Instrument Track Recording Modes

There are several modes for recording to an Instrument Track. To switch between these modes, navigate to the View menu and select Record panel, or press [Shift]+[Alt]+[R] on the keyboard. In the Record panel, you can choose between a range of recording modes, and access creative recording tools. The following describes each of the Record Panel modes and functions.

Record Mode Options

Replace and Overdub

When in the Replace recording mode, recording over any existing Instrument Part results in the new material being recorded to a new Event, which replaces that portion of the original Event. While recording, you do not hear the previously recorded Event playing back, as the purpose of this mode is to replace the existing material.

When Replace is disabled, you are in Overdub recording mode. In this mode, recording over any existing Instrument Part results in the newly recorded material being overdubbed, or added to, the existing material. While recording, you hear the previously recorded Event playing, along with the material currently being recorded, assuming that you are monitoring the Instrument Track.

Takes to Layers

Engage the Record Takes to Layers option to move the contents of each Take created while recording in loop mode to its own Layer below the current Track. If you engage this option while Record Takes is enabled, the notes from each run-through of the loop are moved to their own new Layer. Engaged while Record Mix is enabled, a new Layer is created each time recording is started and stopped, containing all notes from the entirety of the most recent recording pass.

Input Quantize

Engage Input Quantize to snap recorded notes to the rhythmic value set by the Quantize parameter. When recording parts that are destined to be heavily quantized (such as synth arpeggios or drum-machine-style beats), this saves you the step of later Quantizing the contents of your loop.

Instrument Loop Record Options

Record Takes and Record Mix

If Loop is engaged in the Transport while recording, the recording mode changes either to Loop Record Takes or Loop Record Mix, depending on the selection in the Record panel. These modes are functionally similar to the regular Record Mode Overdub and Record Mode Replace.

When Loop Record Takes is selected, each pass through the looped region is recorded to a new Take within a single new Instrument Part. When recording is stopped, each Take is individually selectable by [Right]/[Ctrl]-clicking on the Instrument Part and choosing one of the numbered takes from the top of the pop-up menu. Only one Take can be selected at a time for any Instrument Part.

Takes on Instrument Parts can be unpacked to new Instrument Tracks, as with Audio Event Takes, described in the Unpack Takes section of this chapter.

When Loop Record Mix is selected, each pass through the looped region is added to the existing material within a single new Instrument Part. For instance, if you loop a four-bar region to record a new drum part, this would allow you to play one piece of the drum kit during each pass until you have recorded the whole part.

Instrument Recording Tools

Undo Last Loop and Undo All Loops

The standard Studio One Pro Undo/Redo functions do not apply to individual record passes in Loop mode. Instead, use these two special Undo buttons. Once you have some note information in your loop, you can click Undo Last Loop to erase only the notes added in the most recent run-through of the loop. Click Undo All Loops to erase all notes in the current loop, and start fresh.

Note Repeat

With Note Repeat active, any notes played retrigger according to the current Rate setting. This can be set to QT (to follow the current quantize value) or to any specific rythmic value.

For example, when Rate is set to 1/16, held notes create a series of 16th notes at those note values. This can come in handy when recording drum fills or rhythmic synth parts. Note that this mode cannot be combined with the Note Erase mode.

If your MIDI keyboard or controller supports aftertouch, you can vary the velocity of repeated notes by applying pressure to the keys or pads when the Aftertouch feature is enabled. The higher the pressure, the greater the velocity of the recorded notes.

Note Repeat Options

Note Repeat is highly configurable, and can be controlled extensively using MIDI, which unlocks a wealth of real-time creative options.

To reach the options window for Note Repeat, click on the wrench-shaped icon in the Note Repeat section of the Record Panel. You can also open this window by enabling Key Remote mode.

  • Active: When enabled, Note Repeat is turned on.
  • Rate: Sets the rhythmic rate of Note Repeat.
  • Gate: Sets the length of each note.
  • Quantize: When enabled, all repeated notes snap to the main Song grid, even if a note is played off-beat. Disable this option to allow free play of note repeat without rhythmic correction.
  • Aftertouch: When enabled, key or poly pressure can be used to control note velocity as a note is held.
  • Single Mode: When enabled, a range of keys on your MIDI controller play one note at different rates. By default, this note is the last note played before this mode was enabled.
    • Change the Base parameter to move the range of Single Mode keys to a different octave on the keyboard.
    • Change the Pitch parameter to change the note that is played in Single Mode
  • Key Remote: Enabling this option allows MIDI control of both Note Repeat rate (as in Single Mode), as well as the active state of Note Repeat, Note Erase, Gate times, Single Mode, Quantizing, and Aftertouch.
    • Change the Base parameter to move the starting note of the Key Remote control key range to a different octave.
    • Change the Range parameter to expand or contract the range of keys used to control in Key Remote mode. The larger the Range, the more controls can be accessed via MIDI.

Note: While a range of keys is reserved for control of Note Repeat when in Key Remote mode, the rest of the MIDI controller's notes are free to change the pitch of the repeated notes. This allows radical changes in Note Repeat behavior to be made with one hand as single notes and chords are specified with the other.

Look at the keyboard display in the Note Repeat options window to see the control assignments for each note in the designated set of keys for Key Remote mode.

Note Erase

If Note Erase is selected in the Record panel, any notes played during the current recording pass erase existing notes of the same note value. For instance, if you start recording a drum pattern, and the kick pattern is on C1 and has an extra eighth-note hit on beat four, you could switch to Note Erase while recording and play C1 on beat 4 for one eighth-note, and that would erase the previously recorded note.

It is only possible to engage this mode if Record Mix is engaged and Note Repeat is disengaged; engaging Record Takes or Note Repeat disables this mode.