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When a MIDI or Instrument track is focused, letter keys play notes without any modifier. The Keys Layout picker in the Inspector switches between three layouts, each optimised for a different use case. Hardware MIDI controllers are unaffected by this setting — they always send the notes you play.

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Scale — for melodies and chords

Each key plays a scale degree in the selected key. Only notes in the scale sound, which makes it easy to stay in key while improvising. 
Upper row (+1 octave):  Q W [E] R T Y U I O P
Middle row (base):      A S [D] F G H J K L
Lower row (-1 octave):     [C] V B N M
                             ↑
                         Root aligned
  • Three rows across 3 octaves. Root notes aligned vertically: C, D, E.
  • Change the key and scale globally in the Transport Bar.
  • Default layout for new instrument tracks.

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Piano — chromatic layout

Piano-style layout across two octaves. White keys on the middle row, black keys on the upper row. 
Upper row (black keys):   [Q]  W   E  [R]  T   Y  [I]  U   O   P
                               C#  D#      F#  G#      A#  C#  D#

Middle row (white keys):   A   S   D   F   G   H   J   K   L   ;   '
                           C   D   E   F   G   A   B   C   D   E   F

Lower row:                 (inactive)
Q, R, I are dead keys (no black key between E–F and B–C).

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Drums — pad grid

26 sequential chromatic pads across every letter key. Designed for drum plugins like Loopcloud Drum, Battery, or Kontakt kits, which map pads chromatically starting at MIDI 36 (General MIDI Bass Drum). 
Upper row:   Q W E R T Y U I O P     (MIDI 52–61)
Middle row:  A S D F G H J K L       (MIDI 43–51)
Lower row:   Y X C V B N M           (MIDI 36–42)
                ↑
           MIDI 36 = GM Bass Drum
  • Y/Z (bottom-left) always triggers MIDI 36 — your kick drum.
  • Layout is fixed chromatic and ignores the selected key/scale.
  • If your kit has more than 26 pads, use Musical Typing: Octave Up/Down from the Command Palette to page through the kit.
  • Gridshift automatically selects this mode when you load a drum plugin.

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Audio Slices

When an audio track with transients is focused, the same letter-key layout triggers slices directly — this is separate from Keys Layout and always active for audio clips. 
Upper row:   Q W E R T Y U I O P     (slices 16–25)
Middle row:  A S D F G H J K L       (slices 7–15)
Lower row:   Y X C V B N M           (slices 0–6)
When there are more than 26 slices, use Musical Typing: Octave Up/Down from the Command Palette to switch pages. Playback is monophonic — a new slice stops the previous one.

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Number-Key Dynamics

The letter keys choose what plays (the pitch or the slice); the number row chooses how hard. With no clip selected, the 1–0 keys retrigger the last note or slice you played on the focused track at a fixed level. On an instrument track the level becomes the MIDI velocity; on a sample track it scales the slice gain.
KeyLevelInstrument velocitySample gain
110 %130.1
220 %250.2
330 %380.3
440 %510.4
550 %640.5
660 %760.6
770 %890.7
880 %1020.8
990 %1140.9
0100 %1271.0
  • The “last played” note or slice comes from your most recent letter-key press on that track. Play a note once with the letter keys, then hammer the number row to repeat it at different dynamics. With no prior play this session, the trigger falls back to slice 0 (sample) or the scale root (instrument).
  • Hold a number key to sustain; release to stop. Auto-repeat sustains the trigger rather than re-firing it.
  • The mute key (` / ^) does not trigger — a velocity-0 note would be a Note Off.

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Recording dynamics from the number row

This is not only for previewing. Arm recording and the same press lays down a MIDI note or a slice clip at the chosen level — so you can punch in a dynamic drum or bass pattern straight from the number row, no controller needed. While recording, the number-key trigger always wins, even if a clip happens to be selected.
The same keys do two things depending on selection. With no clip selected (or while recording) they trigger and record notes/slices as above. With one or more clips selected (and not recording) they instead edit the selected clips’ gain — see Clip Gain & Normalize. Selection decides which mode runs.

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Octave & Configuration

Change octave via Command Palette: Musical Typing: Octave Up/Down (assignable in Settings → Shortcuts). Range 1–7. Set Key, Scale, and Octave in the Transport Bar. Key and Scale only apply to the Scale layout — Piano and Drums ignore them.
Musical typing is disabled during text input and works across keyboard layouts (QWERTY, QWERTZ, AZERTY).
Last modified on May 29, 2026