Using the arpeggiator

One arpeggiator device appears on every MIDI and instrument track, located in the Track Inspector.

To enable/disable the Arpeggiator

Click the Enable/Disable Arpeggiator button in the Track Inspector.

Figure 134. Arpeggiator controls are available in the Track Inspector.

Using patterns and presets

Pre-authored patterns are used to apply rhythmic and melodic variations to the arpeggio. Cakewalk includes many professionally-authored pattern files for you to experiment with. Pattern files have a .ptn file extension.

An Arpeggiator preset stores a pattern along with the current Arpeggiator parameter settings. Preset files have a .arp file extension.

You use the Arpeggiator’s Preset control to load patterns and load/save presets.

When playing back through the Arpeggiator, the first pitch in the pattern is moved to the lowest note currently played.

Note: If the pattern file is a Free Mode pattern, the steps are quantized to the nearest 128th note value in order to better preserve timing nuances.

To load an Arpeggiator pattern

1.	Click the Preset control in the Arpeggiator and select Open Preset from the drop-down menu.

2.	Navigate to the folder that contains your Arpeggiator pattern files (.ptn) and select the desired pattern.

A. Click to load a pattern

To load an Arpeggiator preset

Click the Preset control in the Arpeggiator, point to Load Preset and select the desired preset.

A. Click to load a preset

To load the next/previous Arpeggiator preset

Click the Next Preset or Previous Preset button in the Arpeggiator.

A. Click to load the next/previous preset

To save an Arpeggiator preset

Click the Preset control in the Arpeggiator and select Save Preset from the drop-down menu.

The current pattern is saved with the current Arpeggiator parameter settings.

A. Click to save a new preset

Using automation

You can automate the following arpeggiator parameters:

Source Mix

Enable/Disable

Flam Amount

Duration

Latch

Octave Range

Pitch Offset

Rate

Shape

Swing

Velocity

To record arpeggiator automation

1.	Right-click the desired arpeggiator parameter in the Track Inspector, and select Automation Write Enable on the pop-up menu.

2.	Click the Play button to start playback.

3.	Adjust the arpeggiator control as desired. When you are finished recording automation, click the Stop button to stop playback.

Automation (envelope) data appears in the Track view.

To create arpeggiator automation

In the Track pane, click the track’s Edit Filter control, point to Track Automation > Arpeggiator and select the desired arpeggiator parameter.

Automation (envelope) data appears in the Track view.

Tip: Existing envelopes can be reassigned to arpeggiator envelopes and vice versa. To do so, right-click an envelope and select Assign Envelope on the context menu.

To record automation with a MIDI controller

1.	Right-click the desired arpeggiator parameter and select Remote Control on the context menu.

The Remote Control dialog box appears.

2.	Specify the MIDI message you want to use for MIDI remote control, then click OK to close the Remote Control dialog box.

3.	Right-click the desired arpeggiator parameter, and select Automation Write Enable on the context menu.

4.	Click the Play button to start playback.

5.	Move the assigned MIDI controller widget (knob/slider, etc.). When you are finished recording automation, click the Stop button to stop playback.

Automation (envelope) data appears in the Track view.

Recording and editing arpeggiator automation on an instrument track

You can not record or edit automation data on an instrument track. To use automation on an instrument track, you must first split the instrument track into separate audio and MIDI tracks, create or edit the automation data on the MIDI track, then recombine the tracks into an instrument track. For details, see Splitting an instrument track to separate audio and MIDI tracks and Converting an audio and MIDI track to a single instrument track.

 

See:

Arpeggiator