Toggle record mode with Caps Lock. Record mode arms the selected track — it does not start playback. Press Space to start playback and begin live recording, or enter notes directly for step recording while the transport is stopped.
What Gets Recorded
What Gridshift records depends on the selected track:
- Instrument track — MIDI notes from your keyboard or Musical Typing
- Sample track with transients — Slice triggers from your keyboard
- Empty sample track — Audio from your input device (microphone, line in, audio interface). See Audio Input Recording below.
Additionally, automation is always captured on any track type: move a plugin knob or mixer fader during recording and the parameter changes are recorded as automation points.
Live Recording
Activate record mode, then press Space to start playback. A ghost clip appears and grows with the playhead.
Record Quantize
MIDI notes can be snapped to a grid at commit time (not during recording, so your performance feels natural while playing). The grid is configurable via the Command Palette → Set Record Quantize:
| Setting | Behaviour |
|---|
| None (default) | Notes keep their played micro-timing |
| 1/4 / 1/8 / 1/16 / 1/32 | Each captured beat snaps to the nearest grid line at that resolution |
Loop Recording (Overdub)
When looping is active (⌘L), each pass layers on top of the previous one. Notes accumulate across loops — stop recording to keep all layers. Overlapping clips are automatically trimmed.
Record from a microphone, line in, or audio interface onto a sample track.
Create a new sample track — or select an existing one that has no sample loaded yet
Activate record mode (Caps Lock)
Press Space — a ghost clip appears on the track and grows in real time as audio is captured
Press Space (or Esc) to stop
The take is committed as a clip on the track.
Create a new sample track — or select an existing one that has no sample loaded yet
Activate record mode (Caps Lock)
Press Space — a ghost clip appears on the track and grows in real time as audio is captured
Press Space (or Esc) to stop
The take is committed as a clip on the track.
Permissions
On first use, macOS will ask for Microphone permission. You can manage this in System Settings → Privacy & Security → Microphone.
Configure your input in Settings → Audio → Input:
| Control | Purpose |
|---|
| Input Device | Choose the system default or a specific connected interface. |
| Input Gain | Digital trim from −24 dB to +24 dB applied to the incoming signal, before recording and metering. |
| Input Level | Live peak meter. Play or speak into your input and adjust gain so peaks land around −12 dBFS to leave headroom and avoid clipping. |
Step Recording
With record mode active and the transport stopped, notes are entered one at a time at the cursor position:
Press a key — the note is placed at the cursor position
The cursor advances by one grid step automatically
Play multiple keys within 50 ms
They form a chord at the same position.
Use ↑ / ↓ arrow keys to extend or shorten the last entered note by one grid step
Press a key — the note is placed at the cursor position
The cursor advances by one grid step automatically
Play multiple keys within 50 ms
They form a chord at the same position.
Use ↑ / ↓ arrow keys to extend or shorten the last entered note by one grid step
Deleting with Backspace
Press Backspace to delete the previous grid division and move the cursor back — exactly like deleting a character while typing. This works inside step entry and whenever the timeline has focus and no clip or marquee is selected:
- Any clip content on the cursor’s track in the deleted division is trimmed away. Clips entirely inside the division are removed; clips spanning into the division are split or trimmed so only the division’s content is removed.
- If the division is empty, the cursor still moves back without changing anything.
With a clip or marquee selected, Backspace deletes the selection instead.
Exiting with Escape
When step entry is active, press Esc to leave record mode without reaching for Caps Lock.
Esc has slightly different behaviour depending on context: if a plugin window is open it closes that window first; if live recording is running (transport is playing) it stops the recording. When the transport is stopped and record mode is already active, Esc exits step entry by turning record mode off.
Count-In
When the metronome is configured with count-in, starting playback in record mode plays a count-in before recording begins.
Shortcuts
The keys most relevant to recording are below. The Global Shortcuts reference covers transport and recording across the app.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|
| Toggle record mode | ⇪ Caps Lock |
| Start / stop playback | Space |
| Toggle looping (overdub) | ⌘L |
| Commit MIDI capture | ⇧C |
| Extend / shorten last step note | ↑ / ↓ |
| Delete previous division (step) | ⌫ |
| Exit step entry / stop recording | Esc |
Shortcuts
The keys most relevant to recording are below. The Global Shortcuts reference covers transport and recording across the app.
| Action | Shortcut |
|---|
| Toggle record mode | ⇪ Caps Lock |
| Start / stop playback | Space |
| Toggle looping (overdub) | ⌘L |
| Commit MIDI capture | ⇧C |
| Extend / shorten last step note | ↑ / ↓ |
| Delete previous division (step) | ⌫ |
| Exit step entry / stop recording | Esc |
