Pattern Editor

Pattern Editor

The Pattern Editor is the main editor used to create music in Renoise. Instruments are recorded by entering notes onto lines in the order that they are to be played, from top to bottom. A pattern can contain multiple tracks, typically one for each different instrument and each with their own separate set of effects. Songs are created by arranging a sequence of patterns with the Pattern Sequencer.

Patterns

A pattern is simply a block of time containing the notes played by different instruments in different tracks. The easiest way understand this and how the Pattern Editor uses them, is to load in a demo song by double-clicking on it in the Disk Browser and observing what happens after you press Play with the "Spacebar".

As the horizontal bar moves down the pattern, it plays the notes that it encounters on the way. When the end of a pattern is reached, the song moves on to the next pattern in the sequence, as controlled by the Pattern Sequencer. So, a pattern is usually used to represent a specific section of a song that may be repeated again in future. The length and speed of a pattern can be changed, so the exact nature of a specific pattern can vary wildly depending on the whims of the composer.

Tracks

There are three different types of track in Renoise:

Sequencer Tracks

Sequencer tracks are tracks which can record instruments onto lines within a note column. Each track also features effect columns, which are used to apply effect commands to instruments and to control Track DSPs.

Send Tracks

Send Tracks are fed audio from other tracks using "Send Devices" and are typically used to apply the same set of Track DSPs to multiple tracks at once. Notes cannot be entered into Send Tracks and so they only feature effect columns, which are used to control the DSPs.

Master Track

The Master Track is where all other tracks automatically feed their audio. Effects placed on the Master Track will therefore affect the final output of the entire song. Notes cannot be entered into the Master Track and so it only features effect columns, which are used to control the DSPs.

Adding, Removing, Duplicating and Re-ordering Tracks

To add or remove tracks, you can use the "Edit->Insert New Track" (Control/Command + T) and "Edit->Delete Track" (Control/Command + Shift + T) commands from the menu in the Upper Status Bar. This will add a sequencer track if the currently selected track is a sequencer track. If the currently selected track is a Send Track or the Master Track, then another Send Track will be added.

To reposition a track, click on its name, hold the button down and drag the track to either side. This can be done in both the Pattern Editor and the Mixer.

File:Vvoois renoise pattern editor dragging tracks.gif

To duplicate tracks, you can use the "Edit->Duplicate Track" (Control/Command + D) command from the menu in the Upper Status Bar.

Columns

There are two types of columns in tracks:

1. Note columns, used to record instruments by entering notes.
2. Effect columns, used to apply effects and control DSPs.

Note columns also have three extra sub-columns each, which are used to control the following parameters on a per-line basis: volume, panning and delay.

Effect columns are set up in the format xxyy, where xx specifies the effect type and yy determines the value to be used.

Adding / Removing Columns

To add/remove note or effect columns, you can use the small +/- icons next to the track names. Alternatively, you can use the shortcut, "Control/Command + Shift + left/right arrow key" to either add/remove a note or effect column, depending on where the cursor is (place it where you would like that column type to be duplicated).

Please Note: All numbers in the effect columns and note sub-columns are notated in hexadecimal (counting from 0 to 16, where decimal is 0 to 10). If you are unfamiliar with hexadecimal, then you can read an explanation of it here.

Sub-Note Columns

• Note: e.g. C-4, A#3. The first two characters represent the musical note, while the third character is the octave number. The notes are not entered letter by letter like a text editor, but like a piano, using the computer keyboard or a MIDI master keyboard.
• Instrument Number: The instrument that will play the note. This is automatically entered when the note is recorded, but it can be changed by hand.
• Volume: (00-80) - The note velocity/volume. Additional effects can also be triggered from here; see the Pattern Effect Commands section of the manual for more details.
• Panning: (00-80) - The panning of the note. Note that panning can only be applied to sample-based instruments in Renoise (MIDI and VST plugins will be unaffected by values in this sub-column).
• Delay: (00-FF) - A time delay added to the note.

By default, the panning and delay columns are not visible. To show/hide them you can use the keyboard shortcuts, "Control/Command + SHIFT + V (Volume), P (Panning), D (Delay)", or you can press the corresponding buttons in the Pattern Editor's control bar, located at the bottom of the editor:

Sub-Effect Columns

• Effect Number: The first two digits define the effect that should be triggered (like a cutoff parameter in a DSP effect, or a sample effect like pitch glide). See the Pattern Effect Commands section of the manual for a full list of the available effects.
• Effect Value: The next two digits define the effect's value. For example, to a cutoff parameter this would change the frequency, for a sample glide this would change the rate of the glide.

