter on Digital Audio Features has complete details.

Mono Tracks Can use effects in Stereo Mode

This setting in the Audio Options dialog allows mono audio tracks to use the real
time effects track inserts in stereo mode for better sounding mixes.
Note: This feature only applies to track effects inserts. Aux busses have always worked in stereo mode.

Aux Busses
Each track's mixer channel strip also has four assignable AUX knobs that let you individually control the send
levels for up to four auxiliary effects on each track.
There are eight Aux (auxiliary) effects busses in the Mixer window. Each allows a chain of up to four effects.
You can adjust the Send level, Return level, and output port destination (audio port or subgroup) for each bus.
The [FX] (effects) button at the top of each Aux strip brings up the DirectX/VST Window so you can select
effects or edit effects settings. When a buss has any effects assigned to it the [FX] button appears to be “pushed
in.”
Effects can also be applied to the individual audio subgroups and output ports.
Each subgroup and audio port has an FX insert, with slots for four chained effects.
This is useful if you wish to apply special effects to a selected group of tracks, or apply them globally to the final
stereo output.

Real Time Effects Reset

The reset button is found in the Audio Preferences dialog. It will remove any real time effects from
your project so you can begin remixing from scratch.
Notes on Performance
The number of real time effects that you can expect to activate at a time without stressing the system depends on the speed of
your computer. Normally you would mostly be using the Aux busses, since the effects used in the Aux busses can be applied to
multiple tracks efficiently.
Let’s say you were to select a reverb in the Aux1 section of the mixer, and you adjust the Aux1 send knobs for five tracks so
that they were all using Aux1 for reverb. In this case, there would only be one instance of this reverb plug-in active regardless of
the number of tracks (5) that were utilizing the Aux1 bus.
Note: The more effects you chain together within each Aux bus, Track Insert, or Output Insert, the more CPU power will be required. For
example, an Aux bus with just an EQ will require a lot less CPU power than an Aux bus with a chain of four effects such as (Compressor – EQ
– Chorus – Reverb).

Recordable Mixer Moves

Audio track mixer moves (Vol/Pan/Aux1/Aux2) are now recordable, and you can insert/delete/edit the associated MIDI
controller events in the Event List. To record Mixer moves the current track should be set to the track in which you want to
record the moves.
Rehearse the Mixer move while playing the song, noting the “begin” and “end” points for the move. It’s often useful to enable
the metronome for reference during playback and recording.

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 Start recording with the Mixer moves record button, perform the Mixer moves as rehearsed, and stop.

Answer [Yes] to “Keep Recorded Mixer Moves?” They will show up as a series of MIDI controller events in the Event List for
the selected track.
Alternatively, you could just use the Edit | MIDI | Fill command or insert MIDI controller events into the event list for the
particular audio track.

Node-Based Automation
With node-base automation, you can automate your mixes with precise volume cuts, boosts, and fades on any track, and it’s
easy. In the Tracks window, just drag the bottom border of the track or click on the “Disclose” arrow to reveal the turquoise
colored level line.

To enter a node, click on the level line at the track location where you want to change the level.

If you want to do a fade (crescendo or decrescendo), insert a node at the start of the fade and then hold
the left mouse button down on the line at the end location of the fade and drag the line to the new level.
A readout of the changing level is shown as the mouse cursor moves.
For a sudden jump or cut in volume, click on the volume line to enter a node at the desired location
and then hold down the mouse button with the cursor beside the new node. You can then drag the
volume line to a position directly above or below the node and the volume will jump to the new
level at that location.
The node automation will override the faders in the Mixer and Tracks windows.
Editing Nodes
Right-click on a node to open a menu of editing options. You can delete a single node or erase all nodes, and change the volume
of all nodes or just the nodes in a selected area.

When you select the Edit command, a Control Change dialog opens where you can either use the up/down spin control arrows
to set a new level or type it in.

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 Chapter 8: Notation and Printing
Notation
Overview
The Notation window displays the notes of a MIDI track on a staff and lets you print music on your printer. Open the
Notation window with the “eighth-note” button, with the Window | New | Notation menu option, or with the
keystrokes Alt+F2.
Notation Window Tool Bar

Opens the Notation Window Options dialog where user settings and preferences are made.
Launches the Print Options dialog to print music.
Opens the Standard notation mode window.
Opens the Editable notation mode window.

Opens the Staff Roll notation mode window.

Enables Chord Entry mode to type chords in the notation.

Name of the current note or the note that will be entered.

The Clean checkbox put the standard notation into Clean Mode. Clean Mode will clean up the notation in certain
situations where there are notes played very close together and are within a certain interval of each other. The clean
option makes the notation more readable when there are a lot of grace notes (notes leading up or down to the next
note) or glitch notes, which are notes that are short in duration and have a low velocity.
Opens Lyric Edit mode. In the Notation window, lyrics can be entered into a track that already contains the notes of a
melody. When you switch into Lyric Edit mode, a gray edit box will appear near the top of the Notation window. The
closest note or chord to the current time location will be highlighted.

The Track button lets you choose which track to view.

The Duration Button lets you select the duration of the note. The default duration is Auto. If Auto is the currently
selected duration, the duration will be automatically set by the program so the note’s duration lasts up to the next
note in the measure or to the end of the measure, which ever is closer.

The Rest checkbox lets you insert a hard rest onto the notation window to force a rest to be shown at a particular
location. For example, if there is a half note at the beginning of a measure, you can cause it to be displayed as quarter
note by inserting a hard-rest on the 2nd beat of the measure. Hard rests are shown in blue. The Rest checkbox only
remains checked until you insert a rest.
Switch between a Notation Window and a Lead Sheet Window.

The Loop Screen button will play the music of the current notation screen in a loop.
The Zoom Out button reduces the size of the Notation Window’s font.
The Zoom In button increases the size of the Notation Window’s font.
The Section Text button lets you place a text event at any location on the staff window. When you press this button,
you’ll see a dialog box with a list of any existing text events.
The Scrub Mode button plays the notes in the song as you drag the mouse horizontally over the notation. This can be
helpful for learning difficult parts, or for examining recorded tracks for glitches or wrong notes. Click the scrub mode
button and the mouse cursor will change to speaker icon.
Launches the Vocal Synth menu for creating a synthetic vocal from Sinsy (3rd party).
There are three Notation window modes, each with its own toolbar button.
Standard Notation mode,

Editable Notation mode, and

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 Staff Roll Notation mode.
By default, the Notation window is in Standard Notation mode, which displays the notes as regular music with chord symbols
and lyrics.
Editable Notation mode also displays standard notation but allows you to edit the notation. You will see standard notation with
vertical gray lines that represent possible note locations, either eighth note triplets or sixteenth notes.
The Staff roll mode displays the notes as note heads (no stems) with optional duration and velocity lines. The Staff roll mode
also contains gray vertical lines across the staff.
Standard Notation Mode
Standard Notation mode is a convenient way of displaying a track as regular music on a staff with chord symbols and
lyrics.

The Notation window will draw brackets around an accidental (#) in a situation where the same
note in the previous bar was an accidental outside the current key.

This is a courtesy which helps to remind you that the note is now played as expected within the current key.
Entering Chord Symbols
Chords symbols can be entered in the notation for each beat of a song. A beat is equal to the numerator of the current time
signature. For example, if the song is 2/4, you could enter up to 2 chord symbols per bar. If a song is 6/8, you could enter up to 6
chords per bar (although you likely won’t want to enter that many).
Chords are typed in from the computer keyboard using standard chord symbols like C or Fm7 or Bb7 or Bb13#9/E. Chord entry
is enabled when the “Ch” checkbox is checked in the Notation window.
Note: Chords can also be entered by typing them in the Chords window.
To start typing in chords in a Notation Window:
− Rewind to the beginning of the song.
− Enable chord entry by clicking on the “Ch” checkbox.
− You may move around by cursor arrow Keys, Enter key, or mouse pointer click on the time indicator at the top of the
Notation Window. The time line moves 2 beats at a time in response to the left and right cursor keys.
When you have the time indicator at or close to the beat where you want to enter a chord, you then type the name of the chord.
Note that the chord entry works the same as Band-in-a-Box in that the chord you type will go to the first beat in a 2 beat “cell.”
For example, if the time is 1:02:00 and you type the letter c the C chord will be placed on beat 1. You can enter a chord on beat
2:00:00 with a comma as discussed below.
For example type c6 to get the C6 chord. Note that you should never have to use the Shift key, as PowerTracks will sort this out
for you.
− Use b for a flat, e.g., Bb7.
− Use # or 3 for a sharp, e.g., F#7. You can actually type F37 to get F#7; PowerTracks will sort out the case, saving you the
effort of using Shift+3 to type the # symbol.
− Use / for slash chords with alternate roots such as C7/E, C7 with E bass.
− Use a comma to enter two chords in a row. For example, we would type Ab9, G9 to enter two chords on consecutive beats.
− You can use Ctrl+Delete or the comma key to delete a chord.
The chords are shown in the Notation window above the treble clef:

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| C6 AM7 | DM7 Ab9 G9 | C6/E | A7#9 |

In the above example, the | symbol shows roughly where the bar lines would be if these chords were entered in a Notation
window. The sequence of keystrokes to enter all the chords in the above line would be:

w c6> am7> dm7> ab9,g9> c6/e> > a739 Enter

W indicates rewind, the > indicates cursor key to the right, and Enter indicates pressing the Enter key.
Hint: The fastest way to type in chords is to use your left hand to type in the chords. Your right hand stays on the cursor keys (or mouse) to
advance the time indicator to the next bar/beat after you've typed in the chords

Entering Lyrics
The [L] button in the Notation window puts the notation into a mode in which you can enter lyrics. Lyrics are stored as
individual track events, which can be accessed in the
Event List window like any other events.
In the Notation window, lyrics can be entered into a track that already contains the notes of a melody. In Lyric Edit mode, a gray
edit box will appear near the top of the Notation window. The closest note or chord to the current time location will be
highlighted.
Lyrics are entered by typing a word in the edit box and then pressing Enter. When Enter or Tab is pressed, the Notation
window will advance to the next note or chord of the melody. You can then continue typing lyrics and pressing Enter to
advance forward into the melody. Ctrl+ ← (left cursor arrow) lets you back up to the previous note or chord, and Ctrl+ →
(right cursor arrow) lets you advance to the next chord without saving the contents of the edit control.
Note: When creating .KAR files you enter lyrics in PowerTracks Pro Audio as usual, and if you save as a .KAR file the lyrics will be converted
to the KAR format.
Unlike the .KAR format PowerTracks Pro Audio lyrics should not be preceded by spaces. Syllables are indicated with dashes,
and paragraphs and lines are indicated with backslashes and forward slashes at the end of a line or paragraph.
Multi-Syllable Words: If a word has two or more syllables, you should follow the syllable with a dash. For example, the word
“crazy” would be entered as two separate lyric events, cra- and zy.
Ending a line when lyrics are displayed in Big Lyrics window:

The Line and Para buttons appear when Lyrics mode is selected in the Notation window. These two convenient buttons let you
enter line breaks (/) or paragraph breaks (\) when entering lyrics.
To end a line and start a new line, enter a break (line or paragraph) at the end of the last lyric in a line. For example, if a word
ends with a backslash, e.g., “town\,” then the next lyric after “town” will be displayed on a new line in the Big Lyrics window.
If you plan on saving as a .KAR file, you can use a “Para” backslash to indicate the end of a paragraph, and a “Line” forward
slash to indicate the end of a line. In PowerTracks Pro Audio and in some Karaoke players, both the \ and / characters are treated
the same way.
Time signature display: Time signature changes that occur during the song (1/4 through 4/4) will be displayed in the Notation
window, Lead Sheet window, or printout.
Note: Time signature display works in non-editable Notation mode with engraver spacing enabled. Time signatures are not displayed in Staff
Roll mode.

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Editable Notation Mode
Editable Notation mode is the same as Standard Notation mode, but notes can be inserted by clicking on the staff with the
left mouse button, moved by dragging with the left mouse button, or edited by clicking on a note head with the right
mouse button.
Broken vertical gray lines across the staff show the position for each note subdivision in either eighth note triplets or sixteenth
notes.

Editable Notation window in eighth note triplet (Swing) resolution.

Moving Notes
Notes can be moved via drag and drop. To move a note, move the mouse cursor over an existing note and then click and hold
the left mouse button. The mouse cursor will change to a different shape.
While keeping the mouse button pressed, move the mouse cursor over to the location you wish to drop the note and then let go
of the mouse button. The note will be moved to the place you dropped it. Certain areas of the screen are not valid locations to
drop a note. The mouse cursor will change to a circle with line through it to indicate an invalid location. If you try to drop a note
in an invalid location, nothing will happen.
When you click on a note with the left mouse button, and drag the mouse without releasing the left mouse button, you will hear
the note being played as you move it up and down the screen. The note’s pitch will be increased or decreased chromatically as
you move it up/down the screen.
Entering Notes
Notes can be inserted simply by clicking on the staff in an appropriate location. You will see the name and octave of the current
note location in a box at the top of the window. This helps if you are inserting a note above or below the grand staff. You can
also insert notes via the Piano or Guitar window as discussed later in this section.
When inserting a note, holding down the mouse button and then pressing the Shift key (click+Shift) will make the note 1 half-
step sharper than the position that you click on. Holding down the Ctrl key and then clicking (Ctrl+click) will make the note 1
half-step flatter, and holding down the Alt key will make the note a natural. Hold the key down until after you release the mouse
button.
You can also insert notes by clicking on the Piano or the Guitar window. If you click on the Piano or Guitar window, notes will
be inserted into any open Notation window at the current location in the Notation window. For example, if you click on middle
C of the Piano keyboard, a middle C will be inserted into the Notation window.
There is a 1-peg hot key in the Notation window to move current time forward or backward by 1 peg (normally a 16th note).
Alt+left arrow moves the current time backward by 1 peg. Alt+right arrow moves it forward by 1 peg. This makes it easier if
you are using the on-screen piano for entering notes into the Notation window.
Note: By default, you must hold the Ctrl key before clicking on the Guitar fretboard to insert a note into a Notation window. If the “Send Notes
To Notation Windows” option in the Guitar Settings dialog is enabled, holding the Ctrl key won't be required, but be careful not to accidentally
insert a note when using the mouse to switch to the Guitar window.
Notes can be deleted by holding down the Delete key and then clicking over the note you wish to delete.
Editing Notes
Notes can be edited by clicking on the note with the right mouse button to launch a menu of editing commands. Select Edit Note
to open the NOTE dialog.

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 This dialog allows editing of:
− the MIDI channel for the note.
− the exact time location.
− note name.
− velocity of the note.
− duration of the note in beats and ppq.
Forced Accidental
If a note is being displayed as a sharp, but you want it to appear as a flat (or
vice versa), you can force that here.
Note Type - You can choose for the note to be Normal, Invisible (note will
sound but will not appear in regular notation), or Guitar Bend (a B will appear
above the note). Note that the guitar bend is for notation only and does not
affect the sound of the note.
The [Delete] button removes the note.

Micro-Resolutions
You can change the resolution for any individual beat of a song to a different resolution by clicking with the right mouse button
above that beat on the Notation window’s time line. For example, if you click on the time line above the 2nd beat in a measure,
a dialog box will pop up which will let you set the resolution of the current beat for both clefs. If you select a resolution of 8,
then 32nd notes can be displayed. You can even select a resolution as high as 32, which would allow 128th notes to be shown.

When you choose a micro-resolution PowerTracks Pro Audio will insert a special controller event into the track as a means of
storing the resolution. If you set the resolution to the same setting as the Options dialog’s resolution setting, then micro-
resolutions won’t be used, and the special controller for the current beat and clef will be deleted.
Highlighting a section of the Notation window
When the Notation window is in Editable Notation Mode, you can highlight a section of the Notation window, so that you can
cut or copy the section.
To highlight a section of the Notation window:
1. Click and hold the left mouse button at the upper right corner of the rectangular section you want to highlight. Make sure
you don’t click on any existing notes, and make sure you don’t release the left mouse button until you are finished
highlighting.
2. Move the mouse down and to the right to form a rectangle. You will see a rectangular section of the Notation window
become highlighted in reverse.
3. When you’ve finished highlighting release the left mouse button.
During the process of highlighting a section, you can highlight a section beyond the current notation screen by moving the
mouse cursor beyond the right edge of the Notation window. When you do this, the Notation window will advance to the next
screen. The Notation window will continue advancing until you move the mouse cursor back inside of the Notation window.
You should move the mouse cursor back inside the notation window when it has reached the screen that contains the last

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measure of the section you wish to highlight. Then you can move the mouse cursor to the left or right within the Notation
window to adjust to make any final adjustments to the highlighted section.
The highlighted area will include any notes on the first and last pegs (vertical beat division lines) of the highlighted section. The
minimum highlighted section contains two pegs.
Shift+click to adjust the highlighted section of notation
Shift+click (Shift key + left mouse button) support makes it easy to tweak the beginning or end of the highlighted area.
- If you Shift+click before the start of the From/Thru range, or after the end of the From/Thru range, the highlighted area will
be extended.
- If you Shift+click within the From/Thru range, the range will be reduced, and the location you clicked on will become either
From or Thru depending on which boundary was closer to where you Shift+clicked the mouse.
- If you keep the left mouse button held after the Shift+click, and you move the mouse you can adjust the boundary of the range
while moving the mouse.
Shift+click works in terms of adjusting the top and bottom of the highlighted area, and this affects the range of notes selected.
Once you have highlighted a section of the Notation Window, you can use the Edit | Cut or Edit | Copy commands to cut/copy a
section of notation. The From/Thru values in the Cut or Copy dialog will automatically be set to reflect the highlighted area.
You can then cut or copy as you would normally.
When you cut or copy after having selected a section of the Notation window and you press [OK], PowerTracks will ask you if
you wish to apply a Data Filter based on the highlighted range of notes. If you answer “Yes” a Data Filter will pop up which
will be set to include notes based on the vertical highlighted range in the Notation window.
Right Click Pop-Up Menu
This menu of notation commands pops up when you right click on the Editable Notation window.
Note: If you right-click on a note head you will see this menu with two additional commands at the top, Edit Note and Delete Note.
Insert Section Text – Launches a dialog that lets you insert a Section Text
event.
Section Letters – A submenu will let you select a section letter from A –
Z, or Remove, which removes the nearest section letter to where you right-
clicked.
Bar-Based Section Letters – The Section Letter gets inserted at the top of
the bar line, so that it doesn’t overwrite chords or notes.
Cleanup Orphaned Notation Controller Events – This will automatically
remove stray notation controller events, such as any that no longer have
notes associated with them.
Chord Height Adjustment – Lets you make an adjustment to the vertical
position of the chord symbol at the current beat.
Advance by 1 Peg – Advance the time by 1 peg.
Backup by 1 Peg – Backup the time by 1 peg.
Vocal Synth (Audo) / Manually Generate Vocal Synth Track - This will
generate a vocal track using an online third party vocal synthesizer called
Sinsy for a MIDI melody track with lyrics.

If you right clicked on a note, there will also be a menu item at the top that lets you edit the note.
“1-Peg” Notation Hot Key
There is a 1-peg hot key in the Notation window to move current time forward or backward by 1 peg (normally a 16th note).
Alt+left arrow moves the current time backward by 1 peg. Alt+right arrow moves it forward by 1 peg. This makes it easier if
you are using the on-screen piano for entering notes into the Notation window.
Pop-Up Note Properties Display
When in Editable Notation mode,
if the Show pop-up hint for note properties setting is enabled in the
Other Notation Options a pop-up hint will appear if you move the mouse cursor over a note and stop.

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 The hint window shows the note's properties - note name, MIDI channel, velocity, start time, and duration.
This lets you quickly see a note's properties without having to bring up the edit dialog by right-clicking on
the note.

Notation Symbols for Expression and Articulation

The Notation window now supports many new symbols including section letters [A, B, etc.], slurs, legato, accents, staccatos,
crescendos and more!
The Notation Symbols are entered from the Notation Event dialog, which is accessed from the right-click menu in the Editable
Notation window.

This dialog lets you insert (or remove) notation symbols.

The symbols supported are:
Slur Staccato Marcato
Crescendo Accent Staccatissimo
Decrescendo Legato Trill
Choose the event type (slur, decrescendo, etc.) in the Notation Event list box.

The Length of Event field determines the length of a slur, crescendo, or decrescendo. The length is specified in beats and ticks.
If an event is a “single-peg” event, such as a staccato or accent, then this field will cause multiple events to be inserted if the
range is greater than zero (and the range spans multiple pegs). If you had highlighted an area of the Notation window prior to

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right-clicking on it (to launch the pop-up menu and choose the notation symbols menu item) then this field is set based on the
length of the highlighted area.
Note: The highlighted area does not actually include the very last peg at the very edge of the highlighted area.
The Clef field, if present, indicates the clef in which the event will be inserted (or removed from). Most events affect only one
clef at a time, and therefore you must choose the clef and this field will be preset based on where you had initially right-clicked
with the mouse on the Notation window (you did this to get the pop-up menu that launches this dialog). For example, if you had
right-clicked on the treble clef, then this will be set to treble.
The Offset field, if present, lets you make adjustments to the vertical position of an event.
The Start Time field is the start time of the event (in measures:beats:ticks).
OK – Insert Event – exits this dialog and then inserts the event into the notation track.
OK – Remove Event – exits this dialog and then REMOVES the event (if it exists in the specified time range) from the
notation track.
Chord Height Adjustment
The Notation Event dialog also lets you make an adjustment to the chord symbol height for a beat, by choosing the Chord
Height Adjustment event type.

This setting allows for adjustment of the vertical position of individual chord symbols. This is useful when chord symbols
overlap other aspects of the notation.
Staff Roll Notation Mode
Staff Roll mode is similar to a piano roll, except the notes are shown on a grand staff. Its purpose is to allow for easy
graphical editing of notes, with the Staff Roll you will be able to graphically edit sequences much easier than if you were
using a regular piano roll or an ordinary notation window.
Notes are shown as black dots (note heads) on the staff. Note stems are NOT shown.

If the Show Note Durations option is enabled, the durations of the notes are shown as horizontal lines. The horizontal duration
lines are drawn a little higher or lower if the note is a sharp or a flat, which helps you be aware of rare situations where notes a
half step apart overlap each other. Notes are shown with sharp, flat, or natural symbols depending on the key signature of the
song. Notes are shown exactly where they occur. They are not quantized.
You can adjust the velocity and duration of a note by clicking on a note head with the right mouse button and then, while
holding the button down, dragging the mouse cursor either vertically or horizontally. The velocity or duration will be changed
based on the location where you release the right mouse button.
You can step forward or backward in the song by one chord by pressing the keypad period (.) and keypad zero (0) keys. The
notes will be highlighted in red and sustained.
Notation Window Options
The [Opt.] button launches the Notation Window Options dialog.

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The Bars Per Line – Song setting determines the horizontal resolution of the screen. For example, with 2 Bars Per Line, the
width of the screen is equal to 2 Bars in length. You can increase this setting to 16 Bars Per Line, although the screen may look
unusual at this extreme since the size of the note heads remains the same regardless of this setting. You can also use this setting
to make the resolution equal to between 1 and 4 beats rather than complete bars. This is mainly for editing purposes. If you use
beats with this setting, the program will ignore any Bars Per Line -| From This Screen On markers in order to display the
partial bars.
The Bars Per Line - From This Screen On setting lets you change the horizontal resolution from this screen on. This will
cause the program to insert a special Bars Per Line marker (Controller Event) into the sequence. This is useful if you have some
sections of the song that you would like to be displayed with a different number of Bars Per Line than the overall Song setting.
The Notation window will then display the number of bars you selected from the current screen on.
The Resolution setting determines how many vertical grid lines will be drawn for each beat. For example, with a resolution of
1, just one line will be drawn per beat. With a resolution of 4, 4 lines will be drawn, with 1 line being the beat line drawn in a
solid color and the other lines being dashed lines representing sixteenth notes in 4/4. If you're displaying Jazz Swing or Shuffle
music that has a triplet feel to the eighth notes, make sure to set the resolution to =3 (triplets). This will display the 8th notes and
other aspects of Jazz Swing music correctly. You can also set micro-resolutions by clicking on the time line above any beat with
the right mouse button.
The Chord Vertical Position setting adjusts the vertical position in which the chord symbols are displayed, which is useful
when chord symbols overlap other notation. This setting can range from 1 to 10, with 1 being nearest to the staff.
The Transpose setting lets you adjust the Notation window to display notes either higher or lower than their actual pitches. For
example, if you're working with guitar music, you could set this to +12 and the guitar music will be displayed an octave higher,
which is the way guitar music is normally notated.
Hint: This setting is also useful for displaying music for non-concert instruments such as trumpet or saxophone. Trumpet players (and other Bb
instruments) should set transpose to +2; Alto Saxophone (and other Eb instruments) should set the transpose to -3. The music is then
displayed in the correct key for the instrument, but plays in the concert key to the MIDI card.
The “Show Beat/Bar Lines” checkbox, when unchecked, will cause the staff window to be drawn without beat or bar lines
(Staff Roll mode only, not in Standard Notation mode).
The Tablature box gives a choice of tablature for guitar and additional fretted instruments - bass, ukulele, mandolin, and banjo.
The fretboard tablature will show where the bass clef is normally located. Tablature is only shown in Standard Notation and
Editable Notation mode. A track displayed with tablature must be a valid multi-channel guitar track, or the tablature won't be
displayed properly.
Check the Auto Set feature to display tablature for all MIDI guitar tracks without the need to open the Notation Options and
turn it on.
The Duration Line Color selects the color of the horizontal lines that represent note duration and the vertical lines for note
velocity in the Staff Roll notation mode.

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The Key Signature is shown if the “Show Key Signature” option is enabled.
If the Highlight Played Notes checkbox is checked, notes will be highlighted in red as the notes are played when a song is
playing.
If the Snap to grid lines checkbox is checked, the inserted note will be lined up with the closest grid line (quantized). The
duration of inserted notes is determined by the “Inserted Note Defaults” settings in the Other Notation Options.
The Notation window can be set to scroll ahead of the music without interfering with your view of the current notation. Use the
Scroll Ahead Enabled checkbox to toggle this feature on and off.
The Scroll Ahead Trigger at % setting adjusts the location where the screen will scroll. A setting of 70 would cause the
notation to scroll when the 70% of the current screen has played.
The “Scroll Ahead Amount %” determines how much the screen will scroll, based on the Bars Per Line setting. For example, a
setting of 50% with the Bars Per Line setting at 4 Bars would scroll the notation ahead by two bars.
If the “Show Note Durations” checkbox is checked, then in Staff Roll Mode the durations of notes will be shown as either green
or blue horizontal lines depending on whether the “Duration Line Color” is set to green or blue.
The “Show Velocity Lines” setting causes the Staff roll mode to display vertical lines in the same color as the duration lines.
These lines represent the velocity of the notes, the higher the velocity the longer the line. The velocity lines are roughly the
height of a staff when a note has a velocity of 127.
The “Lyric Position” lets you adjust the vertical position of the lyrics. When set to zero, the lyrics are drawn between the staves.
The range is -64 to 64.
The Font Size setting adjusts the size of the Notation window’s font. The default size is 100%. You can increase or decrease the
font size by changing this setting. You can also use the Zoom In [+] and Zoom Out [-] buttons at the top of the Notation
window.
The Use Jazz Music Font” setting enables the Jazz Music font for notation instead of the standard font. The Jazz font will give
your lead sheets the appearance of a Jazz lead sheet rather than having a “Classical” appearance.
The Lyrics Font, Chords Font, and Title Font let you choose a different font for lyrics, chord symbols, and a song title. The
percentage fields are used by PowerTracks Pro Audio to determine the size of the font (rather than the size in the font selection
dialog).
The Bar # Font setting lets you choose either the Notation Font, or a different font of your choice. The percentage setting lets
you adjust the percentage relative to the default size.
The following group of settings is for Standard Notation mode only, and don't have any effect in Staff roll mode:
The Tick Offset lets you display the music ahead or behind the beat. If you have a tendency to play the music ahead of the beat,
you can specify a setting from 1 to 120 to have the music displayed forward in time. A setting from -1 to -120 will cause the
music to be displayed ahead of the beat (but not before the beginning of the song). 120 ticks equal one quarter note for this
setting regardless of the current PPQ setting. Generally you won't need to use this setting since the notes are rounded when
being displayed in standard notation.
Hint: The notation of Jazz Swing music will often be improved by a Tick Offset setting of about -5 because Jazz music is typically played a
little after the beat.
The Clefs split at setting determines the split point for placing notes on the Bass or Treble clef. The default setting is C5, which
is middle C. For example, you can use a higher split point, such as C6 if you want some notes up to a G above middle C to be
displayed on the bass clef with ledger lines instead of on the treble clef. If the split point is above middle C, and a note in the
music is high enough that any of the ledger lines above the bass clef would overwrite the treble clef, the note will be placed on
the treble clef.
The Minimize Rests checkbox, when checked, will cause PowerTracks to display the music with minimal rests. Use this setting
if notes are displayed as shorter than you intended. For example, if eighth notes are displayed as sixteenth notes because you
recorded them staccato.
The Engraver Spacing setting, when enabled, will improve the appearance of the standard notation in situations where the
Notation window is crowded. However, you may notice a significant decrease in the speed of screen re-draws. You may want to
only enable this setting before printing if you find that the screen redraws too slowly on your computer. When in Editable
Notation, the spacing will not be drawn using engraver spacing. There are now two Engraver Spacing settings: Enabled and
Enabled During Playback. If the “Enabled” checkbox is checked, then engraver spacing is enabled, but won’t be displayed
during playback unless the “Enabled During Playback” checkbox is checked. If the “Enabled” checkbox is unchecked then
engraver spacing will be totally deactivated.
The Detect fine resolution notation setting will allow the Notation window, in Standard Notation Mode (non-editable mode) to
detect micro-resolutions automatically. It will detect notes a short as 32nd notes in most situations. When this setting is enabled,
the program will count the number of distinct chords (or individual notes) per beat and if there are more chords played in the
beat than the current Resolution, the program will display the beat at a high enough resolution to show all of them separately
rather than lumped together. For example, if the Resolution is set to 3 and 4 chords were played on a beat the program will
display 4 chords as 16th note chords for that beat even though the song’s resolution is 3.

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The Use Ch 8/9 for Left/Right Hand checkbox will cause the standard notation to display, within reason, notes on channel 8
on the bass clef and the notes on channel 9 on the treble clef. Notes on channels other than 8 or 9 will be displayed on the clef
that they normally would be shown.
Other Notation Options
There are some additional settings that can be accessed by pressing the [Other Options] button.
The Duration % setting causes the durations to be set to a percentage of the
currently selected duration. For example, if the current duration is Whole,
and you set the percentage to 50, the duration will be 50% of a Whole note.
The Channel and Velocity settings determine the MIDI Channel and
velocity of inserted notes.
When the Use Existing Channel setting is enabled, and you insert a note in
the Notation window, PowerTracks Pro Audio will intelligently determine
the channel number of inserted notes instead of using the Channel setting in
the Other Notation Options dialog. When this setting is disabled, the
Channel field is used for inserted notes. If this setting is enabled, and you
then insert a note in the Notation window, PowerTracks will first try to use
the forced MIDI channel in the Tracks window to determine the channel of
the note you're inserting. If there is a forced MIDI channel setting for the
track in the Tracks view, then PowerTracks will set the channel of the note
you are currently attempting to insert so that its channel is the same as the
forced MIDI channel. If this setting is enabled, but there is no forced MIDI
channel, i.e., the Ch field in the Tracks window is set to zero, PowerTracks
will search the track for the nearest MIDI event in the track that is located
before the time of the note you are currently attempting to insert. If a MIDI
event was found in the track, then PowerTracks will set the channel of the
note you're currently attempting to insert so that its' MIDI channel matches
the MIDI channel of the event which was found. If this setting is enabled,
but there is no forced channel, and a MIDI event isn't found in the track,
then PowerTracks will use the “Channel” field of the “Inserted Note
Defaults” section in the Other Notation Options dialog.
If the Play Inserted Notes checkbox is checked, notes that you insert will sound briefly as they are inserted so you know that
the note is correct.
These are advanced settings for standard notation mode:
- Chord Note Separation in MS is the maximum time span in milliseconds allowed for adjacent notes within a chord when
“Detect fine resolution notation” is enabled. The default setting is 63 milliseconds, around 15 ticks at a tempo of 120 bpm and
a resolution of 120 PPQ. In this case notes further than 15 ticks away will be detected as separate chords. Increasing this
setting will increase the amount of time allowed between notes within each chord.
- Chord Total Separation in MS in the maximum time span in milliseconds allowed for the entire chords when “Detect fine
resolution notation is enabled.” The default setting is 63, about 15 ticks. In this case, any note beyond 15 ticks from the
earliest chord will be detected as a new chord.
- Glitch Duration in MS is a setting used by the clean routine to determine which notes are glitches and which notes are valid.
Increasing this setting increases the likelihood that notes will be detected as glitches when clean mode is checked and the
notation is in non-editable Notation mode.
- Glitch Velocity is a setting used by the clean routine to determine which notes are glitches and which notes are valid.
Increasing this setting increases the likelihood that notes will be detected as glitches and not shown when clean mode is
checked and the notation is in non-editable Notation mode.
The Line Thickness Settings (Bar Line %, Stave Line%, Tie %, and Slur %) affect the thickness of the lines drawn by
PowerTracks Pro Audio. The settings are a percentage, with 100% being the regular thickness.

Notation Controllers
The Notation window’s advanced features use controllers. For example, when you insert a hard rest or change the resolution of a
beat to a “micro resolution” a controller event is inserted into the track. The Notation window controllers are:
Controller Value Purpose
85 1 - 32 Bass clef micro resolutions.

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85 34 Invisible Note (Affects note immediately before it in the track.)
85 37 Bass clef hard rest.
86 1 - 32 Treble clef micro resolutions.
86 37 Treble clef hard rest.
88 33 - 48 Bars Per Line From This Screen On (33 corresponds to 1 BPL while 48 corresponds to 16 BPL).
89 0 Slur
1 Crescendo
2 Decrescendo
3 Staccato
4 Staccatissimo
5 Regular Accent
6 Legato
7 Strong Accent (Marcato)
8 Chord Height Adjustment
9 Boxed Section Letter (A through Z)
90 Used to store notation data for events such as slurs, crescendo, etc.
You can prevent PowerTracks from sending these controllers by checking the “Disable Special Controllers” in the Options |
MIDI Out dialog.

Vocal Synth Support

Vocal Synth support automatically generates synthetic vocal tracks from a MIDI track that contains lyrics. Go to the Notation
window and open the track with lyrics.

Press the [Vocal Synth] button and choose either Auto or Manual mode.

In Auto mode, the Generate Synthetic Vocal

dialog will open. You can choose options for the
language and voice, and then press [OK]. Your
request will be sent to the 3rd party Sinsy server.

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In manual mode, you use your browser to
browse to the Sinsy server site.

The synthesized vocal will be returned as an audio file and loaded into a blank track in PowerTracks Pro Audio.

Lead Sheet Notation Window

This window is similar to the Notation window, except that it can display a track in the form of a lead sheet, with multiple staves
per page. The Lead Sheet window is resizable, it will adjust the height and width of staves automatically when resized
Open the Lead Sheet window with the tool bar button, or the Window | New | Lead Sheet Window menu option, or with
the keystrokes Ctrl+Alt+F2.

The Lead Sheet window can display notation for up to seven tracks at the same time. In order to display multiple tracks, you
should first select the tracks in the Tracks window or Bars window and then open up a new Lead Sheet window.

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Another way to select multiple tracks is in the Lead Sheet Options window.

PowerTracks can also print notation with multiple tracks when you press the Print button at the top of a Lead Sheet
window that is currently displaying multiple tracks.
If you attempt to display multiple tracks and the lead sheet appears overcrowded, you should reduce the Font Size setting in the
Lead Sheet Options dialog. This will solve the problem of staves bumping into each other.
Note: When printing, the Font Size in the print options dialog controls the font size for printing. Generally, you’ll fit more tracks at a 100% font
size when printing than would fit in the Lead Sheet window, due to the different dimensions of a printed page.
You can switch between the Lead Sheet window and a regular Notation window by pressing the eighth-note button at the
top of the Lead Sheet window.
The Loop Screen button will play the music of the current lead sheet screen in a loop.
Although the Lead Sheet window has its own Options dialog, many of the settings in the Notation window’s Options
dialog also affect the Lead Sheet window.
Lead Sheet Options

The Track-Specific settings section lets you adjust settings for individual
tracks. The Selected checkbox determines if a track is displayed in the current
Lead Sheet window; use this to display multiple tracks of notation. The combo
box with the track numbers will show an asterisk (*) for tracks that are
selected.
The Include Bass Clef and Include Treble Clef settings determine which of
the clefs will be displayed for each track.
The Show Tablature checkbox lets you enable or disable the display guitar
tablature for each track.
Note: When a Lead Sheet window is launched the selected tracks will be based on
the selected tracks in the Tracks window.
The Clef Sign Every Line and Key Signature Every Line”checkboxes let
you decide if the lead sheet should show the clef sign and key signature on
every line. These two settings are the same settings as found in the Print
Options dialog of the Notation window.
The Bars Per Line setting determines how many measures are drawn on each
line of the lead sheet in 4/4. If the Bars Per Line is set to 4, you will get 8
measures per line if the time signature is 2/4. Note: This setting is the same
setting as found in the Print Options dialog of the Notation window.
The First Bar is Lead In setting causes the program to display an extra bar of music on the first line of the first page displayed.
Use this setting in combination with the “Bar # Offset” setting if the song has a lead in. This setting is the same setting as found
in the Print Options dialog of the Notation window.
The Resolution setting determines the resolution of each beat. Normally you’ll keep this set to either 4 (sixteenth notes) or 3
(triplets). In the Notation window you can select micro resolutions for each individual beat.
When the Chord Symbols checkbox is checked, the program will show the chord symbols of the song, if there are any. This
setting is the same setting as found in the Print Options dialog of the Notation window.
When Chords Above Each Track is checked the chord symbols (if present) will be seen above each track. This is helpful for
following the chord changes on tracks farther down the screen, but it makes the overall appearance of the window “busier.” If
left unchecked chords will only show above the top track.
The Bar # Offset setting is an advanced setting that you can use to decrease all the measure numbers of the lead sheet. It
decreases the numbers that are displayed at each measure. For example, if you specify a Bar # Offset of -2, all the measures
numbers will be shown as 2 less than their actual numbers. So, measure 3 would be shown with a number of 1, and the number
for measure number 4 would be shown as 2. Any number that is reduced to 0 or less isn't shown, so in this case measures 1 and

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2 would have no number, useful if the song has a 2-bar lead in. This setting is the same setting as found in the Print Options
dialog of the Notation window.
The Clefs split at setting determines the split point for placing notes on the Bass or Treble clef. The default setting is C5 that is
middle C. For example, you can use a higher split point, such as C6 if you want some notes up to a G above middle C to be
displayed on the bass clef with ledger lines instead of on the treble clef. If the split point is above middle C, and a note in the
music is high enough that any of the ledger lines above the bass clef would overwrite the treble clef, the note will be placed on
the treble clef. This is identical to the Clefs Split At setting in the Notation Options dialog.
The Show Bar Nums setting lets you choose how often bar numbers are displayed. This setting is the same setting as found in
the Print Options dialog of the Notation window.
The Bar #s Below By setting lets you adjust the vertical position of the bar numbers, part markers and patch names.
The Show Title checkbox lets you see the song title on the top of the first page of the song.
The [Margins] button lets you adjust the margins of the Lead Sheet window.
You can select the Staves per page and Font Size. The bigger the font, the fewer staves you'll be able to fit on each page. If you
select a higher number of staves than will fit with the current font size, the Lead Sheet window will only display the maximum
number of staves that will actually fit on the page. Use the combo box to select from several presets.
The [Defaults] button lets you reset the Lead Sheet to factory default settings.
The [Updates] button will apply your settings to the Lead Sheet display without having to exit the settings dialog.
Double Bar Lines
Double bar lines supported in the Lead Sheet and for staff printout.
PowerTracks will automatically display double bar lines when a new part marker is reached.
Note: the part markers are entered in the Chords Window.

PowerTracks will display a double-fat bar line at the beginning of the 1st part marker, except when the First Bar Is Lead-in
Checkbox is enabled, in which case the double-fat bar line will be displayed at the beginning of bar 2. PowerTracks will also
display a double-fat bar line at the end of the printout. Double-bar lines of normal thickness will be displayed at part-marker
section changes in the middle of a printout.
Copy/Paste Song Lyrics to Lead Sheet
Easily copy and paste lyrics from other applications, to be appended to your lead sheet for display and printout, with selectable
font.

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 Pressing the Memo button on the Lead Sheet window will launch the Lead Sheet Memo Dialog.
In this dialog you can type in a memo, such as extra lyrics, etc. The memo will show up after the last line of notation in Lead
Sheet or notation printout. The Choose Font... button lets you choose which font is used to display the memo.

Printing
The [Print] button lets you print out music. When you press the print button, the Print Options dialog will pop up.

Print Options Dialog

This dialog lets you change various settings that affect the printout. These settings will remain in effect until you exit the
program. Almost all of these settings are saved to PowerTracks Pro Audio .SEQ files.

The Include Bass Clef and Include Treble Clef

checkboxes let you decide whether the printout should
contain the Bass Clef, Treble Clef, or both. Note that
both the bass and treble clefs are always printed in Staff
roll mode regardless of these settings.
The From and Thru settings determine the range of
measures that are printed. By default, “From” is set to 1
and “Thru” is set to 1000. This will cause the entire
song to be printed (unless the song really goes beyond
1000 measures). The program won't print beyond the
end of the song. If there are sustained notes that go
beyond the measure in the “Thru” setting, the program
may print extra measures. For example, if the “Thru”
setting is set to measure 5, and there is a note that is
sustained until measure 6, the program will print
measure 6.
The Bars Per Line setting determines how many
measures are drawn on each line of the print out in 4/4.
If it’s set to 4, you will get 8 measures per line if the
time signature is 2/4.
The Ignore Bars Per Line markers checkbox lets you ignore bars per line markers when printing
The Clef Sign Every Line and Key Signature Every Line checkboxes let you decide if the printout should print the clef sign
and key signature on every line.
The “First Bar is Lead In setting causes the program to print an extra bar of music on the first line of the first page printed. Use
this setting in combination with the “Bar # Offset” setting if the song has a lead in.
The [Margins] settings let you change the left and right margins of the printout in inches. When the margins are set to 0, the
program will print as wide as your printer will support. Therefore, there may still be margins if your printer can't print on the
edges of the paper.
The Show Bar Nums combo lets you choose where you want bar numbers to be printed.
When the “Include Notes” checkbox is checked, the program will print the notes of the track. The only reason for un-checking
this would be to print blank paper, with just the key signature. (You would also have to make sure the Bars Per Line is set to 1,
and un-check the Bar Numbers and Chord Symbols checkboxes.)
The Staves Per Page setting lets you determine how many staves will be printed per page. Normally, you'll want to leave this at
10, but you can decrease this setting if the song has a lot of very high or very low notes so that there is room between staves for
them. If you increase this setting beyond 10, there may not be enough room for all the staves on the paper depending on the size
of the paper in your printer. If the printout has a song title, the first page printed out will be limited to 8 staves so that there's
room for the title.
When the Chord Symbols checkbox is checked, the program will print the chord symbols of the song, if there are any.

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The Staff Lines check box allows you to exclude staff lines. This can be useful if you're just printing a chord sheet.
The Bar # Offset setting is an advanced setting that you can use to decrease all the measure numbers of the printout. It
decreases the numbers that are printed at each measure. For example, if you specify a Bar # Offset of -2, all the measures
numbers will be printed as 2 less than their actual numbers. This setting is useful if the song has a lead in, because, for example,
a setting of -1 would cause the first measure to be printed with no number and the rest of the measures will be printed with their
numbers starting with 1.
The Clefs split at setting determines the split point for placing notes on the Bass or Treble clef. The default setting is C5, which
is middle C. For example, you can use a higher split point, such as C6 if you want some notes up to a G above middle C to be
displayed on the bass clef with ledger lines instead of on the treble clef.
When you do not include staff lines in printout, enabling the Regular chord pos. when no staff lines checkbox lets you show
chords above instead of inside each bar. This is set with the “Regular chord position when no staff lines” option.
The Title, Composer, Style, and Copyright settings let you insert text onto the first page of the printout. The “Title” field is for
a song title. The “Composer” field is for the author's name, and will appear to the right of the title. The “Style” field is for the
style of the music such as Slow Blues, and will appear to the left of the title. The “Copyright” field is for a copyright notice and
will appear at the bottom of the first page of the printout.
The Font Size setting lets you adjust the size of the font used for the printout. A value of 100 % is normal size. You can make
the font smaller or larger by increasing or decreasing this setting.
The Number of Copies setting allows you to easily print out multiple copies of notation. You can print any number of copies
from 1 to 1000.
Select the Bar Numbers checkbox to print only the range of bars defined by the Print Options’ “From” and “Thru” boxes.
The [Defaults] button lets you reset the print options to default settings
The [Setup Printer] button lets you configure your printer. The changes to the printer configuration will be in effect for printing
music until you exit the program.
The [OK – Print Preview] button launches the Print Preview window (see following topic).
[OK – Print] will print the song according to your settings.
The [Print-to-PDF] button lets you print the notation directly to a .PDF file, ready to upload or email.
Unlike most other dialogs, this one has a [Close] button in addition to [OK] and [Cancel]. The [Close] button works the same
as [Cancel], except that any changes you've made to the settings will be saved.
Print Preview
When you press the [Print] button to print from the Notation window, you can print to a Print Preview window. This lets you
view what the printout will look like without having to waste paper. To access the Print Preview window, you print as you
normally would, except you press the [OK- Print Preview] button. When you’ve pressed the [OK – Print Preview] button, the
Print Preview will be shown. At the top of the Print Preview window, you will see a toolbar with various buttons.

The [Prior] and [Next] buttons will go to the prior page or next page of the printout.
The [First] and [Last] buttons will jump to the first or last pages of the printout.
The [Opt] button will access the Preview Options, such as the bitmap dimensions and the type of file used if you wish to save a
page to a graphics file.
The [Screen Width] button will make the size of the pages in the preview equal to the width of the screen.
The [Full Page] button will make the size of the pages just big enough to see the entire image in proportion without having to
do any scrolling.
The [Print…] button returns to the Print Options dialog.
The [Print Page] button prints the currently displayed page directly to the default printer, unless you select a different printer in
the Print Options dialog.
The [Save…] button lets you save the current page to a graphics file. You’ll see a dialog with some of the same settings as the
Options dialog.
The [Save Range…] button saves a range of pages. The pages will be named SONGNAMEXXX.BMP with SONGNAME
being the name of the song, and XXX being the page number.
The [Close] button closes the Print Preview.
Print to Graphics Files
Use the [Save] button to save your song as a graphics file. Graphics files can be inserted into documents, uploaded to the
Internet, or sent as email attachments.

Chapter 8: Notation and Printing 113

 You can choose to print to BMP, JPG, TIF, and other graphic formats as
grayscale or color files with either low or high resolution.
The JPG Save Smooth and JPG Save Quality settings affect the quality of
JPG files.

114 Chapter 8: Notation and Printing

 Chapter 9: Piano Roll Window
Overview
The Piano Roll window enables precise graphic editing of note timing and duration. You can also graphically edit Note
Velocity, Controllers, Program Changes, Channel Aftertouch, or Pitch Bend. There are 2 panes in the window – one for notes
and the other for controllers, velocity, and other data.

The Piano Roll may be opened as a movable window, which floats above the main PowerTracks window, or it may be opened
embedded, in the same position as the Chordsheet/Notation panels in the main window.
Track Selection
This is a window for editing notes and controllers on MIDI tracks. Click on the drop down arrow
to choose a track to view and edit.
Audio tracks are edited in the Audio Edit window, but Audio Track Volume, Pan, and Aux Send automation can be edited in the
lower Graphic Data panel of the Piano Roll window.
Snap-to-Grid
Selections, Inserted Notes, or Edited Notes will snap to the grid spacing. If you do not want snap-to-grid,
select [NONE] in the drop-down menu.

View/Insert Channel
If a track contains multiple channels, “All” will display MIDI events on all channels. Otherwise, select the
Channel which you need to see. If “All” is selected, new MIDI events are inserted on the PowerTracks Pro
Audio track's assigned channel.
Except for perhaps multi-channel Guitar tracks, PowerTracks plays all track events on the assigned track
channel. Therefore, in almost all cases, the channel of track events does not matter.
Note Duration
Set the default duration of new inserted notes. It is easy to mouse-edit a note's duration after a note is
inserted, so it is usually sufficient to select a typical note duration that makes sense for your purposes and
then mouse-edit the duration of “exception” notes after they are inserted.

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View/Edit Graphic Data
Determine what graphic data to view or edit in the bottom Graphic Data panel. Choose Velocity,
Controller, Program Change, Channel Aftertouch, and Pitch Bend. If Chan is not set to “All,” only
the selected channel events are displayed.

Controller Type
If “View/Edit” is set to “Control,” the Controller Type becomes visible. The Graphic Data panel will
display the chosen controller type. If Chan is not set to “All,” only the selected channel events are
shown.

