Resize notes in the Piano Roll Editor

You can resize notes in the Piano Roll Editor to change their length (duration). Notes can be resized from either their start or end point using the Pointer, Finger, or Pencil tool.

There are a number of commands in the Edit > Trim submenu in the Piano Roll Editor menu bar to change the length of selected notes, in relation to notes surrounding or overlapping them. They can be very useful for tidying up the start and end points of notes.

Resize a note

Drag either the left or right edge of the note horizontally, using the Pointer, Finger, or Pencil tool.
A help tag appears while you drag, showing the length of the note.

Tip: It can sometimes be difficult to grab the edge of very short notes. You can use the Finger tool, which allows you to grab notes anywhere to alter their length, or zoom in for a closer view.

Resize multiple notes

Select the notes, then drag either edge of one of the selected notes.
The relative differences between the lengths of the selected notes are maintained.

Set the same end point for selected notes

Press and hold Shift while altering the length of one of the selected notes.

Make selected notes the same length

Press and hold Option-Shift while dragging one of several selected notes.

Set the start or end point of notes to the playhead position

Use one of the following keyboard shortcuts:

Set Region/Event/Marquee Start to Playhead Position
Set Region/Event/Marquee End to Playhead Position

Remove note overlaps

Select the notes you want to edit.
Choose one of the following commands in the Edit > Trim submenu in the Piano Roll Editor menu bar:
- Note to Remove Overlaps with Selected
- Note to Remove Overlaps with Adjacent
- Note to Remove Overlaps with Repeated

Make notes legato

Select the notes you want to edit.
Choose one of the following commands in the Edit > Trim submenu in the Piano Roll Editor menu bar:
- Note Start to Playhead
- Note End to Playhead
- Note End to Selected Notes
- Note End to Following Notes

Convert sustain pedal events to note lengths

Choose Functions > Convert Sustain Pedal to Note Length in the Piano Roll Editor menu bar.

All sustain pedal events (controller #64) used on selected note events are analyzed, and the note events are increased in length. This increase matches the controller #64 (sustain pedal) off message position.

The pedal events (controller #64 on and off) are erased after use of this command.