Piano roll editor

Dorico Elements Help

Product
Dorico Elements
Version
4.3
Language
English
Document type
Webhelp
ft:openMode
fluidtopics

The piano roll editor displays MIDI notes for pitched instruments in a continuous sequence. It is located in the Key Editor in the lower zone.

  • You can show the piano roll editor by showing a pitched instrument in the Key Editor.

Piano roll editor with elements labelled

The piano roll editor comprises the following:

  1. Instrument menu

    Allows you to select the instruments you want to show in the piano roll editor, and to change the primary instrument when multiple instruments are shown.

    Instrument menu when selecting multiple instruments
  2. Piano keyboard

    Provides a reference for pitches.

  3. Piano roll

    Displays the notes belonging to the instruments shown in the Key Editor. The horizontal position of notes indicates their rhythm, and their width indicates their duration. The vertical position of notes indicates their pitch. When notes are sufficiently tall and wide, pitches are also displayed inside each note.

    Instruments are automatically assigned a color according to their player order in the current layout, so that you can tell them apart more easily. This color is used consistently for the corresponding instrument, including in the Mixer and Key Editor.

    When multiple instruments are shown, notes belonging to the primary instrument appear solid and bold in the piano roll editor, while notes belonging to secondary instruments appear with gray outlines and pastel colors.

  4. Tuplets

    Bars and ratios at the top of the piano roll editor indicate tuplets in the active voice.

You can input and edit notes in the piano roll editor, including moving and transposing them. This also updates their notation in all applicable layouts.