Cursor Location Info Panel

The Info Panel shows the cursor's Bar:Beat:Tick and MIDI note or controller value (depending on the cursor
location).
In cursor locations where a value would be nonsensical, this appears blank.
For instance, in the Note panel, Bar:Beat:Tick and Pitch are displayed. In the Ruler panels, only Bar:Beat:Tick is displayed. In
the left Piano panel, only Pitch is displayed. In the Graphic Event panel, Bar:Beat:Tick and Event Value are displayed.
Chord Ruler and Note Time Ruler Panel
There are two top rulers. The top Chord Ruler displays chords and the Playback Location Indicator. The Note Time Ruler
displays bars and bar subdivisions. When zoomed-in, more subdivisions are displayed. When zoomed-out, fewer subdivisions
are displayed.

Click or drag in the Chords Ruler to set the Insertion Point (useful if you wish to use the menu Edit | Paste (Ctrl+V) to paste
into the Piano Roll). If a song is playing, a Chords Ruler click will stop playback.
Double-click the Chords Ruler to start playback at the indicated bar. You can also set the Insertion Point and then tap Ctrl+G to
start playback at the desired location.
Notes can be selected with the Note Ruler. However, the Note Ruler does not select non-note events such as controllers or pitch
bend.
1 Click+drag on the Note Ruler to select a time-range of notes.
2 Shift+click+drag to add a time-range of notes to the selection.
3 Ctrl+click+drag to invert the note selection of a time range.
For instance, you could drag to select all notes in bars 2 thru 7. Then you could Ctrl+drag to toggle off note selections in bar 4.
By using the Shift and Ctrl keys, very flexible time selections can be made.
Keyboard Pitch Panel
1. Click on a single note of the keyboard to select all notes of the clicked pitch.
2. Click+drag on the keyboard to select all notes in a pitch range.
3. Shift+click+drag to add another set of notes to the selection.
4. Ctrl+click+drag to invert a pitch selection.
For instance, you could drag C5 thru C6 to select an octave of notes. Then Shift+click A3 to add all A3 notes to
the selection. Then Ctrl+click F5 to remove all F5 notes from the selection.

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Note Panel
Horizontal bars represent notes. Notes can be selected, edited (start time, pitch, duration), inserted, and deleted.

Note Selection
Selected notes are Red.
1. Click on individual notes to select.
2. Shift+click on individual notes to add to the selection.
3. Ctrl+click on a note to invert (toggle) its selection.
Click on white space and then drag a rectangle select a group of notes. Only notes which start within the rectangle are selected.
If the left edge of a note is not inside the rectangle, it will not be selected. This is a feature, not a bug!
1. Shift+drag a rectangle to add another group of notes to the selection.
2. Ctrl+drag a rectangle to toggle the selection of the notes in the rectangle.
Note Editing
Edit Note Time Stamp (start time): Move the cursor over the left of a note. A left-right cursor appears. Then horizontally
click+drag the note to a new time.
If multiple events are selected, and you want to move all selected events, use Shift+click+drag. Otherwise a click on a note will
deselect the previous selection, and it will only select/edit the clicked note.
Edit Note Pitch: Move the cursor over the middle of a note. An up-down cursor appears. Then click+drag the note pitch
(vertical dragging).
If multiple events are selected, and you want to transpose all selected events, use Shift+click+drag. Otherwise a click on a note
will deselect the previous selection, and it will only select/transpose the clicked note.
Edit Note Duration: Move the cursor over the right of a note. A right-arrow cursor appears. Then click+drag the note
duration (horizontal dragging).
If multiple events are selected, and you want to change duration of all selected events, use Shift+click+drag. Otherwise a click
on a note will deselect the previous selection, and it will only select/edit the clicked note.
Insert a Note: Hold the Shift+Ctrl keys. The cursor becomes a pencil. Click where you want the note and it is inserted with a
duration from the Dur drop-down menu, and on the channel selected by the Chan drop-down menu.
If Snap is enabled, the note is inserted at the nearest grid boundary. For instance, if Snap is set to quarter note, inserted notes
will snap to the nearest quarter note boundary.
There are many on-screen visual cues to assist cursor positioning. The Cursor Position Time Markers in the Time Rulers can
assist time positioning. The Cursor Pitch Marker in the Keyboard can assist pitch positioning. The Cursor Location Info Panel
gives precise time and pitch info. Also, the Note Panel has time grid markings, and pitch accidentals are marked in light gray on
the background.
If you make a mistake inserting a note, you can hit the Delete key to remove the new note. Alternately, it is very easy to
immediately drag the note to correct mistakes in time, pitch, or duration.
Delete a Note: Select a note (or group of notes), then tap the Delete key. Alternately, select some notes, right-click, and
choose the “Delete Selected Events” item in the popup menu.
Splitter Bar
A vertical Splitter Bar sits between the Note Editing and Graphic Event panels. If you want to maximize the Note Editing panel
to see more notes, drag the Splitter down. If you want to maximize the Graphic Event panel for more accurate event editing,
drag the Splitter up.

Graphic Event Panel

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Graphically display and edit non-note MIDI events. This panel only shows MIDI events specified in the Chan, View/Edit, and
Controller Type controls.
Except for Velocity data, the view is drawn staircased. Blue lines extend between events. This makes it easy to see the persistent
effect of events, if they occur to the left of your current viewing location.
Zero-value events are drawn as small hollow squares, making them easy to see.
With events such as Pitch Bend, or controllers like Modulation and Sustain, it is important to take care to end a “gesture” with a
zero-value event. Otherwise, subsequent notes will be affected, with an unwanted “hanging” Pitch Bend, Vibrato, or Sustain
Pedal locked down. To fix this, move the mouse cursor where the gesture should have ended, and click in a single zero-value
event.
Event Selection
Selected Events are red.

Graphic Event Ruler Time Selections:

The Graphic Event Ruler will only select non-note events. In addition, it will only select the type of MIDI events specified in the
Chan, View/Edit, and Controller Type controls. When you make a Ruler Time selection only the visible events in this time
range are selected. Click+drag on the Ruler to select a time range.
1 Shift+click+drag to add another time range to the selection.
2 Ctrl+click+drag to “invert” the selection of events in the time range.
For instance, you could drag to select bars 2 thru 7, then option-drag to toggle off selections for bar 4. It is very flexible.
Individual Graphic Event Selections
1 Click on an event to select it.
2 Shift+click on an event to add it to the selection.
3 Ctrl+click on an event to invert (toggle) the selection of that event.
Edit Events
Edit Event Value: Move the cursor over the top half of an event. An up-down cursor appears. Click+drag vertically to scale
event values. To scale a selected group of events, Shift+click+drag vertically on one of the events in the selection.
Edit Event Time: Move the cursor over the bottom half of an event. A left-right cursor appears. Click+drag horizontally to
slide the event in time. To slide a group of events, Click+drag on one of the events in the selection.
Insert Events
Line Tool: With no modifier keys, when the cursor is over “white space” in the Graphic Event panel, it becomes a Line Tool.
Move the cursor to white space and then click+drag to draw a line. When the mouse button is released, a series of events are
inserted which follow the line slope.
To avoid choking the MIDI stream, the maximum event density is one event per 10 ticks. Repeated events of the same value are
not inserted. Therefore, long gradual Line Tool fades have a lower density than short extreme Line Tool fades.
Pencil Tool: Move the cursor over white space and hold the Shift+Ctrl keys. A Pencil Tool appears. Shift+Ctrl+drag to
freehand-draw a curve. If you don't get the curve right on the first pass, keep holding the mouse button and move the mouse
back-and-forth to draw your desired freehand curve. When the mouse button is released, a series of events are inserted to follow
the freehand curve.
To avoid choking the MIDI stream, the maximum event density is one event per 10 ticks. Repeated events of the same value are
not inserted.
Delete Events
Select events with the Ruler or by clicking on them, then tap the Delete key. Or right-click and choose the “Delete Selected
Events” item in the popup menu.

Right-click Contextual Menu

The popup menu can be accessed by right-clicking on the notes, graphic events, or any of the rulers.

118 Chapter 9: Piano Roll Window

 Undo: Duplicates the PowerTracks Pro Audio Edit | Undo (or Ctrl+Z)
action.
Delete Selected Events: Deletes any selected events (highlighted in
red). This can also be accomplished by tapping the Delete key.
Select All Notes and Graphic Events: If the Chan combo box is set
to “All,” this item will select ALL EVENTS on ALL CHANNELS (all
events in the track). Otherwise, ALL EVENTS that match the
CURRENT MIDI CHANNEL are selected.
Select All Note Events (Of Current Channel): right-click the Note
Panel or Note Ruler.
If the Chan combo box is set to “All,” this item will select ALL
NOTES on ALL CHANNELS, but it will not select any non-Note
events. Otherwise, ALL NOTES that match the CURRENT MIDI
CHANNEL are selected.
Select All Graphic Events (Of Current Channel): right-click the Graphic Event Panel or Graphic Event Ruler.
If the Chan combo box is set to “All,” this item will select ALL GRAPHIC EVENTS of the CURRENT VIEW/EDIT TYPE on
ALL CHANNELS. Otherwise, ALL GRAPHIC EVENTS of the CURRENT VIEW/EDIT TYPE that match the CURRENT
MIDI CHANNEL are selected. For instance, you could select all channel 4 modulation events, then Delete, to easily remove all
of those events from the Track.
Cut: Copy selected events to the clipboard and then remove them from the track. If you wish, it is possible to Cut from the
Piano Roll, and then Paste into the Notation window, or vice-versa.
Copy: Copy selected events to the clipboard. If you wish, it is possible to Copy from the Piano Roll, and then Paste into the
Notation window, or vice-versa.
Paste - Replace: If no events are on the clipboard, this item is dimmed.
The Paste occurs at the time location of your right-click. Move the mouse cursor to the desired insert location. Right-click on
the Note Panel, the Graphic Event Panel, or any of the Rulers. Then choose this item from the popup menu. Any previous event
types in the paste range which match event types in the clipboard are removed before the clipboard data is added to the track.
If the Chan combo box is set to “All,” pasted events keep their original (copied) MIDI channel. Otherwise, the pasted events
will be re-channeled to match the Chan combo box.
Paste - Merge: If no events are on the clipboard, this item is dimmed.
The Paste occurs at the time location of your right-click. Move the mouse cursor to the desired insert location. Right-click on
the Note Panel, the Graphic Event Panel, or any of the Rulers. Then choose this item from the popup menu. Events from the
clipboard are merged with whatever data may already exist in the track.
If the Chan combo box is set to “All,” pasted events keep their original (copied) MIDI channel. Otherwise, the pasted events
will be re-channeled to match the Chan combo box.
NOTE: If you use PowerTracks Pro Audio’s top Edit Menu Cut (Ctrl+X), Copy (Ctrl+C), or Paste (Ctrl+V) commands, the conventional Cut,
Copy, or Paste dialogs appear, with the Piano Roll Time Selection automatically entered. This gives you a choice of two different styles of Cut,
Copy, or Paste; either the conventional PowerTracks Cut-Copy-Paste dialogs which use a Time Range, or the Piano Roll right-click menu Cut-
Copy-Paste methods which use Selected Events.
Re-Channel All Events to the Track Channel
Re-channel all notes and graphic events (the entire track) to the MIDI output channel assigned for this track.
For instance, though the track output channel might be channel 4, meaning that PowerTracks Pro Audio transmits any events in
the track on channel 4, the actual events in the track might be channel 1, or a mixture of several channels.
Ordinarily it doesn't matter if the event channels are mixed up, as long as you have the View Channel set to ALL. But if you
wish to use Paste | Replace, this function is smart enough not to “stomp on” a track's events which differ from the channels of
the clipboard MIDI data. So if you force all events to the track channel, the Paste - Replace function will always replace
appropriately.
Re-Channel Selected Events to the Track Channel
Re-channel only the selected events to the track channel.
Re-Channel Selected Events to the View Channel
This command may be useful when editing a multi-channel guitar part or editing an imported multi-channel MIDI file. Beware
that it might initially appear confusing.
For instance, one might set the View Channel to ALL, and make a selection (intending to set these events to channel 12). Then
set the View Channel to 12, and of course the selected events disappear (if the events had some other MIDI Channel). But then
when you invoke “Re-Channel Selected Events to the View Channel” the MIDI events will re-appear on the Piano Roll.

Chapter 9: Piano Roll Window 119

 Chapter 10: Plug-in Tools and Utilities
Plug-in Mode and Drag ‘n’ Drop
To enter plug-in mode in PowerTracks Pro Audio, click on the DAW Plugin Mode toolbar button and select Start DAW Plugin
Mode from the menu.

In plug-in mode, PowerTracks Pro Audio is open as a small always-on-top window, and acts as a plug-in for your favorite
DAW/sequencer, so that you can drag-and-drop MIDI and audio (WAV or WMA) tracks from PowerTracks Pro Audio to
another sequencer (or to Explorer). You can work in another sequencer, type a chord progression in PowerTracks Pro Audio,
and then simply drag the track from PowerTracks Pro Audio to your sequencer's track at the desired track and bar location.
Dragging and dropping from PowerTracks Pro Audio to an outside location, such as the desktop or another audio program,
involves:
- entering the Tracks window.
- holding down the left mouse button on the Track Number of the source track.
- dragging the mouse (still holding down the button) to the new location of the track, either the desktop or a track in another
sequencing program.

To drag and drop part of a track, first highlight the section that you want and then hold down the left mouse button on the track
number and drag the mouse to the desired drop site.
Drop Station
The drop station is located in the top left corner of the Tracks window.
Drag-and-drop from the PowerTracks Pro Audio Tracks window to another program supports MP4, M4A, and MP3 file formats
(in addition to WAV and WMA).
The Drop Station is divided into quadrants for the different target file types.

For example, say you want to convert your bass track into an M4A file and copy it into another program. You would hold down
the left mouse button on the track number of the bass track and drag-and-drop it into the M4A quadrant of the drop station.
PowerTracks Pro Audio will then render the track to M4A format and display a message when the M4A file is ready.

The M4A quadrant will be highlighted in green, indicating that there is a file ready to export. You can then drag-
and-drop from the M4A quadrant to the destination for the file.
MP4 and M4A files can also be dragged and dropped into the Tracks window.
Audio Tracks
If the track is an audio track, it will be dropped as a either a .WAV file (uncompressed) or another supported format. To choose
the audio file type, click on the DAW Plugin Mode toolbar button and select Options for DAW Plugin Mode from the dropdown
menu to open the Plugin settings dialog.
In the Plugin settings click on the “Drag Audio as” combo box to choose the audio file type.

MIDI Tracks
If the track is a MIDI track, it will either be dropped as a MIDI file or an audio file depending on the "Drag Individual MIDI
tracks as audio (Using VST/DXi)" setting in the Plugin settings dialog.

120 Chapter 10: Plug-in Tools and Utilities

Also, if Shift is held when dragging/dropping MIDI outside PowerTracks Pro Audio, then a MIDI track will be dropped as a
MIDI file regardless of that particular setting. If Ctrl is held, it will be dropped as an audio file regardless of the setting.
Options for DAW Plug-in Mode
The second menu item on the DAW Plugin Mode button is Options for DAW Plugin Mode. This opens the Plugin settings
dialog.

“Allow Drag n Drop” must be checked to use

this feature. There shouldn’t be a reason to
disable this.
If “Drag Individual MIDI tracks as audio (using
VST/DXi)” is checked, MIDI tracks will be
rendered to audio WAV files before they are
dropped.
If “Recycle (trash) all dropped files in this folder
on bootup:” is set, the DragDrop subfolder in the
PowerTracks Pro Audio folder will be erased
(recycled) on boot up. Before enabling this
setting, make sure that your DAW does not
require a permanent copy of the file in this
folder.
PowerTracks Pro Audio lets you change the
DragDrop temp folder by clicking on the folder
button and browsing for a new location.
Drag and drop is allowed outside of PowerTracks Pro Audio even if the plug-in mode is not specifically enabled. The options in
this dialog still apply to drag-and-drop outside of PowerTracks Pro Audio when not in plug-in mode.

Audio Chord Wizard

Overview
The Audio Chord Wizard is an extremely powerful feature that automatically finds chord symbols (C, Fm7 etc.) by analyzing
the audio content of a song (MP3/WAV/WMA or CD-audio file). The song can be in a digital file format (MP3/WMA/WAV),
one that you created in PowerTracks Pro Audio, or directly loaded from a CD.
In addition to the chords, the Audio Chord Wizard also automatically determines the bar lines and a Tempo map.
Use this feature to instantly play along to your favorite songs, by reading and printing the chord symbols.
The File | Open Special | Open Audio w/Chords (WAV/WMA/MP3/CDA)... menu command will open an existing audio file into
PowerTracks Pro Audio, and then immediately launch the Audio Chord Wizard.
Note: The Audio Chord Wizard estimates the chord progression of an audio file. It is NOT an Audio-to-MIDI transcriber, which would be a
much more elaborate program.

Audio Chord Wizard Chord Sheet

There’s an Audio Chord Wizard Chord Sheet window that shows the chords for the whole song on a single screen. This allows
you to click on a bar on the lead sheet to jump to that area of the song.

Chapter 10: Plug-in Tools and Utilities 121

And you can mark sections of the song using part markers - the sections begin on a new line with a line space between, so are
clearly seen.

This makes it easier to learn the form of the song, as you can see the various intro/verse/chorus/break sections at a glance and
quickly jump to any section, e.g., the break, simply by double clicking on that part of the lead sheet.
Part markers, chord symbols, key signature, and tuning settings are saved in PowerTracks, and are passed back and forth to the
Chord Wizard.
Editing Chords
Chords may be edited in the Audio Chord Wizard. The easiest way to edit a chord is to Shift+click on the chord in the lead
sheet.
This opens a highlight cell at the chord location. Type in the name of the new chord using standard chord entry characters and
press the Enter key to make the edit.

Another method for chord edits is to right mouse click on the chord to open this menu with chord options.
Selecting Edit Chord will open the chord edit cell, where you can type in the new chord name.
Individual edits can be removed with the Remove Chord Edit command, or all edits in the song can
be removed with the Remove All Chord Edits command.

Edited chords are shown in blue in the lead sheet.

Two chords per bar can be detected.
Audio Chord Wizard Tutorial
The Audio Chord Wizard button on the toolbar launches the Audio Chord Wizard. This button will pop up a dialog that
gives you two choices: “Open Audio File” or “Use Existing Song.”

If you choose the “Use existing song” option, then PowerTracks Pro Audio will launch ACW using whatever song is currently
loaded into the program. You will also be asked a question about whether or not to preserve the existing bar lines.
If you choose to preserve existing bar lines, then ACW will only attempt to automatically detect chord symbols rather than bar

122 Chapter 10: Plug-in Tools and Utilities

lines and tempo information. The Audio Chord Wizard opens the audio file and makes initial calculations, finding audio beats
and estimating a tempo map. And then Audio Chord Wizard displays your audio file.

Chord Detection accuracy depends on the accuracy of the bar lines. If bar lines are not well-aligned then the Chord Detection
can be expected to be rather poor. It is quick and easy to align the bar lines on most songs, once you get the hang of it.
The Audio Chord Wizard automatically attempts to find a valid Bar One location.
The shortcut keys and mouse playback controls make it easy to find Bar One. Tap the space bar to begin play, watch the
Location Cursor, and listen for the downbeat. If the Location Cursor passes the downbeat and you were not completely certain
of the location, you can tap the W key to rewind to the song beginning and replay the first part of the song, to audition the
downbeat as many times as necessary to make sure of its location.
You can also single-click in the Chords panel to jump the playback position. If the rhythm is unusually complicated near the
downbeat, you could repeatedly click just a little before the suspected Bar One location, to zero-in on the exact downbeat.
In the following example song, we have discovered the downbeat of Bar One, so we Right Click on that location to Set Bar One.
Now the Bar One bar line is red (shown below). The red Triangle bar indicator indicates
that we have edited that bar line. The Red Triangles are called Good Bar Lines
(GBL's). The green Triangle bar indicators are bar lines which ACW has automatically
inferred from its automatic tempo detection PLUS your edited Good Bar Lines.

Chapter 10: Plug-in Tools and Utilities 123

We call the green automatic bar lines Inferred Bar Lines (IBL's).
On this example song, the initial automatic tempo detection did a pretty good job. Simply setting Bar One has caused the first
four bars to be properly aligned to the music. On some songs, Set Bar One is the only action necessary to get good bar alignment
for the ENTIRE tune.

As playback continues in this example (below), we notice that ACW has made its first error approaching Bar 5. Audio Chord
Wizard has estimated the tempo of Bar 4 too slow. But that is easy to fix. If you prefer real-time control, just tap F8 or the
Enter key where the downbeat should actually be. Two taps are often enough to locate the bar lines for the entire song.
If you prefer stopped-time editing, you can either mouse-drag Bar 5 to its desired position, or drag the Playback Location Cursor
to the desired position and then tap F8 or the Enter key.

When satisfied with the Bar lines and Chords, click the [OK] button to return the Chords and Tempo Map to Band-In-a-Box or
PowerTracks.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Keyboard shortcuts make it easier to navigate the song and tap in bar lines without having to work the mouse with
start/stop/scroll actions.
Play/Pause- SPACE BAR, or Multimedia keyboard PLAY/PAUSE key or (certain keyboards) PLAY key
Stop- ESC key, or PAUSE key, or Multimedia keyboard STOP key
Tap Barline- F8, or ENTER key
Jump To Song Start- W key, or HOME key
Jump To Song End- END key
Jump Forward One Bar- RIGHT ARROW key
Jump Back One Bar- LEFT ARROW key
Jump Forward Four Bars- PAGE DOWN key, or DOWN ARROW key, or Multimedia keyboard NEXT TRACK key

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Jump Back Four Bars- PAGE UP key, or UP ARROW key, or Multimedia keyboard PREVIOUS TRACK key
Special Cases
Time Signature:
If a song is not in the default 4/4 time signature, set the Time Signature very early before you do anything else.
Bad Initial Tempo Estimates:
Double/Half Tempo:
Sometimes Audio Chord Wizard will guess double or half of the tempo you might prefer.
Slightly Wrong:
Sometimes syncopated songs can have musical anticipations which make ACW guess a tempo slightly too fast or slightly too
slow.
Completely, Horribly Wrong:
Some songs have rhythms difficult for a computer to understand. Sometimes a song's rhythmic beats are spaced in such a way
that a song with a perfect Tempo of 120, might mathematically BETTER fit the audio beats at some simple (but wrong) related
ratio such as 80, 100, 160, or 180 BPM.
If the initial Tempo Estimate is pretty good, the Tap Bar line function will be the easiest way to fix such errors, requiring only a
few keyboard taps during playback.
But if the initial tempo estimate happens to be horribly wrong, it helps to make the initial tempo "in the ballpark" BEFORE you
tap a few F8's to make it completely right.

Right-click the Avg Tempo control for some easy automatic fixes.
Note: If you want to use the Avg Tempo Menu functions, use the menu very soon after you have opened a song, before you
have done much bar editing. If you invoke the Avg Tempo Menu functions after you have laboriously edited a lot of bar lines,
the automatic nature of these functions can ruin your previous editing.
Note: In some cases, here is a good reason (in some cases) to initially set the tempo 'artificially slow" by using the "Find Best
Half Tempo" function.
If the initial tempo estimate is considerably faster than the tempo which you want to tap-in, the Tap Bar line function can
mistakenly think that you want a very fast tempo, which fills the remainder of the song with unwanted fast-tempo bars. In that
case, if you initially set the tempo very slow, ACW will be unlikely to misinterpret your Tap Bar Lines.
Set Key Signature
Once the chords look reasonable-- For instance if your song looks like it is probably in the key of F-- Set the Key Signature
control to F for better chord spelling. This only affects the cosmetic display of notes and chords (flats and sharps). The Key
Signature control does not currently affect the basic accuracy of Chord Detection.
Adjust Fine-Tuning
If a song is significantly mis-tuned from concert pitch, the notes are "in the cracks," which makes Chord Detection less accurate.
If your Chords look reasonable, there is no need to bother with Tuning. Most songs are recorded pretty close to Concert Pitch.
But if you see numerous Chord errors, it may help to adjust the Fine Tuning control.
If you are playing along with a song on your keyboard, you might decide to make an ear-estimate of how far out-of-tune is the
song:
For instance, you could adjust the fine-tuning control on your keyboard until your keyboard matches the song's pitch (according
to your ear). Then you could look at your keyboard's tuning readout, and adjust ACW's Fine Tune Control to match. Either
click-drag ACW's Fine Tune control (like a slider control), or right-click the Fine Tune control then type in a number.
The Fine Tune Control currently does not change the pitch of playback (though that would be an excellent future feature).
Currently ACW's Fine Tune control only improves Chord Detection on mis-tuned songs.
The Fine Tune control is calibrated in cents, 1/100th of a semitone. Therefore, if a song is perfectly in the key of C, but if you
set Fine Tune to +100 Cents, ACW would display chords in the key of B. Similarly, if you set Fine Tune to -100 Cents, it would
display that song's chords in the key of C#.
That simple use of the Fine Tune control is just a backwards way to transpose the Chords. But if you set Fine-Tune somewhere
in the middle, ACW looks for notes that are somewhere “in the cracks” between the piano keys. For instance, if your song

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SHOULD be in the key of C, but it was unfortunately recorded 50 Cents sharp--
There could be many reasons that a song was recorded off Concert Pitch. Maybe the recording studio had a broken tape
recorder. Perhaps the Piano Tuner was smoking Crack, or the singer couldn't quite hit the highest note. Maybe the vinyl record
cutter was off-speed, or some Record Executive decided that the song was 10 seconds too long for airplay, and instructed the
Mastering Engineer to speed it up a little bit. In such cases ACW can get confused, mis-identifying some pitches too high and
other pitches too low, detecting nonsense Chords.
So if your favorite song was unfortunately recorded 50 Cents sharp, you can set the Fine-Tune control to +50 Cents so that
ACW will properly display in the 'original' key.
Auto Estimate Tuning
ACW can automatically estimate the tuning, which helps in some cases. Since the Estimation is math-
intensive, ACW only analyzes one bar of music at a time.
Right-click somewhere inside a bar and pick the Estimate Tuning function.
After the process is finished, up pops the results dialog.
As advised in the dialog, results can be improved by carefully picking the bar. Bars with relatively
long notes are easier to analyze, compared to bars containing flashy fast melodies.
It can be useful to spot-check a few bars.

If several spot-checks give similar answers (within a few cents), you have good confidence that the results are actually
meaningful, not being randomly affected by out-of-tune melodies or loud drums.
However, if the first estimate reads +43 and the next measurement reads -12, then it probably means that your song is not a good
candidate for automatic Tuning Estimation.

Odd-Length Bars and Drastic Tempo Changes:

If a 4/4 song contains occasional bars of 3/4, 5/4, or whatever, or if there are sections where the music has an extreme ritard or
accelerando, sometimes you can just Tap Bar Lines to adjust it.
But it is sometimes more convenient to manually add or delete bar lines. The following example song has an overall Time
Signature of 4/4, but Bar 9 should have a time signature of 2/4. If you simply Tap Bar Line on 9:3 to shorten the bar, then ACW
will mistakenly decide that you wish to make all the following bar lines double-tempo 4/4.

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Solution
First, Right-Click on the beat 9:3, and Insert a bar line.

Now a new bar line is added, and three new GBL bar lines are flagged red.

Right-Click on the new shortened Bar 9 and set the Time Signature to 2/4.

Change Bar 10 to its desired duration. Hover the mouse over the red triangle marker at Bar 11, and the mouse cursor becomes a
drag cursor. Click and drag the bar line to the location marked 11:3

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Now we have edited bar 9 to have its proper 2/4 Time Signature and preserved the song tempo on both sides of the 2/4 bar.
Notes Display
The Notes Display looks like a MIDI Piano Roll, but it is not exactly the same as a MIDI Piano Roll. Audio Chord wizard
detects the strongest frequencies found in each eighth-note time slot, and displays them in the Notes Display.
Sometimes the displayed frequencies REALLY ARE instrument notes played in the audio file. But they could be spurious
information, such as the accidental loudest frequency of a drum beat. A midrange frequency note-bar might be showing the sum
of harmonics from several instruments, each instrument's harmonics contributing to the strength of that frequency.
The Notes Display information is real and useful, but try not to assume that every displayed note-bar is a real note in the audio.
Horizontal Scroll Bar

Scroll forward/back in the wave file.

Plus/Minus Zoom Buttons

Zoom the display to show more or less detail.

CoyoteWT
The CoyoteWT (WaveTable) DXi synth is included with PowerTracks Pro Audio. This works with PowerTracks and other
DXi compatible host programs to produce realistic instrument sounds, and is compatible with all the latest Windows operating
systems, including the 64-bit version of Windows 11.

The CoyoteWT can be installed automatically when you install PowerTracks Pro Audio, or you can install it at a later date by
running the file SetupCoyoteWT.exe from the PowerTracks (pt) folder.
Selecting the CoyoteWT
When the program is run for the first time, and the MIDI Driver Setup dialog is popped up, the CoyoteWT, if present, will be
automatically loaded into the default DXi slot.
To manually select the Coyote Wavetable as your default DXi synth, open the MIDI Driver Setup, select “Re-route
MIDI playback to default DXi/VSTi synth,” and select CoyoteWT from the pull-down menu.

Another way to assign the CoyoteWT as your default DXi synth is to click on the [DXi] button to open the
DirectX/VST Window and then select CoyoteWT for the top Plugin slot. This window will also display the main display panel
for the CoyoteWT.

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CoyoteWT Overview
Context Menu
Program settings for the CoyoteWT are made in its context menu.
The context menu can be accessed by right-clicking on the CoyoteWT property page (that is,
its main display).
Click on the features in the list to enable or disable them. Several of the features open dialog
boxes with additional controls.
For help, click on the Help Index item.

Reverb
Clicking on this menu item brings up a dialog box in which you can control the reverb parameters. The available controls are:
- Room Size: select one of:
- Club (the smallest simulated room)
- Stage
- Hall (the largest simulated room)
- Damping: Setting the slider to the leftmost position simulates a room with hard, reflective walls. Setting the slider to the
rightmost position simulates a room with absorbent walls. The effects of this control are fairly subtle.
Click on OK to apply the changes.
Enable Compressor
Clicking on this menu item turns the compressor on or off. When it is on you will see a check mark beside the menu item.
When the compressor is enabled, the overall dynamic range will be slightly compressed (mostly by boosting the quieter signals),
and the sound will have a little more “presence.”
Enable Limiter
Clicking on this menu item turns the limiter on or off. When it is on you will see a check mark beside the menu item.
When the limiter is enabled, the overall volume level is increased, and in order to keep momentary peaks from clipping or
distorting, CoyoteWT briefly reduces the volume just before the peak occurs and then increases it again after the peak is over.
The volume changes are performed smoothly and are usually inaudible. The increased volume is desirable because it increases
the overall signal-to-noise ratio.
Tuning Adjust
Clicking on this menu item brings up a dialog box in which you can enter an adjustment to be applied to all samples in the
sample-set. The adjustment is specified in terms of cents, where one cent is 1/100 of a semitone.
Limit Polyphony
Clicking on this menu item brings up a dialog box in which you can specify the maximum polyphony (number of simultaneous
notes that can be played). If your CPU is not powerful enough to handle 100 notes at once (some are not) you may be able to
reduce audio clicks by choosing a number lower than 100. This is usually preferable to the artifacts produced when you run out
of CPU power.
EQ
Clicking on this brings up a dialog box in which you can specify the amount of boost or cut to be applied to the low or high
frequencies. You can use this to compensate for the frequency response of your speakers, your sample file, or just to
accommodate your preference.
The bass (low frequencies) and treble (high frequencies) can each be boosted or cut by up to 12 dB. Positive numbers produce a
boost; negative numbers produce a cut.
You can also specify an overall volume adjustment. The allowable range is limited to plus or minus 3 dB.
Enable High-Quality Resampler

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CoyoteWT modifies the pitch of a note by resampling.
Normally you should leave the default, high-quality, enabled. However, if you are using a slow PC (say, 500 MHz or less) you
may get better results by disabling high-quality mode.

The Conductor – Live Looping/Playback Control

The Conductor window puts you in control of the live playback of songs in PowerTracks Pro Audio. You can “go around again”
and play and extra chorus, loop sections, or jump to end to finish the song early. This is ideal for live performance or “jam
sessions” where you want full control of playback. The loops happen seamlessly, so are suitable for the “dance floor.”
As the song is playing, many “single key” hot keys are available in the Conductor window to control the playback and looping
of the song.
In addition, you can control PowerTracks from a standard MIDI keyboard, pressing MIDI keys that correspond to each of the
functions. There are over 80 conductor functions in all.
The Conductor is launched with the Conductor button on the toolbar, or the tilde (~) hot key, or menu option Window
| Conductor Window.

Live Looping/Playback Control

As the song is playing, there are options to control the flow of playback by one of three methods:
1. Conductor window
2. QWERTY hot keys
3. MIDI keyboard
You must enable the QWERTY keys to be active for the Conductor during playback. This is done
by selecting the “Enable Control by QWERTY keys” checkbox on the Conductor Window.

To control the Conductor using the MIDI keyboard, you need to enable this by selecting the checkbox “Enable control by MIDI
keyboard.” in the MIDI keyboard control box. When this setting is enabled, any MIDI input will be interpreted as a hot key for
the Conductor, and you won’t hear MIDI thru.
If you’d like the ability to switch your MIDI keyboard between Conductor mode and regular playing mode, you can do this
using the lowest “A-natural” MIDI note on your keyboard. This is A1 on an 88-note keyboard. Note A1 will turn the Conductor
off, Bb1 turns it on, and B1 will toggle the Conductor on only when the Bb1 note is held down. If you don’t have an 88-note

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keyboard, you can set the octave setting to a number higher than 1, for example if you set it to “3,” then notes A3/Bb3/B3 will
turn the Conductor Off/On/Toggled.
Using the Conductor QWERTY or MIDI keys, you can:
- Define and jump to up to 10 user defined sections in the song,
- Jump back 1 bar/4 bars/# of bars/screen/part/chorus/section,
- Jump ahead 1 bar/4 bars/# of bars/screen/part/chorus/section,
- Loop 1 bar/4 bars/# of bars/screen/part/chorus/section,
- Pause/stop the song.
In addition, using the MIDI keyboard, you can also use the Conductor to:
A1 (note#21)Turn MIDI Conductor OFF
Bb1 Turn MIDI Conductor ON
B1 Turn MIDI Conductor ON only as note is held down
The various functions of the Conductor are available with MIDI keys and QWERTY hot keys.
Customizing the Sections
Sections: This allows you to define up to 10 points in the song that are sections. By default, the following sections are defined
for each song.
- Section 1: Start of song
- Section 2: Intro
- Section 3: First Chorus
- Section 4: Middle Chorus (i.e. start of chorus #2)
- Section 5: Last Chorus
- Section 6: Ending
- Sections 7-10 are user definable. To do this, type in any bar # using the bar/chorus format (e.g. 21/2 would be bar 21, chorus
2).
If you prefer to enter custom values for the section numbers, you can do this if you check the “custom” checkbox, and then type
in up to 10 bar numbers for each section.

The section numbers are saved with the song. Once you have defined the sections, you can jump to a certain section of the song
as the song is playing, simply by:
1. Pressing the 1-9 or 0 key on the QWERTY keyboard or,
2. Opening the Conductor window (~ hot key) and clicking on the section button or,
3. Pressing MIDI keys 77-86 (F6 to D7) corresponding to sections 1-10.
Mode (when to do the action).
By pressing a QWERTY hot key prior to an action, you can control when the action will take place. If no mode hot key is
pressed prior to an action, the default mode will occur.

The default is set in the “Default Mode for section change” or “Default Mode for going back or ahead” combo box.
For example, by default, the section change will occur as soon as you press the key, and it will go to the equivalent place in the
bar immediately before the beginning of the target section (so that the music stays in time, and the next section begins at the end
of the bar). But you can change the default for the action to take place at the end of the current bar or current part marker etc.

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Play Control Buttons

This plays the song. Hot key = F4, MIDI note = F4.

This stops playback. Hot key = Esc, MIDI note = F#4.

Example uses of the Conductor:
In this example, we don’t have custom sections set, so the default sections apply (middle chorus = section 4 etc.).
- Jump to the start of middle choruses during playback (press “4”).
- Loop the middle chorus (press S, which is Loop Section).
- Jump to the end of the song (press 6 ).
- Go back 1 chorus (Ctrl+A).
- Go ahead 1 chorus (Shift+A).
At the end of the current chorus, go back 1 section, press Y then Ctrl+S.
Note: Pressing the Y sets the mode to do the action at the end of the current chorus
These actions can also be done with the MIDI keyboard. See the list of Conductor Functions with MIDI and QWERTY Hot
Keys.
Example using the MIDI keyboard:
Assume Charlie is a piano player who uses his MIDI keyboard with Band-in-a-Box, and would like to play his keyboard, but
also use it to control Band-in-a-Box.

He sets the conductor to allow his MIDI keyboard lowest notes A/Bb/B to turn the Conductor mode OFF/ON/Toggled-when
held.
When he turns it off (low A note), he can play his keyboard normally.
If he wants to pause the song, he holds down the low B3 note as he presses the MIDI key for pause, which is G4. The song will
pause, and the conductor mode turns off as he lets go of the B3 key, and he can resume his piano playing. If Charlie didn’t plan
on using the MIDI keyboard for piano playing, he could leave it in conductor mode by turning it on with the A3 key.
Conductor Functions with MIDI and QWERTY Hot Keys
Here are the various functions available using the Conductor. The MIDI key and the QWERTY hot key are shown.
MIDI Note Function QWERTY Key
F4 Play F4
F#4 Stop Escape
A4 MIDI panic F12
Bb4 Previous Jukebox song Ctrl+Shift+F8
B4 Next Jukebox song Shift+F8
Db5 Open Notation window Ctrl+W
D5 Lead Sheet window Alt+W
F6 to D7 Jump to sections 1-10 of the song 1-9 and 0
Eb7 Loop current chorus A
E7 Loop current section S
F7 Loop current bar Z
F#7 Loop current 4 bars X
G7 Loop current part C

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Ab7 Looping ON, previous setting V
A7 Looping OFF B
Bb7 Go Back 1 Chorus Ctrl+A
B7 Go Back 1 Section Ctrl+S
C8 Go Back 1 Screen Ctrl+D
Db8 Go Back 1 Bar Ctrl+Z
D8 Go Back 4 Bars Ctrl+X
Eb8 Go Back 1 Part marker Ctrl+C
E8 Go Ahead 1 Chorus Shift+A
F8 Go Ahead 1 Section Shift+S
F#8 Go Ahead 1 Screen Shift+D
G8 Go Ahead 1 Bar Shift+Z
Ab8 Go Ahead 4 Bars Shift+X
A8 Go Ahead 1 Part marker Shift+C
In addition, using the MIDI keyboard, you can also use the Conductor to:
A1 (note#21) Turn MIDI Conductor OFF
Bb1 Turn MIDI Conductor ON
B1 Turn MIDI Conductor ON only as note is held down

TranzPort® Support - Wireless Remote Control

TranzPort Support - Wireless Remote Control support for PowerTracks Pro Audio!
The Frontier Design TranzPort® is a wireless remote control hardware unit (Electronic Musician Editors’
Choice 2006) that now allows you to control PowerTracks Pro Audio from 30 feet away!

The backlit LCD provides a two line readout. Buttons and a wheel allow control of many PowerTracks Pro Audio features.
Select songs and control Play, Stop, Pause, and Loop. Select, Mute, and Solo tracks as well as Volume and Tempo changes are
all supported.
You can, for example, put the TranzPort unit on your piano at home (or your music stand on a gig) and load/play/control songs,
all while far away from your computer – all wirelessly up to 30 feet – even through walls! The TranzPort also works “right-out-
of-the-box” with Band-in-a-Box.
Note: The TranzPort is currently not in production. It’s still a great product if you can find one.

Using TranzPort with PowerTracks Pro Audio

To use the MIDI TranzPort with PowerTracks Pro Audio, first make sure the Frontier USB wireless receiver is plugged into a
USB port of your computer.
The “Enable TranzPort (if present)” checkbox must be selected in Options | Preferences | MIDI. If
this checkbox is unchecked, then PowerTracks Pro Audio will not attempt to look for and initialize the TranzPort. By default,
this checkbox is enabled, which means that, by default, PowerTracks will always try to find and initialize the TranzPort.
You should see a TranzPort icon on the Windows task bar. PowerTracks Pro Audio should then automatically connect to
TranzPort when you start-up PowerTracks.
To verify that the TranzPort is installed, you can visit the MIDI drivers dialog and see if TranzPort shows up as a MIDI In and
MIDI Out driver. Do NOT select the TranzPort in the MIDI drivers dialog.
To start using the TranzPort
While PowerTracks Pro Audio is running, “wake up” the TranzPort by pressing a key on the TranzPort (e.g. the STOP key).
The TranzPort display will show
- "Title of PT song" on top row of LCD
- <tempo> <Current Track Number> <track volume> <patch # (if track is MIDI)>
For example, the screen might say
"My Tune"
120 Tr=1 v=122 p=1
TranzPort Key Commands
- Track arrow keys - increase or decrease the current track in PowerTracks.
- Rec - begins recording.
- Solo - same as pressing solo button in PowerTracks Pro Audio.
- Undo - same as Edit - Undo in PowerTracks Pro Audio.

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- IN - when a popup OK/Cancel or Yes/NO dialog is on the screen, IN will function as either an OK or Yes answer.
- OUT - when a popup OK/Cancel or Yes/NO dialog is on the screen, OUT will function as either a Cancel or No answer.
- Shift-IN - Load Previous Song.
- Shift-Out - Load Next Song.
- Punch - enables or disables punch-in mode in PowerTracks Pro Audio.
- Loop - enables or disables loop mode in PowerTracks Pro Audio.
- Wheel - change the tempo of a MIDI-only song.
- Shift+Wheel - Increase or Decrease volume of Current Track by 5.
- Prev+Wheel - Increase or Decrease volume of Current Track by 1.
- Next+Wheel - Increase or Decrease MIDI Patch number for current track.
- Shift+Prev - jump to previous marker in PowerTracks Pro Audio.
- Shift+ Next - jump to previous marker in PowerTracks Pro Audio.
- Add - add a new marker at current song location.
- Rewind button – rewind.
- Fast fwd button - fast forward.
- Stop button – stop.
- Play button – play.
- Record button – record.

Pitch to MIDI Converter

Access the Pitch to MIDI Converter by selecting (highlighting) an audio track and choosing the File | MIDI | Pitch to MIDI
Convert menu item.
The converter cannot recognize chords or mixes of music instruments. It gives the best results with single-note melody lines,
played very cleanly, and with very little background noise or hum.
For best results, use very plain playing technique and pure tone. Idiosyncratic playing technique or wide variation in instrument
tone can confuse the converter. When playing guitar or other stringed instruments try to avoid ringing strings. A quietly ringing
open string can also confuse the converter as it tries to determine the pitch of your intended note. For vocals, try humming or
singing all notes with a pure vowel sound such as “Oooh” or “Aaaah.”
As with other pitch-to-MIDI computer algorithms, this plug-in is not absolutely perfect. However, with careful playing (or
singing) and the right settings you can get good conversion results on most of the notes. You can also expect to get a few “off
the wall” notes, which must be edited, in the Notation or Event Edit screens.

Thresh - The Note On level threshold, in dB. Audio below the Note On threshold will not trigger notes. If Thresh is set too low,
the converter will try to convert noise and unintended notes to MIDI. If Thresh is set too high, the converter might miss some of
the intentional notes in the audio.
For best results use a fairly loud track. It is not necessary to have the audio recorded so loud that it distorts.
Re-Trig - Set the sensitivity for re-triggering identical note pitches. For instance, this control is useful to properly detect guitar
double-picking techniques. If the slider is too high, it will re-trigger too many notes, and if the slider is too low it will miss some

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re-triggers. Some instruments might work better with minimal or no re-triggering (slider all the way down). Soft attack
instruments such as flute or sax might need the Re-Trig set fairly high in order to get good performance on legato repeat notes.
Min Dur - Minimum note duration (in milliseconds). This setting helps to ignore very short glitch notes, short tracking errors
within notes, and fixes tracking wobble on note decay. As notes decay and become very quiet the note is not very loud
compared to the noise in the track which means the converter will have more difficulty measuring the pitch. If you get too many
glitches increase the Min Dur setting. If you miss too many notes decrease Min Dur.
Fine Tune - Compensate for an out-of-tune recording. If too many MIDI notes are playing a half step too high adjust the Fine
Tune setting upwards. If too many MIDI notes are playing a half step too low adjust it downwards.
Low Note Limit, High Note Limit - Set the expected note range of the source audio.
Min Vel, Max Vel - The Midi velocity range that corresponds to the audio note amplitude. An input Note that reaches up to 0
dB will send the Max Vel, and a note that is barely above Thresh will send the Min Vel. For an organ-type on-or-off response,
set Max Vel and Min Vel to the same value. This will cause all MIDI notes to have the same velocity.
Hum Filter Checkbox - Pre-process the audio thru a hum filter –in case the audio has too much hum (hum can confuse the
pitch detection).
Send Volume Checkbox - Insert Volume messages in the MIDI track.
This could be most useful with voice, violin, horns, or even guitar
A good way to use this setting would be to set a narrow velocity range– Perhaps Min Vel and Max Vel could be set to 127, or
perhaps Max Vel = 127 and Min Vel = 100. Then enable the Send Volume checkbox.
Each note’s MIDI volume is controlled by the instantaneous audio level rather than controlling the level by MIDI velocity. You
could use a long-decay synth patch, and each note will track the volume envelope of the underlying audio. With “just the right
settings” it will track gradual changes in dynamics on sustained instruments such as horn or voice.
Min Vol, Max Vol - Adjust the volume message range (controller 7) that is transmitted according to the instantaneous audio
level of the source file.
Audition Button - Convert and then play the file.
Stop Button - End the audition playback.
Audition Source - Audition the source wav, the converted MIDI, or both at the same time. The timing is fairly tight between
audio and MIDI, but when auditioning Audio and MIDI simultaneously, there may be slight variations depending on the MIDI
latency and audio latency of your sound card. The playback timing will be much better once the MIDI track has been exported
back into PowerTracks.
Note: The audio audition uses the Windows default audio device, and the MIDI audition uses the Windows default MIDI device.

MIDI Channel - The audition MIDI channel.

MIDI Octave - The audition octave. This only affects the octave of audition playback. It does not affect the pitch of file output.
Once the conversion has been exported back into PowerTracks you can adjust the octave of the track here, if necessary.
MIDI Patch - The MIDI patch is used for Audition playback. This setting does not affect the patch assigned in PowerTracks.
Cancel - Exit the Pitch to MIDI converter.
Process - Do the conversion and return to the host program (PowerTracks).

MIDI Guitar Cleanup

The MIDI guitar tool bar button launches the MIDI Guitar Cleanup dialog where you can clean up MIDI tracks
recorded on a MIDI guitar.
The De-Glitch routine will automatically remove glitch notes based on the Velocity and Duration settings in milliseconds (ms).
The Adjust Latency routine will automatically move the location of notes earlier to compensate for MIDI guitar latency. You
can specify the adjustments for each string in milliseconds if the default settings don’t match your guitar's response times.
- OK – DeGlitch Only – This will process the track using the DeGlitch routines only.
- OK – Adjust Latency Only – This will process the track using the latency adjustment routines only.
- OK – DeGlitch and Adjust Latency – This will process the track using both sets of routines.

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Convert to WMA (Windows® Media Audio™)
Us this plug-in feature to convert a .WAV file to Windows Media Audio format (*.WMA). There are options to save the file to a
specific filename and destination folder, to select a resolution (quality) for the file, and spaces to fill in the appropriate Title,
Author, Copyright, and song Description credits. This information will be embedded into the resulting WMA file and will be
viewable when the file is played in an appropriate media player.
To access this feature, select Render | Merge Audio and VSTi/DXi Tracks to WMA file.

In the example we chose 160Kbps, since we want the file to sound as clear as possible. You can set this quality/resolution
parameter from a low of 6Kbps up to this 160Kbps rate. You might want to choose a setting of around 32Kbps (modem speed)
if you want to make a file that can “stream” on your web site.
Source – This field displays the source WAV file. It is for informational purposes only. This field cannot be edited.
Destination – This field displays the Destination filename and path. This can be edited if desired.
Quality – Set the bit rate of the compressed file. Higher bit rates have higher quality audio, while lower bit rates make smaller
files which take up less space on a hard drive (and are easier to stream over the Internet) at the expense of sound quality.
Song Title – The Song Title which is encoded into the WMA file, and which is displayed by a WMA player.
Copyright – Copyright information encoded into the WMA file.
Author – Author information encoded into the WMA file.
Description – Additional information encoded into the WMA file.
As mentioned, the information you enter into the Song Title, Copyright, Author, and Description fields will be viewable when
the file is played in a supported media player.

MiniBurn
The Render | Launch CD Burner… plug-in feature renders the current project file to a stereo .WAV file and then launches the
CD Burner application.
Note: If your drive is not recognized by MiniBurn then you should burn the rendered .WAV file to CD using the software supplied with the CD
drive.

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You can add songs to the CD-R at a later date if you don’t select (disable) the “Finalize” option. Any CD you create won’t be
playable in an audio CD player until the disc is finalized. Make sure that the disc is finalized when you burn the CD for the last
time.

