Selecting tools

To select and use a tool

1.	Do one of the following:

Click the desired tool in the Control Bar’s Tools module. For details, see Using the Control Bar to select tools.

Press T on your computer keyboard to display the Tools HUD, then select the desired tool. For details, see Using the Tools HUD to select tools.

Press the tool’s keyboard shortcut. A tool’s keyboard shortcut is displayed in its tooltip. For details, see Using keyboard shortcuts to select tools.

The selected tool is highlighted, and the mouse pointer changes to reflect the active tool. For details, see Mouse cursors.

2.	Click the desired track’s Edit Filter control and select the data type you want to edit:

Clips

Audio Transients (audio tracks only)

Notes (MIDI tracks only)

Track Automation (including plug-in parameters and MIDI continuous controllers)

Clip Automation

Tip: To set all similar tracks to the same Edit Filter setting, hold down the CTRL key when you change any track’s Edit Filter setting. To set all selected tracks to the same Edit Filter setting, first select the tracks, then hold down CTRL when you change any track’s Edit Filter setting.

Figure 87. Use the Edit Filter control to specify what type of data the global tools should operate on.

A. Edit Filter

For details, see Selecting the data type to edit.

For instructions about performing common tasks, see Using tools to perform common tasks.

 

Note: Some tools can only be used on certain types of data. The mouse pointer indicates if the selected tool can be used at the current position. For details, see Mouse cursors.

Using the Control Bar to select tools

Figure 88. Global tools are accessed from the Tools module in the Control Bar.

A. Smart tool B. Select tool C. Move tool D. Edit tools (Trim/Timing/Split) E. Draw tools (Freehand/Line/Sine/Triangle/Square/Saw/Random) F. Erase tools (Erase/Mute) G. Draw resolution H. Snap enable/disable

For more information about the Tools module, see Tools module.

Accessing grouped tools

Related tools are grouped together in the Tools module. Several buttons in the Tools module display a small triangle in the bottom right corner. The triangle indicates that you can click and keep the mouse button pressed for a brief moment to access additional tools or options from a pop-up menu. You can also right-click the button and choose an option on the pop-up menu.

The following groups are available:

Edit tools:

Edit tool

Timing tool

Split tool

Draw tools:

Freehand tool

Line tool

Sine tool

Triangle tool

Square tool

Saw tool

Random tool

Erase tools:

Erase tool

Mute tool

If the tool you are looking for isn’t visible in the Tools module, chances are that another tool in the same group is selected. To access the hidden tool, click the group the tool belongs to, then select the tool from the pop-up menu. Figure Figure 90 shows an expanded view of all tool groups.

Figure 89. If a button displays a small triangle in the bottom right corner, click and keep the mouse button pressed to access additional tools or options.

Figure 90. Tools module expanded view.

A. Smart tool B. Select tool C. Move tool D. Edit tools E. Edit tool F. Timing tool G. Split tool H. Draw tools I. Freehand tool J. Line Tool K. Sine Pattern tool L. Triangle Pattern tool M. Square Pattern tool N. Saw Pattern tool O. Random Pattern tool P. Erase tools Q. Erase tool R. Mute tool

Using the Tools HUD to select tools

Press the T to open the Tools HUD (Heads Up Display) at the current pointer position, then select the desired tool.

Tip: You can press the middle mouse button to open the Tools HUD. While the Tools HUD is open, use the mouse wheel to open the Edit Filter menu.

Figure 91. Press T to show the Tools HUD.

In the Track view, the Tools HUD also shows the Edit Filter control for whichever track is behind the mouse pointer when the Tools HUD is opened.

Using keyboard shortcuts to select tools

Use the following keyboard shortcuts to select tools. Tools that belong to the same group share the same shortcut. Press a shortcut repeatedly to cycle through all tools in a group.

 

Table 57. Tool keyboard shortcuts  

Tool	Button	Shortcut
Show Tools HUD	---	T
Smart tool		F5
Select tool		F6
Move tool		F7
Cycle through Edit tools (Edit/Timing/Split)	---	F8
Edit tool		F8
Timing tool		F8
Split tool		F8
Cycle through Draw tools (Freehand/Line/Sine/Triangle/Square/Saw/Random)	---	F9
Freehand tool		F9
Line tool		F9
Sine tool		F9
Triangle tool		F9
Square tool		F9
Saw tool		F9
Random tool		F9
Cycle through Erase tools (Erase/Mute)	---	F10
Erase tool		F10
Mute tool		F10
Snap on/off	---	N
Scrub tool	---	J (hold to use)
Zoom tool	---	Z (hold to use)

To temporarily invoke a tool

While using a specific tool, you can temporarily invoke another tool by holding down the new tool’s keyboard shortcut. Release the shortcut to switch back to the previously selected tool.

For example, if you are using the Move tool and need to select some notes, press and hold down the F6 key (shortcut for the Select tool), make a selection, then release the F6 key to return to the Move tool.

For a list of tool shortcuts, see Using keyboard shortcuts to select tools.

Hotspots and modifier keys

Clips, note events and envelopes have different “hotspots”. That is, a tool may do something different depending on where you click. As you move the mouse pointer, the current hotspot is shown as a shaded rectangle.

A modifier key, such as CTRL, ALT or SHIFT, may also be used in some cases to extend a tool’s function.

 

See:

Selecting the data type to edit