Edit Mode MidiIllustrator Maestro Only Feature

Command Location:  Tools Menu

Edit Mode is for full-scale score composition.  Within Edit Mode, there are 3 sub modes for working with your scores in different ways.

In contrast to Performance Mode, in Edit Mode you have full composing power with the score; the ability to add notes, modify note pitches, durations and so forth.

When you create a new score, it is initially displayed in Edit Mode, Normal Entry.

Normal Entry

Normal Entry affords you all of MidiIllustrator's score editing functions.  The playback cursor which is displayed in Performance Mode is replaced with a special cursor which shows the 'Entry' item; a rest or a note depending on how you have configured the Entry item.  Move the cursor to the desired insert position (time and pitch) and then use the item 'Insert' commands (see Insert Menu) to add to the notation.

If it is possible to 'insert' (rather than 'add') a new item at the cursor location in a given measure, MidiIllustrator will display the insert arrows above and below the flashing entry note.  In this case, items to the left of the entry item will be shifted to the right after insertion.  Read more about Inserting versus Adding new items in the score.

MidiIllustrator will also try to automatically apply the correct qualities for the new item given its 'entry context'.  See more information on setting the entry item qualities, and the context sensitive entry qualities of Edit Mode.

Notes and rests can be selected using the mouse or keyboard, and then the various modification functions can be applied to the selection using commands from the Notes Menu and Rests Menu.

In Normal Entry mode, powerful tools are available to help you capture your musical ideas:

Selection Editing

When you have made a note selection, you can use the 'clipboard' functions to cut or copy the selection to another location in the score, or even to another score altogether (if it is also open in Edit Mode).

In order to protect existing score content when using the clipboard, some rules apply to where and how certain copied selections can be pasted into the score.  Specifically:

Mouse Entry

Mouse Entry allows most of the functions offered by Normal Entry, but also allows you to edit notation directly using the mouse as a note entry and modification tool.

By contrast to Normal Edit, the entry note is immediately displayed at the insertion point as the mouse cursor moves over the score.  Clicking the left mouse button will add a new note or rest.  The same context sensitive entry rules apply to the entry item as in Normal Edit mode.

Chord notes can be entered in Mouse Entry mode by holding the Control key down when entering (inserts a new chord note at the insertion point, and leaves the cursor at the current insertion point).

Moving and Copying Notes with the Mouse - Mouse Entry and Normal Entry

In Mouse Entry mode and Normal Entry mode, individual notes can be selected and dragged, or copied to new times or pitches.  Certain keys will modify the behaviour when existing notes are selected and dragged on the score.  If no modifier key is selected, MidiIllustrator will monitor the drag direction and limit the dragging direction to either vertical or horizontal.  This behaviour makes it easier to make notation changes accurately (override this behaviour with the Alt key - see below).

Using these keyboard 'modifiers' at the same time as dragging with the mouse will give different results:

Action Keyboard Modifier Effect
Dragging Vertically None Changes the pitch of the selected note to the new drag pitch.
  Control Key Creates a copy of the existing note in the same time, at the new drag pitch.
     
Dragging Horizontally None Changes the time of the selected note to the new drag time.
  Control Key Creates a copy of the existing note in the same pitch, at the new drag time.
     
Dragging Any Direction Alt Key Enables dragging both vertically and horizontally at the same time.

Moving Rests with the Mouse

Rests can be selected and repositioned vertically on the staff (if the rest type does not rely on its position relative to the staff in order to establish its identity, thus only quarter rests and shorter can be moved).

Note about Edit Mode and Printing

In order to make editing as comfortable and efficient as possible, the following features behave differently in Edit Mode:

For this reason, scores may not print exactly the same in Edit Mode as in Performance/Layout Modes.  Switching to Performance/Layout Mode before printing is therefore recommended for optimal printing results.

Note about Playback In Edit Mode

Normally playback continues until the end of the score is reached, regardless of whether there is still music left to play or not.  In this way, lyrics and other score items are still highlighted and the metronome keeps flashing/ticking even if note playback is complete.  In Edit mode, it is assumed that playback is essentially used for auditioning changes, and for this reason, playback will end automatically when the last note in the score has been played.

More About this Mode

Read more about what happens when you first start working with an existing song in Edit Mode - Performance Mode and Layout Mode versus Edit Mode.

The different 'modes' in MidiIllustrator all have an associated 'view' which is optimized for working in that mode.  Read more about Modes and Views here.

The Editing Palettes contain many of the key commands and settings for Edit Mode.