The Burn List

Burn list files are displayed in MiniBurn’s central file list region.
Trk - Track Number
File Name - Path and name of Wave files
Time - Play time of each track, formatted in minutes:seconds:frames.
Burn Time indicates the sum of all the burn list track times.
Avail Time indicates the time available on the blank CDR, if a writeable CDR or CDRW has been inserted in the CD Burner. If
no disc has been inserted, or if an unwriteable disc has been inserted, Available Time reads “No Disc.”
Add Files to the Burn List
- Use the menu item File | Add Track…
- Right-click on the Burn List and select Add Track from the pop-up menu.
- Drag wave files into the MiniBurn window from an open Windows folder.
Remove Files from the Burn List
- Left-click to select a track, then use File | Remove Selected Track.
- Left-click to select a track, then right-click on the Burn List and pick Remove Track from the pop-up menu.
Clear All Files from the Burn List
- Use the menu item File | Clear All Tracks From Burn List.
- Right-click on the burn list and select Clear All Tracks from the pop-up menu.
Change the Order of Tracks in the Burn List
- Left-click on the Trk column of the file you wish to move, and drag the file to a new location in the list.
Description of Filenames
miniburn.exe - Main program executable. This program can be run as a plug-in from within PowerTracks Pro Audio, or it can
be run stand-alone. Double-click this file (located in the main PT folder) to run Miniburn in stand-alone mode.
done.wav - This wave file (if present) will play when the burning operation is complete. You can use any standard wave file –
just save it as done.wav and the program will play that file when done.
burn.txt - The program automatically looks for and loads files specified in the burn.txt file at the beginning of a burn session. A
burn.txt file is made when the program is launched, adding the “current song” to the burn list automatically.
acdwrite.ocx - An active X control that is registered and installed into the Windows OS. This file is required for the burner
software to operate.

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DirectX (Windows® Audio Plug-In Format)
Use this feature to apply DirectX (DX) or VST audio plug-ins to a track.
Access the feature by clicking on the [VST] button in the toolbar and selecting a track from the list, or in the
Tracks window by clicking on the disclosure arrow for an audio track and then pressing the [Edit DX…]
button.

You can also select a track and then go to Edit | Audio Effects | DirectX Audio Plug-ins.

The DirectX feature requires that you have Microsoft DirectX installed in your OS. Note also that this functionality will be of
no use to you until you have at least one DirectX Audio plug-in installed into your system.
You can download the latest version of Microsoft DirectX from www.microsoft.com.

Dynamic 3D Drum Kit Window

This re-sizable drum window is an animated 3D display of a complete MIDI drum kit with all 61drum sounds displayed on their
respective instruments.
To launch the Drum Kit window, click the Drums button in the toolbar. You can do several things with the Drum Kit
window:

- Watch the drum part being played on the drum kit in real time.
- Play along with the drums in real time by mouse clicking on the drum instruments, or using the QWERTY keys. The computer
keyboard, the piano key number, and sound names can all (optionally) be made visible on the hint line by moving your mouse
cursor over a given instrument.
- Record a drum part into PowerTracks Pro Audio.

Drum Display
All the General MIDI percussion instruments are shown. Some percussion instruments are triggered by multiple MIDI notes.
When a sound is controlled by more than one MIDI note, a percussion instrument will show different behavior in response to the
different notes. For instance, the Hi-Hat responds differently to Close Hat, Pedal Hat, and Open Hat MIDI notes.
The on-screen instruments may be played by mouse clicking or by pressing the appropriate computer keys. When playing by
mouse click or computer keys, the Shift key can be used to switch the velocity between two user-specified levels (i.e. loud=100
and soft=50). The multi-note instruments send different MIDI notes to your sound source, depending on where you “click” on

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the instrument. For instance, the Kick Drum can send three different notes: Ac. Bass Drum (MIDI note 35), Bass Drum 1 (MIDI
note 36), and Square Kick (MIDI Note 32).
Tip: The hint line at the top of the window describes the current control under the mouse cursor. Use the hint line to learn the mouse-
responsive areas of each drum instrument.

Control Buttons:
- Record: Places PowerTracks Pro Audio in Record mode so drum instruments can be recorded.
- Play: Starts song playback (Space key).
- Rewind: Stop and return to song start (Return key).
- Stop: Stops song playback (Space key).
- Size Buttons 1/1 - 1/2 - 1/4: Clicking on these buttons changes the size of the Drum Kit window to full size, half size, or
quarter-size. (You can also resize the window to any size by dragging a window border.)
- Settings: Adjusts program behavior. See the Settings Dialog topic.
- Help: To launch the drum Help file, press F1.
Computer Keys

Press computer keys to play drums.

Drums are grouped on the computer keyboard by category. The kick, snare, and hi-hat sounds are
on the lowest keyboard row. The lower-middle row contains toms and cymbals. The upper-middle
row contains Latin drums, and the top row contains Latin hand percussion. The Numpad keys
contain the rest of the Latin hand percussion plus the electronic tones.

Multi - Note Instruments

Kick Drum - Ac. Bass Drum, Bass Drum 1, Square Kick
Snare - Acoustic Snare, Side Stick
Hi-Hat - Closed, Pedal, Open
Floor Tom - Low, High
Electronic Pad - Multi-zoned for Hi-Q, Slap, Electric Snare
High Conga - Mute, Open
Surdo - Mute, Open
Cuica - Mute, Open
Metronome - Bell, Click
Whistle - Long, Short
Triangle - Mute, Open
Guiro - Long, Short
Scratch - Push, Pull
Settings Dialog
Press the Settings button (to the left of the Rewind button), to adjust the various Drums Settings.

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Use the “Drum window is always on top” checkbox to keep the Drum Kit window on top of other program windows.
MIDI Settings
- “Drum MIDI Port” defaults to Port 1, but can be changed to use any of the ports available, i.e., the MIDI Output drivers
enabled in the MIDI Driver Setup.
- “Drum MIDI Channel” defaults to channel 10, which is the channel used by General MIDI instruments. If your drum
machine or MIDI device uses a different channel for drums you can set it here.
- “Drum Duration Boost” adds duration to drum notes with a range of 1-10.
Note Velocity
When playing drums with a mouse or computer keys, the Shift key toggles between two levels of note velocity. The default
velocity is 90, with a default shift key velocity of 127. The two velocity levels can be set any way desired. For instance, if you
want the Shift key to send quieter notes you can program the shift velocity lower than the non-shift velocity.
- The “Randomize” checkbox enables the program to send random velocity levels when playing the drums. This is handy when
using non velocity-sensitive devices such as a mouse or computer keyboard.
- “Range” controls the amount of velocity randomization. Usually a small range works best, around 10% to 30%. For example,
if velocity is set to 127, and the random range is set to 20%, notes would randomly vary between a maximum velocity of 127
and a minimum velocity of 102.
Instrument Hints
Customize the appearance of the Hint line.
- Show Note Name
- Show MIDI Note Number
- Show Computer Key
Show
- “Show All Instruments” shows all instruments in the drum window.
- “Show Used Instruments” displays the basic trap kit, but does not display any extra instruments unless they are used in a song.
The drum window is cleared each time Play or Stop is pressed.
Transport Keys
- “On” - Control playback with the computer keyboard. Space key will toggle Play/Stop. Return key will halt and return to the
song beginning. Ctrl+Tab will enter Record mode.
- “Ctrl Key” - Sometimes it is distracting to play the drums with the computer keys, because if you accidentally play the
spacebar or Enter key, it halts playback. With this option enabled, playback is controlled by Ctrl+space and Ctrl+Enter, so
it is more difficult to accidentally stop playback.
- “Off” - Playback is not controlled by the computer keyboard.

Guitar Tuner
The Guitar Tuner is launched with the “tuning fork” button, which is found on the toolbar.

The Guitar Tuner is optimized for guitar and bass, although it is also useful with other acoustic instruments, including voice.
Note: The Guitar Tuner must be able to receive audio from your instrument via the line input or microphone input of your sound card. Please
make sure that either the Microphone In or Line-In is enabled in the Recording Properties of the Windows Mixer (or the appropriate Mixer
application for your sound card).

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To use the tuner, connect an electric guitar or bass to your computer’s sound card input, or tune an acoustic instrument using a
microphone connected to the sound card microphone input. Then, play a pitch, and the tuner will “auto-range” to determine the
nearest note and display the intonation of your instrument.

Main Window
Input Level: Displays the instrument Input Level in dB. For best results, the level should peak at least halfway up. Quiet
signals may be too noisy to properly recognize the pitch. Some inexpensive sound cards do not handle clipping gracefully. If
your card seems to misbehave on very loud signals you should try to avoid hitting the very top of the level meter. On most
sound cards, however, “going over the top” will not significantly affect the tuner’s performance.
Input Note: The name of the most recent note detected by the tuner is shown in the upper right corner.
Pitch (cents): Displays the intonation of the note in cents (hundredths of a semitone). The note is in-tune (with the current
detected note) when the indicator is hovering near zero.
When the tuner has “locked on” to a recognizable pitch the indicator turns green and tracks the current pitch. If a note is not
loud enough, too noisy, or too unsteady for the tuner to measure, the indicator will turn red and freeze at the last known good
value.
It can sometimes take the tuner a moment to “lock on” to a pitch. You may need to play a note a couple of times in succession
before the tuner is well locked on to the note. This is most noticeable on very high or very low notes.
The display has quarter-cent resolution. Noise, hum, or bad strings can cause the pitch indicator to wobble. Guitar “G” strings
seem particularly prone to odd harmonics which wobble the pitch indicator.
Don’t be alarmed if the indicator is wobbling quite a bit. Center the average indicator motion around zero. The resolution of the
display magnifies pitch deviations that the ear may not notice. A deviation of a few cents is not very obvious to the ear even
though it is a large distance on the pitch display.
Fine Adjust: Modify the tuner’s calibration. For instance, if Fine Adjust is set to 10 cents an instrument must be tuned 10 cents
higher than usual to measure in tune.
If you have access to a Strobotuner or other expensive tuner you could calibrate this Guitar Tuner program to agree with the
other tuner you use. The accuracy of this Guitar Tuner program should be within a few cents of standard on most computers.
However, the tuner program relies upon the audio clock stability of the sound card, so there may be slight variations on different
sound cards.
If you have a piano, organ, or other instrument you wish to use as reference you can likewise adjust the Tuner to agree with your
fixed-pitch instrument.
Instrument: Optimize the tuner for guitar or bass. Bass cannot be tuned at its best if the Guitar button is selected, and guitar
cannot be tuned at its best if the Bass button is selected.
In addition, the Fretboard display changes according to the selected instrument. The Guitar setting displays a standard-tuned six
string guitar. The Bass setting displays a standard-tuned six string bass. If tuning a four string bass, you would look for the
middle four strings in the display. If tuning a five string bass, ignore the “C” string.
Numeric Pitch (Hz): Display the frequency of the incoming signal. As with the Cents pitch display, if the pitch becomes
unreadable, this control will freeze and remember the last good reading.
Hum Filter: The tuner works best if you give it a signal with little hum or noise. Hum can make the pitch measurement
“jittery.” If you can’t keep your guitar from humming, then the hum filter may help.
Note: The Hum Filter nearly doubles the processing work that the program must accomplish so it may not work very well on slower
computers.
More: Opens a window that displays the most recently detected note on the piano keyboard and the guitar fretboard.
The tuner program has no way to know what string you are playing, so non-open guitar notes may show up on the wrong string
in the display – though it will properly indicate the correct note pitch.
Tones: This button opens the Generate Tones dialog to create wave tones for audible tuning reference.

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Generate Tones
Generate tone references for tuning by ear. This may be preferable if you do not have enough gain on a mic input, or have an
acoustic guitar or a guitar with dead strings. With dead strings or some acoustic guitars, the ear can reconcile the out-of-tune
harmonics in the string better than the Tuner program.
These tones are basically very accurate, but remember that the final accuracy depends upon the accuracy of the sample clock in
your sound card. The cards we have tested seem to be within a couple of cents of standard tuning, but larger errors are possible
with some sound cards.
Wave Shape - Sine wave is a very pure wave which only contains the listed fundamental frequency. Complex is a filtered ramp
wave, which contains the fundamental tone plus a healthy dose of even and odd harmonics.
The complex wave may be easier to tune against, since guitars and other instruments usually have a broad mix of harmonics.
Complex wave may also be less tiring to the ear.
In the low bass range, the sine wave can be difficult to hear unless you have a very good set of monitor speakers.
“Cents” - Fine-adjust the pitch in cents (hundredths of a semitone).
“Level” - The output level measured in dB. Zero dB is as loud as it gets, and negative numbers reduce the level.
“Frequency” - A read-only indication of the frequency of the tone. As you adjust Note, Octave, and Cents, Frequency is
calculated from the current settings.

Chromatic Pitch - Select this radio button to select any desired note and
octave.
“Note” - Pick the desired note.
“Octave” - Pick the desired octave.
“Restrict Range” - The reference tone can become painful and possibly
dangerous to speakers in the very high range, if the playback system is set
too loud. Similarly, very low reference tones could damage woofers.
If the “Restrict Range” checkbox is enabled, the pitch range is limited to the
mid and bass range where the tone is not as hazardous to ears or
loudspeakers.
Guitar - Select this radio button to tune using standard guitar pitches.
Once a note has been selected in the Guitar group, you can switch between
the different string pitches with the cursor up and cursor down computer
keys.
Bass - Select this radio button to tune using standard Bass pitches. These are the notes for six string bass. Use the middle four
pitches for four string bass, and use the bottom five pitches for five string bass.
Once a note has been selected in the Bass group, you can switch between the different string pitches with the cursor up and
cursor down computer keys.
Cycle Tones - This checkbox automatically plays the Guitar or Bass pitches in sequence, to make it easier to tune guitar without
touching the computer keyboard or mouse.
With “Cycle Tones” enabled, if the “Guitar” radio button is selected, the tuner will automatically play the guitar pitches in
sequence. If the “Bass” radio button is selected, the tuner will play the bass pitches in sequence.
The “UP” and “DOWN” buttons cycle the pitches either up or down.
“Period” is the sustain time of each pitch, in seconds. With the default period of five, each pitch will hold for five seconds
before cycling to the next pitch.
Settings
“Tuner is always on top” - The Tuner main window remains above all other
windows on the screen.
Sometimes this option does not appear to “stick” after it is set. If the Tuner is
set to “always on top” but doesn't stay on top, close the Tuner and re-open it
to get the desired behavior.
“Shut down audio input when Tuner is inactive” - When the Tuner window is
not the active window, it will close the sound input channel.
This can help the Tuner work smoother on slow computers, or free up the sound input driver for other programs which are
running.
“Shut down audio input when generating Tones” - When the Generate Tones window is active, it will close the sound input
channel.

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This can help the Tuner work smoother on slow computers. If the Audio Input continues to be processed while the computer is
generating tones, it makes more work for the program. This extra work might stall slow computers.

MIDI Monitor
The MIDI Monitor opens with the MIDI button, which is found in the View Panel. The MIDI Monitor displays a listing of
data received from computer MIDI Input and/or the PowerTracks MIDI output. This plug-in program has been found to be
very useful for educational and diagnostic purposes.
Note: To display the data received from the computer MIDI Input, the MIDI THRU option must be enabled in PowerTracks.

MIDI Display Controls

Event: The current event number since the display was last cleared.
Clear: Clear the MIDI Display, Event counter, and Channel Activity panel.
Save Text: This feature will allow you to save a text file of the data in the MIDI display. The file can be opened with a word
processor or spreadsheet program, for printing or further study. Various Save Text options can be adjusted in the Settings
window.
Settings: Press to open the Settings dialog, which allows you to adjust various display behaviors. The display can be modified
to suit the task at hand.
Filter: This opens the Filter dialog, where receive settings can be adjusted.
Sequencer Control: Standard transport controls: Play, Rewind, and Stop.
Timer: A millisecond timer useful for viewing timing relationships between MIDI messages. If the computer is under a “light
load,” this timer is fairly accurate. However, if the computer is under a “heavy load” the values can be expected to be less than
perfectly accurate.
You can record MIDI data in PowerTracks and examine the timing in the PowerTracks Event List window.
To use PowerTracks to measure correctly in milliseconds, set then PowerTracks’ PPQ resolution to 480 and PowerTracks’
tempo to 125 BPM. With this special resolution and tempo, tick values in the Event List window will correspond to
milliseconds.
Current Time: This is the millisecond count since the timer was last started. Click anywhere in the Timer area to clear the
Current time, setting it to zero.
The timer automatically starts when MIDI data is received. The period that the timer will run after MIDI activity ceases can be
adjusted in the Settings dialog.
Channel Activity Panel: The Channel Activity panel has an array of “LEDs” (light emitting diodes) to indicate which channels
are active. For example, if note information is received on a channel, the Note On LED will latch on. If controller, pitch bend,
or other channel events are received, the Other LED will latch on. Click anywhere on the Channel Activity Panel to clear all
the indicators.
MIDI Display Area
The MIDI Display area, located at the bottom of the main window, displays the data generated by PowerTracks and/or data
received at the computer MIDI input. Each row is a single MIDI event.

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Evt #: Event number, starting from when the display was last cleared.
Time (mS): The time in milliseconds, from when the timer was last cleared.
Source: When set to “Int,” the event was generated by PowerTracks, and when it is reading “Ext,” the event was generated by
an external MIDI Device attached to the computer’s “MIDI In” port.
Note: To display data received from computer MIDI Input the MIDI THRU option must be enabled in PowerTracks.
Raw: This indicates the raw bytes representing each MIDI message. Most MIDI message types contain three bytes, but some
contain only one or two bytes. SysEx messages can contain an arbitrary number of bytes.
Note: This field is normally blank in the case of SysEx messages. With SysEx messages, up to 16 “raw” bytes are displayed in
the Data fields. Long SysEx messages are displayed on multiple lines, at 16 bytes per line.
Status: Show the text name of the Event type.
Chan: This displays the MIDI channel of an Event. This field is blank for System messages (values from $F0 to $FF). System
messages do not have an associated channel.
Data 1: Text name for the meaning of the first data byte of the MIDI message.
Data 2: Text name for the meaning of the second data byte of a MIDI Message.
Notes:
(1) For some messages such as Pitch Bend or Song Position Pointer, the value of both data bytes 1 and 2 are calculated and displayed in
Data 1.
(2) Some MIDI messages, such as Program Change or Channel Pressure, only have a single Data byte, and the Data 2 field will be blank.
Also, some MIDI Messages have no data bytes, in which case both Data fields will be blank.

Settings Window
MIDI display options are adjusted in the MIDI Monitor Settings dialog.
“MIDI Monitor is Always On Top” - Check this item to keep the MIDI Monitor window
on top of other programs or windows.
When Display is Full:
The display buffer can record a maximum of 32000 events. There are three options when
the display gets full:
- “Stop” - Stop capturing events and turn off the timer.
- “Wrap Around” - When the display is full, begin over-writing it from the start.
- “Wrap Around + Clear Evt Count” is like the “Wrap Around” option, except the event
count is cleared when the display wraps around.
“Number of Displayed Events” - This box allows you to set the length of the capture
buffer. The length can be set as high as 32,000.
Stop Timer after “nnnn” Milliseconds of inactivity. It does no harm to let the timer free-
run, but if you find this irritating, you can set the timer to automatically stop after a period
of no MIDI activity.

Save Text Options

These options help set the behavior when the [Save Text] button is pressed.
“Save entire buffer to text file” - To capture a listing of a large number of events, enable this option. This directly saves the
entire buffer to a disk text file.
“Display recent events in Text window” - A text listing of the most recent events will be created in a text window. In this
window unwanted events can be selected and deleted. You can also edit events or add comments. The selected text in this
window can be saved to a text file or copied to the Windows clipboard, where it can be pasted into a word processor or
spreadsheet program.
Display Filter
The Display Filter dialog allows you to select which events are to be recognized by the MIDI Monitor program.
Note: Virtually any combination of display events can be selected in the filter. It is therefore possible to select combinations that do not display
any MIDI events at all. The MIDI Monitor will warn you about the more obvious “nil” combinations, but if you find that you are not receiving
what you expected, review these filter settings.

Display
“Only” displays only the selected items chosen in the filter lists.
“All Except…” displays all data except the selected items in the filter lists.
Source

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“Computer MIDI Input,” when enabled, displays data arriving on the computer’s MIDI Input (when MIDI Thru is enabled in
PowerTracks). To view data exactly as it is received, set PowerTracks’ “Thru Method” to Global. Also, check the PowerTracks
Record Filter to ensure that the desired events are enabled.
“Host Program Output” displays data generated by PowerTracks.
Note: If both inputs are disabled (in Display Only mode), or both inputs are enabled (in Display All Except mode), then no MIDI data will be
received.
Channels: Select which channels are received.
Events: Select which Event types are received.
Controllers: Select which Controller types are received.

Save Text Window

When the [Save Text] button is pressed in the MIDI Monitor program’s main window, and the “Display recent events in Text
window” option has been enabled in the Settings dialog, the Save Text window will open, containing the most recent MIDI
events.

Select All: Selects all the text in the window.

Clear: Clears the selected text.
Copy: Copies the selected text to the Windows clipboard.
Save: Saves all window text to a .TXT file.
You can also use the common Ctrl+X (cut), Ctrl+C (copy), Ctrl+V (paste), and Delete keys to edit the text.
Note: If column alignment of the text appears ragged adjust the font and tab spacing in your word processor, or the column width in your
spreadsheet program. We suggest 10 or 12 point System or Courier fonts.

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 Chapter 11: Reference
This chapter describes the pull-down menu commands in PowerTracks Pro Audio. The information discussed in this chapter is
divided into separate sections based on each menu.

The File Menu

The File Menu contains commands that are related to loading and saving files.
New
This command clears the current song from memory so that you can start a new song. If you’ve changed the current song since
you last saved it you will be prompted as to whether or not you wish to resave the file (with changes) before clearing the file
from memory.
New Template
This command will let you create a new song using a template. A template is a file that is used as a starting point when creating
a new song.
A Choose Template dialog box will pop up that shows a list of all available templates. Select one, and then start working on
your song.
Open
A dialog box will pop up which has two list boxes, one displaying all files with recognized extensions in the current directory,
and another displaying the different directories/folders.
Note to Band-in-a-Box Users: If you open a MIDI file that was generated with Band-in-a-Box the patch numbers, channels, and even the
chords are imported and displayed correctly in PowerTracks. Furthermore, if you recorded a WAV audio track to go along with your Band-in-a-
Box generated MIDI file the PowerTracks software will offer to automatically import and align this data too.
You can selectively restrict the type of file you’re looking for. The “File of type” masks are as follows: PowerTracks native files
(.SEQ), MIDI files (.MID), Drum Pattern files (.DP), Karaoke file (.KAR), Wave audio files (.WAV), or MP3 Audio files
(.MP3), as well as,
- WMA: Windows Media Audio, a compressed audio format developed by Microsoft.
- WMV: Windows Media Video is a compressed video format developed by Microsoft. PowerTracks will load the audio from
a WMV.
- CDA: CD Audio is the file extension used by Windows to make CD audio tracks available for loading into programs like
RealBand. Just put an audio CD into your CD-ROM, and then open a .CDA file from that drive (usually drive D).
Note: This feature may not work unless running Windows XP or higher. CDA files may not open in Windows Vista.

- MP4: a video format using separate compression for audio and video tracks. Video is compressed with MPEG-4 video
encoding. Audio is compressed using AAC compression, the same type of audio compression used in .AAC files.
- M4A: Audio-only file created in the MPEG-4 format, a multimedia container format used to store compressed audio and
video data; contains audio encoded with either the Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) codec or the Apple Lossless Audio Codec
(ALAC).
This means that PowerTracks Pro Audio supports virtually all common MIDI and audio formats in addition to its own .SEQ
files and Band-in-a-Box ?G? files.
PowerTracks can also load most sizes and shapes of mono, stereo, or multitrack .WAV files. These are files that contain only
(WAV) audio data. When loading a .WAV file, the program will import the audio data to 1 or more individual tracks
(depending on the number of discrete tracks encountered in a given file) into the current song or project.
To load a file move the highlight bar over the desired choice and either press Enter or click on the [Open] button.
The Open dialog recalls the folder from the last time the dialog was used. This setting can be enabled or disabled in the File tab
of the Options | Preferences dialog.
A file can also be loaded by typing its name directly in the “File name:” field instead of using the list box. You can also use the
mouse to select a file by double-clicking on the file with the left-mouse button.
Open MusicXML Files
PowerTracks supports MusicXML so you can easily import MusicXML files from your notation programs such as Finale,
Sibelius, and Guitar Pro to PowerTracks.
If you select a MusicXML file in the Open dialog, the Load XML File dialog will open. In this dialog, select a track that you
want to load. To select multiple tracks, hold down the CTRL key and click a track. If you want to change the destination track,
right click on a track and select Destination Track. Then, select elements that you want to load from the XML file. Finally, press
[OK], and the XML file will be loaded to PowerTracks.

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Custom File Dialog
We’ve made a custom Open dialog for you with more features than the standard dialog. To see the custom Open dialog, go to
Options | Preferences (Ctrl+F5) and select the checkbox for “Long File Names use custom open/save dialog.”
Open Special
Open Audio w/Chords (WAV/WMA/MP3/CDA)
This menu command will let you select an existing audio file and launch the Audio Chord Wizard.
Audio Chord Wizard - Using Existing Song
This menu command will open an existing audio file into PowerTracks, and then immediately launch the Audio Chord Wizard.
Open Previous File
This feature will open the previous file found in the current file directory or folder. The order is based on the alphabetic order of
the files. This command is most useful when you’ve been using the Open Next File command and you need to “go back” to a
previously loaded file.
Open Next File
This feature will open the next file found in the current file directory or folder. The order is based on the alphabetic order of the
files. This command is useful when working with a group of files (e.g., a set list) and you need to edit a number of them. This
feature saves you the trouble of having to keep using the File | Open command and repeatedly type in the file names.
Open From Clipboard
If data is in the Windows Clipboard in the form of a Standard MIDI File the Open From Clipboard feature will use the data to
load the entire “file” from the Clipboard into PowerTracks. This is similar to loading a file from disk except that the file is
loaded from the Clipboard instead. This command provides a quick way of transferring an entire file from another program
(e.g., Band-in-a-Box) into PowerTracks.
Open Backup File
When the “Create backup file when overwriting a SEQ file” setting is enabled in the File preferences, PowerTracks will always
create a backup file (BKS file) when a .SEQ file is overwritten. Use this command to open a backup file with a previous version
of a .SEQ file.
MultiTracks Wave File Player
This command will play special MultiTracks wave files (up to 48 tracks). This file format is similar to regular wave files, but
instead of being simple stereo or mono standard wave files these files can be quite large and contain up to 48 discrete mono
tracks.
The dedicated MultiTrack Wave dialog is simply a quick means of playing these special wave files. This player can also play
and preview any regular mono or stereo wave files.
To use, note the following:
1. Use the Load button to load a file.
2. Use the Play and Stop buttons to start and stop playback.
3. The Time Scrollbar lets you adjust the current time location.

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4. The Import button offers the ability to import a wave or waves into new projects – provided the sampling rate and resolution
of the file is supported by or can be converted by PowerTracks. Otherwise, the import button will be disabled (grayed out).
Save
This command will offer to save your work along with a name of your choosing. If a song has no name (untitled), a dialog box
will pop up when you choose this option so that you can choose a file name and format (e.g., .MID, .SEQ, or .DP). See the Save
As command for more information on choosing a file name and format.
Note: There are dedicated commands in the Audio menu for saving/exporting audio data to a .WAV file, etc.

Save As
The Save As command is similar in function to the Save command except that it also prompts you every time to choose the
name of a file before saving it.
The Save As dialog recalls the folder from the last time it was used. This setting can be enabled or disabled in the File tab of the
Options | Preferences dialog.
PowerTracks can save files either in .MID, Type 0 .MID (one
track), Karaoke .KAR or .SEQ format. The Save As command
also supports saving to .MP3, .MP4, .M4A, and .WMA files.
MIDI tracks are automatically rendered to audio and saved in the
file. Note that your system must have the codec installed for the
type of file you want to save (e.g. MP3).

A dialog box that looks similar to the File Open dialog allows you to choose the name of the file, directory, drive, and file type.
If you choose to save a file with a file name that already exists the program will prompt you to confirm that you want to
overwrite the pre-existing file.
You can also save MIDI data as .DP files. A .DP file is simply a .MID file renamed with the .DP extension. The .DP files are
used for storing drum patterns in order to differentiate them from a song (.MID) file.
Tip: To save your project as a .WAV file choose the File | Wave File sub-menu feature. If you have MIDI tracks you will need to “render” them
as wave data before exporting your project as a .WAV file.

MusicXML
To save the song as a MusicXML file, choose “XML Files (*.XML)” as a file type in the Save As dialog. This will open the
Save XML File dialog. First, select a track that you want to save. To select multiple tracks, hold down the CTRL key and click
the track. The “Track-specific settings” area lets you choose which clef to include for each track. For example, you can save the
bass clef for the Bass track, both tracks for the Piano track, and the treble clef for the Melody track. There is also an option to
include a tablature. You can also select elements that you want to save in the XML file. Finally, press OK, and the XML file
will be saved.

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ABC Music File
You can save a track of notation in a popular ASCII text format to import into other programs, or you can paste this format into
a user forum as a way of sending the track (usually the melody and chord symbols) to other users without having to attach a file.
To save the file, press the [Save As] toolbar button. Then, when the Save As dialog opens, select “ABC Files” as a file type, and
specify the location and the name of the file. This will open the Save to .abc file settings dialog.
In the “Select a track to save” area, click on the track that
you want to save in the file.
Enable “Include Chords” to save chords in the file.
When “Include Notes” is checked, notes on the selected
track will be saved.
When “Simplified Chord Names” is enabled, complicated
chords will be written as simplified names. For example,
D7#5#9 will be written as D7.
The [Copy to clipboard] button will copy the file to the
clipboard. You can then paste it into other programs. The
[Save as File] button will let you type a name and select
the destination in your hard drive.

Save As Special
Save As Template
Error! Bookmark not defined.File templates make it easier for you to begin new projects by selecting from a list of available
templates (instead of from a completely blank slate). The templates can contain preferred track layouts, preferred song settings,
and, since templates are stored in .SEQ format, they can even contain MIDI or audio backing tracks. You can create your own
custom templates simply by using the File | Save As Template command.
Since templates are stored in .SEQ format, they contain settings and song data. Templates are stored in the \template subfolder
of the PowerTracks main folder (usually C:\pt\templates).
Save Song as Default Template
This will save the song as $OPTIONS.SEQ so that the song will be loaded automatically whenever starting a new song with the
File | New command.
Save to Favorite Folders
This will let you save the song in the recently used folder.
Import
This lets you easily add a MIDI/ WAV/ SEQ/ or MGU file to an existing project (SEQ). This is handy when combining media
types to a new or existing project. When importing a Band-in-a-Box MGU file, the Melody, Soloist, and Audio tracks are
imported.
Scrap
The Load Scrap command works in the same way as the Open command except that a selected .MID or .SEQ file is loaded
into the scrap buffer instead of directly into a project. You can then paste the contents of this scrap buffer anywhere within the
song. This is useful for importing another file into your current project.
Load Scrap loads audio tracks into the scrap buffer, so they can be pasted into the current song. If the audio file format of the
.SEQ file doesn’t match the file format of the current song, the tracks in the file you’re loading will be converted to match the
audio file format of the current song.
Note: If you load a *.SEQ with both MIDI and audio tracks, check that both files have matching track types in order to ensure that all the data
will be pasted into the song when you use the Edit | Paste command.
If the existing song contains some blank tracks, then PowerTracks will automatically set the track types to the correct track type.
This won’t be done until you use the Edit | Paste command, if the scrap buffer contains data, and if the corresponding tracks in
the project are blank, but aren’t already set to the correct track type.
Save Scrap
This command works like the Save As command but is also used to save only the contents of the scrap buffer to a separate .MID
or .SEQ file. This is useful for exporting “part” of a project for use in another program, etc.

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Change Directory (Path)
This command lets you change the current (working) directory for loading/saving files. A dialog box will pop up prompting you
to select a new directory.
Window Setup
This item is a special sub-menu for loading and saving .RWS (Window Setup) files. See the proceeding three sections (Load
Window Setup, Save Window Setup, and Normalize Window Setup) for details on .RWS files.
Window Setup - Load Window Setup
This feature allows you to load a .RWS (Window Setup) file. When the .RWS file is loaded PowerTracks will restore the
window locations and sizes that were in effect at the time of saving the .RWS file. See the next section (Save Window Setup)
for more information about .RWS files.
Window Setup - Save Window Setup
This feature allows you to save a .RWS (Window Setup) file of your “current” program window setup. The current window
setup consists of the locations of any opened windows. Up to three Notation Staff, three Big Lyrics, and three Event List
window positions can be saved in each .RWS file. The .RWS files can also contain information such as whether or not the
Toolbar and Piano are “visible” or “hidden.”
PowerTracks will automatically save a file called DEFAULT.RWS each time the program is exited. Then, each time the
program is started it will look for this DEFAULT.RWS file in the PowerTracks directory (or the configuration directory–such as
C:\WINDOWS –if running under a network). If the program finds such a file it will restore the setup that was stored in it, thus
restoring your screen setup back to the way it was when you exited from your last session.
However, if you save a file called FAVORITE.RWS to the .EXE directory PowerTracks will use the setup stored in this file
even if DEFAULT.RWS exists. Saving a Window Setup file called FAVORITE.RWS is a nice way to have PowerTracks
always start with your favorite setup. Take advantage of this feature if you would prefer to have PowerTracks start out with a
certain setup every time –rather than restoring the most recent/last setup. You could also create a “blank” text file called
FAVORITE.RWS if you would prefer the program start out in an identical manner to previous versions of PowerTracks.
Although .RWS files can store information on whether or not a window is currently an icon/minimized, the exact locations of
these icons are not available to be recalled when a .RWS file is loaded.
An Event List window that is displaying multiple tracks can also be restored when loading a .RWS file (if it was part of the
window setup). However, when restored it will display all the tracks –regardless of which ones were being displayed before. For
example, if you have an Event List window open for Tracks 1, 2, and 3, and you proceed to save a .RWS file, the Event List
window would be restored when the .RWS file is loaded. However, it will display all the tracks –regardless of how many were
displayed before.
Window Setup - Normalize Window Setup
This command resets all windows to the “factory defaults.” When selected, PowerTracks will restore the window locations and
sizes that were in effect when the program was first installed.
Print
This feature will send notation to your printer to be printed. This is the same as the print button in a Notation window. A
Notation window must be the currently active (highlighted) window in order to print. You can launch a Notation window by
clicking on the notation button or by pressing ALT+F2.
Exit
This command exits/quits the program. If you’ve changed your work since you last saved it the program will first prompt you as
to whether or not you wish to save your project before proceeding with the exit feature.

Edit Menu
The Edit menu contains commands relating to editing (changing) a song. This menu has standard editing features such as
cutting, pasting, quantizing, etc. The editing commands normally affect the marked (highlighted) area of all selected tracks.
Undo
Undo can be applied to most operations in PowerTracks –including audio effects processing, notation edits, and event-level
MIDI edits.
This feature will undo the last edit command executed from the lower portion of the Edit menu (excluding commands in the
chords submenu). It will restore the tracks that were affected by the last edit command to their previous state. If you are working
in the Comments window, this will also undo the last text edit command. PowerTracks supports up to 100 levels of Undo, the
number is set in Options | Preferences | General.

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Note: The Undo command itself can be undone. If you’ve just executed the Undo command, it will appear in the menu as
“Redo.” The REDO command simply re-executes the command that was just undone.
If you execute a command for which there may not be enough memory to be able to issue the Undo command PowerTracks will
warn you beforehand. If you receive such a warning it might be a good idea to save your work to disk before proceeding.
Cut
This command works in a few different ways – depending upon which window is active. If you are working in the Comments
window, this command will cut the selected text to the clipboard. Otherwise, it deletes MIDI events and wave data from the
marked area and moves them to the scrap buffer. As with copied events, cut events can later be pasted to any location, or saved
to a file with the Save Scrap command.
(Note: This command also will automatically place cut MIDI events into the Windows clipboard in MIDI format in order to be
able to paste the events into any Windows application that supports clipboard pasting. Only MIDI data (not audio data) can be
placed into the Windows clipboard from PowerTracks.)
Events: When this checkbox is enabled the Cut command will operate on MIDI events or WAV
data in the marked area of all selected tracks.
Tempo Changes: When this checkbox is enabled the Cut command will operate on tempo
changes in the tempo map. If the first tempo map entry is within the marked area it will be
copied instead of cut, and all other entries will be cut. You can the paste the tempo changes to
a different location in a song using the Paste command.
Markers: Enable this if you want to cut Markers in the marked area between From: and Thru:
locations.
Chord Symbols:Enable to cut chord symbols in the marked area.
Part Markers: Enable to cut “a” and “b” part markers in the marked area.
Options: When events are Cut a gap is created (by default) in the selected track(s) of a song.
You can choose to keep or close this gap.
Use Data Filter: The Data Filter is a filter that, when in use, determines which events will be
affected by the current edit command. PowerTracks will only allow the events that match the
chosen characteristics to “pass through” the filter so that the current edit command can act upon
them. The filter has a separate row for all six types of MIDI events. Within each row are
settings that determine whether a type of event will pass through the filter, and the ranges and
values of the events that PowerTracks will allowed to pass through. There is also a row within
the filter that lets you specify which MIDI channels will pass through the filter.

The Use column determines whether or not an event type will pass
through the filter. If the Use column is checked, the event type will
be used, but if it isn't checked the event won't pass through the filter.
For example, if the use column in the Note row is not checked then
note events will not pass through the filter.
The Range column determines what range of events will pass
through the filter. For example, if the minimum for the note range is
C1 and the maximum is C2 only notes that fall within the range of C1
through C2 will pass through the filter. The current edit command
will not affect any notes lower than C1 or higher than C2.
The Value column works in the same way as the range column, but will act upon note velocities, controller values, or aftertouch
values. Only events with values that fall within the specified values will pass through the filter. For example, if the minimum
note value is 50 and the maximum is 100, then only notes with a velocity of 50 up to a velocity of 100 will be passed through
the filter.
Duration allows you to specify that only notes with durations in a specified range will be affected by your edit.
A Secondary Filter is a second Data Filter that you can use in addition to the regular filter. If you check the “Use Secondary
Filter” option at the bottom of the filter, then a second filter will pop up after you're done editing the regular filter. Events that
pass through either the regular or Secondary Filter will be affected by the current edit command.
The purpose of the Secondary Filter is to let you choose two separate sets of ranges. For example, you could specify a note
range of C1 to C2 in the regular filter, and a note range of C7 to C8 in the secondary filter. Notes that fall within either range

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will be affected by the current edit command but notes that don't fall within either of these two separate ranges won't be affected
at all.
Smooth Audio Cuts Checkbox: This feature performs a very quick “fade-in” if there is audio data immediately beyond the cut
section. This will prevent any clicks or pops from occurring when the section beyond the cut is played back.
Copy
This command works in different ways –depending upon which window is active. If you are working in the Comments
window, this command will copy the selected text to the clipboard. Otherwise, this command copies the marked area of selected
tracks, as specified by the From: and Thru: settings, and places the copied events in a scrap buffer. You can then use the Paste
command to paste the contents of the scrap buffer anywhere within the song, or you may use the Save Scrap feature to save the
contents of the buffer to a file. You can use the Data Filter to determine which events to copy.
Events: When this checkbox is enabled the Copy command will operate on MIDI events
in the marked area of all selected tracks.
Tempo Changes: When this checkbox is enabled the Copy command will operate on
tempo changes in the tempo map. You can the paste the tempo changes to a different
location in the song using the paste command.
This command also automatically copies MIDI events into the Windows clipboard so that
you may paste the events into another Windows application that supports pasting Standard
MIDI Data to/from the clipboard.
(Note: Only MIDI tracks can be copied to the Windows clipboard. Digital audio tracks
(WAV data) are copied and pasted to the program’s own internal clipboard/scrap buffer.)
Markers and Chord Symbols will be copied if these boxes are checked.

Another option when working with MIDI tracks is to use the Data Filter to determine which events to copy. If you use the Data
Filter the program will copy some events and will leave others untouched, depending on whether or not they “pass through” the
filter. See the detailed description under the Cut topic.
Paste
The Paste command works differently depending upon which window is active. If you are working in the Comments window
the paste command will paste text from the Windows clipboard into the Comments section. Otherwise, this command pastes the
contents of the scrap buffer to the current location in the song, as specified in the From: settings.
Paste automatically works the same way as 1-Track Paste if the scrap buffer only has data from 1 track.
(Note: This command can also paste a Standard MIDI File/data from the Windows clipboard. If you’re using another MIDI
application capable of copying a Standard MIDI File/data to the clipboard (such as Band-in-a-Box), this can be a very
convenient feature to use to get MIDI data into your project quickly. Keep in mind, though, that this command does not paste
“meter” changes.)
Destination Track #: If you copy or cut from a single track, the Paste dialog will let
you choose the destination track, with the current track being the default value. Use the
1-Track Paste menu item if you wanted to paste multiple tracks onto a single track.
The Repetitions option will cause the paste to repeat for as many times as you specify.
The Options field gives you 4 choices:
1) Merge the Paste with existing data.
2) Overwrite Existing Data.
3) Create a Gap on the currently Selected Tracks.
4) Create a Gap on All Tracks.
Events: When this checkbox is enabled this command will offer the ability to paste
any Events that are currently in the scrap buffer.
Tempo Changes: When this checkbox is enabled the Paste command will paste any
tempo changes that were copied or Cut into the tempo scrap buffer. The Markers and
Chord Symbols checkboxes have the same function.
Advance the Now pointer after the paste advances the current time to the end of the
pasted area. This is a useful feature for when you plan to create a new track or song
section from multiple Pastes.
Crossfade when pasting audio smoothes out a paste, so that no audible “clicks” are
heard at splice points of pastes.

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1-Track Paste
This feature performs a similar function as the Paste command except that it pastes all the data onto one single track.
Therefore, you should select only one track as the destination track or this command can’t be performed.
This command will only paste MIDI data to a MIDI track and WAV data to an audio track. For example, if you 1-Track Paste to
an audio track, and there is also MIDI data in the scrap buffer, the MIDI data will be ignored.
If more than one audio track is in the scrap buffer PowerTracks will merge those tracks together automatically during the 1-
Track Paste procedure; but this will take a notably longer time to carry out.
Insert Blank Bars Command
The new Edit | Insert Blank Bars into song command makes it easy to insert blank bars into the song, with an option to
intelligently adjust MIDI notes that are close to the boundary of the section you are inserting (useful if inserting bars in the
middle of a song). This will insert blank bars at any location of the song, and push the music forward in time to create the blank
bars.

In the Insert at Bar field, enter the bar at which you would like
PowerTracks to place the blank bars.
In the Number of Bars to Insert field, enter the amount of blank bars
you would like PowerTracks to insert.
If the Adjust MIDI Notes Close to Boundary checkbox is checked, PowerTracks will attempt to ensure that MIDI notes that
are slightly earlier than the point of the insert (and really is part of the section of music that will be moved forward in time but
was played slightly early) will be moved to the end of the inserted section rather than staying just before the inserted section.
Delete Bars and Preserve Settings
Edit | Delete Bars from song makes it easier to delete bars from a song with an option to preserve the most recent
Patch/Wheel/Controller settings and an option to intelligently adjust MIDI notes that are close to the boundary of the section
being deleted. This command will delete bars of music from the song (and will move the music beyond the deleted section
backward in time so there is no gap left over).

In the Starting Bar field, enter the bar number of the beginning of
the section you would like PowerTracks to remove.
In the Number of Bars field, enter the number of bars to remove.
If the Adjust MIDI Notes close to boundary checkbox is checked, PowerTracks will attempt to ensure that MIDI notes that are
slightly earlier than the very end of the deleted section (and really are part of the section of music beyond the deleted section)
will be moved backward in time rather than deleted. PowerTracks will also attempt to delete MIDI notes that are slightly earlier
than the start bar and really considered to be part of the first bar being deleted.
Track
Duplicate
This makes an exact copy of a track. You must select only one track as this feature is intended to duplicate one track at a time.
You will be prompted to select a destination track. The destination track must be empty.
Erase
This command permanently erases all selected tracks and resets their track setup values to “0.” You will be prompted as to
whether or not you wish to erase all selected tracks. This command can’t be undone later.
Erase Data Only
This feature works the same as the preceding Erase command except that it will not erase the parameter settings in the Tracks
window such as the Track Name, Channel, Velocity, etc.
Erase All Lyrics
This feature lets you easily delete all lyrics on the selected track.

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Adjust Volume/Trim of All Tracks
This feature will increase of decrease the audio tri db for all tracks at the same time or set them all to the same specific value.
Merge
This feature will offer to merge two tracks (of the same type- e.g., MIDI) together and place all the MIDI or WAV data found in
both tracks onto a 3rd track.
“Merge Track #” and “with Track #” fields: These settings contain the numbers of the two source tracks that are to be merged.
“To Track #” field: This setting specifies the number of the destination track in which the merged data from the source tracks
will be placed. Any blank track number (from 1 to 48) is valid.
Note: This command can’t be undone, but you can simply delete the destination track if you change your mind. The original
source tracks are unaffected by this command.
Convert Guitar Tracks
This command will convert a single channel guitar track that contains position information in it into a multi-channel guitar track
(i.e. MIDI Channels 11-16). The position information tells the Guitar window which position on the fretboard to display the
notes. It consists of Controller Number 84 MIDI Events that have been inserted into the track in the Guitar window by pressing
the insert position button.
If you have created a single channel guitar track using your keyboard and you used the Guitar Window to insert position
information then this command will help you convert the track into a multi-channel “MIDI Guitar” track.
Six MIDI channels are used in this conversion, one for each guitar string. The range of the channels is based on the “Base
Channel” setting in the Guitar window’s Options dialog. If the base channel is set to 11 (default), the channels will range from
11 to 16 –with Channel 11 corresponding to the highest string and Channel 16 corresponding to the lowest.
Split Piano Track into LH/RH
This command will attempt to split a piano track so that the notes that were played by the left hand are moved to Channel 8 and
the notes played by the right hand moved to Channel 9. This command may not work perfectly in all situations, but it often
produces quite acceptable results. The auto-splitting performed by this command can be thought of as one of the many possible
ways a track may have been played.
When a track is split by this command you can check the “Use Ch 8/9 for Left/Right hand” checkbox in the Notation Window’s
Options dialog to attempt to display the notes in the Notation window on Channel 8 in the bass clef and the notes on Channel 9
in the treble clef.
Copy Lyrics to Clipboard
This feature can copy any existing lyrics of the current track to the standard Windows clipboard as text so that you can share
them with another program. Selecting this command will automatically launch a Big Lyrics window for the current track –and
then copies the lyrics to the clipboard. You can close the Big Lyrics window at any time after the lyrics have been copied to the
clipboard. If a Big Lyrics window is already open for a given track the program will use the existing window rather than launch
a new one.
Align Music to Click Track
This feature attempts to align a track of music that was recorded in free time to a click track. It tries to take a free time track and
make adjustments to the times of the events so that the music becomes a standard track that can be synced to a metronome.
You can now easily record a click track along with any audio and/or MIDI, and then have PowerTracks automatically line up
everything with tempo and time signature changes. This can have many useful applications. For example, if you recorded a
strumming guitar in free time, PowerTracks can line it up to the grid so you can add loops, RealDrums, or RealTracks. Or, if
you have just purchased a song from iTunes, you can have it line up to the grid in PowerTracks to make it easier for you to
learn. Or, if you have recorded MIDI (not to a click track), and you can have that MIDI line up to the grid without affecting the
actual performance.
Consolidate Audio Region
Use the Consolidate Audio Region feature when you are working with WAV (digital audio) files to recreate a track or region
as one contiguous file. While not always necessary, this is especially useful in situations where you have performed many edits
(e.g., Cut/Copy/Paste) and the resulting track has been broken up into many smaller wave “chunks” that may cause audio
glitches and/or timing errors as your computer has to work harder to open and close the many small files.
The “consolidate” feature effectively serves to “stitch together” these smaller files into one big file. The non-real time audio
effects work better with consolidated tracks, if these effects are returning error messages the problem is often corrected by
applying this feature.
This command will offer the option to include silence when consolidating from the start of the song and tracks(s) don't start at
the very beginning.

