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 which 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. To setup or change this, you can do so with the small number on the top left of the Pattern Editor:

As you see in the picture above, each 4th line gets highlighted in teh pattern. Those highlights do show you by default how many lines make up a beat in Renoise:

Lines, Beats and Pattern Resolution

How many Lines make up a beat, which resolution your patterns should have, is set up via the Transport Panels Lines Per Beat setting. The higher the LPB setting, the more notes or effects you can place individually for a beat, the higher the resolution. By default the LPB is 4, which means when placing a note on every highlighted line, you get 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 nominator. So for example, when working at 3/4 you should use an LPB of 6, 12 or 24. When working at 5/4 you can 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 should be used for a beat, actually is totally up to you. No one forces you to treat lines like beats at all. The only case where this actually is needed, is when Renoise interacts with other beat based instruments or sequencers, like plug-ins which use beat timings, or when syncing a Renoise song with other applications via ReWire.

You can also customize the highlighting in the pattern editor to not show the LPB values. This is done in the Song Settings tab.

Pattern Editor Control Panel

On the bottom of the pattern editor you will find a small bar with some controls:

• Single Track Edit Mode: When enabled, only the currently selected track will be shown in the Pattern Matrix.
• Pattern Wrap Mode: Setup what should happen when reaching the pattern end: When on, the cursor is moved continuously between patterns. When off, editing will wrap around pattern edges.
• Pattern Automation Recording Mode: When enabled, right clicked and MIDI mapped parameters are recorded into graphical automation instead into patterns.
• Pattern Keyjazz Recording: When enabled and live recording, chords are recorded when pressing multiple notes at once, else notes are recorded monophonic.
• Quantize Controls: En/Disable quantization of live played notes. The arrow button on the right allows you to quantize selections, tracks, pattern manually
• Edit Step: Setup how by many lines the pattern editor should jump when entering a note of effect.
• Vol/Pan/Dly: En/Disable Volume Panning and Delay sub columns in note 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 selection of notes or effects you can also use the mouse: First mark something in the pattern, the click and hold on the selected area with the mouse button. Then 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 can of course also simply record what you play. This is done by playing back the song, enabling edit mode and then recording the notes you play. For a more detailed description take a look at the Recording and Editing Notes section in this manual.

Recording of Effects

Just like notes, to quickly record DSP parameters changes into pattern, you can click and drag any slider in the Track DSPs with the right mouse button. Again have a look at Recording and Editing Pattern Effects for a detailed description of this topic please.

Applying Effects

Finally, to get an overview of the available sample and other effects that are edited in the effect columns, have a look at Pattern Effect Commands please.