Lines

Each individual pattern can have a different length, which can be changed by altering the value in the box at the top left of the Pattern Editor:

Lines, Beats and Pattern Resolution

In the Transport Panel there is a "Lines Per Beat" option, which changes the number of lines in the Pattern Editor that make up a musical beat. The higher the LPB, the greater the resolution available to you for editing notes, effects and automation. This can be also be adjusted as the song is playing via the Pattern Effect F1XX, where XX is the new LPB value in hexadecimal.

By default the LPB is 4, meaning that placing a note on every highlighted line will create a simple 4/4 beat in a pattern which is 16 lines long. When working with time signatures other than 4/4, it's useful to set your LPB to a factor of the time signature's numerator. So for example, when working in 3/4, you should use an LPB of 6, 12 or 24; when working in 5/4 you should use an LPB of 5, 10, or 20, etc. This will allow you to place your notes on exact pattern lines without having to delay notes with the delay column.

How many lines you use for a beat is totally up to you, but when Renoise interacts with other beat-based instruments or sequencers, (e.g. plugins which use beat timings) or when syncing a Renoise song with other applications via ReWire.

You can also turn off the LPB highlighting via the Song Settings tab.

Pattern Editor Control Panel

At the bottom of the Pattern Editor is a control panel:

• Single Track Edit Mode: When enabled, only the currently selected track will be shown in the Pattern Matrix.
• Pattern Wrap Mode: Decides what will happen upon reaching the end of a pattern when entering notes step-by-step in Edit Mode. When enabled, the cursor will move to the top of the next pattern in the sequence. When disabled, the cursor will move back to the top of the current pattern.
• Pattern Automation Recording Mode: When enabled, right-clicked and MIDI mapped parameters are recorded into Automation instead of pattern effects.
• Chord Mode: Toggles the recording a single note at a time, or chords (i.e. multiple notes simultaneously) when recording "live".
• Quantize Controls: Toggles live quantization. The value box to the right specifies the quantization value in lines. Use the drop down menu next to the value box to manually quantize a range within the current pattern after recording.
• Edit Step: Sets how many lines the cursor should skip down in the Pattern Editor when entering a note or effect.
• Vol/Pan/Dly: Toggles the volume, panning and delay sub-columns.
• FX: Quickly show and add pattern effect commands.

Editing and Navigating in Patterns

Before anything can be written, recorded into the Pattern Editor, you have to tun on the global edit mode. This is done via the ESC key, or by hitting the record button in the Transport Panel.

Basic Shortcuts

To navigate around in the pattern you do use your keyboard. Basically it works like writing text in a text editor, so the right arrow key moves the cursor position to the right, left to the left, the page buttons to jump quarter wise and so on.

To quickly jump the the next note column, you can use the TAB key. SHIFT + TAB will jump back to the previous note column.

F9, F10,F11 and F12 will quick set the line to the beginning, first quarter, half, last quarter of the pattern.

To select something you can hold down the SHIFT key while moving around in the pattern with the keys. This can also be done with the mouse. The selection also uses the the standard Cut/Copy/Paste keys you know from other applications: CONTROL/COMMAND + X (Cut), C (Copy), V (Paste).

Alternatively to the shift key you can also start a selection with CONTROL/COMMAND + B and end it with CONTROL/COMMAND + E.

Column/Track/Selection/Pattern Shortcuts

To quickly edit copy and paste in the pattern editor, you should memorize the basic editing shortcuts for different sections of a pattern:

• F1 + MODIFIER: Transpose one Note Down
• F2 + MODIFIER: Transpose one Note Up
• F3 + MODIFIER: Cut
• F4 + MODIFIER: Copy
• F5 + MODIFIER: Paste
• F6 + MODIFIER: Flip
• F11 + MODIFIER: Transpose one Octave Down
• F12 + MODIFIER: Transpose one Octave Up

Where MODIFIER is:

• CONTROL/COMMAND: Whole Pattern
• SHIFT: Current Track
• CONTROL/COMMAND + SHIFT: Current Column
• ALT: Selection in the Pattern

Drag & Drop of Selections

To quickly move and copy a selection of notes or effects you can also use the mouse. First mark an area in the pattern, then click and hold on the selected area with the mouse and drag the selection to a new position. Holding down the "Control/Command" key while dropping will copy the selection instead of moving it.

Recording of Notes into Patterns

Instead of editing notes step by step you also record "live". This is done by playing the song with Edit Mode enabled and recording the notes using the keyboard. For a more detailed description, have a look at the Recording and Editing Notes section of the manual.

Recording of Effects

To quickly record DSP parameter changes into a pattern, click and drag any slider in the Track DSPs panel with the right mouse button. For more information, see Recording and Editing Pattern Effects .

Applying Effects

Finally, to get a full list and detailed description of the available effects used in the Effect Columns, take a look at Pattern Effect Commands.