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Insert Blank Track
This command inserts a blank track at the position of the Current Track selected in the Tracks window and bumps all existing
tracks down in the Tracks view by one row. For example, say you want to insert a blank track at Track 2. By using this
command, the existing track at track 2 will become track 3 and the track that was previously track 3 will become track 4.
To undo this procedure, you could use the Remove command to remove the track previously inserted.
Remove Track
This command removes (deletes) the Current Track and moves higher numbered tracks up by 1 row in the Tracks window. If
you want to delete track number 3 with this command, Track 4 will become track 3 and track 5 will become track 4, etc.
This command can’t be undone later, but you could move the remaining tracks back to their original locations by using the
Insert Blank Track feature.
Swap Tracks
This command lets you easily swap two tracks. This will switch their positions (track number) on the Tracks window. To swap
track 2 with track 4, enter 2 in the Swap Track # field and enter 4 in the With Track # field, and the two tracks will trade
places.
Save Track to File
This command lets you save the current track as a file. If the track is an audio track this will export it to a .WAV file. If the track
is a MIDI track you can save it either to a .SEQ, .MID, or Type 0 .MID file.
Generate Intelligent Audio Harmony (with passing tones)
This command lets you save the current track as a file. If the track is an audio track this will export it to a .WAV file. If the track
is a MIDI track you can save it either to a .SEQ, .MID, or Type 0 .MID file.
The intelligent audio harmony feature uses elastique.
The feature includes:
- Harmonizing the audio with up to 4 harmony voices
- Transcribing the original audio to MIDI
- Transcribing the harmony voices to MIDI
To use, right-click on the Tracks window and select Generate | Generate Intelligent Audio Harmony (with passing tones). If you
want to generate harmonies for a region, highlight the region before selecting this command. This will open the Generate
Intelligent Audio Harmony (with passing tones) dialog.
Select the number of “Harmony Voices” that you want
to generate.
The “Voices Above” setting determines the number of
harmony voices that will sing higher than the original
voice.
The “Melody Double” option allows you to double
original voice either in unison or an octave
above/below.
The “Duet Voicing” option is for the 2-part harmony
that doesn’t include a melody double (i.e. “Harmony
Voices” = 1 and “Melody Double” = None). It allows
you to make the harmony voice 3rds, 6ths, or a
combination of 3rds and 6ths, above or below the
original voice depending on the “Voice Above” setting.
In the “Track” fields, specify the track of the original
voice and select the destination tracks of the harmony
voices. You can set the “Volume” and the stereo
“Balance” for the original voice and each harmony
voice.
This dialog can also transcribe the original voice and/or
generated harmony voices to MIDI. Check the
“Transcribe audio to MIDI Track” option to transcribe
the original voice and select the destination track for the
transcribed MIDI. To transcribe harmony voices, check
the “Transcribe harmony voices” option. Harmony
voices can be transcribed to either a single MIDI track

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 or multiple tracks.
Merge 2 Mono Audio Tracks to Stereo
This command lets you combine any two mono audio tracks into a single stereo track.
When the dialog box pops up, you need to type in the track numbers of tracks containing mono audio in the Source Track for
Left Ch and Source Track For Right Ch fields.
In the Destination Track field, type in the track number of a blank track.
Press the OK button and PowerTracks will merge the mono audio tracks to stereo.
Note: The original tracks will remain untouched. At some point, you could choose to erase the original tracks using the Track |
Erase command.
Split a Stereo Track Into 2 Mono Tracks
This command lets you split a single stereo audio track into two mono audio tracks. This is useful in special situations, such as if
you wanted to use completely different effects on each of the two channels.
In the Stereo Source field, type in the track number of a stereo audio track.
In the Destination Track For Left Ch and Destination Track For Right Ch fields, type in two blank track numbers.
Press the OK button, and PowerTracks will split the stereo track into two mono audio tracks.
Note: The original track will remain untouched. At some point, you could choose to erase the original track using the Track -
Erase command.
MIDI
Quantize
The Quantize feature can be used on MIDI data only. This command “rounds” the
times of notes to the nearest user-specified time interval. This is very useful for
correcting timing errors in your music performance(s). Both the start times and
durations of MIDI notes can be quantized. The resolution setting will determine the
degree to which the timing is rounded. For example, if you choose a resolution of a
sixteenth note, the notes in the marked area will be rounded off to the nearest
sixteenth note. You may choose any resolution setting anywhere from a whole note
down to a 32nd note.
The percentage option will allow you to make the timing of your music more
accurate without sounding too mechanical. For example, if you chose an interval of a
sixteenth note, a percentage of 50% will move the notes 50% closer to the nearest
sixteenth note instead of moving the notes exactly to the nearest sixteenth note.
Tip: You can also use the Data Filter to determine which notes will be affected by the
Quantize command.

Replace
This command is for MIDI tracks only. It can search for any type of event you specify and replace the events that it encounters
with new ones. As with other edit commands, the replace command affects only the marked area of all selected tracks.
When you select this command you will be prompted for the type of event to search for,
followed by the search ranges.

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 Next, you will be prompted for: 1) the type of event with which to replace the found events, and
2) the replacement ranges.

Pressing the Esc key at any time will take you back to the previous step. The events that match the search criteria will be
changed to the kind of event you specified as the replacement event type (assuming you didn’t select the same replacement type
as the search type). In addition, the program will re-map the values of these events from the search ranges in order to fall within
the replacement ranges.
Pitch Transpose MIDI Music
This command transposes notes in the marked area of all selected tracks by
the specified value. For example, if you specify a value of “-12” the notes
will be transposed down one octave. You can also use the Data Filter to
further refine the selection of notes to transpose.

Fill
This command will insert a stream of: the controller, pitch bend, or channel
aftertouch events. You can use the Fill feature to perform various tricks such
as fade-ins, fade-outs, pitch bends, etc. The program will prompt you for the
type of event to fill and what the From: (start) and Thru: (end) value should
be. Then, the events will be automatically inserted throughout the marked
area of the song. The values of the inserted events will gradually increase or
decrease from the start value to the end value.

Length of MIDI Music

This command alters the length of the marked area of all selected tracks by the specified percentage. For example, a setting of
50% will shorten the length by half.

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Perhaps you don’t know the length percentage, but you know how much
faster or slower you want the section to be. You can enter a speed
percentage and the corresponding length percentage will be calculated
by PowerTracks.
Similarly, if you enter a new tempo the length and speed percentages
will be updated to match the new tempo.
You can also use the Data Filter to determine which events this feature
affects.
The Edit | Length of MIDI Music command supports floating point
percentages. You can specify a length percentage as a floating-point
number, such as 110.54%.

Slide MIDI Music

This command shifts the time values of the events within the marked area of all
selected tracks by a user-specified value. This value can be either positive or
negative. A positive value will slide the events forward in time and a negative value
will slide them backwards in time. This feature can be set in terms of Ticks (i.e.
PPQ) or MS (milliseconds, 1000=1 second).
There is a combo box available next to the value field that allows you to choose
between these two time formats. The Data Filter offers refinements to the selection
of exactly which type of MIDI events will be affected by the Slide MIDI Music
command.

Rechannel
This handy feature lets you make changes to the MIDI channel(s) of the events in a
marked area of any selected tracks. The “Old Low Channel” and “Old High
Channel” fields allow you to specify a range of channels that will be affected.
Conversely, the “New Low Channel” and “New High Channel” fields allow you to
select the range within which to re-map the events.
For example, let’s say you wanted to change all the events in a marked region so that
they are all on MIDI Channel 2. First, choose an Old Low Channel of 1and an Old
High Channel of 16 (to encompass the all range of 1 through 16). Next, select both a
New Low and New High Channel of 2 (e.g., a range of 2 through 2). This would
have the desired result of all events in all MIDI channels remapped to MIDI channel
2.
As another example suppose you have a multi-channel MIDI guitar part ranging
from channels 3 through 8 and you wanted to change the part so it is played on MIDI
channels 11 through 16 (the standard MIDI guitar channels). In this case you would
select an Old Channel range of 3 through 8, and a New Channel range of 11 through
16. This would result in all the events in the guitar part being remapped to MIDI
Channels 11 through 16.
Tip: You can also use the Data Filter to refine which events are affected by this feature.

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Eliminate Note Overlap
This feature is a convenient way of eliminating overlapping notes without having to
spend a lot of time manually identifying and editing each one. An overlapping note
is one that ends after the next note starts.
For example, if a note begins at 1:01:00 and ends at 1:01:130, but the next note
starts at 1:01:120, then the first note overlaps the second note. In this situation, the
Eliminate Note Overlap feature would shorten the note, making it end at 1:01:119
so that the two notes don’t overlap each other.
The default settings for this command are to eliminate overlapping notes that are
identical in note number and MIDI Channel. If you want to eliminate all overlapping
notes uncheck the Same Note Number and Same MIDI Channel checkboxes so that
the command will affect all notes that appear to overlap.
Notes are normally only considered to be overlapping if they are on the same track
in the Tracks window.

Be careful not to use this command on notes that you want to have overlap –such as chords and arpeggios. Since this command
can be Undone you can listen to the results carefully to further ensure that everything sounds as it should.
If you do not like what you hear, use the Undo feature before moving on to other commands.
Remove Duplicate Notes checkbox, when enabled, is especially useful for eliminating “ghost” notes that may have been
accidentally inserted over existing notes in the Editable Notation window. They may even be masked from view in the regular
notation screen display.
A duplicate note is a note that is has same note number, is located at the same time location, and is on the same MIDI channel as
a pre-existing note.
Tip: You can also use the Data Filter to determine which events are affected by this procedure.
Extract Channels to Tracks
This feature will move MIDI events to different tracks based on the channel number of said events. For example, if the channel
number of an event is 1 the event will be moved to track number 1.
This can be useful when multiple channels of data are recorded on a track and
you decide you want to split the data into multiple tracks (e.g., Channel 8/9 can
be split into two tracks for use with the piano keyboard’s Auto-hand splitting
feature).
When “Place each channel onto available empty tracks” is checked,
PowerTracks will extract the current track’s MIDI data by placing each channel
found onto the next available empty track. For example, if the current track is
Track 1, and it has MIDI data on two channels (1 and 10) and Track 2 is blank,
then the MIDI data on channel 1 will stay on Track 1 and the MIDI data on
channel 10 will be moved to Track 2.
If the Use Channel Table checkbox is enabled a dialog box will pop up before
this command is issued. This gives you the opportunity to choose which tracks
the various MIDI Channel events are extracted to. For example, as you’ll notice
when the Channel Table dialog box pops up, the default is for Channel 3 to be
extracted to Track 3. Using this table you could, for example, enable this
feature to extract certain events on Channel 3 to Track 19.
Tip: You can use the Data Filter to determine which events are affected by this
command.

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Change Velocities
This feature allows for easy increases or decreases of the velocity values of notes
within a marked region of all selected tracks by a specified percentage.
The Normalize command can be used to apply the same levels to many MIDI
files, so they all sound with the same approximate volume. Dynamics in the files
are preserved!
The “Percentage” setting determines how the velocity values are changed. For
example, a percentage setting of 100 results in no change, while a percentage
setting of 50 would reduce the velocity values by half. A percentage parameter of
125 would increase the velocity values in the track by 25%.
Tip: You can use the Data Filter to determine and refine which events are affected by
this command.

When “Normalize” is checked, the MIDI note velocities of the track being edited will be boosted by the difference between the
highest velocity found in the track and 127.
Note: The MIDI Normalize works on each track independently. This could potentially change the mix when multiple tracks are normalized.
For example, if normalizing two tracks, and one track generally had very low velocities, but another had very high velocities then normalizing
multiple tracks may boost the relative volume of the one that originally had low velocities. The solution would be to reduce the volume of that
track.

Velocity Dynamics
This command will “compress” or “expand” the velocity values of notes within the marked area of all selected tracks. The
program will automatically determine the average velocity of all notes within a marked area.
The Percentage setting will cause the velocity values to be moved either closer or
farther away from the average velocity. A percentage setting of 100 results in no
change. A percentage setting of 50 would compress the velocity values so that they
are 50% closer to the average velocity. For example, if the average velocity is 64
and a note has a velocity of 84, the note’s velocity will be moved midway between
these values (64 and 84) to become 74.
A percentage setting of 150 would “expand” the velocity values so that they are
50% farther away from the average velocity. For example, if the average velocity is
64 and a note has a velocity of 84 the note would be moved 50% farther away from
64 and 84 to become 94.
In the preceding examples the velocity value suggested would be considered to be “above the average.” Remember that velocity
values that are “below the average” will be increased toward the average velocity when compression occurs and decreased
when expansion occurs.
Tip: You can use the Data Filter to determine which events are affected by this command.
Fill Track With MIDI Drum Pattern
This feature is a convenient way of loading an existing drum pattern and pasting it
onto a track. The [Select Pattern] button lists all of the available patterns in a drop-
down combo so that you can quickly select a Drum Pattern file (*.DP) to be pasted
into the track that is selected in the “Track #” field.
The measures that have been specified in the “From Bar #” and “Thru Bar #” fields
will be filled with the loaded pattern. The pattern will be repeated until the selected
ending bar is reached.
Note: Filename.DP files are simply MIDI files containing a short MIDI drum pattern saved
with the .DP extension. You can create your own .DP files by recording them yourself (i.e.
with the “virtual MIDI drums” plug-in). Technically, any MIDI data can be saved to a .DP file,
but it makes sense for them to only contain a short drum pattern instead of additional
instrument parts.

Randomize
This feature will randomly alter the start times, velocities, and durations of notes within a marked area of all selected tracks.
This command can be used to alter the timings and dynamics of notes in a quantized track so that the track sounds less robotic
and has a more “human” feel to it.
Use this setting sparingly; otherwise it may cause a track to sound “sloppy.” This command can be undone with the Edit | Undo
menu item.

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 The Min Start Time Offset is the lowest amount of ticks that the program
can move a note backward in time. The Max Start Time Offset is the
highest amount of ticks that the program can move a note forward in time.
For example, if the Min Start Time Offset is “-5” and the Max Start Time
Offset is 2, and a note begins at 2:01:100 the program will randomly move it
anywhere between 2:01:095 and 2:01:102. If both the Min and the Max
Start Time Offsets are set to 0 the notes won’t be moved.
When MS is selected instead of Ticks, the min/max start time offset in the
Randomize command is specified in milliseconds rather than ticks. The MS
offset will be rounded to the closest tick at the actual song PPQ which works
excellent with higher song PPQ resolutions.

Note: If the Ticks setting is enabled, the ticks are actually based on a PPQ of 120 regardless of the current PPQ. This is how “Randomize”
has always worked.
The Vel Percentage setting determines the degree to which the program will randomly alter note velocities. For example, a
setting of 10 will cause the program to randomly alter velocities anywhere from 10% lower or up to 10% higher than the note’s
original velocity. If a note has a velocity of 100, for example, the program will randomly alter it so that its new velocity is
somewhere between 90 and 110. If this setting is set to 0 then the note velocities won’t be altered at all.
The Dur Percentage setting determines the degree to which the program will randomly alter note durations. For example, a
setting of 10 will cause the program to randomly alter durations anywhere from 10% shorter or up to 10% longer than the note’s
original duration.
If a note has a duration of 200, for example, the program will randomly alter it so that its new velocity is somewhere between
180 and 220. If this setting is set to 0 the note durations won’t be altered at all. This feature is often used to randomly adjust the
durations for tracks that were either step recorded or ones that were manually entered into the Notation window.
Rechannel All Tracks
Note: This command is for MIDI tracks only. This command has no effect on audio tracks.
This command will rechannel all the events in ALL the tracks to the forced MIDI channel in the “Ch” field of the Classic
Tracks window. Any track that has “0” as the forced channel won’t be affected.
Make sure you don’t execute this command if multi-channel tracks such as guitar tracks have forced channels. This would cause
you to lose the multi-channel information.
Note: Rechanneling of all tracks used to automatically be done when saving to a .MID file but this has been eliminated because it destroyed
the string separation of multi-channel guitar tracks. Use this command as a quick way to rechannel the data in all the tracks before saving to a
.MID file.

Split MIDI drums

This command will split a MIDI drum track to separate tracks. Custom settings allow you to control which notes go to which
track. It acts upon the current track.

If the “Auto-Fill Tracks for each MIDI note used setting”

is enabled, then PowerTracks will automatically move
each MIDI note over to a new blank track.
If the “Custom” setting is enabled, you can specify which
MIDI notes go to which track. On the left column of the
Custom section, you will see the track numbers that notes
will be placed onto. You can type the note numbers into
MIDI Note Nums edit field, separated by commas. For
example, “62,65” would mean that MIDI note numbers 62
and 65 will go onto the track specified on the left field
E.g. <7>.
If you press the “...” button a list box will pop up that
makes it easier to specify the note numbers. The Note
Name Octave number of each note is shown (e.g. E 5)
and, for notes in the GM drum range, the GM drum sound
names for GM drums are shown (e.g. Acoustic Snare,
Closed High Hat, etc).
You could override the track number by enabling the checkbox next to the “Hard Trk” field and typing another track number in
the hard track field. The Hard Track can be any MIDI or blank track that you specify.

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Remap to .KAR format
This dialog will pop up when attempting to save a .MID or .SEQ file as a .KAR file, or if you select the Remap to .KAR Format
command.

This feature will remap the track numbers to conform to the .KAR (Karaoke) file format. In a .KAR file Track 1 and Track 2
only contain lyric events. Track 1 has lyric events for identification and copyright purposes. Track 2 contains the actual lyrics of
the song.
In the 6 edit boxes you can enter the track numbers that should be moved to destination tracks in order to conform to the
standard. For example, if track 7 contains lyrics you would type 7 in the edit box for track 2. If the melody were on track 8 you
would type an 8 for track 3, etc. If the lyrics and melody are both on the same track, for example track 6, you would type a 6 for
both the lyrics and melody track.
If there are any tracks such as non-lyrics text, bass, etc. that are not included in a given song you should type a 0 in the edit
controls for these.
Note: KAR files use a slightly different format than PowerTracks’s native files to store lyrics. When loading a .KAR file PowerTracks will
automatically convert KAR lyrics to the PowerTracks format, and when resaving to a .KAR it will automatically save the lyrics back in the
original .KAR format.
Pressing the ReMap Now button will cause tracks to be remapped to the Karaoke Standard Track Order. Any tracks that are
present in a sequence that wasn’t specified to be remapped will be placed after the chords track.
Only lyric events are re-mapped to Tracks 1 and 2. For example, if you’ve specified that track 3 should be remapped to the
lyrics track and it also contains MIDI data events, these won’t get remapped to Track 3 but will instead be placed in a track after
the chords track. The only exception is in the case where lyrics and melody are both on the same track. In this case you would
type the same track number for both lyrics and melody so that the lyrics get mapped to track 2 and the melody goes over to
Track 3.
If the tracks in a song are already in the proper order there is no need to remap, but pressing the REMAP NOW button will
cause the program to insert special identification events at the beginning of tracks 1 and 2 if they don’t already exist.
If this dialog was popped up as a result of selecting the Remap to .KAR Format feature there will also be a Save As button
which will allow you to save the file as a .KAR file. Make sure you press the REMAP NOW button if remapping is required in
order to comply with the KAR specification.
If this dialog was popped up during a Save As operation there will be a CANCEL button which, when pressed, will cancel the
save operation.
Pitch to MIDI Convert (current audio track)
This command will perform a pitch-to-MIDI conversion of the current track. It works best on audio tracks that contain only
single-note melodies. The current track is analyzed and then the program will attempt to convert it to MIDI. If the conversion is
successful the MIDI notes will be placed on the next available empty MIDI track.
Drum/Patch Map
This feature provides the ability to load a Drum/Patch Map file that is customized to your MIDI sound source. A Drum/Patch
Map file has the .DK extension. These are the same files that are used by Band-in-a-Box to identify and use all the sounds and
patches available on a given sound source or synth. Once a .DK file is loaded you can use the Re-map Drums/Patches command
to re-map a General MIDI file to the custom sounds accessible in your .DK file. Check the PG Music web site for additional
.DK files that may be applicable to your synth or sound source.
Clear Drum/Patch Map
This command clears the current Drum/Patch Map from memory.

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Re-map Drums/Patches
This command will re-map the drum notes and patches from a General MIDI file to those of the current Drum/Patch map. This
will bring up a dialog box in which you have two checkboxes that determine whether drums, patches, or both will be re-mapped.
Open the PATCHES.INI file (located in the \pt directory) with a text program to see instructions for creating a new patch map.
Drum Grid Editor
This command will bring up a window with a grid that lets you create 4/4 drum patterns. Patterns can be loaded from a list or
created in the drum grid editor.
Patterns are created by typing velocity values into the square fields of the grid. To the right of the grid are the names of the drum
instruments that correspond to each row of the grid. Each column of the grid represents one of the 16 divisions of the measure
(assuming the resolution is set to 16).
For example, if you type the number 100 in the field located in the lower left corner of the grid a bass drum will sound with a
velocity of 100 on the first 16th note of the measure.

To use the Drum Grid Editor first click on any field of the grid and start typing a number into the field. If you make a mistake
and wish to erase part of what you typed press the backspace key. The left and right arrow keys, Tab and Shift+Tab (as well
as the Enter and Shift+Enter keys) –allow you to move to the previous or next field.
The Resolution button toggles the resolution between 16 and 12 divisions per measure. When the resolution is 16 the patterns
will have a straight feel. When the resolution is 12 the pattern will have a triplet (swung) feel.
The Play button will play a pattern repeatedly –up to 100 times, or until the Stop button is pressed. The pattern is actually
temporarily copied to track number 48 before playing the pattern and then is erased when playback is finished. This isn’t
something that you need to be concerned with unless you are using track 48 for regular playback. If this is the case the program
will issue a warning message instead of playing the pattern.
Note: When playing back patterns the channel and port settings assigned to Track 48 will be used. You can change these
settings if you want the pattern played over a different channel or port.
The Save button allows you to save the current pattern as a .DG (Drum Grid) file, and the Load button will load a pre-made
.DG file into the grid.
The Fill button activates the Edit | Fill Track with Drum Pattern feature. This can be used to fill a track with either a .DG (drum
grid) or a .DP (drum pattern) file. This is the command to use to get drum patterns into a track of a song. The file name of the
current pattern will appear in the File field of the Fill Track with Drum Pattern dialog so you can execute the command
without having to manually reload the file into this dialog. If the current pattern hasn’t been saved you will be prompted as to
whether you wish to save before performing the Fill Track with Drum Pattern operation.
The Clear button will erase the current pattern so you can create a new pattern in its place.
Tip: If you press the F5 key or the [Subst.] button a dialog box will pop-up that lets you choose a substitute drum note for the
one currently selected in a given field. For example, if a note is a “closed high hat” with a velocity of 100 you could have, say,
an “open high hat” with a velocity of 80 (or 120, etc.) as a substitute for the closed high hat (occurring 20% of the time).
The Substitute Play % field determines how often a substitution may occur. A Substitute Play % value of 80 would mean that
the substitute note has an 80% chance of replacing the “regular” note in the specified position of the grid each time a measure is
placed into a track using the Fill command. The Substitute Note field allows you the ability to select a note number – ranging
from 1 (Bass Drum) to 18 (Open Shaker). Similarly, the Substitute Velocity field offers you a way to alter the velocity of the
substitute drum note.
The Random button launches a dialog that ties the previous settings together and lets you specify whether the program will
randomly alter the start times and velocities of notes when the “Fill Track with Drum Pattern” command is used. This feature

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does not randomly alter any notes in real-time. It will only randomly alter velocities when the Fill Track with Drum Pattern
command is issued. If you re-select a fill the track will very likely be different each time.
The Min Start Time Offset is the lowest amount of ticks that the program can move a note backward in time. The Max Start
Time Offset is the highest amount of ticks that the program can move a note forward in time.
For example, if the Min Start Time Offset is -5 and the Max Start Time Offset is 2, and a note begins at 2:01:100, the
program will randomly move it anywhere between 2:01:095 and 2:01:102. If both the Min and Max Start Time Offsets are set to
0 the notes won’t be moved in time.
The Vel Percentage setting determines the degree to which the program will randomly alter note velocities. For example, a
setting of 10 will cause the program to randomly alter velocities anywhere from 10% lower and up to 10% higher than the note’s
original velocity. If this setting is set to 0 the note velocities won’t be altered by the program.
There are hot keys available for quickly setting the value of a drum grid “cell” without having to type an entire number. These
hot keys are located along the bottom row of the keyboard. The Z key sets the cell to “unused” while the other keys to the right
of the Z key will set the cell to values ranging from 40 for the X key up to 127 for the forward slash / key.
The [ key lets you decrease the tempo without having to exit the Drum Grid editor, and the ] key will increase the tempo. Each
time you press [ or ] key the tempo will decrease or increase by 1. Holding down these keys will gradually decrease or increase
the tempo.
Real Time Control
This command brings up a dialog box that lets you send either MIDI Pitch Bend or Modulation Wheel messages to your sound
source. These messages are sent out over the forced channel and port of a selected track. The combo box lets you choose
between Pitch Bend and Mod Wheel messages. This feature isn’t intended to be a substitute for a good hardware controller.
However, by clicking on the scroll bar’s “thumb position box” and using the mouse to move the scroll bar, you can send these
controller messages in a familiar way (i.e. like a hardware version). This is useful if you don’t have a good hardware controller
available.
When Pitch Bend is selected the scroll bar will return to the center when the mouse is released. When Mod Wheel is selected
the scroll bar will always stay wherever you leave it.
PowerTracks can record any Real Time Control messages that you send when Recording is active. For example, when you’ve
finished recording and you have sent some Real Time Control messages, the program will prompt you as to whether you wish
to keep the recorded “Controller Moves” – just like when you make changes to pan/vol/effect settings in the “Mixer” window.
Panic
This command will send an All Notes Off and a Sustain Pedal Off command over all 16 MIDI channels. It will also shut off
any MIDI Thru notes that may be sustained.
Cache Patches Now
This command is only applicable to you if you are using a MIDI output driver that requires patch caching. This command will
cause PowerTracks to update the patch cache. See also the Options | MIDI Out menu.
Mode-On Messages
This command has a submenu for sending a GM, GS, or XG mode-on message out the MIDI output ports. The purpose of these
messages is to enable the General MIDI mode on GM synthesizers, or the GS or XG extensions to General MIDI on devices that
support them. GS and XG extend and add more functionality and features to the General MIDI standard.
Convert Band-in-a-Box and Cakewalk Patches
The Action menu command Convert Patch List from Band-in-a-Box or Cakewalk will let you convert a Band-in-a-Box .PAT file
or a Cakewalk .INS file to a PowerTracks .INI file.
Select the location of the patch list you want to convert in the Open dialog.

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Then a file Save As dialog will pop up, with a default .INI file name based on the name of the source patch file.

When you press the [Save] button, PowerTracks will prompt you to add the new patches to your existing PATCHES.INI file.
Choose [Yes] to add your new patch list to the existing
PATCHES.INI file.
Choose [No] if you want to create a new .INI file with just the new
patches. The original PATCHES.INI file will not be modified.

To use your new .INI file by itself you will need to name it PATCHES.INI and copy it over the default PATCHES.INI file in
your PowerTracks folder. Be sure to save a backup copy of the default PATCHES.INI file first.
The next time you run PowerTracks it will recognize the new patch list. This message will confirm that your new patch list has
been made.

Run .DLL or .EXE

This command will let you run any .DLL or .EXE “plug-in” that was specifically designed to work with PowerTracks. To
choose which DLL or EXE plug-in will be run by this command see the next topic.
Select .DLL or .EXE
This command will bring up the Select .DLL or .EXE dialog. This allows you to select and run any .DLL or .EXE plug-in that
was specifically designed to work with PowerTracks. All plug-in files that ship with PowerTracks are installed by default into
the PowerTracks main folder (e.g., C:\pt).
Audio
Insert Wave File
This command offers to import a wave file into the “current track” of your project.
- WAV: Windows wave files, native digital audio files for the Microsoft Windows platform.

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- MP3: compressed audio files, popular on the Internet. Requires codec to be present on system.
- WMA: Windows Media Audio, a compressed audio format developed by Microsoft.
- WMV: Windows Media Video is a compressed video format developed by Microsoft. PowerTracks will load the audio from
a WMV.
- CDA: CD Audio is the file extension used by Windows to make CD audio tracks available for loading into programs like
RealBand. Just put an audio CD into your CD-ROM, and then open a .CDA file from that drive (usually drive D).
Note: This feature may not work unless running Windows XP or higher. CDA files may not open in Windows Vista.
This command will also import MultiTrack .WAV files by offering a choice of merging them to mono or placing additional
tracks of the wave file onto separate tracks. For example, if Track 1 is the current track and Track 2 is empty (and you import a
Stereo Wave file), PowerTracks will place the left channel on track 1. The right channel will be imported to Track 2 on the next
available track, which, in this case, is Track 2 since this track is empty.
A dialog will pop up which lets you select the time location to place the wave file(s). By default this is the current time (Now:)
of a song.
Open DirectX/VST Plugins Configuration
Open the DirectX/VST window to select and edit effects plug-ins.
Open DXi/VSTi Synth Panel Configuration
Opens the DirectX/VST window with the control panel for the current synth.
Audio Effects
This submenu contains all of the installed audio (DSP) effects that can be used with Wave Digital Audio Tracks (or “rendered”
MIDI tracks). The audio effects in this submenu are actually external “plug-ins” that are transparently integrated with
PowerTrack. You’ll be able to use them just as if they are built-in to the program since they work in a manner similar to the
standard editing commands. To access any DirectX or VST plug-ins you have installed in your system, choose the “DirectX
Audio Plugins” option and select the effect you want to use from the drop-down list located in the DirectX plug-in dialog.
Each audio effect has its own [Help] button, which gives a detailed description of the effect parameters and their use.
Reverse Audio Effects
This feature will reverse a highlighted section of audio to create backwards effects in your song. This can be used for backwards
soloing effects or for transitions to a new section of a song. For example, if you reverse a held chord or a sustained cymbal, it
can be used as a “crescendo” effect to transition from one section to another section of a song.
Chords
This menu item contains a special sub-menu that allows you to delete or copy chord symbols that are shown in the Chords or
Notation window. The commands in this sub-menu do not affect the MIDI playback of a song, but the song will be changed if
BB tracks are regenerated.
Copy Chords
This feature lets you copy or move chord symbols that are shown in the Chords or Notation window to a different location in
one easy operation. This command does not affect the MIDI playback of a song, but it does affect the generation of BB tracks..
The Copy From Bar and Copy Thru Bar settings provide you with the ability to select a range of bars (measures) in which the
chord symbols are copied.
The Paste From Bar setting offers a space to choose the bar number in
which to paste the copied chord symbols.
If the Move Instead of Copy checkbox is enabled the chord symbols are
moved instead of copied.
The Repetitions setting causes the program to paste the chord symbols by
the amount shown in this setting. The repetitions setting is ignored if the
“Move Instead of Copy” checkbox is checked.

Note: This command can’t be undone later. A warning message box will give you one last chance to cancel the command before it is carried
out.

Delete Chords
This command deletes any chord symbols that are shown in the Chords window or the Notation window. This command does
not affect the MIDI Events of a song but it does affect the generation of BB tracks.

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 The Delete From Bar and Delete Thru Bar settings allow you to select a
range of bars (measures) in which the chord symbols are deleted. This
command can’t be undone later. A warning message box will provide you with
the opportunity to cancel the command before it is performed.

You can delete chord symbols individually for a specific beat of a song by pressing Ctrl+Delete or the comma (,) key while in
the Notation window (only if the Ch checkbox in the Notation window is checked).
Chords Window
This command opens the Chords Window.
Tempo
Set Current Tempo
This command allows you change the current tempo of the song. You may choose a tempo value of 8 to 500. PowerTracks will
automatically change the current tempo entry in the Tempo Map to the tempo that you select. See also Tap-in tempos as
described in the Reference section.
Tempo Map
The Tempo Map is a list of all the tempo changes that occur during the course of the song.
Tempo Calculator
The length of a song depends on tempo and number of bars. With this calculator, you can enter 2 of the 3 variables (length of
song in seconds, tempo, number of bars) and the program calculates the third variable for you. So, for example, if you need a
piece of music lasting 60.00 seconds, and it is 45 bars, you can use the calculator to find the tempo that will achieve that.
Meter
Set Time Signature (Meter)
This command lets you change the current meter. The Meter Map event for the current time will correspondingly be
automatically changed. The numerator can be from 1 to 99.
You can change the denominator via the drop down combo box illustrated here.
Meter Map
The Meter Map contains a list of all the meter changes that occur during the course of a song. The [Ins], [Del], and [Change]
buttons may be used to insert, delete, and change the entries in the Meter Map. You may also insert meter entries by pressing
the Insert key on your computer while in the Meter Map dialog.
Key Signature
This feature allows you to choose the key signature for a song. This setting will affect whether accidentals are displayed as
sharps or flats. The key signature is selected from the dropdown combo box. The Key Signature dialog also has options for
transposing the song’s MIDI tracks, audio tracks, or both to the new key. “No Transpose” changes the key signature for notation
but does not affect the tracks.
Time stretch and/or transpose entire song
This lets you transpose/stretch/reduce all tracks and then conveniently save to a new file.

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 Source file: This is the source file that will be stretched and/or transposed.
You can change it with the [Change] button.
Time Stretch (or Reduce)
Enabled: if checked, then PowerTracks will change the length based on the
following settings:
New Length Percentage: The new length as a percentage relative to the
original length. For example, a new length percentage of 200% will result in
the section being double the original length.
New Speed Percentage: Time stretching (or reduction) will also cause the
section to be played faster or slower. If you are stretching a section of the
song, it will play slower. If you are reducing a section, it will play faster. This
setting is the inverse of the New Length Percentage. For example, a New
Speed Percentage of 50% (half speed) will result in a New Length Percentage
of 200% (double length).
Old Tempo / New Tempo: If you specify old and new tempos, this is
another way of adjusting the speed, but this method lets you think in terms of
a change in tempo rather than a change in speed as a percentage.
Transpose
Enabled: If this is checked, then PowerTracks will pitch shift based on the
following settings.
Semitones: This is the number of semitones to pitch shift up or down. There
are 12 semitones per octave.
Cents: This is the number of cents to pitch shift up or down. There are 100 cents per semitone.
Save as file: This is the target file name.
File Type: Select a file type (WAV, MP3, WMA, M4A, SEQ, or SGU)
[Save as File]: Press this button when you are ready to save.

Rnder Menu
Export Acid Loop - Highlighted section or entire track to WAV in Loops Folder
This command will render the highlighted section of the current track or the whole track as an ACID Loop and save it to the
bb\RealTracks\Loops folder.
Export Highlighted Section (or entire track) to wav/wma/mp4/m4a/mp3
This command will export the highlighted section of the current track to a wave file –as long as the track contains audio data.
Drag a section of the track while holding down the left mouse button to select a highlighted section. Use Ctrl+A to select the
whole track, or open the right-click menu and choose Select Whole Track.
Save Track to File
This command lets you save the Current Track as a file. If the track is an audio track this will export it to a .WAV file. If the
track is a MIDI track you can save it either to a .SEQ, .MID, or Type 0 .MID file.
Merge Audio and VSTi/DXi Tracks to Stereo Wave File...
This is an export command that will merge all the audio tracks to a stereo wave file while simultaneously rendering and merging
the MIDI tracks to audio if you have a DXi or VSTi software synth. When played in a wave file player the file will sound the
same as if the audio tracks of the song were being played by PowerTracks. The volume, mute, pan, etc. settings of the track will
affect the sound of the merged stereo wave file.
Merge Audio and VSTi/DXi Tracks to Compressed File...
When you export audio to alternate file formats a standard Windows Audio Format dialog appears.

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 Use the Format popup menu to select the ACM codec you wish to use, and
then select the exact specifications of the file from the choices available in the
Attributes popup menu.
If you frequently use a particular combination you can save a setting in the
Name combo box.
When you press OK, PowerTracks will export the song to the format you have
selected using the ACM codec.

Note: Most conversions work fine, but not all codecs can save in every format listed. PowerTracks does intermediate conversions when
necessary (to try to get the job done), but sometimes a codec will report “Conversion not Possible.” This error is caused by a limitation of the
codec rather than PowerTracks.

Merge Audio and VSTi/DXi Tracks to WMA File

This command works the same as the Render | Merge Audio and DXi Tracks to Stereo Wave File command except that this
feature will compress the file using the Microsoft Streaming Media® Compression Technology™. When you execute this
command the program first generates a temporary stereo PCM file (Raw Wave). A dialog will then pop-up that will let you save
the resulting stereo PCM wave file to a .WMA file (Windows Media Audio).
Test Wave File or Compressed File
This command launches your default media player so you can test your file for compatibility and playability with a standard
Windows media player.
Launch CD Burner
This command launches the “Miniburn” CD Burner program. If the current song has audio data this feature will first offer to
merge audio tracks in the current song to a WAV file. If you say OK to this option the CD Burner will automatically add the
.WAV file to a list of files to be burned onto a CD (burn list).
If necessary, PowerTracks will convert your file to 16-bit, 44.1 kHz stereo before burning it to an audio CD.
Save all tracks to individual files (WAV MID)
This command will save all tracks to either WAV or MID files depending on the track type.
Save all tracks to WAV files
This command will save all tracks to WAV files. MIDI tracks will be rendered using DXi.
Batch Convert
The Batch Convert command will convert a group of files in a folder over to another file type (.SEQ, .MID, .MP3, .MP4, .M4A,
.WAV, .MGU, .SGU). For example, you might want to convert your PowerTracks songs to MP4 files.
You just enter the location and file type (or all files) for the files that you want to convert and then choose the output file type
and location. There is also the option to add a suffix to the file names to identify the rendered files.

Action Menu
This menu contains commands dealing with recording or playback.
Play
You can start playback by using this command or pressing or by pressing the <SPACE BAR> or by pressing the Play button.
Play From Start
This command will play back the song from the beginning.
Play at Speed
This command brings up a submenu that gives you a choice of playing the song at 25% speed (one quarter the regular speed),
50% regular speed, 75% regular speed, and 100%, which is regular speed. Percentage tempo buttons are also available in the
Audio Edit window. Once engaged from either location the tempo playback speed remains in effect until changed in one of the
two locations.
Stop
This command stops a sequence from playing or recording. You can also stop playback by pressing the <SPACE BAR> or the
Stop button.

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Record
You can start recording either by using the Record menu item or by pressing the Record button.
- Use Record Audio Only to prevent MIDI from also being recorded. This will avoid extra popup questions after recording.
- Use Record MIDI Only to prevent audio from also being recorded. This will also avoid extra popup questions.
- Use Record Audio and MIDI to record both regardless of the current track type.
- Use Record Click Track menu item for recording a click track to align events to the locations you clicked. This automatically
will ensure that the current track gets set to MIDI, or switch to a new track if the current track is audio. This will also designate
the track as the Click Track after recording, and set the name to “Click Track” as well.
- If Always Record both Audio and MIDI menu command is enabled, then when the Record button is pressed, both types of
recording will occur by default. If this is not checked, then either MIDI or audio will be recorded, depending upon the track
type.
Recording will occur over the track that is selected as the current track when you activate Record. The program will attempt to
record either MIDI or audio data –depending on whether the current track is set to audio or MIDI in the Tracks window.
Any Volume, Pan, Chorus, and Reverb mixer adjustments made while recording will be recorded in real-time and saved as
MIDI controller messages –just like incoming MIDI data. Adjustments made in the All column of the mixer will not be
recorded. When recording mixer moves it is common to record the data on separate tracks from the musical data so that it can be
more easily edited or deleted.
Recording can be stopped by pressing the <SPACE BAR > or by pressing the Stop button.
When you have successfully recorded any MIDI or audio events you will be asked whether or not you wish to keep the take.
If the Punch In mode is activated the recording will automatically erase previously recorded data in the Punch In range field
without the need for you to erase the old data.
When recording WAV audio tracks the recording always overwrites any existing data even if you’re not punching in. In other
words, audio recording works like a tape recorder. If you want to ADD to a track without overwriting the old/existing track
simply select and use a new/blank track before recording additional material.
Recording onto a MIDI track won’t overwrite any existing data unless Punch In mode is enabled.
Each column in the mixer represents a track, and if the track is a MIDI track then any adjustments made in that column will
result in a MIDI controller message (mixer move) being generated based on the forced MIDI channel of that particular track. If
there is no forced channel for the track the channel of the first MIDI event will be used. If there are no events or a forced
channel the actual track number will be used.
See the Window Menu section later in this chapter for further information on the Mixer window.
If a selected track is a MIDI track and you also make mixer adjustments during recording, then you will be prompted as to
whether or not you wish to keep the recorded moves at the end of the take.
Record From Start
This command will automatically start recording from the beginning of a song.
Step Record
The Step Record feature allows you to record MIDI data one step at a time as opposed to a regular, real-time recording. Each
time you play something on your keyboard the sequencer will record the event with a time value representing the current
location in the song (i.e. the Now: time field). This kind of recording method is very useful if you know your way around a
piano keyboard, but perhaps don’t know it quite well enough to play in real time. This way, you can quickly enter the notes you
want via your MIDI keyboard without having to play it in time, as there will be an unrecorded “rest time” – of any length you
want – between notes played.
Choosing a Step Size: To choose a step size simply mouse-click over the
desired step. In the example dialog box shown above, for example, a Whole
note step has been selected.
Durations: Durations are chosen exactly the same way as step sizes; the “step
Size minus 1” option will automatically make the durations 1 tick less (PPQ)
than the selected Step Size. This is a convenient way to make durations
automatically match whatever step size you choose.
Auto Advance: When the “Auto Advance” setting is checked the time will
automatically advance to the next step after you play each note or a chord. You
will see the Now: and Time: fields on the tool bar change accordingly as the
time is advanced.
Dotted Step: When Dotted Step is enabled the step size will be 1and 1/2 times
the regular step size. (Example: a dotted eighth note is equal to 3 sixteenth
notes.)

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Go to: Use the [Go to…] key to conveniently move to a new location.
Backup and Advance: The [< Back Up] and [Advance >] buttons allow you to move through your project forwards and
backwards by one step at a time.
When you are finished with step record press the [OK] button. The take will be automatically saved. Pressing the [Cancel]
button will cancel the step record without keeping the take.
Test Audio Performance
This command will test the performance of your computer and hard-drive for recording digital audio tracks. This feature will
provide an estimate of the maximum number of 44.1 kHz tracks that the program can successfully play back. Keep in mind that
this is just a rough estimate; the actual amount of tracks you can play back may be higher or lower than this estimate.

Go to Time
This command gets you directly to any time in a song. You can also use the F6 function key to activate this command. If the
Display Mode (in the SMPTE section of the Options Menu) is set to “Normal” then the time is expressed in
Measures:Beats:Ticks. If the Display Mode is set to “SMPTE” then the time is expressed in Hours:Minutes:Seconds:Frames.
Go To Marker
This command allows you to go to a specific marker without having the Markers window opened.
Jukebox
The Jukebox feature lets you automatically play a list of songs. When selected, a dialog box will pop up that offers you choices
as to which songs will be played in a Jukebox session, etc.

The “Play List String” field contains a list of songs to be played. “Wild Cards” are allowed, as shown in the illustration above.
For example, if the “Play List String” is *.* then all .MID and .SEQ files in a specified directory will be played.
Note: Only files with a .MID or .SEQ extension will be loaded if the extension of the file name is a wild card. The current directory is shown to
the right of the dialog’s title. You can specify several files (and folders) to search for by separating them with a semicolon (;) character.
For example, suppose the Play List String is
“C:\WINDOWS\CANYON.MID;C:\pt\*.SEQ;D:\MIDIFILE\*.MID.”
In this example, the program will first play CANYON.MID followed by all the .SEQ files in the C:\pt directory. This would be
followed by all the .MID files in the D:\MIDIFILE directory. The Play List String can be up to 1024 characters long.

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The [Delete] button removes the currently highlighted song from the play list.
[Move Up] and [Move Down] reposition the currently highlighted song in the list.
Use [Delete All] to remove all songs from the play list.
When the “Random” checkbox is checked the Jukebox feature will play all the files in a random order. Otherwise, songs will be
played in the order in which they are physically encountered. There are many 3rd party disk utilities which can be used to re-sort
files in a given directory based on selectable sort options such as file size, alphabetical, file date, etc.
The “Delay” field lets you insert a user-definable delay, in milliseconds (thousandths of a second), that the Jukebox will pause
between playback of songs.
[Re-start jukebox from currently highlighted song] restarts the Jukebox with the currently highlighted song.
The [Open] button allows you the option of loading a .JUK file. A .JUK file simply contains a pre-made Play List String. If you
save a .JUK file with the [Save] button the current Play List String can be saved to a .JUK file. If you later load the .JUK file
with the [Open] button the Play List String stored in the file will appear in the Jukebox dialog.
Click on [Save] to save the current play list as a .JUK file.
The [Add to Play List] button lets you add a file to the play list from a File | Open dialog without having to type the file name
into the Play List String field.
[Add Folder to Play List] automatically adds all the songs in a folder to the play list.
The “Stop Between Songs” checkbox will cause the program’s playback to stop between songs. You can later re-start the
Jukebox by pressing the Start button.
The [Start] button will start the Jukebox. If you’ve typed any invalid file names in the Play List String field the program will
inform you of the error so you can correct it. When the Jukebox is playing the window title on the main screen will have the
words “(Jukebox)” shown (to the right of the file name) to indicate that the program is in Jukebox Mode.
The [Stop] button will stop the Jukebox. You can restart the Jukebox from the current song by pressing start.
The [<] and [>] buttons enable you to jump to the previous or next songs in the play list.
[Make highlighted song Next Song] lets you move to a new song in the play list. The currently highlighted song will be the
next to play.
The [Close] button will exit the Jukebox. Even if the Jukebox is playing you can still exit the Jukebox. You can always return to
the Jukebox later. When playing in JukeBox mode, and you have exited the Jukebox window itself, and space bar is pressed,
PowerTracks will remain in JukeBox mode so you can press space again to resume Jukebox play. A Flash message will display
when the space bar is pressed.

Note: Use the [Start] and [Stop] buttons within the Jukebox if you wish to stop and resume playing the Jukebox.
Changing the Play List
If you are playing a list of individual songs in a non-random order you can change the play list after you’ve already started.
To do this, follow these steps:
1. First, enable the Stop Between Songs checkbox.
2. Next, start editing the song list either during the playback of the current song, or you could wait until it stops and then do so.
3. When editing the song list you must delete the songs that already have been played, otherwise they will be heard again since
the program will be restarting the song list from the first song in the list. Your new song list should start from the song that
you want to be played next.
4. Then make any other changes to the song list such as substituting one file for another, etc. Use the Add to Play List button to
add a song. This action will add the song at the end. To change the position of a file you can use Ctrl+X (cut) and Ctrl+V
(Paste) keys.
5. The Jukebox will stop after the current song is played since the Stop Between Songs checkbox is enabled (Step 1).
6. Press the [Start] button and the Jukebox will proceed to inform you that the song list has changed and will ask if you want to
use the new song list. Choose “yes” and the Jukebox will restart with the new song list.
Note: If you edit the song list ensure that you don’t exit the Jukebox until the new song list is playing. Otherwise, the new song
list will be ignored. If you make any errors while editing the song list you will be prompted to fix them before proceeding.

Block Menu
The Block menu contains commands that deal with marking an area (or block) of the song. The areas marked here work in
conjunction with the editing options found in the Edit menu.

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From = Now
This command sets the beginning of the marked area to the current time.
Thru = Now
This command sets the end of the marked area to the current time.
From = Value
This command lets you directly specify the From Time value. A dialog box will appear in which you can enter the new time.
Thru = Value
This command lets you directly specify the Thru Time value. A dialog box will appear in which you can enter the new time.
Now = From
This command sets the current time to the beginning of the marked area.
Now = Thru
This command sets the current time to the end of the marked area.
Select Current Section
This command will highlight the current section for editing purposes. The current section starts with the previous marker and
ends at the next marker.
If there is a marker in the song at time 1:01:000 named “Intro” and another marker at 4:01:000 called “Verse 1,” and the current
time of the song is 2:01:000 when you execute this command, then the section from 1:01:000 up to but not including 4:01:000
will be highlighted for editing purposes.
Choose recent From/Thru Range
This command lets you select from a list of recently highlighted From/Thru regions and PowerTracks Pro Audio will make your
chosen range into the currently highlighted From/Thru range. This is especially useful if you've accidentally unselected the
current From/Thru range, or if you wish to re-select a range you selected earlier in the session.
When you launch this command, a dialog box will pop up with a list of recently selected From/Thru ranges. PowerTracks will
automatically pick the most recent of any previously selected ranges. You can click on any range in the list, or use the arrow
keys on the keyboard to navigate the list box. When you have made your choice, press the [OK] button.
Note: It helps to have the Tracks window opened, since it will make it easier to see the results of reverting back to a recent range.

Options Menu
The Options menu contains access to various settings that affect basic program operation. Some of these options can be stored
within a song if it is saved as a .SEQ file. Similarly, several of these options can also be saved into a .MID file.
The Options menu contains access to various settings that affect basic program operation. Some of these options can be stored
within a song if it is saved as a .SEQ file. Similarly, several of these options can also be saved into a .MID file.
Run Control Panel - Drivers
This feature auto-runs the Windows Sound dialog. This command performs the same function as manually going in to the
Control Panel settings and double clicking on the Sounds icon.
Patch Names
You can easily associate a list of names to patch numbers. The Options | Patch Names setting can be regarded as a global
default setting. This means that unless you’ve specifically selected another patch list when changing the patch of a track in the
Tracks, Classic Tracks View, or Mixer window the patch list you select here will be shown in the Patch Selection dialog.
For example, if the Patch Names list is set to “General MIDI” you will encounter the General MIDI patch list by default when
you choose to select a patch. As another example, if you select the “General MIDI 2” patch name list when you select a patch
for Track 2 the program will “remember” this selection the next time you decide to select a patch for Track 2.
The Patch Name list information is saved in PowerTracks’s .SEQ files.
The Numeric setting allows you to select patches as numbers rather than from a named patch list. When the Numeric setting is
used numbers will always be used for all tracks when selecting a patch.
The Numeric Range setting dialog also offers the ability to choose whether the numbers should range from 0-127 or 1-128 in
order to accommodate both numbering conventions used with different synths. This setting has no effect when a named patch
list is used. If you’re using a named patch list the number range is based on whether the first name in the list was assigned a
value of 0 or 1 in the PATCHES.INI file.

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PATCHES.INI is a text file that resides in the PowerTracks folder. It defines a named list of synth-specific patches. You could
add a new named patch list (specific to your synth) by entering the names into the PATCHES.INI file. This file also has
instructions for creating a new patch map.
Metronome
This command lets you configure the MIDI metronome. The metronome can be active during recording, playback, or both.

Recording: If this checkbox option is enabled the

metronome will be on/heard during recording.
Playback: If this option is enabled the metronome
will be on during playback.
PowerTracks Pro Audio will send a specific note
out via MIDI on each beat. The note, velocity,
duration, and port options will determine the pitch
and characteristics of the note that is sent out via
MIDI on each beat of the song.
Count In: This option lets you choose how many
measures/bars will be counted down before
recording begins. The countdown may range from
1 to 4 measures.
Allow Count in before playback: Enables count-
in before playback. This is useful for practicing or
playing live.
Metronome shuts off after count in: Shuts the
metronome off after the count-in so it is silent
during playback.
Silent Count In: Ensures that the count-in will be silent (visual count-in only). This is useful if you are playing live and you
don't want an audible count-in.
Keep these settings permanent (ignore settings stored in .SEQ files) will cause PowerTracks Pro Audio to remember the
current metronome settings and ignore any settings stored in .SEQ files.
In addition to the on-screen countdown, there is an option for a MIDI drum count-in
on any drum kit instrument. The default note is F#3, side stick but you can specify
notes and velocities per beat. For example, you might want to emphasize beat 1 by
making it louder. Or, if you have the metronome enabled during playback, you can
give it a more musical sounding pattern than just steady ticking.

If a bar has more beats in it than are in the pattern, this will continue the pattern rather
than just repeating the last note of the pattern.
Check to play a 3-beat pattern instead of 4 beats.
Presets load patterns for count-ins typically used in different genres. For example, the Jazz preset is
silent on beats 1 and 3, with closed hi-hat on beats 2 and 4.
The [Write to Track] button in the Metronome Settings dialog lets you write the metronome to a MIDI
track, or to just a region of a track.
The Record command starts the count-in according to the settings that you have made in
the Options | Metronome dialog.
The Counting Down dialog visibly shows the numbers (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4) during the
countdown.

SMPTE
This option offers you the ability to choose the time display format –as well as whether MIDI events will be translated and
displayed as SMPTE times.

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SMPTE is an acronym for Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. The society sets technical standards for the
industry, including the SMPTE time code for synchronizing audio to frames of film or video.
Time Display Format: If the time display mode is set to Normal the time will
be displayed in Measures:Beats:Ticks. When it is set to SMPTE the time will
be displayed as Hours:Minutes:Seconds:Frames.
SMPTE Format: You may choose one of four SMPTE formats: 30 FPS (Non-
Drop), 30 FPS (Drop-frame), 25 FPS, or 24 FPS (frames per second).
SMPTE Offset: This determines the SMPTE time that the program associates
with the beginning of a song. For example, if you use an offset of 00:00:02:00
then the start of the song will be 00:00:02:00. This gives the program two
seconds to “sync up” to a tape when starting a tape from the beginning.

Punch-In
When the Punch In feature is enabled recording takes place between the From and Thru settings and will overwrite existing
events in the specified section. When Punch In is disabled recording may occur at any time within the song and the data will be
merged with any existing MIDI events.
When Punch In is enabled, recording will take place during the period between
From: and Thru: and will overwrite any existing events during that time.
The From: and Thru: settings for punch-in recording can be set in the Punch In
dialog, or they can be the settings from the main toolbar.
Note: The From and Thru settings for Punch In are not the same as the From and Thru
settings used for editing-menu purposes.
When punching in it is usual to get a “running start” by starting to play or sing
before the actual punch-in point. The Punch In dialog’s pre-roll feature
automatically starts playback by a specified number of bars and beats before the
start of the punch-in point. In the example shown, the pre-roll could be leading in
to a punch-in that starts with a pickup note on beat 4 of the bar.

You wouldn’t normally have a count-in playing when a pre-roll is set.

When Punch-In is disabled, recording may occur at any time within the song and data will be merged with any existing events if
the track is a MIDI track, or the data will overwrite existing data if the track is an Audio track.
Resolution
This option allows you to set (or change) the timing resolution for a given project in Pulses Per Quarter note (PPQ). Simply pick
a fixed resolution from the supplied menu-list and the program will automatically convert a song to the new resolution.
PowerTracks supports resolutions as high as 3840 PPQ, which allows for more precise audio editing, since at higher resolutions
each tick spans a finer section of audio.
Note: For really long songs, or for songs that have really long note durations, it may be wise to not use the highest PPQ settings. Higher note
resolution reduces the maximum allowed song length, as well as reducing the maximum allowed note duration length. At 3840 PPQ, the
maximum song length of a 4/4 song is around 35 minutes long at a tempo of 120, less at faster tempos.

Sync Source
This option determines which “clock source” will handle all the timing of the MIDI music.
Internal: When the sync source is set to “internal” the program will handle all timing. The following two settings are also used
when syncing to external devices:
MIDI Sync: When the sync source is set to MIDI the program will use song position pointer (SPP) and MIDI clocks as the
clock source.
MTC/SMPTE: When the Sync Source is set to MTC/SMPTE the program will use MIDI Time code (MTC) as the clock
source and display the time in SMPTE format.

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If a song has WAV audio data the playback speed of the audio will not be varied (freewheeled) during playback –even when
clock-syncing to an external device, as described above. If the external sync-device being used varies you may find that the
audio may eventually drift “out-of-sync” over time.
You may also have to decrease the Output Buffer Seconds setting in the Options | Preferences | Audio Settings dialog if your
computer is having trouble syncing correctly after playback has started.
If syncing to MIDI the program may not have enough time to start syncing correctly if the MIDI device (drum machine, sound
module, etc.) isn’t providing enough delay time between the sending of the Song Position Pointer information and the start of
MIDI playback. In this situation your drum machine may have a “SPP locate delay” or similar adjustment that can be made to
give PowerTracks enough time to correctly sync to the external MIDI clock-source.
The sync options are saved automatically to the RB.INI file and will remain in effect until you re-visit this dialog and change it.
Auto Sync Chase
This feature is useful when syncing the program to an external device (e.g., drum machine, tape deck, etc.) during playback.
When Auto Sync Chase is enabled this allows for “hands-free” sync chasing to the external device.
For example, if the program is playing back while synched to a tape deck and you stop the deck, the program will also stop and
await a MIDI Sync or MTC start command – all without you having to find your mouse and manually click on the STOP and
PLAY buttons. When you start the tape deck again the program will attempt to automatically re-sync. When this option is
selected a check mark will appear next to the appropriate menu item.
This option is saved automatically to the RB.INI file and will remain in effect the next time you use the program.
Endless Loop
When this option is enabled playback will automatically loop through a section of a song. Use the Loop button to open the
dialog from toolbar, or click the Loop button while holding the Ctrl key to toggle endless looping on and off.
The From Bar and Thru Bar fields determine the location of the loop. If the Thru setting is in a range beyond the end of the
song the loop end point will be automatically adjusted to reflect the end of the song. Looping only occurs during playback.
This setting is not saved to RB.INI or to .SEQ files.
The Endless Loop command also has the following four choices:
1. Chosen Range Below lets you enter start end measures in the From Bar and Thru Bar fields.
2. The Entire Song setting loops the entire song.
3. The Current Song Section will loop the song based on any existing Markers. When you press “Play” the song will loop
until the next marker (or end of song) is reached, and will then loop to the most recent marker at the time Play was pressed.
For example, let’s say there is a marker at 4:01:000 and 8:01:000. If the current time is 5:01:000 and you press Play, the
song will continue playing until just before 8:01:000 is reached. Then the song will continue playing the loop starting at
4:01:000.
4. The Highlighted Area setting will loop the song based on the highlighted area. This is the same highlighted area
(From/Thru) that you use for editing.
Auto Rewind
When enabled, PowerTracks will automatically rewind to the location that playback or recording was started. The choices are
Recording Only, Playback Only, Both Recording and Playback, or Disabled.
Record Filter
This feature brings up a dialog in which it is possible to choose what kinds of MIDI events are recorded, as well as exactly
which MIDI Channels will be recorded. For example, if you uncheck the “Key Aft” checkbox any key aftertouch events that
were transmitted won’t actually get recorded. Similarly, if you uncheck the “Channel 9” checkbox any events encountered on
MIDI channel 9 won’t be recorded.
Hide Tool Bar / Show Tool Bar
This option offers to hide the toolbar from the main screen. If you need more space on the screen to work with then this setting
can help to free up some screen space. This menu option changes to Show Tool Bar when the hidden mode is in effect.
Hide Piano / Show Piano
This option offers to hide the piano keyboard from the main screen. When the piano is hidden with this feature there will be
more space available for the placement of the additional windows below the tool bar. This menu option changes to Show Piano
when the hidden mode is in effect.
Language
Select another language for PowerTracks from the dropdown combo box in the Language dialog. The new language will take
effect the next time the program is launched.

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Preferences
The Options | Preferences menu item will launch a tabbed Preferences dialog box, which has multiple sections or tabs. This
replaces the preferences submenu in previous versions of PowerTracks Pro Audio.
General settings that affect overall PowerTracks operation.
Song Title in Window Caption: This checkbox,
when enabled, displays the song title in the main
window’s caption. If you prefer to have only a
song’s file name displayed you can uncheck this
option.
Enable Undo For Event Level Editing: This
feature, when checked, will allow you to undo the
last event level edit in the Event list or Notation
window, such as inserting, deleting, changing, or
moving a note.
Dialogs Use Ctl3D effects: This checkbox ensures
a modern appearance for the program.
The SysEx Input Buffers setting offers the ability
to change the amount of SysEx input buffers
allocated before receiving a SysEx dump. This
setting can range between 2 and 512.
The SysEx Input Buffer Size settings let you
change the size of each input buffer allocated by
PowerTracks before receiving a SysEx dump. The
default size is 128. You can decrease this to as low
as 64K to as high as 1024K.
The Silent Message Boxes checkbox, when
enabled, will prevent PowerTracks from making a
“beeping sound” in situations where a message box
is displayed.
Restore “Never Ask Again” Questions will
restore pop-up message boxes in which “Never
Ask This Again” was chosen.
The Number of Undo Levels determines the number of recently executed edit commands can be undone. By default, this is set
to 5 levels of undo; you could increase this to as high as 100.
You can also adjust the Undo Warning Message Threshold (in same dialog). For example, if you set the threshold to 100
megabytes, PowerTracks will issue a warning message and ask if it’s okay to clear some undo buffers if the undo buffers
contain temporary audio files that can be erased to free up disk space.
Enable Flyby Hints checkbox lets you enable or disable the hints that pop-up when you move the mouse over certain controls,
such as those on the toolbar.
Left click on track-type icon in Tracks Window shows pop-up menu – If this is set a left-click on the track-type icon will
show a pop-up menu of settings for that track. If unchecked, a left-click will show track parameters.
Click and drag MIDI tracks to other programs as .MIDI files – If this is checked, when you drag MIDI tracks to other
programs they will be dropped as MIDI files. If this is unchecked, MIDI files will be rendered to audio before the drop.
When resizing the program, resize and cascade the windows inside the main window - This allows you to choose whether
the windows display proportionately as a cascade, or if they display as they were when you resize the program window.
Advance current time after dragging/dropping a file onto the Tracks Window – If this is checked, when you drag a file
from outside of PowerTracks Pro Audio and drop it onto the Tracks window the current time will advance. If this is unchecked,
the current time will remain unchanged after the drop.
Initial Track Type is the default track type when starting a new song. It can be Audio Stereo, Audio Mono, or MIDI.
Audio
This is a dialog with various settings that affect audio recording/playback.

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The Audio File Type combo box gives you a choice of sampling rates from 22.05K to 96K at bit depths of either 16-bits or 24-
bits. 16-Bit, 44.1 is the file type to use for files that you want to burn to audio CDs.
Sample Rate Change
This setting can be changed even if the song already has audio tracks. If you change the sample rate with a project that already
has audio saved at a different sample rate the program will offer to automatically convert the song.
When you’ve pressed the OK button to exit the Audio Preferences dialog you will be asked whether or not to go ahead with the
conversion (if applicable). Press the Yes button to convert your project to the new sampling rate.
Note: Any field with “(MME only)” has no effect when using ASIO drivers.
The DMA Size and DMA Offset (MME only) settings are memory buffer sizes and offsets used by the sound card’s driver.
These settings are detected by PowerTracks, and don’t normally need to be changed.
Audio Driver Type: The “Audio Driver Type” is MME by default, but if your sound card supports ASIO drivers you can
choose this type. ASIO is an alternate driver system developed by Steinberg. It allows for much lower latency than ordinary
MME drivers.
When PowerTracks Pro Audio detects ASIO drivers it will prompt you to ask if you want to use them.
ASIO Driver Warning
There is warning if the ASIO4All driver is "not connected"
Sometimes the ASIO4All driver will not be connected to an audio driver and output will be silent. This is usually due to a soft synth already
using the audio driver. If PowerTracks detects that ASIO4ALL isn’t connected, it will warn you about this, so you are aware of why the audio is
silent.
The [Drivers] button will bring up either the Audio Drivers dialog if the Driver Type is set to MME or the
ASIO Audio Drivers dialog if the Driver Type is ASIO. If using MME, by default, the Microsoft Sound Mapper is selected for
both input and output. If you have multiple sound cards, or a multiple I/O card, you can select more than one input or output.
This will affect the computer performance when recording or playing audio tracks. The more ports that are selected, the more
demand is placed on your computer. This may require a very fast computer.
Each Input and Output port is a stereo pair, with a left and right channel. If you select 4 input ports and 4 output ports then you
would be actually getting 8 input and 8 output channels, since each audio port has both a left and right channel.
Note: When using MME drivers, Port number 1 is used as a source of timing when syncing MIDI to digital audio. If you are attempting to use
two different brands of sound cards together on one computer as two separate ports, there may be timing problems if the cards have different
DMA buffer sizes, but it is possible you may not encounter any noticeable timing issues. The multi-port feature is mainly meant for multi-port
cards. Feel free to try multiple sound cards, but your results may vary.
The Default (MME only) button will restore some of the MME settings in this dialog to default settings.
Since some of these settings must be detected, PowerTracks will analyze the sound card again.
Enable Input Monitoring (ASIO Only)

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 When Enable Input Monitoring (ASIO Only) checkbox is enabled in the Audio dialog (and ASIO is selected in the Driver
Type combo) then PowerTracks Pro Audio will take the ASIO input signal from input port number 1 and send it to output 1 so
that you will hear the input through the speakers.
You can apply real time effects to the monitored input by selecting “Input” in the top combo box of the DirectX/VST Real Time
Effects dialog. You can then select up to four DirectX or VST effects.
WARNING! - Do not enable this feature if the input port number 1 is set to record the output (e.g. “What you hear” or “Mix”) because enabling
input monitoring in this case will cause massive feedback that could hurt your ears!
When Allow IM effects recording (ASIO only) is enabled, and Input Monitoring is enabled, and effects plug-ins are enabled
for input monitoring, the effected signal will be recorded instead of the dry signal.
The [Reset Realtime Effects] button will remove any real time effects from your project so you can begin remixing your
project from scratch.
If the Use 16-bit I/O for higher bit res. file types (MME only) setting is enabled, then PowerTracks will convert the audio to
16-bit before sending to the sound card.
The Offset In MS setting can be used to make an adjustment to the timing for the purpose of keeping the MIDI and audio in
sync. You can make an adjustment to this setting if the sound card’s audio timing is early or late in comparison to the MIDI. For
example, if the sound card’s audio is being heard later than the MIDI, you can try increasing this setting, which will delay the
MIDI timing to match the audio timing. The default for this setting is 0.
The Track Buffer Size settings determine the amount of memory used by PowerTracks as a buffer when reading audio data
from disk for each audio track.
Output Buffer Milliseconds (MME only) setting lets you adjust the output buffer duration. The default setting is 4000
milliseconds (4 seconds), which is a very conservative setting. The higher the setting, the less likely it is that playback will
glitch. The lower the setting, the quicker the song will start playback, and the quicker the program will respond when you
change volume, pan, mute, or effects settings for an audio track.
You can reduce this setting if you want faster response to mixer moves (such as volume, pan, etc.) without needing to enable the
Quick Volume Changes setting. 1000 milliseconds (1 second) is usually a good overall setting for fast enough response, while
still leaving enough buffers to avoid audible dropouts or clicks, assuming your computer has a reasonably fast CPU.
Note: If you set this to less than 1000 milliseconds you may further improve the response time of mixer moves, but you’ll also further increase
the risk of an audible dropout or audible click when the system is under stress. In addition, if you set to a very low setting, then MIDI playback
may temporarily slow down due to subtle and brief interruptions in the audio during activity such as minimizing and maximizing a window.
The Input Buffer Seconds (MME only) setting determines the number of seconds of audio data that are in the input buffer
during recording. The greater the setting, the less likely a dropout will occur during recording in situations when the system is
very active.
The Input Channel for MONO Tracks setting determines which audio input channel (Left, Right, Stereo) is used by
PowerTracks to record audio onto a MONO track. When set to Left or Right, the audio in a track is stored as mono so only one
channel is used when recording.
Keep in mind that this setting ONLY is relevant when recording onto MONO audio tracks.
When set to “L+R (2 Tracks)” the left channel will be recorded on the Current Track and the right channel will be recorded on
the next highest track number. If the next highest track is a non-blank MIDI track, then a new track will automatically be
inserted at that position to make room to record audio. You can undo the keeping of an L+R take.
Example:
Say the current track is track number 1. When you record using L+R, the Left channel will get recorded on track number 1 and
the Right channel will get recorded on track number 2. If Track 2 is blank or already has audio, then the audio for the Right
channel will get recorded directly onto the existing track number 2. If track number 2 already has MIDI data then a new track
will automatically be inserted at track number 2, and the existing track with the MIDI data will become track number 3.
If PowerTracks inserted a new track when recording using L+R, Undo won't remove the inserted track, but you could use the
Remove Track command if you decided to remove the newly inserted track.
Note: When multiple input ports are selected in the audio drivers dialog, this setting MUST be set to “L+R” in order to record multiple channels
onto MONO tracks. (PowerTracks will set this to “L+R” automatically if you choose multiple input ports in the drivers dialog.) Each audio input
port is recorded as an L+R pair, and it works the same way as with a single (two track) L+R pair. The audio data will be recorded as 1 L+R pair
per port with all the dated recorded on adjacent available tracks. Tracks will be inserted if necessary (same method as when recording L+R
with a single port).
If the Record Channel is set to Left or Right, only Input Port number 1 (the first input port in the list that was selected by you in the Audio
Drivers dialog) will be recorded, even if multiple ports are selected.
The Buffer Size for Edit/Save setting in the Audio dialog lets you adjust the buffer size used by PowerTracks Pro Audio when
editing and saving a song. It lets you adjust the buffer size that PowerTracks uses during operations such as cutting and pasting
or when saving a file. Depending on your hard drive, using larger buffer sizes may result in a speed improvement.
The Audio Temp Directory is the directory used by PowerTracks to store temporary audio data when recording or editing a
song. This setting can’t be changed if the song already has audio data.

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The Full Duplex setting, when checked, will allow PowerTracks to record and play back audio at the same time. This setting
will only work if your sound card its driver supports full duplex (simultaneous record/playback).
The Quick Volume Change checkbox, when checked, will cause PowerTracks to quickly stop and restart playback in response
to any volume or panning changes to an audio track, or muting/unmuting of audio tracks. There may be a slight delay or glitch
before the change occurs. If this checkbox is unchecked then there will be a delay equal to the Output Buffer Seconds setting
before you hear the change.
The Advanced MIDI to Audio Sync (MME only) checkbox, when checked, will enable a mode in which PowerTracks polls
the sound card for position information at a higher rate for more accurate timing.
Realtime Effects Enabled allows processing of audio tracks through real time DirectX or VST effects from PG Music Inc. or
others. These are non-destructive effects that do not permanently alter the individual tracks.
Audio I/O Thread (MME only) gives you three different choices regarding the execution thread for audio playback and
recording. The three choices are: “Main Thread,” “Discrete Thread - Normal Priority,” and “Discrete Thread - High Priority.”
When set to use the Main Thread, the audio I/O uses the program's main execution thread rather than multi-tasking. When set to
Discrete Thread it uses a separate execution thread for the audio playback, which makes it less likely that there will be an audio
dropout in certain situations, such as when small I/O buffer size settings were selected by the user.
Very Important: If you change this setting, and later experience any unusual problems with the audio playback/recording, please change this
back to the “Main Thread” setting. The Main Thread setting is the safest of the three.

Always Record Audio too, if current track is MIDI – this setting will cause PowerTracks to record audio even when the
current track is MIDI. PowerTracks will offer to keep the audio take on the nearest available blank track. This can be a
“lifesaver” in those situations where you wanted to record audio, but you accidentally selected the current track as a MIDI track.
Backup Most Recent Audio Take – this setting, when enabled, will cause PTW to always backup the most recent audio take as
<Temporary Audio Directory>\PTABAKx.WAV, with x being the audio input port number. This can be helpful in those rare-
yet-frustrating situations, such as when you accidentally recorded audio onto the WRONG audio track, or you accidentally
punched in instead of recording a regular take. If this happens you can undo the keeping of the most recent take and then use the
Wave Files - Import Wave File command to insert the recorded audio onto a different track, by importing the PTABAKx.WAV
file which will be located in the Temporary Audio Directory.
Note: If you do this, you may have to edit the audio data's track location to get it to sound at the right time.

Speed Change Quality: This setting determines the time stretch method used to alter the speed of the song when you play the
song at a different speed, such as 50% speed. There are 8 different choices here. The “best” choice depends on the source
material. You may need to experiment to determine the best choice for the music you are working with. Here are the choices:
- 1BAND_SUM - The fastest method but with the lowest quality. May sound best on simple tracks.
- 2BAND_SUM - Fast with better quality than 1BAND_SUM. May sound best on simple tracks.
- 4BAND_SUM - Fast with better quality than 2BAND_SUM. Good for simple tracks or mixes.
- 8BAND_SUM - This is the best-sounding fast method, likely to sound good on either simple tracks or mixes.
- 2BAND_AUTOCORR - Noticeably slower than the above methods. It may sound much better than 8BAND_SUM on simple
tracks, but it probably will not sound better than 8BAND_SUM on mixes.
- 3BAND_AUTOCORR - Even slower, may sound much better on simple tracks, but it may not sound better than
8BAND_SUM on mixes.
- 4BAND_AUTOCORR - Same speed as 8BANDSUM_HYBRID, but may sound better than 8BANDSUM_HYBRID on
simple tracks.
- 8BANDSUM_HYBRID - Same speed as 4BAND_AUTOCORR. If processing speed is not an issue, 8BANDSUM_HYBRID
is likely to be the best choice for full mixes. It uses AUTOCORR on low audio bands, and SUM on the high audio bands.
When the Unassigned Output Ports Work As Subgroups checkbox is enabled in the Audio dialog, any audio output ports that
do not currently have a driver port assigned to them will function as subgroups. A subgroup is a bus or signal path that gives you
the ability to control several tracks as a group.
The Mono Tracks can use effects in Stereo mode setting in the Audio Options dialog allows mono audio tracks to use the
real time effects track inserts in stereo mode for better sounding mixes. When the checkbox is enabled, and a mono track is
using an effects insert (added via FX button on mixer) such as a stereo reverb, the output from the stereo reverb will be heard in
stereo rather than mono.
Note: This feature only applies to track effects inserts. Aux busses have always worked in stereo mode (if the effects were stereo). This
feature, when enabled, will also cause PowerTracks Pro Audio to use up more CPU processing power.
The [Soft Synth Latency Adjust] button lets you adjust the latency setting for a non-DXI soft synth (e.g. GS-WaveTable
Synth). When the dialog plays a MIDI note and an audio note, adjust the latency until the MIDI and audio notes are heard in
sync.
Recording Offset MS (MIDI Only) can be used with MME audio drivers to correct a Windows Vista timing issue that causes
tracks

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to be delayed in time. If that happens, try a setting around 50 or 60.
File
This dialog contains preferences that deal with saving or loading files.

The Load Mixer Settings from .SEQ Files checkbox, when checked, enables the feature in which PowerTracks automatically
loads and transmits any mixer settings that are stored in .SEQ files.
The Save Mixer Settings to .SEQ Files checkbox, when checked, will cause PowerTracks to save all the current mixer settings
of non-blank tracks to .SEQ files. If the “Load Mixer Settings from .SEQ Files” setting is enabled the settings will be loaded and
sent whenever a .SEQ file is loaded.
The Convert PPQ of Loaded Files to PPQ checkbox, when checked, will automatically convert files to the selected PPQ
resolution. For example, if the selected PPQ resolution is 480 PPQ (Pulses Per Quarter note), and this checkbox is checked,
PowerTracks will automatically convert any files you load to 480 PPQ. PowerTracks Pro Audio supports PPQ as high as 3840,
which allows for more precise audio editing, since at higher resolutions each tick spans a finer section of audio.
Note: For really long songs, or for songs that have really long note durations, it may be wise to not use the highest PPQ settings. Higher note
resolution reduces the maximum allowed song length, as well as reducing the maximum allowed note duration length. At 3840 PPQ, the
maximum song length of a 4/4 song is around 35 minutes long at a tempo of 120, less at faster tempos. At 3840 PPQ and a 4/4 time
signature the maximum allowed note duration length is around 17 beats regardless of the tempo.
The Don’t Save Forced Ch Meta Event in .MID files checkbox, when checked, will prevent PowerTracks from saving the
forced MIDI channels (the Ch field in the Classic Tracks View window) into the .MID files. This META event is only
recognized by other PG Music programs.
If you choose to not have this setting saved then the forced channels won’t be recalled the next time the file is loaded. You could
use the Edit | Rechannel All Tracks command to convert the actual MIDI data in the tracks to the forced channel so that a forced
channel setting isn’t needed.
Automatically Rechannel track data when saving to .MID
When saving to a MIDI file, PowerTracks Pro Audio will automatically ask you if you want to rechannel the track data to the
forced MIDI channels in the tracks view, if the tracks contain MIDI channels different from the forced channel.

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 Note: By default this is disabled and you will receive a notification dialog if you enable it. If you are a MIDI guitar player you probably will want
to leave this setting disabled permanently. Leaving this setting disabled and never enabling it will ensure that you will always retain the
individual channels recorded by your MIDI guitar.
The Long file names use custom open/save dialog checkbox lets you use a more advanced, custom file dialog. This dialog
allows you to choose a Font. This dialog will remember the dialog’s window size and placement, and the currently selected font.
It also has a tree button that lets you view the directory structure, and a button that lets you chose between details mode and list
mode. These settings will all be remembered by PowerTracks Pro Audio the next time you load or save a file using the custom
file dialog. When using the Custom File Selection dialog, PowerTracks will remember up to 25 folders from which you had
previously loaded files. When you press the Favorite folders button, you can quickly select a folder without having to navigate
through the Windows folder tree structure.
The Fill blank track names with patch names checkbox will cause PowerTracks Pro Audio to fill a blank track name with the
patch name for the track when loading a file, assuming the track has MIDI data, and the Prg field (in the Classic Tracks View)
isn’t blank. For .MID files this is ALWAYS a General MIDI patch name. For .SEQ files this is based on the patch list of each
track.
The Open Lyrics Window for track with most lyrics setting, when enabled, lets PowerTracks Pro Audio automatically open a
Big Lyrics window for the track that has the most lyrics.
Write Lyrics in General MIDI lyric format saves Standard MIDI File lyrics.
Boot up in folder of last session is a checkbox that can be enabled or disabled. When you enable this setting, PowerTracks will
boot up in the folder of the most recently loaded file from the previous session of PowerTracks.
Automatically reload most recent file from last session. If this is enabled, then when you run PowerTracks it will load the
most recently loaded file from the last session.
When Open and Save As dialogs remember last folder independently is enabled, the File Open and File Save As dialogs
individually recall the folder from the last time either dialog was used.
If Create backup file when overwriting a .SEQ file is checked, PowerTracks Pro Audio will always write a backup file (BKS
file) when a sequence is overwritten.
You can set the maximum number of backup files that can be saved per any one song, and the total number that can be saved on
one hard drive. When the maximums are reached, the oldest backups will be overwritten and replaced by new BKS files.
There is the option to put the old backups in the Recycle Bin instead of deleting them, so there would be a chance to retrieve
them from the Recycle Bin before they are finally deleted.
Automatically open comments window for songs with comments. Uncheck this setting if you don’t want the Comments
window to automatically be opened when a song contains comments.
Beep after rending the song to a file tells you that audio rendering of a MIDI file is done and the audio file is ready.
Format when saving to WMA lets you choose the bit rate format that will be used when you save a Windows Media Audio
file.
Big Lyrics Window
This dialog contains the various settings for the Big Lyrics window.
The Text, Background, and Highlight Colors can all be
changed if you prefer different colors than the defaults.
The Default, Yellow on Red, Black on Gray, and Black
on Teal buttons let you chose between 4 preset color
schemes without having select individual colors for each
setting.
The Choose Font button provides you with ability to
select a different font for use with the Big Lyrics window.
The Use Default Font button “resets” the font used in the
Big Lyrics window back to its default setting.
The Display Chord Symbols checkbox, when enabled,
allows chord symbols present in a song.
Lyrics scroll before bottom line scrolls the lyrics before
the bottom line instead of scrolling after the first line.
Notation
This lets you access settings for the Notation window and Lead Sheet window. The options are described in detail in the
Notation and Printing chapter.

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 The [Notation Options…] button lets you access the
settings for the Notation window.
The [Notation Print Options…] button lets you access
the Notation Print settings and is accessible only if the
current track contains notes.
The [Lead Sheet Options…] button lets you access the
settings for the Lead Sheet window.

Note: You can also access these settings from buttons within their respective windows instead of from this Preferences dialog. Since
accessing these settings requires that a Notation window or Lead Sheet window be active, PowerTracks may temporarily launch one of these
windows (Notation or Lead Sheet), if necessary, and then close the window after the settings dialog has been exited.

MIDI
This lets you access settings related to the MIDI setup. Details are provided under the respective Options menu command
descriptions in this chapter.
[MIDI Out…] deals with various settings that affect
MIDI output.
[MIDI Thru…] lets you enable or disable MIDI
Thru, and allows you to choose how the data is
echoed.
[MIDI Devices…] lets you choose the MIDI input
and output drivers to use with PowerTracks Pro
Audio.
These three settings can also be accessed directly
from the Options menu.

[Master Tuning…] allows you to master tune your sound card or sound module, useful if you're playing along with an
instrument or recording that can't easily be re-tuned, like an acoustic piano. A setting of 0 is the default A = 440. This setting is
saved between PowerTracks Pro Audio sessions.
Enable TranzPort (if present): If you have a TranzPort wireless controller and have installed the software for it, this lets
PowerTracks Pro Audio communicate with it.
SMPTE

The [SMPTE Settings] button opens the SMPTE dialog. It is the same as selecting the Options | SMPTE menu command.
This option offers you the ability to choose the time display format –as well as whether MIDI events will be translated and
displayed as SMPTE times.
SMPTE is an acronym for Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. The society sets technical standards for the
industry, including the SMPTE time code for synchronizing audio to frames of film or video.

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 Time Display Format: If the time display mode is set to Normal the time will be displayed
in Measures:Beats:Ticks. When it is set to SMPTE the time will be displayed as
Hours:Minutes:Seconds:Frames.
SMPTE Format: You may choose one of four SMPTE formats: 30 FPS (Non-Drop), 30 FPS
(Drop-frame), 25 FPS, or 24 FPS (frames per second).
SMPTE Offset: This determines the SMPTE time that the program associates with the
beginning of a song. For example, if you use an offset of 00:00:02:00 then the start of the
song will be 00:00:02:00. This gives the program two seconds to “sync up” to a tape when
starting a tape from the beginning.

Metronome

The [Metronome Settings] button opens the Metronome dialog. It is the same as selecting the Options | Metronome menu
command.

Recording: If this checkbox option is enabled the

metronome will be on/heard during recording.
Playback: If this option is enabled the metronome
will be on during playback.
PowerTracks Pro Audio will send a specific note
out via MIDI on each beat. The note, velocity,
duration, and port options will determine the pitch
and characteristics of the note that is sent out via
MIDI on each beat of the song.
Count In: This option lets you choose how many
measures/bars will be counted down before
recording begins. The countdown may range from
1 to 4 measures.
Allow Count in before playback: Enables count-
in before playback. This is useful for practicing or
playing live.
Metronome shuts off after count in: Shuts the
metronome off after the count-in so it is silent
during playback.
Silent Count In: Ensures that the count-in will be silent (visual count-in only). This is useful if you are playing live and you
don't want an audible count-in.
Keep these settings permanent (ignore settings stored in .SEQ files) will cause PowerTracks Pro Audio to remember the
current metronome settings and ignore any settings stored in .SEQ files.
In addition to the on-screen countdown, there is an option for a MIDI drum count-in
on any drum kit instrument. The default note is F#3, side stick but you can specify
notes and velocities per beat. For example, you might want to emphasize beat 1 by
making it louder. Or, if you have the metronome enabled during playback, you can
give it a more musical sounding pattern than just steady ticking.

If a bar has more beats in it than are in the pattern, this will continue the pattern rather
than just repeating the last note of the pattern.
Check to play a 3-beat pattern instead of 4 beats.

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 Presets load patterns for count-ins typically used in different genres. For example, the Jazz preset is
silent on beats 1 and 3, with closed hi-hat on beats 2 and 4.
The [Write to Track] button in the Metronome Settings dialog lets you write the metronome to a MIDI
track, or to just a region of a track.
The Record command starts the count-in according to the settings that you have made in
the Options | Metronome dialog.
The Counting Down dialog visibly shows the numbers (e.g. 1, 2, 3, 4) during the
countdown.

Piano

This is the same as selecting the menu command Options | Piano Settings. It opens the Piano Settings dialog, which lets you
change settings applicable to the virtual piano display mode. Please see the following Piano Settings topic.
This dialog lets you change settings applicable to the virtual piano display mode. There are two display modes for the piano:
1.) When the display mode is set to Current Track the piano will display notes as they are
being played from the current (highlighted) track.
2.) When the display mode is set to All notes except for drum channel the piano will
display the notes of all tracks except for notes that are on the drum channel.
The default drum channel is normally set to channel 10 in this dialog but it can be changed
to any MIDI channel between 1 and 16. If you select a drum channel of 0 all notes that are
being played will display, including the drums.
When the Big Sizeable Piano setting is enabled, PowerTracks Pro Audio will show a bigger
piano below the toolbar, instead of the smaller piano. You can vertically resize the Big
Piano by placing the mouse on the bottom edge of the piano and then clicking and dragging
the mouse up or down.
For the Big Sizeable Piano, there is also a setting that gives you a choice of Show Track
Number (drawn as a tiny number within the notes), Show MIDI Channel, or Show No Text.

If “Big Piano Varies Colors By Track” is enabled, then the colors of the notes drawn on the big piano will vary depending on
the track number. For tracks 1 through 10, PowerTracks uses 10 different colors, then repeats these colors for higher track
numbers.
These settings are automatically saved to PTW.INI and PTPA.CFG so that they will remain in effect the next time you use
PowerTracks Pro.

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Window Menu
The Window menu contains commands that aid in creating, selecting, and arranging windows.
In PowerTracks Pro Audio you can open more than one instance of some types of windows. The New command offers the
creation of such “multiple instance” windows. The Event List, Notation, Big Lyrics window, Audio Edit window, and Lead
Sheet window are all windows that fall into this category.
New
When you choose the New command the sub-menu (shown above) will appear –offering the Event List, Notation, Audio Edit,
Big Lyrics, and Lead Sheet windows available to be opened.
Event List

An Event List window is an Event Editor that allows you to insert, delete, and change all MIDI events. A list of events is
displayed vertically in the window (shown above) and each line in the list represents an individual event. Each event is shown
with its track number, time, MIDI channel number, the kind of the event, and the parameters applicable to the event.
When an Event List is created it is displayed based on the tracks that are currently selected/highlighted. For example, if only one
track, e.g., Track 1, is selected and you use the New command to create an Event List window, it will only display events that
occur within Track 1.
Click on the ▼ down arrow in the Track combo to see the list of tracks. You can select an individual track to view, or select
“Multi” to see all tracks. The Tr column to the left shows the track number(s) for the events displayed.
You can also open an Event List while multiple tracks are selected. In this case the Event List will display all events
encountered in the tracks that are selected. For example, if Tracks 1 through 3 were selected/highlighted when you created an
Event List window, the Event List will display all the events occurring in those 3 tracks –regardless of what tracks you select
later.
Events are inserted by pressing the [Ins] key or button. After pressing this insert key a menu will pop up to allow you to choose
what type of event to insert. After picking the event type, an entry box will pop up which will ask you to choose the MIDI
Channel, Time, and any other parameters applicable to the event.
Events can be deleted by pressing the [Del] key/button.
Existing events may be edited by pressing the Enter key. An entry box will pop up and you may make changes to the event in
this box.
You can play events one at a time by pressing the Transmit button. If the event you’re playing isn’t a note the cursor will be
advanced to the next event. If the event is a note it will be sustained until any other key is pressed.
You can stop a sustained note from sounding by pressing the Silence button. The sustained note will also stop in other
situations, such as when you switch to a different window, or if you choose a different event list command.
Note events consist of three parameters:
- Note string: shows the name of the note and its octave.
- Velocity: the speed that the key was pressed.
- Duration: the length of the note.
Controller Change events consist of 2 parameters:
- Controller number: a number ranging from 0 to 127.
- Controller value: a number ranging from 0 to 127
Program Change events consist of 1 parameter:
Program number: a number ranging from 0 to 127 or 1 to 128. The range depends on which patch list is currently selected, or
which numeric range is selected if you are using the Numeric patch list. See also the Patch Names command in the Options
menu for more information about patch lists.
Pitch Bend (wheel) events consist of 1 parameter:
Bend level: a number ranging from -8192 to 8192, with 0 representing the wheel in the center position.

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Channel Aftertouch events consist of 1 parameter:
Aftertouch level: a number ranging from 0 to 127.
Key Aftertouch events consist of 2 parameters:
Note string: the note, which the aftertouch will affect.
Aftertouch level: a number ranging from 0 to 127.
Lyric events can be entered and edited in the Event List. Lyrics that are entered in track in the Notation window will appear in
the Event List for that track.
Notation Window
The Notation window displays the notes of a MIDI track on a staff and lets you print music on your printer. The Notation
window can also display chord symbols and lyrics.
There are three notation modes - each mode opens with its own button on the tool bar. From left to right, the buttons are for
Standard Notation, Editable Notation, and Staff Roll Notation modes.
The Standard Notation mode displays the notes as regular music. Editable Notation mode will display standard notation but
allow you to edit the notation. You will see standard notation with vertical gray lines that represent possible note locations. Staff
Roll mode displays the notes as note heads (no stems) with optional duration and velocity lines. Also, the Staff roll mode will
contain gray vertical lines across the staff.
See the chapter on Notation and Printing for full details.
Big Lyrics Window
The Big Lyrics window will display any existing lyrics in a track. The program will highlight the lyrics as they play, which is
very useful for singing along with the music.
Clicking on a lyric or chord symbol in the Big Lyrics window will start the song from the location of the lyric or chord that you
clicked on.
Audio Edit Window
This window displays wave audio data as a large, editable waveform. The dB scale on the left side of the Audio Edit window
gives you a better idea of the level of an audio track.
The thin red vertical line that is visible within the Audio Edit window indicates the current time location in the song. It is seen
in reverse video (i.e. negative) if the current time is contained within the highlighted range of a track.
Lead Sheet Window
This window is similar to the Notation window, except that it can display a track in the form of a lead sheet, with multiple staves
per page.
Up to 7 tracks at a time can be displayed per Lead Sheet window. In order to display multiple tracks, you should first select the
tracks in the Tracks window or Bars window and then open up a new Lead Sheet window. Another way to select tracks is in
the Lead Sheet Options dialog.
PowerTracks Pro Audio can also print notation with multiple tracks when you press the [Print] button at the top of a Lead Sheet
window that is currently displaying multiple tracks.
The Lead Sheet window is fully described in the Notation and Printing chapter.
Piano Roll Window
The Piano Roll window enables precise graphic editing of note timing and duration. You can also graphically edit Note
Velocity, Controllers, Program Changes, Channel Aftertouch, or Pitch Bend. There are 2 panes in the window – one for notes
and the other for controllers, velocity, and other data.
All notes and controllers are displayed as black/gray bars on a grid. You can change note duration and pitch by selecting and
dragging with your mouse.
The piano roll features are fully described in the Piano Roll chapter.
Show VU Meters

This command will display the VU meters. There are 2 pairs of VU meters, one pair for audio input, and one pair for audio
output. If you re-size the VU meters window vertically the height of the meters will expand or shrink to match the new window
height.
The clipping indicator at the top of the meters indicates that clipping has occurred. You should try to keep the levels low enough
so they’re safely below 0 db and the clipping indicator doesn’t light up. To be on the safe side, it’s probably a good idea to
adjust the levels so that the meters don’t get too close to 0 db even if the clipping indicator hasn’t yet lit up.

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The VU meters have an automatic peak-hold feature with gradual peak fallback, so it will be easy to see the transient peak levels
if you’ve got your eye on the meters.
For the Output, you may have to adjust your mixer settings within PowerTracks Pro Audio to keep the levels within a
reasonable range.
For the Input, you may have to press the speaker button to launch the Windows Record Control dialog, and you could then
lower the input level.
Show Markers Window
This command will display the Markers window. This window lets you insert markers in the song for keeping track of various
sections of your music.
When markers are inserted in a song you can use the [Prev] and [Next] buttons in the Markers area on the toolbar to jump from
marker to marker.
These markers will also appear (by default) at the top of the Bars window. You could use the markers to mark sections such as
the verses and choruses of the song. The Ins and Del buttons allow you to insert or delete markers. You can change the current
marker by editing it directly in this window.
The [Opt.] button will open a dialog with checkboxes for enabling or disabling the display of Markers and Bar Numbers at the
top of the Bars window.
By default, both Markers and Bar Numbers are displayed. Since they are shown on the same line you can prevent either of these
from being shown in the Bars window by unchecking the appropriate checkbox. If you uncheck the Show Measure Numbers
in Bars Window checkbox the bar numbers will not be shown in the Bars window. If you uncheck the Show Markers in Bars
Window checkbox the markers will not be shown in the Bars window. These options are provided in case you prefer just one or
the other being shown in the Bars window.
Markers can be as close together in time or as far apart as you wish. Markers that are too close together will run into each other
when displayed in the Bars window. In most situations such as marking verses and choruses of a song this isn’t a problem, but it
is something to keep in mind when working with markers.
Show Karaoke Window
This window displays karaoke lyrics if present.
Show Big Clock Window
The Big Clock window displays the current time location in large text; either Measures:Beats:Ticks,
Hours:Minutes:Seconds:Hundredths, or Samples. Clicking on the window will toggle the display mode.
Tile
The Tile command will arrange the various project windows so that an equal portion of each window is visible on the screen.
Cascade
The Cascade command arranges the various program windows on screen on top of each other –with the tops of each window
visible.
Arrange Icons
The Arrange Icons command positions the icons so that they are neatly arranged.

Close All
The Close All command minimizes all open windows so that they are shown as icons.
Tracks Window
This is the window that is shown when you first start the program. The Tracks window shows the tracks with their names, track
type (MIDI or audio), various settings, as well as an overview section showing either MIDI or audio data.
Bars Window
The Bars window offers an overview of multiple tracks of wave and MIDI data.
This window shows the bars (or measures) of the song. Bars that have MIDI data will be shaded, while bars without any data are
not shaded.
Part markers are shown in a colored box at top with thicker squares in that measure’s column, to help identify sections of the
song.

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At the top of the window you will also see either the bar numbers, markers, or both, depending on the chosen settings in the
Markers window Marker Options dialog. See the Markers window topic for more information on markers.
To the left of the window you will see the track names. If the whole track name doesn’t fit in this section you will see it ending
with “...” to indicate the name is actually longer than shown.
Bars that have MIDI data will be shaded. Bars that contain WAV data will be displayed as waveform overviews. Bars without
any data appear as “empty squares.”
Left click with the mouse to set the current time location. To ensure that a previously highlighted region is not accidentally
changed while setting the current time, hold down the Alt key when clicking the left mouse button.
You can use the mouse to select a region to be highlighted by clicking on a measure and dragging the mouse over the measures
you are interested in, even during playback. This action highlights an area that can be affected by the commands in the Edit
menu.
The command Ctrl+Spacebar will loop the highlighted region of a song (or whole song if nothing is currently highlighted).
You can use this feature in the Tracks, Bars, Chords, and Audio Edit windows.
While the highlighted section is playing, Ctrl+Spacebar will stop and start playback at the current location in the song.
The horizontal scroll bar located at the bottom of the Bars window allows you to scroll around through your entire project.
Note: Scrolling through the Bars window won’t change the “current” (Now) location in your song. Instead, you should use the scroll bar in the
bottom left corner of the main screen’s toolbar to scroll to a new location.

Chords Window
The Chords window displays the chord symbols of a song. You’ll see the bars of the song displayed in rows. If a bar contains
chord symbols they will be displayed to the right of the bar number.
When the song isn’t playing you can enter chord symbols by typing them. You enter chords in a similar manner to the Notation
window, except that the Chords window is always ready for chord entry if the song is currently not playing.
Each measure is divided into Beat Groups. A Beat Group consists of two beats. If a song is in 4/4, then each measure will
contain two beat groups. The current beat group will have a rectangle drawn around it. You can type two chords into the current
beat group. For example if you type this: “c7,g7” (without the quotes) you’ll see the text you’re typing in the white rectangular
panel on the toolbar. If you then hit Enter you’ll see the C7 and G7 chords appear within the current beat group, and the input
rectangle will automatically advance to the next beat group. When you’re in the middle of typing chord symbols, you can use
the Backspace key to correct a mistake.
The ←Left Arrow and Right Arrow→ keys let you move the input rectangle to a different beat group without entering chords.
You can also click the mouse on a different beat group to move the input rectangle to a new location.
If you’ve attempted to enter chords within a beat group, and you’ve pressed enter and chords don’t appear within that beat
group, this means that you have made a typing error and the text was not recognized. You should then use the left arrow key to
go back, and try again. It may be that the chord spelling is different than the spelling that PowerTracks Pro Audio recognizes for
that chord. Look in the list of chords for the spelling recognized by the program.
Tip: You can have the Chord Wizard name chords for you. Just record the chords on a blank track in PowerTracks Pro Audio then open the
Chords window and have the Chord Wizard interpret them.
The “a” and “b” part markers indicate section breaks and also control which RealDrums substyle plays. The “a”
substyle is usually the basic style, “b” is a variation. When the Chords window is the current window, the keyboard letter
P is a shortcut for toggling part markers between a, b, and none.

You can highlight a range of cells for editing by clicking inside of a bar and then dragging the mouse to the inside of another
bar, even while the song is playing. For example, if you click in the middle of bar 1, and then drag the mouse to the middle of
bar 8, you will have highlighted bars 1 through 8. This will select all the tracks of the song for editing. You can cut and paste
sections of the song by using the Edit | Cut (or Edit | Copy if copying instead of cutting) and the Edit | Paste command.
Note: If you wish to cut and paste chords, make sure the Chord Symbols checkboxes are enabled in the Cut (or Copy), and Paste dialogs. If
you don’t wish to cut and paste the track data (audio or MIDI data) then make sure to uncheck the “Events” checkbox in the Cut (or Copy),
and Paste dialogs.

The command Ctrl+Spacebar will loop the highlighted region of a song (or whole song if nothing is currently highlighted).
You can use this feature in the Tracks, Bars, Chords, and Audio Edit windows.
While the highlighted section is playing, Ctrl+Spacebar will stop and start playback at the current location in the song.

The [Opt...] button launches the Chords Window Options dialog.

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The “Bars Per Line” setting determines how many measures will be drawn per line in the Chords window.
The “Visible Lines Per Screen:” setting determines how many lines (rows) of chords are will be visible per screen. Each screen
will always have 125 lines per screen in the Chords window, but the Visible Lines Per Screen setting controls how many lines
will be visible without scrolling.
The [Choose Font…] button lets you select a font for the Chords window. The font’s overall size will be determined by the
amount of Visible Lines Per Screen, as well as the height of the Chords window.
The “New line for every section (part marker)” option will start each section, as indicated by the part markers you insert, on its
own line. This makes it easier to identify the different sections of the song.
“Extra space between sections” has the effect of separating each section with a line. The width of the line is determined by the
number of pixels you enter.
The “Auto-Interpret Chords” setting is useful in a situation where a file is loaded, but the file doesn’t already contain any chord
symbols. If you set this to “Always,” then PowerTracks Pro Audio will always attempt to automatically interpret the chord
symbols using the Chord Wizard. If set to “Ask First,” then PowerTracks will ask before attempting to automatically interpret
chord symbols. If set to “Never,” then PowerTracks will just load the file without attempting to figure out the Chord Symbols.

The [Bar] button opens the Settings for Bar dialog where you can change key and set repeats.

Repeats
You can add repeats to an arrangement in PowerTracks Pro Audio. The repeats display on the Chords window, and audio/MIDI
play with the repeats.
To add repeats, click on the first bar of the section to be repeated in the Chords window. Then click on the F5 key function key
to open the Settings for Bar dialog, which has settings for the number of bars to repeat and number of times to repeat them.

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When the number of bars is greater than zero, a repeat will be enabled and repeat signs shown in Chords window. The repeat
signs are also shown in the Notation and Lead Sheet windows.

[Reset Bar] and [Reset All Bars] buttons allow you to quickly remove settings that apply
to the current bar or all bars. Canceling the dialog will restore the original.
This button launches the Audio Chord Wizard. This function automatically figures out the chords from audio
files (WAV/MP3/WMA/SEQ).
If you hold the Ctrl key and press the Endless Loop button on the toolbar, PowerTracks will play the highlighted
section in an endless loop. If no section is highlighted then the entire song will be looped.

Part Markers
If you click directly on a bar number, the number will change into a Part Marker. There are two kinds of part
markers: an “a” part marker (blue), and a “b” part marker (green). Clicking once on the bar number that
currently has no part marker will set the bar to “a” part marker. Clicking again will set it to “b” part marker, and
clicking again would set the bar back to having no part marker.

You can toggle the part marker type for a measure during playback. In addition, you can also toggle a part marker for the current
measure by pressing the P key on your keyboard when the Chords window is currently active.
In the Bars window, part markers are shown in a colored box at top with thicker squares in that measure’s column, to help
identify sections of the song.

Part marker letters are also displayed in Tracks and Notation windows.

Chord Wizard
Right-click in the Chords window to open this menu with Chord Wizard
options. If you select MIDI Chord Wizard the program will automatically
detect the chords in the song. If you’ve highlighted a range of bars,
PowerTracks will only attempt to detect the chords for the highlighted range.

If no bars are highlighted, PowerTracks will attempt to detect the chords for the entire song. You can use the Undo command if
you want to undo this.
The Custom MIDI Chord Wizard will launch the Chord Wizard dialog, which lets you customize the settings for chord
detection.
Chord List
Chords listed here are based on C, but any valid chord letter (A-G) can be used.

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(Major chords)
C, CMAJ, C6, CMAJ7, CMAJ9, CMAJ13, C69, CMAJ7#5,
C5b, Caug, C+, CMAJ9#11, CMAJ13#11
(Minor chords)
Cm, Cm6, Cm7, Cm9, Cm11, Cm13, Cmaug, Cm #5, CmMAJ7
(Half Diminished)
Cm7b5
(Diminished)
Cdim
(Dominant 7th chords)
C7, 7+, C9+, C13+, C13, C7b13, C7#11, C13#11, C7#11b13, C9,
C9b13, C9#11, C13 #11, C9#11b13, C7b9, C13b9, C7b9b13, C7b9#11,
C13b9#11, C7b9#11b13, C7#9, C13#9, C7#9b13, C9#11, C13#9#11, C7#9#11b13, C7b5, C13b5, C7b5b13, C9b5, C9b5b13,
C7b5b9, C13b5b9, C7b5b9b13, C7b5#9, C13b5#9, C7b5#9b13, C7#5, C13#5, C7#5#11, C13#5#11, C9#5, C9#5#11,
C7#5b9, C13#5b9, C7#5b9#11, C13#5b9#11, C7#5#9, C13#5#9#11, C7#5#9#11, C13#5#9#11
(Sustained 4 chords)
Csus, C7sus, C9sus, C13sus, C7susb13, C7sus#11, C13sus #11, C7sus#11b13,C9susb13, C9sus#11, C13sus #11,
C9sus#11b13, C7susb9, C13susb9, C7susb9b13, C7susb9#11, C13susb9#11, C7susb9#11b13, C7sus#9, C13sus#9,
C7sus#9b13, C9sus#11, C13sus#9#11, C7sus#9#11b13, C7susb5, C13susb5, C7susb5b13, C9susb5, C9susb5b13,
C7susb5b9, C13susb5b9, C7susb5b9b13, C7susb5#9, C13susb5#9, C7susb5#9b13, C7sus#5, C13sus#5, C7sus#5#11,
C13sus#5#11, C9sus#5, C9sus#5#11, C7sus#5b9, C13sus#5b9, C7sus#5b9#11, C13sus#5b9#11, C7sus#5#9,
C13sus#5#9#11, C7sus#5#9#11, C13sus#5#9#11.
Notes on entering chords:
- It is not necessary to type upper or lower case; the program will sort this out for you.
- Any chord may be entered with an alternate root (slash chord), e.g., C7/E = C7 with E bass.
- Separate chords with commas to enter 2 chords at a time, e.g., Dm7, G7.
Tempo Map
The Tempo Map is a list of all the tempo changes that occur during the course of the song.
The [Ins], [Del], and [Change] buttons shown above may be used to insert, delete, and change entries in the tempo map.
You may also insert tempo changes by pressing the computer’s Insert key. You can change the tempo of the currently selected
entry by pressing Enter key or by double mouse clicking over the desired entry. The Delete key can be used to delete entries
from the map.
If there is only one entry in the map you can’t delete it since at least one entry in the map is required in each project.
The Tempo Map window also has a [Fill] button that enables you to insert a series of ascending or descending tempo changes,
highly useful for retards and accelerandos.
The “From:” and “Thru:” fields displayed in the Fill Tempo Changes dialog allow you to specify the beginning and ending
locations where you want the tempo changes to occur. The “Start Value” and “End Value” fields let you choose where, in terms
of tempo, the fill will begin and end.
For example, if the start value is 100 and the end value is 90, a series of tempo changes starting at 100 and decreasing down to
90 will be inserted through the bars beginning with the “From:” location and ending at the “Thru:” setting.
Comments Window (Ctrl+5)
The Comments window opens with the “paper clip” button or the key strokes Ctrl+5. It stays on top and has selectable font size,
useful for pasting/reading lyrics or comments.
The Comments window provides a space for you to keep notes of your project. It is a simple text editor that allows you to edit or
view comments. The comments will be saved to a .SEQ file but not to a .MID file.
You can cut or copy from the Comments window to the clipboard, or you can paste from the clipboard into Comments using the
commands in the Edit menu.
SysEx Window
The SysEx window is actually a built-in system exclusive (SysEx) librarian.
This allows you to transmit or receive any SysEx data. You can also load and save MIDIEX compatible SysEx files. The SysEx
librarian can hold up to 24 banks of system exclusive data. Since the librarian stores all data on disk as opposed to memory, the
size of the SysEx data is limited only by the amount of free disk space available.

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SysEx MIDI Events - you can insert System Exclusive data directly into a MIDI track as MIDI events in the Event List
window. You can record SysEx data in real time and when you keep a take, the SysEx data will be added to a MIDI track as
SysEx events. You could also load SysEx data into a SysEx MIDI event by receiving SysEx data from your synth, or by loading
the SysEx data from a file. SysEx MIDI events can also be edited.
Note: Although PowerTracks allows SysEx MIDI events to be huge in size we recommend limiting real time SysEx MIDI events to 128K or
less to prevent a song from stuttering during playback.
Receive: This command enables the ability to receive a data dump from your synthesizer to the currently selected bank. When
you select this feature a message box will pop up to indicate that the sequencer is ready to receive the SysEx dump.
After you initiate this command you can press the appropriate buttons to dump the data from your synth. All the data received
will be stored in the current bank in the program. A dialog box will show the progress of the SysEx dump, as shown below:

When your synth is finished dumping the data press the [OK] button to exit this window.
Transmit: Sends the SysEx data in a given bank out via MIDI. A dialog box will inform you that a send is in progress.
If you wish to cancel a transmission after it has started press the Cancel button and the transmission will be stopped.
Request: This option allows you to initiate a SysEx dump request by sending the request to your synthesizer via MIDI. Simply
choose an instrument from the available names and press the Enter key. You may be prompted for the channel or patch
numbers if the instrument requires them. After sending the request on the MIDI Out port the program will then proceed to
receive any data that is sent from your synth automatically –as if the Receive command had been issued.
Load: This command will load a MIDIEX compatible SysEx file into the currently selected bank.
Save: This command will save the currently selected bank on disk in MIDIEX compatible format.
Name: Provides you with the option to choose the name for a current bank of SysEx data.
Auto: When this feature is enabled the bank will automatically be transmitted via MIDI when loaded from a .SEQ file. The
letter “A” will appear to the right of the bank name if the bank is set to be Auto-Transmitted.
Port: This setting determines the output port through which the SysEx data will be sent out via MIDI. If the selected port is
greater than the number of ports available the data will be sent out the highest available port. For example, if the port setting for
a bank is set to 2 and there is only one MIDI output port installed, the SysEx data in the bank will be sent out through MIDI Port
1.
Delete: This simply deletes the SysEx data from a currently selected bank.
Send All: This transmits all banks that have SysEx data in them out via MIDI.
Edit: For those who wish to manually edit the bytes of a selected bank, you can also type in this SysEx data as long as the bank
currently has no data in it. A dialog box will pop up in which you can manually edit the bytes. The bytes are edited as
hexadecimal numbers separated by spaces. The SysEx data will look something like this: F0 41 10 42 12 40 11 02 10 1D F7.
Each SysEx message should start with F0 and end with F7.
The following is a list of the editing commands available for you to use when editing SysEx data:
Home Go to beginning of line.
End Go to end of line.
^Home Go to beginning of text.
^End Go to end of text.
Up Cursor Up.
Down Cursor Down.
Page Up Up one page.
Page Down Down one page.
Right Cursor Right.
Left Cursor Left.
^Right Cursor Right one word.
^Left Cursor Left one word.
Ins Toggle Insert Mode.
Del Delete text.
Ctrl+X Cut text to clipboard.

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 Ctrl+Ins Copy text to clipboard.
Shift+Ins Paste text from clipboard.
If you save a song to a .SEQ file the SysEx data will be saved within the file. However, there are a few differences in the way
SysEx data is saved to MIDI files, since they must be saved as SysEx meta events. For example, if you save a file as a .MID the
SysEx information will be saved, but the banks won’t retain their individual names when the .MID file is loaded back into
PowerTracks.
If a bank has multiple SysEx messages in it (such as a bulk dump), each individual SysEx message is saved separately into a
MIDI file. If more than the maximum number (24) of SysEx meta events are read from a MIDI file into PowerTracks Pro Audio
the additional banks will be added to bank number 24.
Tips: Use the “Send All” feature to send all the banks out via MIDI.
If you save a file called $OPTIONS.SEQ, PowerTracks will automatically send any SysEx banks with “Autosend” (“A”) enabled in that file. This
is useful if you want to have default SysEx data sent to your synth or sound source each time the program is started.

Dump Request Macros

A Dump Request Macro (DRM) allows you to initiate a data dump of your synth from the program instead of having to press
buttons on your synth. A DRM file contains the name of a synth (names appear in a pick window when you select the Initiate
Dump Request command), and the appropriate packet of bytes can be sent to your synth, which will instruct it to auto-send a
data dump.
When you use the Initiate Dump Request command, PowerTracks Pro Audio reads the dump request macros from a binary file
called PT.INS. The binary file PT.INS is converted from a text file called PT.DRM, which contains the macro information in
ASCII format.
If you have a synth that isn’t listed in the PT.DRM file it is possible for you to manually add your own macro for your synth.
These macros are derived from the System Exclusive Implementation information in your synthesizer manual.
Guitar Window
The virtual guitar fretboard displays the notes of any track or group of MIDI channels.
The virtual Guitar window displays notes (as green squares for fretted notes, and blue squares for bends) that are played in a
selected track or by the MIDI Thru channel on the virtual guitar fretboard.
Pitch bends are displayed in real time as blue lines extending in the direction of the bend. If the direction is up, then line extends
higher on the neck than the original note. If the direction is down (such as if a pull-off were executed), then the bend extends
lower on the neck.
The pitch bends, shown as horizontal blue lines, will move horizontally along the string in real time illustrating the extent of the
pitch bend.
This virtual instrument works in the same fashion as the piano keyboard display. However, given that there are six separate
strings on the guitar fretboard – and that many notes and chords can be played several different ways on the guitar, there are a
few additional settings unique to this instrument.
Just below the fretboard you will find position markers. The current position setting of the guitar is highlighted in reverse
video. The positions range from 0 (open) to 24 (24th fret). There is an additional position called “All,” where the MIDI notes
will be displayed in all possible ways on the guitar. When the position is set to any other range (e.g., from 0 to 24), the notes
will be displayed in that position, unless they are outside the range of a given position, in which case they will not be shown.
You can change the position simply by clicking on any position marker (e.g., 1, 3,5,7,9, etc.).
The [Insert Position] button causes the currently selected position to be embedded into the track at the “Now:” location. When
you play back a track with embedded position information the guitar position will correspondingly change when the position
event is encountered. A position event is stored in the track as a MIDI Controller parameter (number 84) with a value ranging
from 0-24 (indicating positions 0-24). A controller #84 value of 127 indicates the “All” position.
The ability to insert position information into a track is especially useful for properly displaying a track that was recorded by a
MIDI guitar controller with all six strings set to transmit over one channel. By manually inserting this position information you
can coax the guitar fretboard into displaying the notes in the position they were originally played, instead of having them display
in all possible positions.
Try recording guitar music on a MIDI piano-keyboard, then insert the appropriate position information into the track, and watch
the virtual guitar display the notes as if they had been played on a guitar.
Of course, the best way to record guitar music is with an actual MIDI Guitar Controller set to transmit over 6 separate MIDI
channels (e.g., 11-16).
The Note Indicator is a white square located to the right of the [Insert Position] button. When you pass the mouse cursor over
the guitar fretboard the name of the note that the cursor comes into contact with is shown in this white box. This can be used for
getting to know the note locations found on the guitar.

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The [<] backup and advance [>] buttons allow you to advance forward or go backward by one note at a time. The program will
step-play the note that you have advanced or backed-up to. You can stop the note from sounding by advancing or backing-up to
another note, or by pressing the [Stop] button. This feature is available so that you can hear and see a sequence of notes one-
step-at-a-time. The keyboard shortcuts to backup and advance are the Shift+Left Arrow and Shift+Right Arrow keys.
The [←] backup group and advance [→] group buttons work in a similar fashion as the previously mentioned backup and
advance buttons, except that these button allow you to see and hear a group or cluster of notes. Notes that are within a certain
distance from each other (automatically determined by the program) are considered to be such a group/cluster of notes.
Keyboard shortcuts for the backup and advance group feature are the Ctrl+Left Arrow and Ctrl+Right Arrow keys.
Additional hot keys available for this feature are the [0] and [.] numeric-pad keys, which can be used even when editing or
viewing notation in the Notation window.
The [Settings] button offers a dialog that can change the following settings applicable to the Guitar window.
The Note Display Options checkboxes determines whether the Guitar window will display notes on the current/highlighted
track (i.e. recorded MIDI data), or the notes echoed out via the MIDI Thru port (i.e. live MIDI-Controller data).
Tip: When the Multi-Channel mode is enabled (by default), and the MIDI channel of a note is within the guitar channel range (e.g., Channels
11-16 by default), the program assumes that notes within the specified channel range fall on a particular string. For example, in this case a
note on MIDI Channel 11 will be considered to be on String Number 1. A note won’t be displayed at all if it is too high or too low for a
particular string (e.g., the “E” string).

The purpose of multi-channel mode is so that when you play back a track that was recorded by a MIDI guitar controller in
mono mode the notes will correctly display the notes in the virtual guitar. If a given note’s MIDI Channel falls outside the
channel range (e.g., Channel 9), the program will attempt to use the position information instead to display the note correctly.
The Base Channel determines the guitar channel range when in multi-channel mode. For example, with a Base Channel of 1 the
channel range will be “1-6.” The highest possible base channel is 11 (the default), making the range “11-16.”
The Fretboard Color radio buttons let you choose between Brown and Black for the color of the guitar fretboard.
The Octave determines the range of notes that are displayed on the guitar fretboard. When set to 0, the fretboard will display
notes normally. When set to “-1” for example, the guitar window can be used to correctly display bass lines instead.
The Guitar window can display fretboards for guitar, bass, ukulele, mandolin, and banjo.
Select the instrument fretboard from the Fretboard combo box.
Alternate tuning presets, such as Drop D, DADGAD, Open G, etc. are supported for the
Guitar window and Notation Tablature.

The Custom Tuning setting for the Guitar window lets you specify the number of strings (4 through 6) and the tuning of each
string. ( Note: This custom setting does not support Banjo.)
Use the [Copy to Custom] button to copy the current string settings as a starting point for a custom tuning.When you press OK,
PowerTracks will save your custom settings, and then they will be recalled if you later switch to another fretboard and then
return to the custom fretboard.
The String Tuning setting determines the range of notes that are displayed on each of the six strings. The default is Standard E
Tuning. You can change the note value corresponding to the open note for each of the six strings. The guitar fretboard will
appropriately display the notes as if they are played on a real guitar set to an alternate tuning.
Tip: The strings must be tuned from highest to lowest. For example, string number 1 must be tuned higher than string number 2.

The Send Notes To Notation Window setting, when enabled, offers the ability to insert a note directly into a Standard
Notation window by mouse clicking on the appropriate note position on the virtual fretboard. Notes will be inserted at the
current time/location of the opened Notation window.
The Show Notes at Aeolian Position setting, when enabled, will show guides on the guitar fretboard based on the current key
of the song. For example, in the Key of C the Aeolian Position can be thought of as an A-Minor scale at the 5th Position
(Aeolian Mode), with the root of the minor scale being on the 6th string of the guitar. Roots of the relative major scale are
shown with orange circles.
The Show Notes at Phrygian Position setting, when enabled, will show guides on the guitar fretboard based on the current key
of the song. For example, in the Key of C the Phrygian Position can be thought of as an A-Minor scale at the 12th position, with
the root of the minor scale being on the 6th string of the guitar. We’ve named this the Phrygian Position since, in the Key of C,
if you start playing a scale beginning at the E note on the 6th string at the 12th position it is actually a Phrygian Mode scale. You

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can also think of it as just another minor scale beginning on a 5th string. The roots of the corresponding major scale are shown
with an orange circle.
The Note Names combo lets you choose between several options that affect the display within the circular guides on the
fretboard. The default option is “Scale Tones,” which will display all the tones of the Aeolian or Phrygian scale. Other options
are “None” (no notes shown), “Root Only,” (just the major scale root notes shown), and “Chord Tones” (just the major triad
tones).
The Auto Set Position combo, if you chose to make use of this setting, will cause the program to automatically set the guitar
fretboard’s current position to either the Aeolian or Phrygian position of the current key. By default it is set to “None” which
means that the fretboard’s current position stays unchanged.
The Auto Set Octave setting, when enabled, will cause PowerTracks to automatically set the guitar octave by analyzing the
MIDI data in the current track of the song.
The Use Index Finger Position setting when enabled causes the guitar display to use the “index finger” to play notes that are
one fret outside of the normal position, instead of the little finger.
The Show Out-of-Range Notes setting, when enabled, will allow any note to be displayed on the guitar, regardless if it is the
range of the guitar or not.
[Note-] and [Note+] Buttons on the Guitar Window

This is also known as the Guitar Note (previous in list) button. When a note has been highlighted in the Notation
window, this function cycles through the available strings in the Guitar window. It will convert a chord to a guitar note, and pressing
it repeatedly cycles through playing the same note on all 6 strings.
To do this, load a song with a MIDI guitar track and open the Notation window for the guitar track.

Open the Guitar window, and highlight a note or a chord in red using the [<][>] note forward/backward or [<-][->] group
forward/backward buttons (or Ctrl + the back/forward arrows).

Click on the [Nt-] button and the note display will move to the previous position on the guitar fretboard. The tablature will also
change to the new position.

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 The Guitar Note (next in list) button works in the same way, except it selects the next available (lower) guitar string to
display the same note.

With each click of the button, the note displays on the next lower string and the tablature in the Notation window shows the new
location.

Mixer Window
The Mixer window provides real time control of effects and track volumes. You can launch it by typing Ctrl+8.
Note that there are sliders for all 48 tracks, 8 auxiliary effects (Aux) busses, and a total of 16 audio output ports or audio
subgroups.
The Mixer window has stereo VU meters for each track, smoothly responsive sliders and knobs, individual track mute buttons,
and a scrollable track strip.
Meter Map
The Meter Map contains a list of all the meter changes that occur during the course of a song.
The [Ins], [Del], and [Change] buttons may be used to insert, delete, and change the entries in the Meter Map.
You may also insert meter entries by pressing the Insert key on your computer while in the Meter Map dialog. Pressing the
Enter key or double mouse clicking over the desired entry will allow you to change the meter instantly. The Delete key is used
to delete entries from the map. Note that if there is only one entry in a map you won’t be able to delete it since a minimum of
one entry is required in each project.
Markers
This window lets you insert markers in the song for keeping track of various sections of your music.
When markers are inserted in a song you can use the [Prev] and [Next] buttons to jump from marker to marker.
These markers will also appear (by default) at the top of the Bars window. You could use the markers to mark sections such as
the verses and choruses of the song. The Ins and Del buttons allow you to insert or delete markers. You can change the current
marker by editing it directly in this window.

Classic Tracks View Window

This is PowerTracks Pro’s original tracks window. Settings made in the Classic Tracks View will also affect the Tracks
window and the Mixer.

Chapter 11: Reference 197

Selected Indicator: The first column in the track view indicates whether or not a track is selected/highlighted. If a track is
selected its number will be highlighted in the same color as the window caption (top part of a window), and an “input rectangle”
will appear over the “current” edit field.
Ty (Type) The type field determines the track type. There are three types: MIDI, mono audio, and stereo audio, each with its
own icon.

MIDI Audio Stereo Audio

You can’t change the track type if a track already has data in it.
P (Play status) The play status field shows the current status of a track. A track can be in one of two states: play (P), or muted
(m).
Tracks with a “play” status will be heard. Muted tracks will not be heard, but the data will still be processed, so that you can
quickly switch the track back into P status at any time during playback or recording.
Editing Fields within the Tracks Window: The following fields may be edited by moving the cursor over the particular field
you wish to edit and then pressing ENTER, or by double-clicking the mouse while over the field. Numeric fields may be
increased or decreased by pressing the +/- keys.
Track Name: The name of a track.
Events: The number of events in a track.
Note: The following settings affect MIDI tracks only and don’t affect .WAV audio tracks.

Ch: Forced MIDI Channel. When not set to 0 all events in a track will be sent out over the selected channel.
Key: Forced Key Transposition. This setting transposes the events in a track up or down by whatever amount you specify.
For example, “-12” will transpose down by 1 octave.
Vel: Forced Velocity transposition. This setting increases or decreases the velocity of the notes in a track by whatever amount
you specify.
Port: MIDI Port. This setting determines which MIDI port the data in a track is sent out. If the port selected is greater than the
number of available output ports the events in the track will be sent out the highest available port. For example, if only one port
is available and you select port number 2, the events will be sent out of port number 1.
Prg: Program Change. When this setting is enabled a MIDI patch change will be sent at the start of a song. When you change
this setting a program change will be sent out via MIDI. This is convenient for “auditioning” sounds during playback.
Bnk: Bank Select. This will send a bank select message, followed by the track’s current program change setting. Some
synthesizers have more than 128 patches. The additional patches can be accessed by sending a bank select message, which will
cause the synth to switch to a different bank of patches. See also the Options | MIDI Out command.
Loop: Loop MIDI Track. When this setting is enabled, a track will automatically repeat for the number of times specified. The
track will loop back to the start of the measure that contains the first event in the track. If this setting is set to zero, the track will
not be looped.
Resizing the track columns
You can resize the columns of the Classic Tracks View window as follows:
Move the mouse cursor to the top gray row and point it to the edge of the column you wish to resize. The mouse
cursor will change shape.
Click on the left mouse button and drag the mouse to the right to expand the column, or to the left to reduce the column width.

Help Menu
The Help Menu provides easy access to the on-line help file system (PTW.HLP).

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Contents
This menu item will access the help file and display an index of the topics available in the PowerTracks Pro Audio help file
system.
Click on the Index tab to type in the name of a feature or topic you wish to find.
Click on the Search tab to search for a specific word.
Using Help
This command accesses the MS Windows help file, which provides you with some tips on how to effectively use a Windows
help file system.
Tip of the Day…
This item accesses a dialog box that will provide you with numerous tips applicable to this program. By default, a tip is
displayed when you first run the program. You can disable the tip feature by unchecking the “Show Tips at Start-Up” checkbox
offered in the Tip of the Day dialog. Select the [Next Tip] Button to cycle through all the tips available.
User Guide
This opens the full PowerTracks Pro Audio user manual in .PDF format. This is your complete guide to the program. The file
includes bookmark links to go to specific topics and features.
Upgrade Manual
This opens the most recent New Features Guide with descriptions of the latest features and upgrades to PowerTracks Pro Audio
plus instructions for using them.
About PowerTracks Pro Audio…
This item will display a dialog box containing the Version and Copyright information applicable to the PowerTracks Pro Audio
program.

Chapter 11: Reference 199

 Appendix A: PG Music DirectX Plug-Ins
PG Reverb
Reverb is the spacious sound of multiple reflections in a room. In most rooms, reverb has three distinct phases:
1. The listener first hears the direct sound from the instrument.
2. Then a group of distinct echoes arrives, first reflections from the walls and ceiling.
3. After the first reflections, more closely spaced echoes build up from secondary reflections bouncing between room surfaces.
As the reverb decays, the echo density builds up into a final sheen of hundreds of quiet closely spaced echoes.

Pre-Delay is the time delay of first reflections.

Decay is the time it takes for reverb to decay. Reverb Time is measured as RT60, the time it takes reverb to decay to a level -60
dB below the dry signal.
Brightness is the rate at which the high frequencies die away as the reverb decays. Rooms with hard surfaces are typically
bright, but rooms with soft surfaces are usually darker.
Density is the density of low-level echoes near the end of the reverb tail. High Density settings add sheen to the sound.
Mix is the proportion of original (Dry) signal to the reverb (Wet) signal. When PG Reverb is inserted in an Aux Return set Mix
to 100 percent to keep the original dry signal from returning on the Aux. Any original dry signal returning on the Aux would
dilute the effect of the reverb.
Output adjusts the final level of the plug-in.
Typical Settings
- A large hall might have long Pre-Delay, long Decay, and moderate Density.
- A hard large space such as a gymnasium might have long Pre-Delay, high Density and high Brightness.
- A soft large space such as a concert hall with carpet, padded seats, hangings, might have medium Density and low
Brightness.
- A small hard space such as a tile washroom, might have short Pre-Delay, medium-to-long Decay, high Density, and high
Brightness.
- A small soft space such as a large living room might have short Pre-Delay, short Decay, medium-to-low Density, and low
Brightness.

PG Echo Chorus
PG Echo Chorus creates medium to long delay effects.

- A Delay longer than about 40 milliseconds is perceived as echo or slapback.

- A Delay in the range of 20 to 40 milliseconds is perceived as doubling or chorus.

200 Appendix A: PG Music DirectX Plug-Ins

- A Delay shorter than 20 milliseconds is perceived as a comb-filter effect rather than delay. Very short delay is called
Flanging. Short delay flanging is better accomplished with the PG Flanger plug-in.
These delay ranges for Echo, Chorus, and Flange are approximate, and depend on the nature of the audio source. Sustained
instruments may be perceived as a flange filter effect, even with rather long delays. Percussive instruments may be perceived as
short slapback, even with very short delay time.
Pitch Modulation
A chorus of voices sounds big, because the individual voices have slightly different pitch and timing. PG Echo Chorus causes
pitch and timing variation with the modulation section (the three sliders in the middle of the panel).

PG Peak Limit
PG Peak Limit is a DirectX plug-in that prevents signals getting loud enough to clip the audio. PG Peak Limit can also remove
any DC Offsets that have crept into the audio stream. DC Offsets can reduce the available dynamic range of your music, and
cause clicks at the beginning or end of audio files (when the silent audio level suddenly “jumps up” to the DC Offset).

Audio Clipping happens when the audio is so loud that the sample numeric range is exceeded, and the tops of the waves are
“clipped off.”

PG Peak Limit is a look-ahead peak limiter—it can “see peaks coming” and begin to reduce the output gain before over-level
peaks can happen.
PG Peak Limit uses multi-stage Release Envelopes to smooth out the gain. This allows Peak Limit to recover very quickly after
brief loud peaks, but recover more slowly after sustained over-level passages.
You get quick recovery from the occasional brief loud peak. Intermodulation distortion and pumping is difficult to hear on brief
loud peaks, so we can afford to deal with quick peaks without drastically affecting the level of surrounding audio.
However, recovery time is longer on sustained loud passages, to avoid intermodulation distortion and “pumping” between low
frequency and high frequency instruments.
Meters
The Left and Right level meters indicate the plug-in output level, including whatever extra loss is contributed by the Output
Gain slider.
However the Gain meter always shows Gain Reduction before the contribution of the Output Gain slider. In other words, the
Output Gain slider does not affect the Gain Reduction meter.
Only the Left meter is used with Mono signals.
The Clip indicators light when the plug-in output has exceeded 0 dB. The Clip indicators cannot light up if Peak Limit is
enabled, because Peak Limit never allows Over-Level outputs. However, if Peak Limit is not enabled, you can see any over-
level signals that might appear on Peak Limit’s input.
Enable Peak Limit allows the plug-in to control loud peaks.
Enable DC Blocker allows the plug-in to eliminate DC Offsets.
Pre Gain
Apply extra gain to the audio before limiting. If a song is too quiet, raise the Pre Gain to get a louder signal, without having to
worry about clipping the output.

Appendix A: PG Music DirectX Plug-Ins 201

Even if a song is quite loud, you can apply extra gain to make a “fatter” sound. Music is often boosted via a Peak Limiter for a
more consistent level.
If Pre Gain is boosted too much, the audio can sound “squashed.” It will be very loud, but you may hear “pumping” as the gain
continually adjusts to the input level. Squashed music can sound “loud but lifeless.” It is nice to make nice loud songs, but you
risk losing musical dynamics if you overdo Pre Gain.
Post Gain
Use Post Gain if you want to reduce the dynamic range of a track, but you don’t want the output level “as loud as it will go
without clipping.”
Typical Uses
PG Peak Limit is typically inserted as the last plug-in on the Master Output Insert.
Applied to the Master Output Insert, PG Peak Limit makes sure your mix does not clip, and it eliminates any DC Offset.
Unless a song’s source tracks are really quiet, making it difficult to get enough gain just with the PowerTracks Mixer sliders, it
is usually the “right thing to do” to set both Pre Gain and Post Gain to 0 dB. With this setting, PG Peak Limit offers a pure
output clipping protection function, and never changes your music unless an over-level peak happens somewhere in the song.
If your tracks are well performed and do not obviously require drastic fix-up, it is probably best to use just a single instance of
PG Peak Limit, inserted on the Master Output.
The PowerTracks mixer uses floating-point math, which means that the mixer cannot clip internally. The only way clipping can
happen is when the floating point samples from the Master Output signal are converted back to 16 bit or 24 bit samples for
playback or mixdown.
Therefore, with good source tracks, it doesn’t matter if the mixer internally exceeds 0 dB, provided you take precautions on the
Mixer Output.
- Watch the output meters and reduce the master if you see clipping, or
- Insert PG Peak Limit on the Master Output to prevent output clipping.
Aux Return
In most cases, it makes no sense to insert PG Peak Limit on an Aux Return, unless you wish to apply Peak Limit to other unruly
effects that are chained up-stream on the same Aux Return plug-in group.
Track Insert
PG Peak Limit can be used on a Track Insert as a quick-and-easy-to-adjust compressor, smoothing a track’s dynamic range.
PG Peak Limit may be helpful on tracks with inconsistent levels. If inexpertly performed or recorded, any track can have
inconsistent levels. PG Peak Limit is not a cure-all for badly performed tracks. It is much better to record a proper performance,
rather than apply a band-aid to fix-it-in-the-mix. However, if you should become stuck trying to mix an impossibly inconsistent
performance, PG Peak Limit could help a bit.

PG Dynamics

PG Dynamics will apply compression, expansion, or a combination of the two.

Compressor
A compressor “squeezes” the dynamics of a performance, reducing the difference between loud and quiet passages.
Compression is used for leveling a performance. If some sections of a performance are too loud and other sections too soft,
compression can reduce the difference.
Compression can make a signal loud with more sustain. This can be desirable when preparing music for noisy environments,
such as club music, car music, radio and television sound, or small computer multimedia speakers.

202 Appendix A: PG Music DirectX Plug-Ins

Live music has a wide dynamic range. Live music peaks are much louder than the average music level. When playing live music
on a weak sound system— if playback volume is raised so you can hear soft parts, the speakers can distort on loud peaks.
Compression can level the peaks, making a sound system can seem louder without distortion.
The PG Dynamics compressor is a downward compressor with make-up gain.
A downward compressor works by making loud signals softer. After loud passages have been made quieter by the compressor,
you can apply make-up gain to raise the final audio level.
Compressor checkbox enables PG Dynamics’ compressor module.
Threshold sets the level where compression begins. Below Threshold, the level is unchanged. Above Threshold, as the input
gets louder, the gain is gradually reduced.
Ratio adjusts how drastically the compressor behaves.
At a 2:1 ratio, an over-threshold input change of 6 dB would yield an output change of 3 dB. An input change of 12 dB would
yield an output change of 6 dB. Modest ratios are appropriate for smoothing a vocal or drum performance.
At a 10:1 ratio, the difference between loud and soft signals is changed more drastically. An input change of 6 dB would yield
an output change of only 0.6 dB. A 12 dB input change would yield an output change of 1.2 dB. At high ratios, loud and soft
input signals arrive at the output at nearly the same level. High ratios are useful for special effects— add long sustain to clean
guitar, or make spoken dialog loud and intelligible on small computer speakers.
Attack is the time required for the compressor to respond to an increase in amplitude.
As a general rule, use fast Attack values to compress individual notes, but use slow Attack values to compress the overall level
of a track.
With fast Attack, each note will be modified, which can keep the notes within a phrase more consistent. This can tighten up an
inconsistent performance, but also could remove the expressiveness from an expert expressive performance.
With slow Attack, individual notes are not affected very much, but the compressor controls long-term level. Individual notes can
retain their expressive emphasis, but the long-term audio level is controlled.
Release is the time required for the compressor to respond to reductions in amplitude.
Fast Release lets the compressor “spring back” quickly after a loud passage.
Slow Release makes the compressor wait awhile before raising gain after a loud passage.
Use fast Release to compress individual notes. Use slow Release to compress the overall level of a track.
Very fast Attack and Release settings can sometimes cause intermodulation distortion on multi-instrument tracks (or wide-
frequency-range single instruments such as Grand Piano). For instance, on a track containing both kick drum and hi-hat, the kick
drum might audibly pump the hi-hat level.
Rule of thumb: Use moderate Attack and moderate-to-long Release on mixes, but use shorter Attack and Release on individual instruments.
With Auto Gain enabled, makeup gain is automatically adjusted to match the compressor settings.
As the compressor Ratio and Threshold knobs are adjusted, Auto Gain adjusts the Output Gain knob to set the output level to an
“approximately good level.”
With slow Attack settings, the Auto Gain may be too high, causing the output to exceed 0 dB on fast note attacks. In this case,
disable Auto Gain, and manually adjust the Output Gain knob for the desired output level.
Output Gain applies make-up gain to the audio output, in case the compressor settings make the signal too quiet.
Since PG Dynamics and the PowerTracks Pro Audio mixer use floating point math, the internal audio level can exceed 0 dB
without clipping, as long as the level is reduced below 0 dB sometime before the mixer converts the output signal to 16 bit or 24
bit samples for playback or mixdown.
PG Dynamics can be safely adjusted so that occasional passages exceed 0 dB, as long as the signal is attenuated back into a safe
range before exiting the PowerTracks Mixer. Adjust the final Mixer output level with the PG Dynamics Output Gain knob, or
adjust the Mixer’s Track or Master sliders, or insert an instance of PG Peak Limit somewhere down-stream of any PG Dynamics
plug-ins.
Expander/Gate
An Expander increases the difference between soft and loud sounds. The PG Dynamics Expander is a downward expander,
which means it does not affect loud signals, but reduces the level of quiet signals. A Gate (sometimes called a noise gate) is
simply a drastic, high-ratio Expander setting.
Expander/Gate checkbox enables PG Dynamics’ expander module.
Signals below Threshold are attenuated, but signals above threshold are not affected.
Ratio adjusts how drastically to attenuate below threshold.
At 1:2 Ratio, a -6 dB reduction of below-threshold input level, yields a -12 dB reduction in output level.
At 1:10 Ratio, a -6 dB reduction in input level, yields a -60 dB reduction in output level, effectively chopping off or gating low-
level signals.

Appendix A: PG Music DirectX Plug-Ins 203

Modest Ratio can subtly reduce low-level noises between musical notes and phrases, without creating unnatural-sounding side
effects.
High Ratio settings give more drastic results. Sometimes a high Ratio expander is useful as a special effect, but high ratio does
not often sound natural.
Attack is the time required for the expander to respond to an increase of amplitude.
Release is the time required for the expander to respond to a decrease of amplitude.
Fast Release, combined with high Threshold and high Ratio, can cause odd-sounding decay tails. Sometimes it can even sound
distorted. This is called Gate Chatter, and is a common side effect on expanders. If you hear Gate Chatter, use settings that are
more conservative.
Using Compressor and Expander Together
High compression settings can raise low-level noise between musical phrases. To reduce hiss, noise, breathing sounds, lip
smacks, kick drum squeak, snare drum rattles, or other quiet accidental noises between musical phrases, enable both the
Compressor and Expander. Adjust the Expander to attenuate between musical phrases. This keeps the Compressor from
boosting undesirable sounds.
When both compression and expansion are enabled, the signal first passes through the Expander, then passes through the
Compressor, and finally the make-up gain is applied

PG Ten Band EQ
PG Ten Band EQ offers reasonably fine level of frequency contouring.
Fine frequency contouring is useful to repair a track with tonal flaws, but gentle tone shaping may sound more musical on tracks
that basically sound OK, but need just a little tweaking.
If a track does not require fine tailoring of narrow bands, try PG Five Band EQ.

Enable EQ
Though the processor load of an individual frequency band is very light, this plug-in can be made even more efficient by un-
checking frequency bands that are not needed.
For instance, if a track only needs adjustment in the 250 and 500 Hz frequency bands, you could disable the other bands on that
track.
Reducing the processor load can make it possible to run more simultaneous real-time plug-ins within PowerTracks.
When a band is disabled, the band is bypassed and receives no boost or cut. Bypassed bands have a flat frequency response, as if
the slider was in the center position. This feature can also be used to help audition an EQ setting. If you are not sure that a
certain band’s setting is making the sound better or worse, listen to the tune while toggling the band in and out. This is easier
than constantly moving the slider to judge the effect of a setting.
- [Enable All] button enables all the bands.
- [Disable All] button disables all the bands. If you only want to enable one or two bands, it is quicker to [Disable All] and
then enable the bands desired rather than to uncheck all the unwanted bands.
- [Set Flat] button returns all the sliders to the center position.
Note: It usually makes no sense to use PG Ten Band EQ by itself in an Aux Return, though EQ can be useful to tailor some other effect that
is chained on the Aux Return, such as Delay or Reverb.

PG Five Band EQ
PG Five Band EQ is a convenient, simple effect for overall tone shaping. If a track requires finer control, try PG Ten Band EQ.

204 Appendix A: PG Music DirectX Plug-Ins

Enable EQ
Though the processor load of an individual frequency band is very light, this plug-in can be made even more efficient by un-
checking frequency bands that are not needed. For instance, if a track only needs adjustment in the Lo and Lo-Mid frequencies,
you could disable the Mid, Hi-Mid, and Hi bands on that track. Reducing the processor load can make it possible to run more
simultaneous real-time plug-ins within PowerTracks.
When a band is disabled, the band is bypassed and receives no boost or cut. Bypassed bands have a flat frequency response, as if
the slider was in the center position. This feature can also be used to help audition an EQ setting. If you are not sure that a
certain band’s setting is making the sound better or worse, listen to the tune while toggling the band in and out. This is easier
than constantly moving the slider to judge the effect of a setting.
- [Enable All] button enables all the bands.
- [Disable All] button disables all the bands. If you only want to enable one or two bands, it is quicker to [Disable All] and
then enable the bands desired rather than to uncheck all the unwanted bands.
- [Set Flat] button returns all the sliders to the center position.
Note: It usually makes no sense to use PG Five Band EQ by itself in an Aux Return, though EQ can be useful to tailor some other effect that
is chained on the Aux Return, such as Delay or Reverb.

PG Flanger
Flange is a hollow, whooshing effect, created by mixing the original signal with a very short delay (usually less than 20
milliseconds).

Interference between the original and delayed signals, makes a comb filter —many peaks and dips in the frequency response. As
delay increases, more peaks and notches appear in the comb filter, and the frequency of the lowest peak/notch descends.
In truth, any delay creates a comb filter, but as delay time increases, the number of peaks and notches multiply, and each peak or
notch becomes very narrow. Above about 20 mS, there are so many narrow peaks/notches in the filter; the ear does not
recognize individual peaks. The frequency response of a long delay usually sounds flat.
As a Flanger sweeps up and down, all the peaks and notches sweep up and down in tandem, and the spacing of the comb will
change.
Many Flangers use a Delay control, as in a Chorus or Echo effect. However, since a Flanger acts like a filter, the PG Flanger
uses a Base Frequency control, where the short delay is calibrated by frequency rather than milliseconds. This may make it more
intuitive to dial up the desired frequency range.
Flange can be tasty on many types of instrument — Acoustic Guitar, Electric Guitar, Electric Piano, Bass, Drums, and Vocal.
Flange can be used as a quirky equalizer — Set slow modulation rate and little or no modulation depth. With this setting, the
filter doesn’t move much (or at all). You can tune the flanger to statically emphasize specific frequencies in a signal.

Appendix A: PG Music DirectX Plug-Ins 205

Base Freq sets the lower limit of the lowest-pitched peak or notch in the comb filter. To get a wide sweep, set Base Freq low.
Modulation will drive the frequency higher than the Base Freq at the “tops” of the modulation wave.
Resonance sets Flanger delay feedback. High resonance settings make peaks louder and notches deeper, creating a more
pronounced effect.
Mod sets Modulation Depth, which controls how far the flanger sweeps. Think Vibrato Depth. When set to 100, it will sweep
all the way from the Base Frequency up to about 10 KHz.
Rate is the Modulation Rate, which controls how fast the flanger sweeps. Think Vibrato Speed.
Random randomizes the modulation rate, to avoid a mechanical sweeping sound.
Mix is usually set to 50 percent for “classic” flanging, but you can reduce the setting for more subtle effects.
If PG Flanger is inserted by itself on an Aux Return, perhaps Mix should be set to 100 percent. Then adjust the amount of
Flange at the Mixer output with PowerTracks’ “Aux Return Level control.”
Invert Delay
Invert the delay against the original signal. Inverted and non-Inverted have distinctly different sounds. The Invert setting makes
a bright “classic” whooshing sound. Invert is even more dramatic at high Resonance settings.
With Invert enabled, low frequencies are attenuated, and the first filter Peak is at the Base Frequency. With Invert disabled, low
frequencies are not attenuated and the first filter Notch is at the Base Frequency.

PG AutoWah
Wah effects were invented in the 60’s, pedal-controlled band-pass filters. In the 70’s, “envelope-follower” boxes became
common for electric bass, clavinet, and guitar.
PG AutoWah is a classic envelope-follower effect. Loud input signals increase the filter cutoff frequency, and quiet input
signals allow the filter to “close down.” Loud notes become brighter than quiet notes.
Distort adds some grit before filtering. When Distortion is set to a value of zero, there is no distortion. If attempting to
AutoWah a mellow signal that doesn’t have many high frequencies, you can crank the Distort slider to add some buzzy highs
before filtering.
Freq sets the filter’s lower frequency cutoff limit (in Hz). Quiet audio input levels allow the filter to drop no lower than the Lo
Freq cutoff. If the Wah effect is too dark on quiet notes, increase Freq. If the wah effect is too bright on loud notes, try
decreasing Freq or decreasing Sens.
Resonance adds a loudness peak at the cutoff frequency. When the filter sweeps around, this loudness peak emphasizes
(resonates with) harmonics at the cutoff frequency. High resonance has a biting, synthetic effect. Low resonance is mellower
sounding.

Sens adjusts the degree to which loud notes sweep the filter cutoff frequency. No level-sensitive sweep occurs when Sens is set
to zero.
Release is the time (in milliseconds) that it takes for the filter to track note loudness decay. Adjust to taste.
Gain is applied if the plug-in settings make the signal too loud or too quiet.

PG Distortion
PG Distortion is a Soft Distortion effect. Soft Distortion is similar to over driven analog tape or tube amplifiers. Soft Distortion
is mellow; it generates more even harmonics than hard distortion. Even harmonics can complement musical tones and chords.
Tape or tubes have soft distortion because overloaded signal peaks are gently rounded off.
Hard Distortion is caused by over driven digital audio systems or solid-state amplifiers. Odd harmonics in hard distortion have a
raucous sound — less musical sounding notes and chords.

206 Appendix A: PG Music DirectX Plug-Ins

Low Gain settings around 3 to 9 dB give subtle distortion, which may be perceived as “warm” or “fat.” Low Gain settings can
be used to warm up vocal harmony, or fatten up drums and electric guitar. Many musicians prefer to record guitar and drums to
analog tape, for a “fat” effect. Use modest amounts of Soft Distortion to fatten a track.
High Gain settings are more similar to the sound of a smoking guitar amp. Use high gain for Marshall-like electric guitar
crunch. In Rap, Techno, Industrial, or Grunge styles, it is common to use high distortion to fry drum, synth, bass, or vocal
tracks. Record a tame drum machine groove, and then distort the heck out of it for a nasty, rap street sound.

If the maximum gain doesn’t fry the signal adequately, make multiple passes on the same audio selection. With three or more
passes of distortion, a signal can sound as ratty as your heart desires!!
Pre Gain — Adjust the amount of Soft Distortion.
Output Gain — Reduce the final level of the distorted signal. Distortion makes tracks sound louder. Use Output Gain to
compensate by reducing the final level.

PG RingMod
Ring Modulation is a strange effect, which works best for non-pitched sounds such as gongs, unusual percussion, and robot
voices.
Ring Modulation is not a very useful effect on ordinary melodic or chord parts, because it radically changes the pitch of the
signal.
PG RingMod is a balanced modulator, or four-quadrant multiplier. Carrier and Modulator signals are multiplied together, and
only the sum and difference frequencies are passed. The original frequencies in each signal are suppressed.

Modulator Freq sets the frequency of the modulator sine wave.

Mix adjusts the mix between original signal and ring-modulated signal.

PG Tremolo
Tremolo applies amplitude modulation, causing the signal to repetitively rise and fall in level.
Tremolo is a classic guitar effect, as used on innumerable surf and rock songs of the 50’s and 60’s. The vocal chorus of the 60’s
song, “Crimson and Clover” prominently featured tremolo. Tremolo is often heard today on Techno recordings, applied to
instruments and vocal tracks. In Techno, the tremolo is often fast, with the tremolo rate locked to the tempo of the song, at
eighth or sixteenth note rate.

Appendix A: PG Music DirectX Plug-Ins 207

 Rate is the number of tremolo pulses per second.
Stereo Phase only has an effect on Stereo Tracks. It is un-noticeable on mono tracks.
Stereo Phase adjusts the time separation of the Tremolo pulse between left and right
channels. When set to zero or 360 degrees, both channels “pulse” in sync. When set to 180
degrees, the tremolo has a ping-pong effect. The left channel is loudest when the right
channel is quietest, and vice-versa. Set between 0 and 180 degrees, the sound may appear to
move left to right. Set between 180 and 360 degrees, the sound may appear to move right to
left.
Depth sets the depth of the tremolo effect. At zero percent, no tremolo is audible. At one
hundred percent, the volume falls all the way to zero between each tremolo “pulse,” an
exaggerated stuttering sound.

PG Real Time Analyzer

The PG Real Time Analyzer is ONLY a frequency measurement tool. PG RTA never modifies the audio.
Sonic Repair
An RTA can help identify frequencies which should be boosted or cut with an Equalizer plug-in. For instance, if an instrument
track is too noisy, examine the frequency response with an RTA. To reduce noise, unused frequency bands would be the first
likely places to equalize.
If a track sounds bad, the objectionable frequencies are likely to be among the loudest in the RTA display. It can be
easier/quicker to improve the tone if you first try equalizing the loud frequencies.
Mixing/Mastering
An RTA is a good reality check on full mixes. To get a feel for the frequency distribution of a music style, use the RTA to study
your favorite CDs. Music styles often have typical frequency distributions.
While polishing your mix, the RTA can help you make a tune's frequency balance “in the ballpark” of the tune's genre. It may
seem uncreative to purposely make original tunes similar to the norm, but listeners are less likely to seriously audition a tune, if
it sounds “out of whack” from the target genre.
Metal and Big Hair 80's Rock are among the brightest commercial mixes, often approaching a straight horizontal line on an
RTA. If your mix has an overall positive slope (the high frequencies measure higher than low frequencies), you should rest your
ears and then re-evaluate the mix. If the mix has a positive slope, it is almost certainly brighter than any musical genre.

Rhythm 'n' Blues tends to be bass-heavy. Most R&B tunes have an overall negative slope, with the high-frequency bands quieter
than the low-frequency bands. If you mix an R&B tune with a straight-horizontal-line frequency distribution, it is probably too
bright for the R&B genre.
Classical music tends to be even darker than R&B, except for low bass frequencies. Techno and Dance music is often very bass
heavy. Jazz is typically pretty mellow, with low frequencies louder than high frequencies, but not necessarily a lot of very low
bass.

208 Appendix A: PG Music DirectX Plug-Ins

Country music often has rolled-off low bass. Many country tunes use bright bass and bright kick drum, so that the bass is not as
deep-sounding as R&B or Dance styles.
Some people have to work very hard to get a good mix, while others almost effortlessly find the proper combination. An RTA
doesn't turn mixing into a “paint by number” game. For instance, if you only change the level of drum hi-hat, it can radically
change the RTA display. One can make a bad-sounding mix which has the same frequency distribution as your favorite famous
recording. But an RTA is an excellent reality check. If your mix sounds good to the ear, AND THE RTA IS ALSO IN THE
BALLPARK, the odds are good that you are getting close to a finished mix.
Control Descriptions
Enable Plug-in Checkbox
Toggle the checkbox to turn the RTA ON or OFF.
PG RTA only does processing when:
1. The plug-in is enabled.
2. The plug-in is visible.
If PG RTA is not enabled or it is not visible, it does not add to the computer load during playback.
It does no harm to leave several instances of the plug-in assigned to various Tracks, Aux Returns, or Masters.
When you don’t have the plug-in visible on-screen, it will not load down the computer.
Frequency Resolution
The Octave button displays ten bands, representing the level of each octave in the audio. The Third-Octave button displays 28
bands, representing the level of each third of an octave in the audio.
There may be situations where it is more useful to have a 'general' overview at octave resolution, but the main reason you might
prefer Octave resolution is to reduce the CPU load. Compared to third-octave resolution, Octave resolution only presents one
third of the computer load.
Channel View
Channel View is only meaningful when metering a stereo track, or Aux/Master inserts (which are almost always stereo). The
Channel View setting has no effect on a mono track.
If metering a stereo insert, select the Left+Right button to view the summed frequency response of both the Left and Right
channels. Select the Left or Right buttons to view only one of the channels.
Zoom In/Out (Adjust the vertical amplitude resolution in dB.)
If a track has wide dynamics, zoom out to see all the bands without scrolling. If zoomed out too far, it can be difficult to visually
judge frequency levels. All the bands may appear about the same level.
Zoom In to see the best amplitude resolution. For instance, in the screenshot above, the display was zoomed to 3 dB per ruler
line, which emphasizes the differences between loud and quiet frequency bands.
View Range Scroll
Adjust the Scrollbar to center the display to taste. When zoomed-in on a quiet track (as in the screenshot above), you would
scroll down to get a good view of the frequency distribution.

PG Vinyl Tool
PG Vinyl Tool can improve vinyl recordings.
Vinyl discs can have many troubles, depending on their condition. Some records may be severely damaged, whereas others may
only have a few occasional crackles. Though PG Vinyl Tool has many processing sections, it will not be necessary to use every
section on every record. We can't really offer meaningful presets, because each record you process will be a little different.
Digitally Recording a Vinyl Disc
Here are some basic recording tips. If the reader is interested, copious audiophile advice can be found on the internet. Some
audiophile wisdom may be superstitious hokum, and other audiophile advice may be vastly better than the brief suggestions in
this help file.
Obviously, to use PG Vinyl Tool, the disc must first be recorded to a computer audio file. To record a wave file, obviously you
need a turntable... preferably a turntable in pretty good shape, with a reasonably new stylus.
For high-quality recording a vinyl disc, a home-audio turntable may be a better buy than a DJ turntable, which has special
features unnecessary for a good vinyl-to-digital dub. At the same price levels, you may get better fidelity from a home-audio
turntable rather than a DJ turntable.
A turntable with a magnetic cartridge is almost mandatory. Old turntables with ceramic cartridges just do not sound very good,
and can have tracking force heavy enough to damage records.

Appendix A: PG Music DirectX Plug-Ins 209

Sometimes modern high-quality home-audio receivers do not have phono turntable inputs. However, if you have a quality
home-audio integrated receiver (with phono inputs) or a quality turntable preamp, these are the best choice for turntable
recording.
If you have a cheap home-audio tuner or phono preamp, the choice is less clear-cut. Older cheap tuners and phono preamps had
undesirable preamp noise.
There are small inexpensive phono preamp boxes, but the cheapies often have excessive hum and hiss. Most DJ mixers have
turntable phono preamp inputs, but the inexpensive DJ mixers are rather noisy.

If you do not have any gear with good phono inputs, you can connect the turntable to the inputs of an ordinary music recording
mixer. The mixer will not have phono RIAA EQ, but at least most modern inexpensive mixers have low-noise preamps.
If you must use a mixer, check if your mixer has a couple of channels with high impedance guitar inputs. Guitar preamps often
have a high input impedance, a characteristic which is also desirable in a turntable preamp.
Connect the output of your Tuner or Mixer to your computer's soundcard input. In PowerTracks Pro Audio set the input levels
on the Mixer and computer to record a good loud level, but not loud enough to cause clipping. Try to avoid any clipping, even
on the loud clicks that might be in a damaged vinyl record. PG Vinyl Tool will work best if the clicks are recorded clean.
Whatever preamp you use, leave the tone controls flat. Simply record the disc as accurately as possible. You can tweak the tone
in the computer, after the disc has been dubbed to a wave file.
Clean the disc thoroughly. Some suggest water and a soft cloth (or whatever esoteric vinyl disc cleaning tools you may have
available). Some audiophiles claim good results recording a disc “wet.” You might add a couple of drops of dish detergent to a
bottle of water, and wet the record before recording. This will lubricate the record and minimize some noise and distortion.
Keep the stylus clean. It may help to play the record all the way thru before recording it. After the first play, re-clean/re-wet the
disc, and then record. A first play might dislodge dust specks, so that the second play-thru might sound better.
After the disc is recorded to a wave file, you can insert the PG Vinyl Tool plug-in on the track, and twiddle the plug-in settings
while the wave file plays. Polish the plug-in settings as you listen to the results.
You may find it beneficial to insert additional plug-ins after PG Vinyl Tool. Some obvious possibilities could be a Peak Limit or
EQ plug-in. After PG Vinyl Tool has been adjusted to your satisfaction, make the final cleaned output with PowerTracks' menu
item File | Wave Files | Merge Audio and DXi Tracks to Stereo Wave file.
PG Vinyl Tool Features
Enable Plug-in Checkbox
Toggle the checkbox to compare the original recording to the plug-in output. This helps avoid excessive settings. PG Vinyl Tool
uses look-ahead buffering, so if you bypass the plug-in, the output will “jump in time.” This is expected, because there is some
added delay when PG Vinyl Tool is enabled.
RIAA EQ Checkbox
If you recorded from a stereo tuner or other gadget with a phono input jack, DO NOT enable the RIAA EQ section. The RIAA
EQ option is for folks who do not have a turntable preamp, having recorded with an ordinary mixer.
RIAA EQ was designed to overcome the shortcomings of vinyl. RIAA pre-emphasis is applied when vinyl discs are mastered.
High frequencies get boosted, and low frequencies get cut. This makes high frequencies compete better against the inevitable
vinyl pops, clicks, and surface noise. Pre-emphasis also prevents low frequency signals from bouncing the stylus out of the
groove.

210 Appendix A: PG Music DirectX Plug-Ins

When you play a record, the preamp's RIAA de-emphasis will reverse the EQ. High frequencies are cut, and low frequencies are
boosted. If you do not apply RIAA de-emphasis, either with a phono preamp or in the software, vinyl will sound too bright and
shallow.
HF Boost
If you recorded the disc with a mixer which has high-impedance inputs (preferably 1 MegOhm or better), set HF Boost to zero,
for “pure” RIAA de-emphasis.
Most audio mixer instrument/line inputs have impedance in the 10 KOhm to 100 KOhm range. A turntable's magnetic cartridge
will be “loaded” by the lower-than-expected mixer impedance. This won't damage the turntable, but will affect the frequency
balance. A 10 KOhm mixer input could cut the highs quite a bit, and even a 100 KOhm mixer input could cut the highs a
perceptible amount.
There is no way to predict the characteristics of your turntable cartridge and the input impedance of your mixer. Adjust HF
Boost by ear until the frequency balance sounds right. You may not get the frequency response as precisely as the mastering
engineer intended, but if you are happy with the result, who cares?
Some PG Vinyl Tool options can cut highs. If a record is damaged so much that subsequent PG Vinyl Tools cut high
frequencies along with the noise, you could increase the HF Boost by ear, to make up the loss.
Rumble Filter Checkbox
Cheap or worn-out turntable platters can make subsonic vibrations. Slightly warped records can also make undesirable low-
frequency noise. Use the Rumble Filter to block unwanted low frequencies.
The Rumble Filter is a 24 dB per Octave Butterworth High Pass filter, which attenuates undesirable low frequencies. In most
situations, it will do no harm to always enable the Rumble Filter.
Rumble Filter Frequency
At the default of 40 Hz, signals below 40 Hz are attenuated, and signals above 40 Hz are unaffected.
Vinyl mastering engineers typically avoided frequencies lower than 40 Hz. It is difficult to make vinyl cleanly reproduce very
low frequencies. Also, most consumers, even audiophiles with expensive stereos, did not have speakers capable of reproducing
lower than 40 Hz.
Unless you are dubbing classical organ records, it is doubtful that there is anything of interest below 30 or 40 Hz. While
adjusting PG Vinyl Tool, you can experimentally toggle the Rumble Filter on/off to make sure the filter is not removing
important audio features.
DeCrackle Checkbox
Enable the DeCrackle section. PG Vinyl Tool defines crackle as high frequency defects in the range of 2000 Hz to 20,000 Hz.
A single microscopic speck of dust, or a tiny static discharge, can cause an isolated “tick” which is too short to be considered a
“click.” The DeCrackle section removes these isolated ticks. Crackle is a cluster of high-frequency ticks. If there are multiple
close-spaced ticks, the ticks are perceived as a crackling sound.
First disable the DeClick Checkbox, and adjust DeCrackle. On a clean record in good condition, DeCrackle may be the only
necessary section. Normally you would only enable the DeClick section if DeCrackle can't adequately clean up the mess.
DeCrackle Amount
This adjusts the sensitivity of what PG Vinyl Tool considers to be a tick/crackle. At zero, nothing is removed. As the DeCrackle
Amount is increased, PG Vinyl Tool will mute additional “tick suspects.” If the control is set too extreme, PG Vinyl Tool will
partially mute musical features, such as hand percussion or high-hat notes. Only set the control high enough to remove ticks and
crackles. If longer clicks remain, enable the DeClick section for additional cleaning.
DeCrackle Activity
This displays the percentage of audio which is muted. Except for very worn records, adjust the DeCrackle Amount so that the
DeCrackle Activity reads no higher than a few percent. On very good discs, one might get “perfect” results with less than one
percent of DeCrackle Activity. Strive to mute only the minimum necessary to clean your record.
NOTE: If DeCrackle is set outrageously high, the DeCrackle Activity reading can exceed 100 percent. This is not a bug. The DeCrackle
section does three processing passes in progressively lower frequency bands. It might happen that the first pass will “heal” a click, but
subsequent bands will ”heal” the left-over residue of that click.
Sometimes a bad click might be repaired in multiple processing stages, until the defect can no longer be detected. With absurdly high
DeCrackle settings, the DeCrackle Activity can exceed 100 percent, because several stages incrementally repair the same bad clicks.
DeCrackle Fill Gaps
When a tick is detected, it is smoothly “snipped out” of the high-frequencies, without affecting the lower frequencies. High-
frequency ticks last less than one millisecond. Each muted section is very short, only a few samples.
If Fill Gaps is set to zero, this tiny high-frequency-muted region is replaced by nothing. It behaves like a very brief high-
frequency dropout. On a clean record, occasional muted ticks are never noticed. But on a dirty scratched disc, if many snips are
made, it will sound like a reduction in high frequencies.

Appendix A: PG Music DirectX Plug-Ins 211

As you increase the Fill Gaps knob, PG Vinyl Tool will extrapolate the signal in the vicinity of the click, synthesizing a “guess”
at what the signal might have been in the tiny muted region. If you set Fill Gaps to 100, it will insert this extrapolated guess at
the same level as the original signal. This allows many ticks to be snipped from a dirty record, without reducing the high
frequency content.
One might encounter a badly damaged record where the audio is so damaged that the guesses are not good enough. In these
problem cases, try setting Fill Gaps to 70, or 50, filling the gaps with lower-amplitude guesses, which may sound less
obnoxious.
Set Fill Gaps to 100, unless it sounds bad.
DeClick Checkbox
Enable the DeClick section. PG Vinyl Tool defines clicks as midrange frequency defects, in the range of 500 Hz to 2000 Hz.
DeClick Amount
Adjust the sensitivity of what PG Vinyl Tool considers to be a click. At zero, nothing is removed. As the DeClick Amount is
increased, PG Vinyl Tool will mute more “click suspects.” If the control is set too high, it can partially mute musical features,
like snare drum hits. Adjust this control only high enough to remove clicks.
Note: A long-duration defect (longer than a couple of milliseconds) might sound like a click or pop until the high and mid frequency defects
have been fixed. On long-duration defects, the left-over defect might sound like a “thump.”
DeClick Activity
This displays the percentage of audio which is being muted. Except for very worn records, it is advisable to adjust the DeClick
Amount so that the DeClick Activity reads no higher than a few percent. On very good discs, one might get “perfect” results
with much less than one percent of DeClick Activity. Strive to mute only the minimum necessary to clean your record.
NOTE: If DeClick is set outrageously high, the DeClick Activity reading can exceed 100 percent. This is not a bug. The DeClick section makes
two processing passes, in different frequency bands. It can happen that the first pass will “heal” a bad click, but the next pass will “heal” the
left-over residue of the click.
Sometimes a bad click will be repaired in multiple processing stages, until the defect can no longer be detected as a tick or click. With absurdly
high DeClick settings, the DeClick Activity can exceed 100 percent, because both stages incrementally repair the same bad clicks.
DeClick Fill Gaps
When a click is detected, it is smoothly “snipped out” of the midrange spectrum, without affecting the lower-frequencies at that
point. A typical click might last 0.5 to 2 milliseconds. Each muted section is very short.
If Fill Gaps is set to zero, this small muted region is replaced by nothing. It behaves like a very brief mid-frequency dropout. On
a clean record, occasional muted clicks are never noticed. But on a dirty scratched disc, if many snips are made, it can sound
like a reduction in high and mid frequencies.
As you increase the Fill Gaps knob, PG Vinyl Tool extrapolates the midrange signal in the vicinity of the click, synthesizing a
guess of what the signal might have been in the tiny muted region. If you set Fill Gaps to 100, it will insert this extrapolated
guess at the same level as the original signal. This allows many clicks to be snipped from a dirty record, without reducing the
mid-frequency content.
On many recordings, the extrapolated guesses are quite good. Frequent clicks can often be removed without audible side-effects.
One might encounter a badly damaged record where the audio is so damaged that the guesses are not good enough to be
completely transparent.
In these problem cases, you could try setting Fill Gaps to 70, or 50, filling the gaps with lower-amplitude guesses, which may
sound less obnoxious.
Set Fill Gaps to 100, unless it sounds bad.
Smoothing
Some badly damaged records (particularly worn-out 45's and 78's) have high frequency noise approaching “crackle on steroids.”
The surface noise sounds like bacon frying. Crackle atop crackle, atop even more crackle.
The Smoothing section could be useful with severe surface noise. The Smoothing section is a very gentle Gaussian low pass
filter with 6 selectable intensities.
Gaussian low pass filters are “about as good as it gets” for attenuating random noise while having minimal effect on music
transients.
However, a Gaussian filter is still a low pass filter. All low pass filters reduce high frequencies along with surface noise. You
should only enable the Smoothing section if it is necessary for a badly damaged record. Experiment with the Smoothing Level
to find an acceptable tradeoff between reduction in surface noise versus reduction of musical high frequencies.
DeNoise Checkbox
PG Vinyl Tool DeNoise is a “hiss gate.” It gradually attenuates quiet High Frequencies below the Denoise Threshold. Think of
it as a sliding high frequency dynamics expander.

212 Appendix A: PG Music DirectX Plug-Ins

Many vinyl discs were made from reel-to-reel tape masters. The best quality reel-to-reel tape recorders of yesteryear had more
hiss than modern digital recorders. A vinyl disc in excellent condition could contain an accurate copy of the original tape hiss. In
some cases, carefully adjusted DeNoise may give a perceived improvement over the original noise level.
DeNoising may also be beneficial on low level disc surface noise (slightly worn discs). If you have low level “frying bacon”
surface noise, DeNoise might work better than Smoothing.
With loud “frying bacon” surface noise, you could try a judicious combination of Smoothing and DeNoise.
DeNoise Amount
This control sets the DeNoise threshold, in dB.
For instance, if you set it to -40 dB, high frequencies louder than -40 dB are passed unaltered. High frequencies quieter than -46
dB are completely silenced. Levels between -40 and -46 dB are gradually faded down to complete silence.
If the audio level at 8000 Hz happens to be below threshold, but the audio level at 4000 Hz happens to be above threshold, the
8000 Hz signal would be muted but the 4000 Hz signal would pass un-altered. This is “Multi Band Single-Ended Noise
Reduction.”
The DeNoise section can slide the filter all the way down to 500 Hz; so on “silent” sections of a record, the DeNoise silence can
be pretty silent.
Carefully adjust the Denoise Amount so that desirable high frequencies in the music are minimally affected, but hiss in the quiet
sections of the music is removed. Even a 1 dB difference can be easy to hear when tweaking the Denoise Amount. Many high
fidelity vinyl records didn't have much information higher than 10 KHz (another common mastering decision in the good old
days). On many records, frequencies above 10 KHz can be squelched most of the time without noticeably affecting the sound.
A suggestion for tweaking the DeNoise Amount; first increase the setting until the music is obviously losing high frequencies.
Then gradually reduce the level until the music is unaffected. This can ensure that any noise below the minimum music level is
exterminated. Be sure to check the DeNoise Amount against the quietest parts of the recording, because the quiet locations are
most likely to be affected if the DeNoise Amount has been set too high.
Conclusion
PG Vinyl Tool offers many tools which can clean vinyl records.
But there is a limit what can be done for severely damaged discs (without investing in very expensive tools). On very damaged
records, you may be forced to decide between a “natural” sound which contains a few residual defects, versus a more heavily
processed sound which has collected new annoying artifacts to replace the old annoying defects.

PG Vocal Remover
PG Vocal Remover can reduce the level of vocals on many commercial recordings.
Operating Principle
PG Vocal Remover exploits a common mixing technique; the lead vocal is often center-panned (i.e., the left and right stereo
channels have identical vocal loudness). Typically the bass and kick drum is centered, and often snare drum is centered.
However, most accompaniment instrumental tracks and backup harmony vocals are side-panned (louder on one side than the
other).
On typical recordings, we can subtract one stereo channel from the other, which removes “common mode” lead vocal, but
leaves side-panned accompaniment tracks relatively unaffected.
Simple subtraction will also cancel center-panned bass, kick drum, and snare (or other center-panned instruments). Therefore,
we only subtract the midband where the vocal resides.
Even when lead vocal is center-panned, vocal reverb is typically in stereo. If a song has loud stereo reverb, the stereo vocal
reverb is unaffected by the Vocal Remover. The Reduce Reverb feature can reduce the level of the side-panned tracks when the
center vocal is loud.
Some vocal reverb leakage may not be a bad thing on a sing-along track. When you sing along, the original reverb ambience
could make you sound better.
Source Recordings
PG Vocal Remover works best on wave files extracted from well-made commercial audio CD’s, which usually have good
fidelity and low distortion. But it works fine on many MP3 or WMA files, as long as the file is encoded in stereo. It works best
with high quality recordings. Of course an MP3 or WMA file must be converted when loading into PowerTracks Pro Audio.
NOTE: This plug-in MUST be applied to the insert of a PowerTracks stereo track. It doesn't work if you insert PG Vocal Remover on a mono
track.

Appendix A: PG Music DirectX Plug-Ins 213

Operation
Enable Plug-in Checkbox
Toggle the checkbox to compare the sound with/without the Vocal Remover activated.
Balance Slider
Fine-tune with the Balance slider. The center position is typically as good as it gets, but some recordings have accidentally
mismatched Left-Right balance. This is common with vinyl or cassette recordings, or CD-reissues of Oldies. You may get
improved vocal cancellation by twiddling the Pan slider to find a “sweet spot.”
Lo Limit and Hi Limit Sliders
Adjust these sliders to fit the nature of the vocal. The default settings are fine for many tunes. Frequencies below the Lo Limit
and above the Hi Limit are not processed, preserving fidelity except in the vocal midrange. Set the Lo Limit slider just low
enough to attenuate low vocal notes. Set the Hi Limit slider just high enough to attenuate high vocal harmonics.
Obviously the best settings are different for a Baritone, Tenor, Alto, or Soprano voice. They are best set by ear. Some sopranos
have warm low tone, but some Baritones have very bright tone, so the mid-frequency vocal range may be wider than expected.
Reduce Reverb Checkbox
Toggle the checkbox to compare with/without Reverb Reduction.
Reduce Reverb Amount Slider
Reverb Reduction behaves like a dynamics compressor, but the loudness of the center channel affects the loudness of the side
channels. Move the slider to the right to increase the effect. The effect compares the relative level between center and side
channels, so no processing takes place unless there is a significant difference between the loudness of the center versus side
channels.
Vocal is not the only sound which can trigger the compressor. Any loud midrange center instrument could trigger the
compressor, so if you crank the Amount too high, snare drum or other loud center instruments may unpleasantly “pump” the
side channels.
Reduce Reverb Attack Slider
Works like a compressor Attack control. Move the slider to the left for faster response to sudden increase in loudness (when the
vocalist starts a phrase). Move to the right for a slower response to sudden increase in loudness.
Reduce Reverb Release Slider
Works like a compressor Release control. Move to the left for faster recovery after the loudness diminishes (when the vocalist
ends a phrase). Move right for slower recovery.
Adjusting Reverb Reduction

214 Appendix A: PG Music DirectX Plug-Ins

Experiment to get a feel for what works. There may be some songs where the reverb can't be improved, and in those cases just
disable the Reduce Reverb Checkbox.
Some vocals have short pre-delay and reverb tails. Short attack and release would make sense.
Some songs (especially ballads) have loud “balloon” reverb tails with long pre-delay. Since the reverb comes in after the vocal
phrase begins, and lasts a long time after the vocal phrase ends, longer attack and release would make sense. Adjust the Attack
so that the compression kicks in about the same time as the pre-delay reverb, and adjust the release long enough to hold back the
reverb after a vocal line is finished.
Don't expect miracles. You can reduce the reverb level, but will rarely completely eliminate vocal reverb. Judiciously use just
enough compression to avoid ruining the overall fidelity.
Compare the dry sound against the processed sound. The maximum vocal reduction setting could be extreme enough to ruin the
instrumental quality. Sometimes it is better to allow some vocal leakage to achieve the best-sounding instrumental quality. Is it
better to allow some low voice leakage to improve the bass response? Is it better to allow some high voice leakage to improve
the cymbals and acoustic guitar?
After the PG Vocal Remover is adjusted as good as it gets, try inserting an Equalizer plug-in downstream. Notch some
frequencies to improve the effect.
If the output amplitude is inconsistent, try inserting a compressor or peak limiter plug-in downstream.

Appendix A: PG Music DirectX Plug-Ins 215

 Appendix B: Keystroke Commands
F1 Opens help file

Spacebar Play/Stop
P play
Ctrl+P Play from start
R Record
Ctrl+R Record from start
S Stop
W Rewind to beginning
Ctrl+M Mutes current track
Ctrl+U Unmutes current track
[ and ] Decrease/increase tempo by 5
Ctrl+minus sign changes playback speed to half speed
Ctrl+equal sign changes playback speed from half speed to full speed
F5 Tempo
F6 Go to time
F9 Panic
F11 GS Settings
Shift+F11 Select DLL or EXE

F3 Open file
F4 Save file
Shift+F8 Open next file
Shift+Ctrl+F8 Open previous file

Ctrl+F5 Preferences dialog

T Notation Window Options dialog
I Print Options dialog
Ctrl+X Edit Cut dialog
Ctrl+C Edit Copy dialog
Ctrl+V Edit Paste dialog

F7 From = Now
F8 Thru = Now
Ctrl+F7 From = Value
Alt+F7 Now = From
Ctrl+F8 Thru = Value
Alt+F8 Now = Thru

Ctrl+1 Tracks window

Ctrl+2 Bars window
Ctrl+3 Chords window
Ctrl+4 Tempo Map window
Ctrl+5 Comments window
Ctrl+6 SysEx window

216 Appendix B: Keystroke Commands

Ctrl+7 Guitar window
Ctrl+8 Mixer window
Ctrl+9 Classic Tracks view

Alt+F2 New Notation window

Ctrl+Shift+N Toggles through the notation modes of Notation window
Shift+F2 New Big Lyrics window.
Ctrl+F2 New Audio Edit window.
Ctrl+Alt+P New Piano Roll Window
F2 Event List window

Ctrl+NumPad + (plus key) "Zoom In" in the Tracks/Audio Edit window

Ctrl+NumPad – (minus key) "Zoom Out" in the Tracks/Audio Edit window
Shift+NumPad + (plus key) "Zoom Selection" button in the Tracks/Audio Edit window
Shift+NumPad – (minus key) "Zoom Whole" in Tracks/Audio Edit window

P In the Chords window, toggles part markers a, b, or none.

L Toggles lyric entry mode
O Sets duration of inserted notes to whole
H Sets duration of inserted notes to half
Q Sets duration of inserted notes to quarter
8 Sets duration of inserted notes to 8th
6 Sets duration of inserted notes to 16th
3 Sets duration of inserted notes to 32nd
4 Sets duration of inserted notes to 64th
1 Sets duration of inserted notes to 128th
A or Ctrl+A Sets duration of inserted notes to be automatic
Ctrl+Z Deletes the last notes entered

Appendix B: Keystroke Commands 217

 Appendix C: MIDI Controller Numbers
Number Controller Name
0 Bank Select MSB
1 Modulation Wheel
2 Breath Controller
3 Undefined
4 Foot Controller
5 Portamento Time
6 Data Entry MSB
7 Main Volume
8 Balance
9 Undefined
10 Pan
11 Expression
12 Effect Control 1
13 Effect Control 2
14-15 Undefined
16-19 General Purpose Controllers (Nos. 1-4)
20-31 Undefined
32-63 LSB for Controllers 0-3
64 Damper Pedal (Sustain) [Data Byte of 0-63=0ff, 64-127=On]
65 Portamento
66 Sostenuto
67 Soft Pedal
68 Legato Footswitch
69 Hold 2
70 Sound Controller 1 (default: Sound Variation)
71 Sound Controller 2 (default: Timbre/Harmonic Content)
72 Sound Controller 3 (default: Release Time)
73 Sound Controller 4 (default: Attack Time)
74 Sound Controller 5 (default: Brightness)
75-79 Sound Controller 6-10 (no defaults)
80-83 General Purpose Controllers (Nos. 5-8)
84 Portamento Control
85-90 Undefined
91 Effects 1 Depth (previously External Effects Depth)
92 Effects 2 Depth (previously Tremolo Depth)
93 Effects 3 Depth (previously Chorus Depth)
94 Effects 4 Depth (previously Detune Depth)
95 Effects 5 Depth (previously Phaser Depth)
96 Data Increment
97 Data Decrement
98 Non-Registered Parameter Number LSB
99 Non-Registered Parameter Number LSB
100 Registered Parameter Number LSB
101 Registered Parameter Number MSB

218 Appendix C: MIDI Controller Numbers

102-120 Undefined
121 Reset All Controllers
122 Local Control
123 All Notes Off
124 Omni Off
125 Omni On
126 Mono On (Poly Off)
127 Poly On (Mono Off)
More MIDI Controller Information
Additional descriptions of MIDI controllers are available in the MIDI tutorials found in the Support pages on the PG Music Inc.
web site, www.pgmusic.com.
For the full MIDI specification, search MIDI Manufacturers Association in your Internet browser.

Appendix C: MIDI Controller Numbers 219

 Appendix D: Tutorial - Making RealDrums Styles
Introduction to RealDrums ™

RealDrums are actual recordings of studio drummers, pieced together by PowerTracks to create a unique “real” drum track that
is played along with other audio and MIDI tracks in perfect time. In addition, the RealDrums that you use with PowerTracks
will also work with PG Music’s intelligent automatic accompaniment program Band-in-a-Box (versions 2007 and higher).
A RealDrums style consists of a wave file containing various bars of drum patterns, and a text file with instructions on how
PowerTracks should interpret the wave file. In order for the style to work, the text file needs to be located in a folder called
“Drums,” and then in a sub-directory that is the name of the style group. The file-name needs to be the same as the style group,
followed by an underscore ( _ ) and a three digit number representing the tempo. Additionally, “_Style” has to be in the filename
after the tempo.
Because both PowerTracks Pro Audio and Band-in-a-Box can use RealDrums, it is only necessary to have RealDrums styles in
a single location on your hard drive. The default location is c:\bb\Drums (bb is the default Band-in-a-Box folder), but your
drums folder can actually be located anywhere on your hard drive and it will still work with PowerTracks as long as you select
the correct folder in the RealDrums dialog.
Let’s assume that you have accepted C:\bb\Drums as the location for your RealDrums files. Here is an example of a RealDrums
style. This is a “JazzBrushes” style that is 120 beats-per-minute. The following text file needs to be present:
C:\bb\Drums\JazzBrushes\JazzBrushes_120_Style.txt
The wave file also needs to be in a subdirectory of the “Drums” folder. It is usually located in the same place as the text file:
C:\bb\Drums\JazzBrushes\JazzBrushes_120_Style.wav
However it can be in a different directory, and there are some instances where this is necessary (see “Reduced Styles” below).
“RealDrums style groups” are multiple RealDrums styles that have the same basic feel, but were recorded at different tempos. In
the example above, “JazzBrushes” is the group, and “JazzBrushes_120_Style” is the style. In that particular example, the
JazzBrushes group could contain a number of different RealDrums style tempos. For example:
JazzBrushes_045_Style
JazzBrushes_060_Style
JazzBrushes_070_Style
JazzBrushes_100_Style
JazzBrushes_120_Style
JazzBrushes_145_Style
JazzBrushes_175_Style
JazzBrushes_210_Style
JazzBrushes_250_Style
JazzBrushes_300_Style
Having a number of different tempos is necessary if you want your RealDrums style to sound the best. When you generate a
RealDrums track in PowerTracks, it will select the style tempo that is closest to the tempo of your song. There are two main
reasons that this is desirable. One is that if the tempo of your song is very different from the closest RealDrums style tempo
available, PowerTracks needs to stretch the wave file a lot, and this can decrease the sound quality noticeably. The other reason
is that drummers play differently at different tempos. If the drummer was playing at 60 BPM originally, this style may not sound
appropriate for a song that is 200 BPM
The easiest way to make a style is to use a text-file template.
Making A RealDrums Style Using An Existing Template
Templates are available for download from https://nn.pgmusic.com/pgfiles/realdrums_stylemaking_templates.zip.
The information given below is all you need to create a RealDrums style using any of several provided templates.
For a more in-depth look at the intricate details of creating styles, please read on to the following topics under
Elements of RealDrums Styles.
Recording your wave file
For the wave file that will be used for your RealDrums style, you can either record a drummer, or you can piece together a wave
file using drum loops. If you use drum loops, just make sure you have the necessary permission from the original artists and/or
publishers of the loops.
Regardless of the method that you choose for creating your drum wave file, you need to have it conform to one of these
descriptions in order to have it match the accompanying template:
1. 32_bars_of_drumming.txt

220 Appendix D: Tutorial - Making RealDrums Styles

 2. 32_bars_of_drumming_with_shots.txt
3. 32_bars_of_drumming_with_shots_two_endings.txt
4. 64_bars_of_drumming.txt
5. 64_bars_of_drumming_with_shots.txt
6. 64_bars_of_drumming_with_shots_two_endings.txt
1. 32_bars_of_drumming.txt
bar# 1-2 – count-in for two bars (i.e., “one, two, one-two-three-four”)
Bars 3-18 will use the same basic groove:
3 – PostFill (usually a bar of playing with a cymbal shot at the downbeat, or some kind of bar that would
sound good after a fill)
4-9 – normal playing
10 – Fill
11 – PostFill
12-17 – normal playing
18 – Fill
Bars 19-34 will use a slightly different groove (‘B’ section) than 3-18
19 – PostFill
20-25 – normal playing
26 – Fill
27 – PostFill
28-33 – normal playing
34 – Fill
35-36 – ending, lasting two bars (usually the second bar ends on the downbeat, with a cymbal decaying)
2. 32_bars_of_drumming_with_shots.txt
This is exactly the same as 1, with these bars added:
37 – single drum hit, which will be used for “shots”
38 – single drum hit, which will be used for “pushes”
3. 32_bars_of_drumming_with_shots_two_endings.txt
bar# 1-2 – count-in for two bars (i.e., “one, two, one-two-three-four”)
Bars 3-20 will use the same basic groove:
3 – PostFill (usually a bar of playing with a cymbal shot at the downbeat, or some kind of bar that would
sound good after a fill)
4-9 – normal playing
10 – Fill
11 – PostFill
12-17 – normal playing
18 – Fill
19-20 – two bar ending
Bars 21-36 will use a slightly different groove (‘B’ section) than 3-20
21 – PostFill
22-27 – normal playing
28 – Fill
29 – PostFill
30-35 – normal playing
36 – Fill
37-38 – ending, lasting two bars (usually the second bar ends on the downbeat, with a cymbal decaying)

39 – single drum hit, which will be used for “shots”

Appendix D: Tutorial - Making RealDrums Styles 221

 40 – single drum hit, which will be used for “pushes”
4. 64_bars_of_drumming.txt
bar# 1-2 – count-in for two bars (i.e., “one, two, one-two-three-four”)
Bars 3-34 will use the same basic groove:
3 – PostFill (usually a bar of playing with a cymbal shot at the downbeat, or some kind of bar that would
sound good after a fill)
4-9 – normal playing
10 – Fill
11 – PostFill
12-17 – normal playing
18 – Fill
19 – PostFill
20-25 – normal playing
26 – Fill
27 – PostFill
28-33 – normal playing
34 – Fill
Bars 35-66 will use a slightly different groove (‘B’ section) than 3-18
35 – PostFill
36-41 – normal playing
42 – Fill
43 – PostFill
44-49 – normal playing
50 – Fill
51 – PostFill
52-57 – normal playing
58 – Fill
59 – PostFill
60-65 – normal playing
66 – Fill
67-68 – ending, lasting two bars (usually the second bar ends on the downbeat, with a cymbal decaying)
5. 64_bars_of_drumming_with_shots.txt
This is exactly the same as 5, with these bars added:
69 – single drum hit, which will be used for “shots”
70 – single drum hit, which will be used for “pushes”
6. 64_bars_of_drumming_with_shots_two_endings.txt
bar# 1-2 – count-in for two bars (i.e., “one, two, one-two-three-four”)
Bars 3-36 will use the same basic groove:
3 – PostFill (usually a bar of playing with a cymbal shot at the downbeat, or some kind of bar that would
sound good after a fill)
4-9 – normal playing
10 – Fill
11 – PostFill
12-17 – normal playing
18 – Fill
19 – PostFill
20-25 – normal playing
26 – Fill

222 Appendix D: Tutorial - Making RealDrums Styles

 27 – PostFill
28-33 – normal playing
34 – Fill
35-36 – 2 bar ending
Bars 37-70 will use a slightly different groove (‘B’ section) than 3-18
37 – PostFill
38-43 – normal playing
44 – Fill
45 – PostFill
46-51 – normal playing
52 – Fill
53 – PostFill
54-59 – normal playing
60 – Fill
61 – PostFill
62-67 – normal playing
68 – Fill
69-70 – 2 bar ending
71 – single drum hit, which will be used for “shots”
72 – single drum hit, which will be used for “pushes”
Editing the text file
For the most part, the text files are ready-to-go. There are, however, a few small essential changes that you need to make to the
text file, and some other small changes you can make to improve your style.
Essential Changes
The first thing you need to do is change the filename of the wave-file and the text file to match the RealDrums style group to
which to which you want your style to belong. For example, if you want your style group to be called “MyFunkyStyle,” and the
style you recorded was at 70 beats per minute, your wave file would have to be called “MyFunkyStyle_070_Style.wav” and
your text file would have to be called “MyFunkyStyle_070_Style.txt.” Both files would have to be placed in your Drums folder,
for example C:\bb\Drums, and from there in a folder that is named for the style group. In this case, it would be
C:\BB\Drums\MyFunkyStyle\.
The second thing you have to do is to change the first line of the text file so that it has the same name as the wave file. In this
case, you would change “wavename=mystyle.wav” to “wavename=MyFunkyStyle_070_Style.wav”
The last thing you would need to do would be that if your style were a waltz (3:4) style, you would need to change “TimeSig=4”
to “TimeSig=3”. If, however, you are making a 4:4 style, your style is ready to be used!
Additional Changes
There are a few additional changes that could be made to fine-tune your style. The first is to enter a different value in the
“Offset=” line. Drummers often hit a drum a few milliseconds before the beat, because the actual sound of the drum tends to
peak a few milliseconds after it is hit. Because of this, you want PowerTracks to “grab” a bar of drums a few ticks (1 beat = 120
ticks) early to compensate for this. The amount entered in the template is –5 (ticks), but if you are finding that the drum hits at
the beginning of bars are not starting properly, you can experiment by setting a different offset value. –6 or lower (since it’s a
negative number “lower” means –7, -8, -9, etc.) will mean the bar is “grabbed” earlier, and a higher number (-4, -3, -2, -1, 0,
etc.) means that it will be “grabbed” closer to the bar line.
Another thing you can change is the volume. If you are finding your style is too loud, you can reduce this by entering lower
numbers in the “dbAdjust=” line. The default is 0, but if you enter –1, -2, -3, etc., the drum volume will be lowered.
For the patterns and the shots, all of the patterns that are entered in the templates will match your wave file, provided that the
wave file was recorded to the specifications listed above. You can make changes to the patterns and shots, but it is a good idea
to read further into the specific meaning of all of the elements of these lines.
Testing your RealDrums style
Once you have made your RealDrums style, you can test it in PowerTracks by loading a song and setting the tempo near to the
tempo of the style you just created. You would then go into the RealDrums dialog (by pressing the RealDrums toolbar button),
make sure your RealDrums folder path is selected (for example, C:\bb\Drums), and choose your RealDrums style by pressing
the [Select] button. Choose the track number and range of bars that you want the RealDrums to be generated in, and press [OK -
Generate RealDrums]. You will then be able to listen to your new RealDrums style!

Appendix D: Tutorial - Making RealDrums Styles 223

Note: You should also test the fills and postfills. To do this, add in part markers in the Chords Window prior to generating your
RealDrums track. Typically you might have a part marker every 8 bars. A blue part marker means that PowerTracks will use the
A patterns in the following bars, while a green part marker means that it will use the B patterns. It is especially important that
both A and B patterns work if you want to use your style with Band-in-a-Box. At this point, you may also wish to test the shots
and pushes. To define a shot in the Chords Window, follow your chord by two periods (ex. “C..”); for a push, type either a
single (8th push) or double (16th push) caret before the chord symbol (ex. “^C”).
Elements of RealDrums Styles
For an in-depth explanation of all elements of creating a RealDrums style, please read below.
Elements of the Wave File
The wave file must contain a two bar count-in. This can be a metronome sound, a drummer actually counting in, or even a two-
bar drum fill. These two bars will always be played at the beginning of the track if you have ‘First two bars of song are lead-in’
checked in the RealDrums dialog (In Band-in-a-Box, these bars will be played at the beginning of a Band-in-a-Box song unless
you have disabled the count-in). It is important to note that the beginning of the wave file should not contain a bar of drum
playing that is intended to be used in the middle of a song. If this bar were chosen, there would likely be an audible gap of
silence at the beginning of the bar when playing in PowerTracks or Band-in-a-Box (this is due to the "ms offset" which will be
discussed later).
The majority of the wave file can then contain any number of bars of drumming, keeping in mind that there are two “substyles”
(represented by A and B part markers in the Chords Window). This means that the basic groove should be the same throughout
the first half of the drum bars, and then the groove can change and should remain basically the same through to the end. Keep in
mind also when you either record or piece together your wave file, that in each “substyle”, there need to be examples of fills,
normal bars, and post-fills (bars specifically designed to come after fills, often containing a crash cymbal which completes a
fill). You also need at least one 2-bar ending, which will get generated if “Generate ending for last two bars” is checked in the
RealDrums dialog (or will get played in Band-in-a-Box as the automatic 2-bar ending).
After the bars of drumming should be a short section of single drum hits. These will be used to mix in with the bars of
drumming to emulate pushes and shots.
Example 1 shows an entire RealDrums style wave file. You can see that the first two bars contain the count-in, then the majority
of the file is taken up by regular drumming (you can see that halfway through the pattern is different – this represents the ‘B’
subsection), then at the end there are 4 “shots” (single drum hits).

Example 1: Wave form of an entire RealDrums style wave file

Elements of the Text File
The text file contains three main portions, global settings, pattern definition, and shots definition. We’ll examine each one
separately.
Global Settings
Wavename=x.wav
The first line of the text file must be “wavename=x.wav”, where “x” is the name of the filename. For example, the first line of
the JazzBrushes_120 text file is “wavename=JazzBrushes_120_Style.wav”. This file usually is in the same directory as the text
file, but does not have to be. For example, you could make an alternate style that used JazzBrushes_120_Style.wav called
JazzBrushesAlternate. The text file would have to reside in
C:\bb\Drums\JazzBrushesAlternate\JazzBrushesAlternate_120_Style.txt, but the first line would still be
“wavename=JazzBrushes_120_Style.wav”.
ForceWavTempo=x
This is only used if the tempo of the style in question is different from the tempo that is in the filename of the wave file being
used. These are called “reduced” or “expanded” styles, and will be discussed further below.

224 Appendix D: Tutorial - Making RealDrums Styles

TimeSig=3
This would be used if you are making a waltz style. The line can simply be omitted when making 4:4 styles.
OFFSET=x
Often a drummer will hit a drum or cymbal slightly before a beat so that the actual peak of the sound occurs on the beat itself.
The offset determines how many ticks (1 beat =120 ticks) before the downbeat a bar of drums will be taken from the style wave
file, which is intended to compensate for any occurrence of this early playing on the drum track. It is important to note that if a
bar is taken 10 ticks early from the style wave file, it is also placed 10 ticks early on the PowerTracks drum track, so there will
be no shifting of the actual groove.
If no offset amount is entered, the program defaults to an offset of 0.
To determine a good offset amount for a particular wave file, you can use the Audio Edit Window in PowerTracks to zoom in
on the downbeats of all (or a sampling) of the bars. You can then measure the number of ticks between the start of the drum hits
and the actual bar line. The highest example would be entered as the offset amount.
In example 2, the beginning of the drum hit at bar 15 occurs at 14:04:118, or 2 ticks before the downbeat of bar 15. If all other
bars were similar, you would enter an offset of –2.

Example 2: The left edge of the highlighted area represents the beginning of the drum hit that occurs at bar 15, and the right
edge of the highlighted area represents the actual downbeat of bar 15.
dbadjust=x
If a value is entered here, when the RealDrums track is played in PowerTracks (or Band-in-a-Box), the volume will be raised (or
lowered if it is negative) by the amount entered. This is used to balance the RealDrums against other instruments. This amount
can be fine-tuned once the style is completed and it is possible to test it in context.
If no dbadjust amount is entered, the program defaults to an adjust of 0.
dbadjustA=x
dbadjustB=y
You can adjust the volume of the A section and B section patterns separately in the same manner as “dbadjust” using
“dbadjustA=” and “dbadjustB=”. The final volume of the parts will be based on the “dbadjust” amount added to the adjust for
the substyle in question. For example, let’s assume these values were entered:
Dbadjust=-5
DbadjustA=-2
DbadjustB=3
The total volume adjust for the A section would be (-5)+(-2)= -7. The total volume adjust for the B section would be (-5)+3= -2.
MultibarPatternPercent=x
When PowerTracks is choosing a RealDrums pattern (see “patterns” below) for a particular bar in a song, it randomly selects
from all possible patterns that fit based on their relative weight. If, however, a percentage is entered here, then before this step it
determines whether the current bar will be used only in a multi-bar pattern based on this percentage. If it is to be used as a multi-
bar pattern-only, PowerTracks eliminates all 1-bar patterns as possibilities for the current bar of music. For example, if
“MultibarPatternPercent=20” is entered, then every time PowerTracks searches for a pattern, there is a 20% chance that it will
eliminate 1-bar patterns as possibilities. If “MultibarPatternPercent=80” is entered, then every time there will be an 80% chance
that 1-bar patterns will be eliminated as possibilities. If such an instance occurs, but no multi-bar patterns will fit in the bar in
question, a 1-bar pattern will be allowed.

Appendix D: Tutorial - Making RealDrums Styles 225

If no amount is entered here, then PowerTracks simply always picks between all possible patterns based on their relative
weights.
PushAmount8=x
PushAmount16=x
When pushes are entered in PowerTracks Pro Audio in the Chords window (with either “^” for an 8th note push or “^^” for a
16th note push, entered before a chord), the RealDrums mix single drum hits with the bars of regular playing to emphasize the
push. These settings determine how many ticks prior to a beat the pushes are played.
Mathematically, since 1 quarter-note is 120 ticks, in a straight 8th style the 8th-note will be 60 ticks and the 16th-note will be 30
ticks, and in a swing 8th style the 8th-note will be 40 ticks. However, since drummers (thankfully!) do not play mathematically,
these numbers will vary based on their individual style, and the amount of “swing” in their playing. A good amount to enter for
these values can be determined by closely examining the drummer’s playing in an audio editor and measuring the number of
ticks between a few 8th-notes prior to beats.
In this straight-8ths style (example 3), this eighth note played prior to the downbeat of bar 6 is played at 5:04:058, or 62 ticks
before the downbeat. The rest of the file could be examined in a similar fashion (or random samplings), but based on this
example you would enter PushAmount8=62.

Example 3: The left edge of the highlighted area represents the eighth note before the downbeat of bar 6, and the right edge of
the highlighted area represents the downbeat of bar 6.
ASubstyleAllowed=NO
BSubstyleAllowed=NO
Using either one of these lines blocks all patterns for the specified substyle, and then uses the patterns of the remaining substyle
for the entire song, regardless of the substyle selected in the Chords Window (by part markers).
This can be useful for altering an existing style. For example, if you have a style made that uses brushes at the A section and
sticks at the B section, but you want to change it so that it only uses sticks, you can enter the line “AsubstyleAllowed=NO” into
the text file. All of the B section patterns will be used for both A section parts and B section parts. This is also a useful tool in
making “Alternate” styles (see “Alternate Styles and Expanded/Reduced Styles” below).
It is important, however, to not enter both of these lines. If you do this, PowerTracks will not be able to find any patterns at all.
Pattern Definition
All patterns are defined in the text file using lines of text containing seven elements, with each of the seven elements separated
by a comma. The seven elements are: 1) the text “pattern”, 2) type of pattern, 3) section definition (A, B or all), 4) weight (how
often the pattern will be played), 5) Mask (restrictions on where the pattern can be played), 6) duration of the pattern in bars, 7)
the location of the pattern in the style wave file.
Here are some examples of defined patterns:
pattern,Normal,A,2,1,2,75
pattern,Fill,A,1,0,1,58
pattern,PostFill,B,8,0,8,3
pattern,Ending,0,6,0,2,114
pattern,Count-in,0,5,0,2,-1
As you can see, each example here starts with the text “pattern.” This simply lets PowerTracks know that the line contains
information regarding drum parts that will be inserted into the RealDrums track. The next element is the type of pattern, and
here we have examples of “normal,” “fill,” “PostFill”, “Ending” and “Count-in” types of patterns. The next element is the

226 Appendix D: Tutorial - Making RealDrums Styles

section definition, and we have examples of “A” section patterns, “B” section patterns and “0” patterns, for which sections are
not applicable. The next element is the weight. In these examples we have weights of 2, 1, 8, 6 and 5. The higher the weight, the
more frequently the pattern will be chosen. The next element is the mask. There are examples here of “0” masks, which impose
no additional restrictions on where the pattern can be played and a “1” mask, which does impose certain restrictions. The next
element is the duration in bars, and we have examples here of patterns that last 1, 2 or 8 bars long. The final element is the
location of the pattern in the style wave file. These numbers represent bars, however you’ll notice that one of the examples has a
location of –1. This is because PowerTracks uses a –1 based numbering system for bars of music in a song, which will be
explained in more detail below.
The six elements that come after the text “pattern” are explained here in further detail:
1. Type of patterns
There are 5 different types of patterns, “Fill,” “PostFill,” “PreFill,” “Normal,” “Ending” and “Count-in.”
Fills
Fills always occur in the bar immediately prior to part markers. In PowerTracks, part markers (A or B) are used to
delineate musical phrases. Since drum fills are also used to conclude musical phrases, drum fills always occur in the
last bar before a part marker. Unlike other patterns, fills can only be 1 bar long.
Here are some examples of Fill patterns defined:
• pattern,Fill,A,1,0,1,8
• pattern,Fill,B,6,0,1,32
• pattern,Fill,B,5,0,1,58
PostFills
As the name implies, PostFills bars occur after Fills. That means that PostFill bars always occur in bars in which there
are part markers. Typically, PostFill bars are generally bars that have a cymbal crash on the downbeat, which is
intended as a completion to the fill that occurred in the previous bar. PostFills can be any number of bars long.
Here are some examples of PostFill patterns defined:
• pattern,PostFill,A,8,0,8,1
• pattern,PostFill,A,5,0,1,9
• pattern,PostFill,B,4,0,2,17
PreFills
PreFill bars occur immediately before Fills. PreFills are not essential for a style to work, but can be useful in situations
where a drummer begins an elaborate fill a bar early. When PowerTracks picks patterns for bars that precede fills, it
picks from among the pool of normal and prefill patterns. Prefills can be 1 or 2 bars long, with the 2-bar prefill
containing the actual fill as well.
Here are some examples of PreFill patterns defined:
• pattern,PreFill,A,4,0,2,7
• pattern,PreFill,B,7,0,1,57
Normal patterns
Normal patterns generally make up the bulk of a style, as it is generated in PowerTracks or played in Band-in-a-Box.
Any bar that is not immediately before or after a part marker, and is not a count-in or ending, will be taken from the
pool of normal patterns.

Example 4: All of the highlighted bars in this example are “normal” bars.
Here are some examples of Normal patterns defined:
• pattern,Normal,A,2,0,1,3
• pattern,Normal,A,5,3,2,11
• pattern,Normal,B,5,1,2,75
• pattern,Normal,B,2,5,2,64
Endings
Endings are always 2 bars long, and generally have characteristics of fills for the first bar, but then end with a drum hit
on the 2nd bar, sometimes with a cymbal on the downbeat, but also often with a particular rhythmic figure. If you
intend to use your style with Band-in-a-Box, you should check the ending in the Band-in-a-Box style that you will be
using the RealDrums style with, to see what kind of rhythm should be used in the drums to match up with the other
instruments. Endings can only be 2 bars long, and you need to have at least one ending defined. The ending will play if

Appendix D: Tutorial - Making RealDrums Styles 227

 you have ‘First two bars are lead-in’ checked in PowerTracks, and will play as the automatic 2-bar ending in Band-in-
a-Box.
Count-ins
Count-ins are always 2 bars long, and occur at the beginning of a song if you have ‘First 2 bars in song are lead-in’
selected in the PowerTracks RealDrums dialog. The count-in will also play in Band-in-a-Box at the beginning of the
song, unless the count-in is disabled in settings. Count-ins are usually sidestick tapping “one… two… one, two, three,
four”, but you can put anything in these two bars. You can have a person actually counting in, or you can have 2 bars of
drum fills as your count-in, etc.
2. Section Definition
RealDrums styles have two “subsections,” an ‘A’ subsection and a ‘B’ subsection. When defining patterns, you need to specify
whether the pattern is intended to be played during ‘A’ section or the ‘B’ section. For patterns to which the section is not
applicable, you can fill this space with a “0.” These include the count-in and the ending. You can make an exception for the
ending, if you want to specifically designate an ending to occur only when the preceding bar is ‘A’ or ‘B’. Instead of “0,” you
would enter “Aending” or “Bending.” Just remember that if you do this, you need to cover both eventualities. If you enter a “0”
ending, this on its own covers both cases.
Here are some examples of ‘A’ patterns:
• pattern,Fill,A,1,0,1,8
• pattern,PostFill,A,8,0,8,1
• pattern,PostFill,A,5,0,1,9
• pattern,PreFill,A,4,0,2,7
• pattern,Normal,A,2,0,1,3
• pattern,Normal,A,5,3,2,11
Here are some examples of ‘B’ patterns:
• pattern,Fill,B,6,0,1,32
• pattern,Fill,B,5,0,1,58
• pattern,PostFill,B,4,0,2,17
• pattern,PreFill,B,7,0,1,57
• pattern,Normal,B,5,1,2,75
• pattern,Normal,B,2,5,2,64
Here are some examples of ‘0’ patterns:
• pattern,Count-in,0,5,0,2,-1
• pattern,ending,0,1,0,1,33
Here are some examples of special-case endings:
• pattern,ending,Aending,5,0,2,37
• pattern,ending,Bending,5,0,2,77
3. Weight
Every time that PowerTracks needs to find a RealDrums pattern to insert into a bar, it first finds all possible patterns that would
fit (based on the type of pattern, the section definition, the mask and the length), and then it picks randomly from those patterns
based on the weight assigned.
The weight is a number between 1 and 8 (there are special cases where you can use 0 or 9 which we will examine at the end of
this section). When PowerTracks has amassed the list of possible patterns, it then adds up the weights of all of these patterns,
and then the chances that each pattern will be selected is based upon a percentage determined by the weight of the pattern
divided by the total.
For example, if PowerTracks is finding a “normal” pattern for bar 3 of the song, and it has determined that these four patterns
are the only possibilities:
• pattern,Normal,A,5,1,4,11
• pattern,Normal,A,1,0,2,17
• pattern,Normal,A,7,3,2,13
• pattern,Normal,A,2,1,1,20
The first thing it would do would be to add up all of the weights. In this case, 5+1+7+2=15. The chance that each pattern will be
picked in this instance is determined by its own weight divided into the sum. Here then, are the chances for each pattern to be
picked in this instance:
• pattern,Normal,A,5,1,4,11: 5/15=0.333 or 33%
• pattern,Normal,A,1,0,2,17: 1/15=0.066 or 7%
• pattern,Normal,A,7,3,2,13: 7/15=0.466 or 47%
• pattern,Normal,A,2,1,1,20: 2/15=0.133 or 13%

228 Appendix D: Tutorial - Making RealDrums Styles

When 9 is entered as a weight, the program treats it differently. A 9 weight means that any possible patterns that have a weight
of 8 or less are completely eliminated as possibilities.
With the previous example, if you changed the weight of the first two patterns to 9, but left the last two as 7 & 2, then the last
two would be eliminated as possibilities, and the percentages would change to:
• pattern,Normal,A,9,1,4,11: 50%
• pattern,Normal,A,9,0,2,17: 50%
• pattern,Normal,A,7,3,2,13: 0%
• pattern,Normal,A,2,1,1,20: 0%
It is therefore important that you are very careful when using a weight of 9. It is usually used in conjunction with a mask (masks
will be explained in greater detail below). For example, if you had a mask that stated that a normal pattern could only be played
7 bars after a part marker, if you then gave it a weight of 9, any time PowerTracks needed to find a pattern 7 bars after a part
marker it would always use that pattern. However, it would not affect any other bars.
The other special case is a 0 weight. This is only used for fills. When PowerTracks finds possible patterns, if a particular pattern
is going to end where a fill is required due to the part-marker placement, then the pattern will only be included as a possibility if
that bar in the style wave file has been designated as a fill at some point in the text file. Likewise, a pattern that ends with a fill
will not be considered a possibility if the fill doesn’t match up in PowerTracks, based on where you have inserted part markers.
For example, let’s say that PowerTracks is searching for a pattern to place at bar 5, where bar 6 will need to be a fill:

Example 5: Pattern needed for bar 5.

It will be looking for a normal pattern, and it can use a normal pattern that is 1 or 2 bars long. However, if it picks a 2 bar
pattern, it needs to make sure that in the style wave file, the second bar is designated as a fill.
Let’s assume that this pattern is entered in the text file:
• Normal,A,5,0,2,15
This is a 2-bar normal pattern beginning on bar 15 of the style wave file. This pattern could only be picked in this instance if
there was another line somewhere in the text file defining bar 16 of the style wave file as a fill:
• Fill,A,5,0,1,16
However, it may be that this fill would not work well as a stand-alone bar (perhaps there is a cymbal decay that crosses over
bars 15 & 16 that you do not wish to break up – see “Duration” for more information on this). In this case, you would still want
to define the bar as a Fill, so that multi-bar patterns ending in this fill would be used at the right place, but you would never want
the fill to be picked on its own. In this case, you could give it a weight of 0:
• Fill,A,0,0,1,16
4. Mask
A Mask can be used to specify that a pattern should only be used a certain number of bars after a part marker. It only applies to
Normal patterns, and all other patterns should be given a weight of 0 (0 means no mask).
Here is a list of the possible masks, and what effect they will have:
• 0 – No mask: This pattern can be used anywhere
• 1 – Odd bars only: 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, etc. bars after a part marker
• 2 – Even bars only: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, etc. bars after a part marker
• 3 – 3, 7, 11, 15, etc. bars after a part marker
• 4 – 4, 8, 12, 16, etc. bars after a part marker
• 5 – 5, 13, 21, etc. bars after a part marker
• 6 – 6, 14, 22, etc. bars after a part marker
• 7 – 7, 15, 23, etc. bars after a part marker
• 8 – 8, 16, 24, etc. bars after a part marker
• etc.
Many drum beats use 2-bar rhythms that repeat, so it’s very common for the “1” and “2” masks to be used. If you have assigned
a “1” mask to several Normal patterns, and a “2” mask to several others, you will always be sure that the 2-bar grouping remains
consistent. Just remember that you have to make sure that there are enough patterns to cover all possibilities. If you have only
patterns with “1” masks, and no patterns with “2” masks, then PowerTracks will not be able to find any patterns for even bars.
The safest thing to do is to use a mask of “0,” but this may not be the most musical approach. A mask of 4 is often used for more
subtle fills that would highlight 4 bar phrases. Masks higher than 8 are not commonly used, as it would mean that the pattern
would be played very rarely.

Appendix D: Tutorial - Making RealDrums Styles 229

Example 6: Normal pattern needed for bar 13.
In example 6, if PowerTracks is trying to find a normal pattern for bar 13, it will look for patterns with a mask of 1 (because it is
an odd number of bars from the part marker) or 5. If it were trying to find a normal pattern for bar 14, it would look for patterns
with a mask of 0, 2, or 6.
5. Duration
PostFill and Normal patterns can be any number of bars long, however there is a practical range that is commonly used. Other
patterns are restricted to a certain number or range of bars. Here is a list of the pattern types, and the ranges of durations:
- Fills – 1 bar long only
- PostFills - 1 bar or higher, generally no higher than 8 bars
- PreFills – 1 or 2 bars long only
- Normal – 1 bar or higher, generally no higher than 8 bars
- Endings – 2 bars long only
- Count-ins – 2 bars long only
The difference between favoring short patterns and long patterns is a balance between consistency and variation. Long patterns
may sound more consistent, because you will be hearing large portions of raw audio, exactly as the drummer played it. On the
other hand, with short patterns, there will be more variety in the phrases, because there will be many more possible
combinations when single bars are mixed and matched together. Many people will favor a combination of long and short
patterns. Also, while it is possible to have very long patterns, it is important to remember that patterns will not cross part
markers, so if you designate 16 bar patterns, but in your PowerTracks songs you have part markers every 8 bars, those 16 bar
patterns will never be played.

Example 7: Normal pattern needed for bar 5.

In example 7, if PowerTracks is trying to find a Normal pattern for bar 5, it can pick a 1, 2, or 3 bar pattern, or a 4 bar pattern
that ends with a fill. It cannot pick a pattern that is more than 4 bars long.
Another thing to keep in mind is that for any given bar in the style wave file, you can have as many different patterns defined as
you like. So, for example, you can define a 1 bar pattern that starts at bar 5, you can then also define a 2 bar pattern that starts at
bar 5, a 4 bar pattern, 8, etc.
In deciding what lengths of phrases will work well, an important thing to consider is whether or not certain bar lines make good
cut-off points. For example, let’s assume that in a style wave file, at the 4th beat of bar 15 there is a crash cymbal that decays
into bar 16, but fades out before the end of bar 16. Bar 15 would likely not be very good as a 1 bar pattern, because you would
have situations where bar 15 would be used, and would then go directly to a different random bar that likely does not have a
cymbal decay, so you would hear an abrupt cut-off which would greatly reduce the musicality of the drum part. In situations like
these, you would then make sure that other patterns did not end with bar 15 as well. For example, a pattern at bar 14 would not
be good as a 2 bar pattern, because it would cut off in the same place, but it would be good as a 3 bar pattern. Conversely, bar 16
would not likely make a good pattern at all, because it will start with a cymbal decay that had no start to it. This doesn’t mean
that bar 16 will never be used, it will just never be the start of a pattern.
A good rule to follow is to try and have at least one 1-bar PostFill, Normal, and Fill pattern for each subsection, just to make
sure that all possible circumstances will be covered. Once you have that, you can determine what other patterns will work well
based on the phrasing of the drummer.
6. Location
The final element in pattern definition is the location of the pattern in the style wave file. This number represents the bar number
in the wave file, but it is important to remember that this is a –1 based numbering system. The first two bars of the wave file are
reserved for the count-in, which are considered to be bars –1 and 0. The drumming starts at the third actual bar of the wave file,
but is referred to as bar 1. So, if you are viewing bars in an audio editor, remember that when you reference these bars in your
text file, you need to subtract 2 before you enter them in the patterns.
If this is confusing to you, one way you can simply this is that while you are actually working on the style, you can cut the 2
count-in bars, which will shift the rest of the track back by 2 bars, and any bars you see will be the same bar numbers you need
to enter into the text file. Once you have finished the text file, you can then paste the count-in back in to the beginning of the
file.
Shots Definition

230 Appendix D: Tutorial - Making RealDrums Styles

In PowerTracks, shots and holds are entered by putting either 2 or 3 periods after a chord (2 periods for a shot, 3 for a hold).
With RealDrums, when a shot or hold is entered, the drums stop for the duration of the chord, and a single drum hit is played in
place of the drum beat. Pushes are entered by typing either 1 or 2 caret symbols (“^”) before the chord in question (1 caret for an
8th-note push, and 2 carets for a 16th-note push). With RealDrums, when a push is entered, the regular drum beat continues
throughout, but a single drum hit is added to the mix to emphasize the push.

Example 8: Bar 1 shows a shot, bar 3 shows a hold, bar 4 shows an 8th-note push, and bar 7 shows a 16th-note push.
The single drum hits are generally recorded at the end of the wave file, after the main drum groove, but they do not have to be.
Like patterns, shots are also defined in the text file using lines of text containing several elements: 1) the text “shot”, 2) type of
shot (0 for shot or hold, 1 for pushes), 3) the bar number of the shot in the style wave file, 4) the number of ticks (1 beat = 120
ticks) before or after the bar number the shot occurs, 5) the duration of the shot in ticks, 6) weight, 7) volume of the shot
Here are some examples of defined shots:
Shot,1,82,-2,455,1,100
Shot,0,83,5,360,1,90
Shot,1,171,240,200,1,80
The six elements that come after the text “shot” are explained here in further detail:
1. Type of shot
The type of shot needs to be either 0 or 1. If 0 is entered, the shot will be used when chords are entered with two periods (shot)
or three periods (hold). If 1 is entered, the shot will be used when chords are entered with two or three carets before them (8th &
16th note pushes).
2. Bar number in style wave file
Like with patterns, you need to remember that RealDrums styles use –1 based numbering, so you need to subtract 2 from the bar
number as you see it in your audio editor. More than one shot can be played in a single bar, and you would use the tick adjust
amount to distinguish between the two.
3. Tick adjust
The shots do not necessarily have to occur at the bar lines, and the tick adjust can be used to tell PowerTracks exactly where the
shot starts. Simply measure the number of ticks from the downbeat of the bar number entered to the start of the shot, and that is
the number that should be entered here. If the shot starts before the bar number that was entered, a negative number should be
entered here.
For example, if a shot is recorded at bar 82, but on closer examination it appears that the shot was played two ticks early, it
would be entered as such:
• Shot,1,82,-2,455,1,100
In another example (see example 9 below), a shot is played at the third beat of bar 171. In this case you need to use the tick
adjust to indicate that it a full two beats after bar 171. Since one beat is 120 ticks, two beats would be 240 ticks, and it would
therefore be entered as such:
• Shot,1,171,240,200,1,80

Example 9: Here the shot begins at bar 171 (173-2), at the third beat, or 240 ticks into the bar.
4. Duration
Unlike patterns, which use numbers of bars for durations, the shots use ticks for durations. So, for example, if a shot lasts for
three beats, you would enter 360 (3 beats * 120 ticks per beat).
Here is an example of a shot that lasts for three beats:
• Shot,0,83,5,360,1,90

Appendix D: Tutorial - Making RealDrums Styles 231

For the best effect, the sound of the shots should decay naturally, and the entire length of the shot including the decay should be
entered in the text file. This is especially important when all other instruments are silent, and all you hear is the decaying sound
of the drum hit.
5. Weight
The weight for shots works exactly the same as the weight for patterns, except that there is no need for the use of 0 or 9 weights.
This number should be between 1 and 8, with higher numbers representing a greater chance that the shot will be selected each
time.
6. Volume
The volume of the shots is represented by a number between 1 and 127. If 90 is entered, the volume will not be adjusted at all. If
a number between 1 and 89 is entered, the volume will be lowered accordingly, and if a number between 91 and 127 is entered,
the volume will be raised accordingly. It is generally easiest to test the volume amounts once the style has been completed.
Additional Entries in the Text File
Bars Blocked
During the testing of your style, you may come across instances where a particular bar from the style wave file simply does not
sound good going into another specific bar from the style wave file. When this happens, you can enter a “BarsBlocked” line into
your text file to ensure that these bars are never played back-to-back.
When “BarsBlocked” is typed into the text file, followed by bar numbers separated by commas, PowerTracks takes the first
number, and all of the bar numbers that follow are “blocked” from ever following the initial number.
So, for example, if this line is entered:
• BarsBlocked,24,35,41
then bar 24 can never be followed by bars 35 or 41.
However, when using this feature you need to be very careful that you are not creating situations where PowerTracks will not be
able to find a possible match for a bar. When you block a bar, you need to make sure that there are patterns defined starting on
other bars that would also work.
Comments
When you create your style, you may want to add comments into the text file as reference points, or as reminders about certain
aspects of the style. This can be done in two ways: 1) semicolon comments 2)Pascal-style comments
If you type a semicolon into the text file, whether it’s at the beginning of a line, or at the end of a pattern definition, any text that
is typed after the semicolon is ignored, which allows you to type comments. For example:
• ;this entire line will be ignored by PowerTracks
• pattern,normal,A,5,0,4,15;this text will also be ignored by PowerTracks
Pascal-style comments are comments that are enclosed by { and } characters. Any text enclosed by these characters will also be
ignored by PowerTracks. Unlike the semicolons, these comments can occur in the middle of a pattern definition, and the line
can continue after the comment. For example:
• {this entire line will be ignored by PowerTracks}
• pattern,normal,{this text will be ignored}A,5,0,4,15
Alternate Styles & Expanded/Reduced Styles
Alternate Styles
It is possible for a wave file to be used for more than one style. For example, you may want to duplicate a style, but omit certain
fills, or assign different weights to certain patterns.
In this case, you still need to create a new RealDrums style group by creating a new sub-directory in the “Drums” folder, and the
text file for the style needs to be present. The only difference is that in the text file you would have the name of the wave file
you are using, and that name will be different from the text file name.
For example, if you have a “MyFunkyStyle” style at 90 bpm, these files would be present:
C:\BB\Drums\MyFunkyStyle\MyFunkyStyle_090_Style.txt
C:\BB\Drums\MyFunkyStyle\MyFunkyStyle_090_Style.wav
To make an alternate style, you could create this file:
C:\BB\Drums\MyFunkyStyleALT\MyFunkyStyleALT_090_Style.txt
The first line of this text file would be:
wavename=MyFunkyStyle_090_Style.wav
Expanded/Reduced Styles
Often you will find examples of drum grooves where the pulse can be treated as 8th notes or 16th notes. For example, different
musicians may disagree on whether a groove is 90 bpm with a 16th note pulse, or 180 bpm with an 8th note pulse. If you will be
using the style in Band-in-a-Box, note that In Band-in-a-Box, some styles are treated as 8th note styles and others are treated as

232 Appendix D: Tutorial - Making RealDrums Styles

16th note styles. You may find examples where a drum beat that is intended for 8th note styles will work equally well on 16th
note styles at half the tempo. In these cases, you can create two separate styles that both point to the same wave file, and treat it
as two different tempos. The same method as described in “Alternate Styles” above could be used, with one addition. For the
style in which the tempo is different in the text file then it is in the wave file filename, you would need to add the
“ForceWavTempo=” line to the text file.
For example, if you have a “MyFunkyStyle_90” Style, the following files would be present:
C:\BB\Drums\MyFunkyStyle\MyFunkyStyle_090_Style.txt
C:\BB\Drums\MyFunkyStyle\MyFunkyStyle_090_Style.wav
For an expanded style, you could create this file:
C:\BB\Drums\MyFunkyStyleEXP\MyFunkyStyleEXP_180_Style.txt
The first line of this text file would be:
wavename=MyFunkyStyle_090_Style.wav
And an additional line would be needed:
ForceWavTempo=180
There some additional points in making expanded and reduced styles. First of all there is the issue of bars correctly matching up.
If the number of bars in a particular group of bars in the higher tempo version are an odd number, this can throw off the slower
tempo version. For example, if your high tempo version has an A Postfill, an A Normal, and an A Fill, then a B Post, this will
mean that in the slower tempo version, the A Postfill and A Normal will become a single PostFill bar, which is fine, but the A
Fill and the B Post will also become a single bar, which will not work. This could then mess up everything that came after. It
would have been better if the high tempo version had an A Postfill, an A Normal, another A normal, then the A Fill, and then
the B Post. For this reason, if you know a drum part is going to be used at two tempos, it is quite a bit easier to record or piece
together the drum part with the slow tempo version in mind first, and this can then be expanded.
The other things you need to take into account are the count-in and endings. The count-in will be different for the two tempos,
so it’s best to record two completely different count-ins. The alternate one can be pasted onto the end of the file if necessary. For
endings, it’s also good to simply record two versions of them, which also can be at the end of your file.
Testing Your RealDrums Style
Once you have made your RealDrums style (or, depending on the level of completion, even during the making of it) you can
listen to it and test it in PowerTracks. If your text file is named with the convention detailed in the introduction, and is located in
the correct directory, it should appear in the [Select] menu in the RealDrums dialog.
You can make and save changes to style, and when you generate your RealDrums track again, any changes in the style will take
effect.
Note: If you have Band-in-a-Box, you may find it easier to test your style, because each time you press Play, Band-in-a-Box
will generate a new RealDrums part, allowing you to quickly hear many different variations of the drums. Note that in Band-in-
a-Box, changes you make to the text file take effect as soon as you press Play again, but changes in the wave file don’t take
effect until you re-load the wave file (i.e. choose a different RealDrums style, then re-choose the one you are testing, or close
and re-open the program). Also, if you are making a RealDrums style that may potentially be used with Band-in-a-Box, it
should be tested in Band-in-a-Box to make sure it works correctly. Is there a count-in? Is there a 2-bar ending for the B
section?...etc.
When testing your style, you should enter in a number of part markers before you generate the track, so that it matches a typical
song in that style of music. For example, you might have ‘A’ substyle part marker every 8 bars for the first 32 bars, ‘B’ substyle
part markers every 8 bars for the following 32 bars, and then ‘A’ substyle part markers every 8 bars for the final 32 bars.
Adjusting volume levels
If the balance between the RealDrums and the other instruments needs to be adjusted, you can do this by simply adjusting the
dbadjust= setting in your text file, saving it, and re-generating the track. You can continue to do this until you have found a good
balance.
For the volume levels of the shots and pushes, the best way to test this is by testing one at a time. If you have more than one shot
or push, you can “comment-out” all but one, then you will always be hearing only that shot or push. For example, let’s assume
you have three shots entered:
• Shot,0,82,120,547,1,110
• Shot,0,83,188,1151,1,90
• Shot,0,85,380,1058,3,90
To test the first one, add a semicolon to the beginning of the 2nd and 3rd lines:
• Shot,0,82,120,547,1,110
• ;Shot,0,83,188,1151,1,90
• ;Shot,0,85,380,1058,3,90

Appendix D: Tutorial - Making RealDrums Styles 233

PowerTracks will therefore ignore those lines, and you will only hear the first shot. You can then adjust the volume level until
you have it right, then do the same with the second shot, etc.
DrumAudioResults.txt file
When you generate a RealDrums track, PowerTracks will generate this file if you have the Developer Mode box checked. You
should examine this file when you are testing a style.
The first information that the DrumAudioResults.txt file gives you is global information about the style and song. It tells you the
wave file that was used, the song tempo, the total number of bars, and the total number of times you’ve played the song in the
current session.
The next information it displays is a separate line for every bar of the song. The first item for every bar is the actual bar number
in the song, but the type of information that is displayed after that depends on whether the bar represents the start of a pattern, or
a subsequent bar in a multi-bar pattern.
Here is an example of a bar where a pattern begins:
• Bar# 12,relbar=4, MaxBars=5, Chose pat#21, line #26
Normal,a sub.,mask=2,dur#bars=2, wrote 2,WavBar=14, Candidates=11 ,time=0:26
Here is an example of a bar where a pattern is continuing:
• Bar #13 WavBar=15 ,time=0:28
For bars where patterns begin, here are the items that follow the bar number:
1. relbar=x
This number represents the number of bars since the last part marker. This number therefore determines whether or not Normal
patterns with masks assigned can be used. For example, if relbar=4, a normal pattern with a mask of 0, 2 or 4 could be chosen,
but patterns with masks of 1, 3, 5, 6, etc. could not be chosen.
2. MaxBars=x
This number represents the number of bars to the next part marker. Since patterns cannot cross part markers, any patterns that
have a duration greater than the MaxBars= amount cannot be chosen.
3. Chose pat#x, line #y
This is the actual pattern selected, shown in two different ways so that it’s easy to identify in the text file. If you count down
from the first pattern in the text file, pat#x will show you how many patterns to count to find the one that was used, and does not
take the global info at the beginning of the file into account. Line #y shows you the actual line of the text file, which would
include lines for the global settings and any comment lines. If your text editor has line numbers, this is the easiest way to find
the pattern that was chosen.
4. Type, subsection, and mask
The next information is the type (Normal, PostFill, etc.), subsection (A or B) and mask of the pattern chosen.
5. dur#bars=x, wrote y
The dur#bars= amount tells you the number of bars in the pattern, and the “wrote y” amount tells you the actual amount of bars
written. In most cases, this number should be the same, because PowerTracks will always try and keep the defined patterns
intact. Sometimes, however, multi-bar patterns may need to be cut short, for example if it needs a 1 bar pattern but you have
only designated 2 bar patterns.
6. WavBar=x
This tells you the bar of the actual style wave file that was used for the current PowerTracks bar. Remember that this is using –1
based numbering.
7. Candidates=x
This tells you how many possible patterns there were for PowerTracks to choose from for the current bar. If there were 3 or less
possible candidates, this line appears instead as “FEWCandidates=”. This lets you know that perhaps there are not enough of a
certain type of pattern. As long as there is at least 1, you will not get any actual errors, but for the sake of variety, the more
possibilities the better. If there are no possible candidates, you will get an error message “******* Unable to pick a drum audio
bar for bar #x”. In this case, you need to examine your text file to see why this is occurring. It could be because there are simply
not enough patterns defined, but it could also be because of the overuse of the “barblocked” feature.
8. Time=
This tells you the time in minutes and seconds where the bar is located. This is useful if you have rendered a file, and you are
listening to the rendered audio file for problems.
For bars where patterns are continuing, the only items shown are “WavBar=x” and “time=”. The one exception is where Fills
are concerned, in which case you may see one of two messages tagged on to the end of the line. “BB song has fill, WAV is at
end of multi bar pattern. WAV file has a fill also” means that a Fill was designated in the text file, and the current pattern is
ending with that Fill. The other message you may see is “*** BB song has no fill, but WAV has a fill ***(Could be Error2 if
mask0)” This means that PowerTracks has recognized that a bar that is designated as a Fill occurred within the pattern, but not

234 Appendix D: Tutorial - Making RealDrums Styles

at a place where a Fill is required. Fills often sound good 4 bars into phrases, even if no fill has been designated, so in these
cases, this could be fine. If, however, the Fill sounds out-of-place, you made need to examine this further in your text file.
At the end of the DrumAudioResults.txt file there is statistical information about the track you generated. Because of the
random nature of RealDrums styles, this information will likely be different every time you generate a track, however you may
see some patterns develop that can help you fine tune your style.
The total bars will always be the same for the same song (or range of bars you chose), but the number of patterns written will be
different depending on how many short or long patterns were randomly selected. The average bars per pattern gives you an
overview of the length of patterns selected. Long patterns are desirable because they generally sound more consistent, while
short patterns are desirable because they lend themselves to greater variation. It’s therefore good to get a balance between the
two, and a good average is between 2 and 4 bars.
It’s also good to have a high average candidates amount, as this is also a sign that your style will have good variation. If any
PowerTracks bar had 3 or less patterns to choose from, they were flagged as “FEWCandidates,” and the total number is listed at
the bottom. This lets you know if you need to define more patterns. “MultiBarPatternPercent=” simply lets you know the setting
you have entered in your text file.
Using your RealDrums style in Band-in-a-Box
As we have indicated above, you can use your RealDrums style in either PowerTracks Pro Audio, or Band-in-a-Box (version
2007 or higher). In PowerTracks, it is simply a matter of setting your part markers and shots in the Chords Window and
generating a drum track from the RealDrums dialog.
When RealDrum styles are used in Band-in-a-Box, there are a number of ways you can assign them to songs or styles. In the
RealDrums Settings dialog, you can tell Band-in-a-Box to use RealDrums a certain amount of time (when it finds suitable
matches, based on the current Band-in-a-Box style), or you can assign a specific RealDrums style to a specific song.
It is also possible to assign your RealDrums style to a particular Band-in-a-Box style. This is done in the StyleMaker. If you
have either a new or existing Band-in-a-Box style open in the StyleMaker, simply select “Style| Misc. Settings” or press ctrl-
<F10>, and adjust the RealDrums settings in this dialog. See the Band-in-a-Box documentation for more information on this.
Another feature in Band-in-a-Box (not required, but is very useful for testing styles) is “Developer mode.” This is a checkbox
in the RealDrums settings dialog in Band-in-a-Box. When it is turned on, Band-in-a-Box does two things. First of all it spell-
checks your text file when you play a song. If it finds an error, it reports the error to you before beginning the song. When
Developer mode is off, if there are typos in the text file, the entire pattern definition is simply ignored. For example, if you
misspell “pattern” as “pattrn,” you will see an error message when you start that will tell you the typo as well as the line number
where you can find it in the text file. When you press OK, the song resumes.
The other thing that developer mode does is open the “DrumAudioResults.txt” text file automatically every time you press play.

Appendix D: Tutorial - Making RealDrums Styles 235

 PG Music Inc.
PowerTracks Pro® Audio
is protected by copyright and is the property of PG Music Inc.
Copyright © 1992-2023 PG Music Inc. and its licensors.
All rights reserved.
PowerTracks Pro Audio was written by Jeff Yankauer.

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236 PG Music Inc.

 Index
ABC Music File ..............................................................149 Chords............................................................................. 166
About PowerTracks Pro Audio .......................................199 Copy ........................................................................... 166
Adjust Volume/Trim of All Tracks .................................154 Delete .......................................................................... 166
Aeolian ............................................................................195 Enter ............................................................................. 16
Align to Click Track..................................................47, 154 MicroChords ................................................................. 17
ASIO ................................................................................ 13 Chords Window .................................................. 37, 53, 189
ASIO4All ..................................................................13, 178 Chord Wizard ............................................................. 191
Audio Enter Chords ................................................................. 16
Copy ............................................................................. 84 KwikCopy ..................................................................... 38
Cut ................................................................................ 84 Options............................................................ 39, 53, 189
Drag and Drop Edits..................................................... 82 Part Markers ............................................................... 191
Editing .....................................................................80, 84 Repeats.................................................................. 38, 190
Effects .......................................................................... 85 Classic Tracks View ................................................. 59, 197
Latency ......................................................................... 14 Click Track ............................................................... 47, 154
Multiple ports ............................................................... 10 Clipboard ........................................................ 147, 152, 193
Options ........................................................................... 9 Comments Window ........................................................ 192
Paste ............................................................................. 84 Conductor ....................................................................... 130
Saving files ................................................................... 86 Configuration ...................................................................... 7
Setup .............................................................................. 9 Consolidate Audio Region .............................................. 154
Stereo or Mono............................................................. 12 Control Panel .................................................................. 173
Temp Directory ............................................................ 10 Convert Guitar Tracks .................................................... 154
Audio Chord Wizard .................................................54, 121 Convert to Karaoke ......................................................... 162
Tutorial ........................................................................122 Convert to WMA ............................................................ 136
Audio Drivers ................................................................... 11 Copy ............................................................................... 152
ASIO ............................................................................ 13 Count-in ...................................................... 20, 61, 174, 184
MME ............................................................................ 11 CoyoteWT ................................................................ 43, 128
WAS ............................................................................. 11 Custom file dialog..................................................... 45, 147
Audio Edit Window ..................................................80, 187 Cut .................................................................................. 151
Audio Harmony.........................................................72, 155 Data Filter ............................................................... 151, 156
Audio Preferences ...........................................................177 Delete bars ...................................................................... 153
Audio subgroups .............................................................180 Digital audio ..................................................................... 68
Audio Tracks .................................................................... 72 DirectX effects .................................................... 73, 94, 138
Auto Rewind ................................................. 54, 62, 71, 176 Aux bus ......................................................................... 74
Auto Sync Chase .............................................................176 DX Plugin Exclude List ................................................ 74
Bank Change ...................................................................198 Editing .......................................................................... 75
Bars Window...................................................................188 Options.................................................................... 74, 94
Big Lyrics ........................................................................187 PG AutoWah............................................................... 206
Big Piano ...................................................................33, 185 PG Distortion .............................................................. 206
Settings ........................................................................185 PG Dynamics .............................................................. 202
Buffer Size ......................................................................179 PG Echo Chorus ......................................................... 200
Cakewalk Patches............................................................164 PG Five Band EQ ....................................................... 204
CD Burner .......................................................................136 PG Flanger .................................................................. 205
Change Velocities ...........................................................160 PG PeakLimit ............................................................. 201
Chord List .......................................................................191 PG Reverb................................................................... 200
Chord Wizard ..................................................................191 PG RingMod ............................................................... 207

Index
 PG Tremolo................................................................. 207 SysEx Events ........................................................ 63, 193
Plug-in........................................................................... 94 Edit DXi ..................................................................... 34, 55
Ten Band EQ .............................................................. 204 Editable Notation ...................................................... 64, 100
Track Insert ................................................................... 74 Editing Stereo Tracks ....................................................... 72
DirectX Plug-Ins Effects
PG Real Time Analyzer .............................................. 208 Chained......................................................................... 21
PG Vinyl Tool ............................................................. 209 Permanent ..................................................................... 85
PG Vocal Remover ..................................................... 213 Real time....................................................................... 94
Disclosure triangle ............................................................ 55 elastique .................................................................... 72, 155
Drag ‘n’ Drop............................................................ 59, 120 Eliminate Note Overlap .................................................. 159
Drivers ............................................................................ 173 Endless Loop .................................................................. 176
Drop Station .................................................................... 120 Erase ............................................................................... 153
Drum Grid Editor ............................................................ 163 Erase All Lyrics .............................................................. 153
Drum Kit Window .......................................................... 138 Erase Data Only.............................................................. 153
Settings ....................................................................... 139 Event List ................................................................. 66, 186
Drum maps...................................................................... 162 Exit ................................................................................. 150
Drum Patterns ................................................................. 160 Extract Channels to Tracks ............................................. 159
Dump Request Macro ..................................................... 194 Favorite Folder ............................................................... 149
Duplicate ......................................................................... 153 File
DXi/VSTi Synthesizer ................................................ 42, 44 Custom Dialog ............................................................ 182
Default ............................................................................ 8 Formats ......................................................................... 87
Edit...................................................................... 67, 86, 151 Import ........................................................................... 87
1-track paste ................................................................ 153 Templates ................................................................... 149
Audio Tracks................................................................. 80 File Types ......................................................................... 15
Change Velocities ....................................................... 160 .DG ............................................................................. 163
Copy ............................................................................ 152 .DLL ........................................................................... 165
Cut............................................................................... 151 .DP .............................................................................. 160
Delete bars .................................................................. 153 .WMA ......................................................................... 136
Eliminate Note Overlap .............................................. 159 Fill .................................................................................. 157
Event List ...................................................................... 66 From ......................................................................... 55, 173
Extract Channels to Tracks ......................................... 159 Generate Synthetic Vocal ............................................... 108
Fill ............................................................................... 157 GM/GS/XG Mode-On .................................................... 164
Insert blank bars .......................................................... 153 Go to Time...................................................................... 171
Length of MIDI ........................................................... 157 Guitar Tuner ................................................................... 140
MIDI ............................................................................. 64 Generate Tones ........................................................... 142
Notes ..................................................................... 65, 100 Settings ....................................................................... 142
Paste ............................................................................ 152 Guitar Window ............................................................... 194
Pitch to MIDI Convert ................................................ 162 Settings ....................................................................... 195
Pitch Transpose ........................................................... 157 Hide Piano ...................................................................... 176
Quantize ...................................................................... 156 Hide Tool Bar ................................................................. 176
Randomize .................................................................. 160 hot keys .......................................................................... 216
Rechannel............................................................ 158, 161 Icon row............................................................................ 41
Replace ....................................................................... 156 Insert bars ....................................................................... 153
Slide MIDI .................................................................. 158 Insert Blank Track .......................................................... 155
Song .............................................................................. 64 Jukebox..................................................................... 40, 171
Split MIDI drums .......................................................... 67 K Quick Copy ................................................................... 38
Split MIDI Drums ....................................................... 161 Karaoke .................................................................. 146, 162
Stereo Audio ........................................................... 72, 82 Key ..................................................................... 45, 54, 198

238 Index
keystroke commands .......................................................216 list of controllers ......................................................... 218
Lead Sheet .......................................................................109 MIDI Sync .................................................................. 175
Copy/Paste Lyrics .......................................................111 Note Overlap............................................................... 159
Memo ..........................................................................112 Pitch to MIDI Convert ................................................ 162
Multiple Tracks ...........................................................109 Pitch Transpose........................................................... 157
Options ........................................................................110 Quantize ...................................................................... 156
print multiple tracks ....................................................110 Randomize .................................................................. 160
Printing ........................................................................112 Rechannel ........................................................... 158, 161
Loading songs .................................................................. 15 rechannel data ............................................................. 181
audio ............................................................................. 68 Record
MIDI ............................................................................ 45 Filter........................................................................ 176
MP3 files ...................................................................... 68 Recording...................................................................... 60
WAV files .................................................................... 68 Replace ....................................................................... 156
Loop ................................................................................176 Rorced Channel .......................................................... 198
MIDI track...................................................................198 Slide ............................................................................ 158
Lyrics Software Synthesizer ...................................................... 8
Copy to clipboard ........................................................154 Split MIDI Drums ....................................................... 161
Entering ........................................................................ 99 VSTi ............................................................................... 8
Karaoke ........................................................................ 99 MIDI controller list ......................................................... 218
Main screen ...................................................................... 32 MIDI Driver Setup.............................................................. 7
Making RealDrums ...................................................79, 220 MIDI Monitor ................................................................. 143
Markers ...................................................................188, 197 MIDI Output Port ....................................................... 34, 55
Menu MIDI to Audio .................................................................. 76
Action ..........................................................................169 Miniburn ......................................................................... 136
Block ...........................................................................172 Mixer .................................................................. 20, 69, 197
Edit ..............................................................................150 Audio Effects ................................................................ 94
Filer .............................................................................146 audio subgroups ...................................................... 69, 93
Help .............................................................................198 audio track .................................................................... 91
Options ........................................................................173 controls ......................................................................... 90
Window .......................................................................186 delete............................................................................. 69
Menu bar .......................................................................... 32 delete button ........................................................... 69, 93
Merge ..............................................................................154 insert ............................................................................. 69
Merge Audio and DXi ...................................................... 76 insert button ............................................................ 69, 93
Meter Map ...............................................................167, 197 MIDI track .................................................................... 91
Metronome ........................................................ 61, 174, 184 mute .............................................................................. 90
MicroChords ...............................................................16, 17 mute track ..................................................................... 69
Micro-resolution............................................................... 65 record moves................................................................. 69
Micro-Resolution ............................................................101 recording moves............................................................ 95
Microsoft DirectX ...........................................................138 select DLL or EXE ....................................................... 92
MIDI solo ............................................................................... 90
Change Velocities .......................................................160 Mixer window........................................................... 90, 197
Compression................................................................160 MME................................................................................. 11
Data Filter ...................................................................156 MTC/SMPTE.................................................................. 175
DXi ................................................................................. 8 Multi-channel mode ........................................................ 195
Extract Channels to Tracks .........................................159 MultiTracks player.......................................................... 147
Fill ...............................................................................157 MusicXML File ...................................................... 146, 148
latency ............................................................................ 8 Mute track ......................................................................... 68
Length .........................................................................157 New file .......................................................................... 146

Index 239
Notation .......................................................................... 111 Phrygian ......................................................................... 195
Accidentals.................................................................... 98 Piano keyboard ................................................................. 33
Chord Height....................................................... 102, 104 Piano Roll Window ................................................ 115, 187
Chord symbols .............................................................. 98 Piano settings .................................................................... 33
Controllers .................................................................. 107 Pitch to MIDI Convert .................................................... 162
Copy ............................................................................ 102 Pitch Transpose MIDI Music ......................................... 157
Cut............................................................................... 102 Pitch-to-MIDI ................................................................. 134
Drag and Drop ............................................................ 100 Play ..................................................................... 15, 54, 169
Editable ....................................................................... 100 Plug-in mode ............................................................ 59, 120
Editing Notes .............................................................. 100 Drop Station ............................................................... 120
Entering Notes ............................................................ 100 Port
Highlighting ................................................................ 101 MIDI Output ............................................................... 198
Lyrics ............................................................................ 99 Preferences ..................................................................... 177
lyrics breaks .................................................................. 99 audio ........................................................................... 177
Micro-Resolution ........................................................ 101 Big Lyrics ................................................................... 182
Moving notes .............................................................. 100 File .............................................................................. 181
Notation Event ............................................................ 103 general ........................................................................ 177
Note Properties ........................................................... 102 MIDI ........................................................................... 183
Options ........................................................................ 104 Notation ...................................................................... 182
Orphaned notes ........................................................... 102 Print options ................................................................... 112
Printing ....................................................................... 112 Print preview .................................................................. 113
Right-Click Menu ....................................................... 102 Printing ........................................................................... 112
Scroll Aheads .............................................................. 106 Program Change ............................................................. 198
Section Letters ............................................................ 102 Program windows ............................................................. 39
Section Text ................................................................ 102 PT.DRM ......................................................................... 194
Symbols ...................................................................... 103 PT.INS ............................................................................ 194
Tablature ..................................................................... 105 Punch-In ................................................................... 71, 175
Typing chords ............................................................... 98 Quantize ......................................................................... 156
Notation window............................................................... 97 Quickstart ......................................................................... 15
Panic ............................................................................... 164 Randomize ...................................................................... 160
Part Markers .................................................................... 191 Real Time Control .......................................................... 164
Paste ................................................................................ 152 RealDrums ........................................................................ 77
Patch maps ...................................................................... 162 accents .......................................................................... 78
Patch names .................................................................... 173 breaks ........................................................................... 78
PG AutoWah ................................................................... 206 described....................................................................... 78
PG Distortion .................................................................. 206 dialog ............................................................................ 78
PG Dynamics .................................................................. 202 edit text ....................................................................... 223
PG Echo Chorus.............................................................. 200 folder ............................................................................ 79
PG Five Band EQ ........................................................... 204 making .......................................................................... 79
PG Flanger ...................................................................... 205 Making........................................................................ 220
PG PeakLimit .................................................................. 201 part markers .................................................................. 78
PG Real Time Analyzer .................................................. 208 recording wave ........................................................... 220
PG Reverb ....................................................................... 200 style template .............................................................. 220
PG RingMod ................................................................... 207 testing user style ......................................................... 223
PG Ten Band EQ ............................................................ 204 tutorial .......................................................................... 78
PG Tremolo..................................................................... 207 with Band-in-a-Box ...................................................... 80
PG Vinyl Tool ................................................................. 209 Rechannel ....................................................... 158, 159, 161
PG Vocal Remover ......................................................... 213 Record .............................................................................. 19

240 Index
 Always Record Audio .................................................. 70 Tempo Calculator ........................................................... 167
Audio............................................................................ 20 Tempo Map..................................................................... 192
Audio Tracks ................................................................ 70 Test audio performance .................................................. 171
Backup Take ................................................................ 70 Thru .......................................................................... 55, 173
Filter ............................................................................176 Time stretch and/or transpose entire song ...................... 167
Keep Take ...............................................................20, 62 Timer .............................................................................. 143
MIDI .......................................................................19, 60 Tip of the Day ................................................................. 199
Mixer Moves ................................................................ 62 Toolbars
Overdubs ...................................................................... 62 Hide or Show .............................................................. 176
Punch-In ..................................................................62, 71 Track
Step record ..................................................................170 Adjust Volume/Trim of All Tracks............................. 154
Stop .........................................................................20, 61 Audio Harmony .......................................................... 155
Reference ........................................................................146 Duplicate ..................................................................... 153
Remove Track .................................................................155 Erase ........................................................................... 153
Rendering MIDI to Audio ...........................................44, 76 Erase All Lyrics .......................................................... 153
Replace ............................................................................156 Erase Data Only .......................................................... 153
Requirements ..................................................................... 7 Merge .......................................................................... 154
Resize Track Column ......................................................198 Save to File ................................................................. 155
Resolution .................................................................61, 175 Swap ........................................................................... 155
Reverse Audio Effects.....................................................166 Track Name .................................................................... 198
Run .DLL or .EXE ..........................................................165 Track Types ...................................................................... 19
Safe Boot-up .................................................................... 10 Tracks Window................................................... 34, 55, 188
Save file...........................................................................148 disclosure triangle ................................................... 34, 55
Scrap ...............................................................................149 DXi synth ................................................................ 34, 55
Setup .................................................................................. 7 Menu ................................................................. 35, 36, 56
Slide MIDI ......................................................................158 MIDI controls ......................................................... 34, 55
SMPTE ............................................................ 174, 175, 183 MIDI output port..................................................... 34, 55
Soloing Tracks ................................................................. 54 MIDI tracks............................................................. 34, 55
Song mini view ...................................................................... 35
File Types ..................................................................... 15 mute/unmute track ............................................ 35, 44, 56
loading.......................................................................... 15 number field ............................................................ 34, 55
mixing .......................................................................... 20 overview display ..................................................... 35, 57
Play .............................................................................. 16 pan ................................................................................ 57
record ........................................................................... 19 play selected area .................................................... 36, 57
Song markers...................................................................188 select ....................................................................... 36, 57
Split MIDI Drums ...........................................................161 snap ......................................................................... 37, 58
Split Piano Track .............................................................154 solo track....................................................................... 35
Status bar .......................................................................... 32 Track drag ‘n’ drop ....................................................... 59
Step record ......................................................................170 track name field ...................................................... 34, 57
Stop recording .................................................................. 70 views ....................................................................... 34, 56
Swap Tracks ....................................................................155 volume .......................................................................... 57
Sync.........................................................................175, 176 zoom ....................................................................... 37, 58
SysEx ................................................................ 63, 144, 193 TranzPort ........................................................................ 133
SysEx Window ................................................................192 Tune .................................................................................. 92
System Requirements ......................................................... 7 Undo Levels .................................................................... 177
Tablature .........................................................................105 Velocity .......................................................................... 160
Templates ........................................................................149 Change ........................................................................ 160
Tempo .............................................................................. 46 Dynamics .................................................................... 160

Index 241
 Forced Transposition .................................................. 198 Exporting .............................................................. 88, 168
Vocal Synth..................................................................... 108 Importing .............................................................. 87, 165
VST Merge Compressed ............................................... 88, 168
control panel ................................................................. 75 Merge to Stereo .................................................... 88, 168
install plug-in ................................................................ 73 Merge to WMA .................................................... 88, 169
remove .......................................................................... 73 Multitracks Player ...................................................... 147
select ............................................................................... 8 Window
uninstall......................................................................... 73 Setup ........................................................................... 150
VU Meters................................................................. 70, 188 Windows Audio Session................................................... 11
Wave Files

242 Index
 Registration Form
Please register your program. Registering your PG Music software entitles you to free, unlimited technical support, advance
notice of product upgrades, and news about new product releases. If you haven’t registered your PG Music software yet, please
take a few moments and do so now.
How to Register
Mail to PG Music Inc., 29 Cadillac Avenue, Victoria, BC V8Z 1T3, Canada
Fax to 1-250-475-2937 or toll-free to 1-877-475-1444.
On-line at www.pgmusic.com
Telephone 1-250-475-2874, toll-free in North America at 1-800-268-6272, or + 800-4746-8742 where Universal International
Freephone Service is available.

Name _________________________________________________________________________________________________

Address _______________________________________________________________________________________________

City __________________________________________________________________________________________________

State/Province __________________________________________________________________________________________

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Country ________________________________________________________________________________________________

Telephone number ______________________________ Fax number ______________________________________________

E-mail address __________________________________________________________________________________________

Computer (check): Windows MAC Model __________________________________________________________

Operating system: _______________________________________________________________________________________

What MIDI interface are you using? _________________________________________________________________________

What primary synth/sound card do you use? ___________________________________________________________________

Favorite Styles: Jazz ____ Rock ____ Pop ____ Country ____ Latin ____ Other ____________________________________

Purchased from __________________________________________________________________________________________

Date of purchase _________________________________________________________________________________________

Comments/Suggestions
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Registration Form 243