File->MIDI Output Device

This sub-menu lists all the MIDI output devices that Java detects. This includes both built-in and external devices.

File->Instrument

If a built-in MIDI output device is selected, this sub-menu lists the actual patches known to the device. In the case of an external MIDI device, the menu will list the General MIDI patch names and numbers. These may not correspond to the actual patches for your device unless it is currently in General MIDI mode.

You can also step through the available instruments using the < and > buttons at the bottom right of the window.

Options->Inter-note Delay

When entering a chord note-by-note or by menu or by note name, and when stepping through a sequence chord-by-chord, the current chord will be arpeggiated (played one note at a time, from bottom to top). This setting determines the delay (in milliseconds) between notes during arpeggiation. It is ignored during sequence playback via the Play button.

Options->Duration

When entering a chord note-by-note or by menu or by note name, and when stepping through a sequence chord-by-chord, the current chord will be arpeggiated (played one note at a time, from bottom to top). This setting determines the duration of the chord (in milliseconds) once the last note has sounded. It is ignored during sequence playback via the Play button.

Options->Volume

This determines the playback volume. It ranges by fives from 5 to 125. It corresponds to the MIDI "velocity" parameter.

Options->Metronome

During sequence playback, a metronome will click on each beat. The following three parameters affect the metronome click.

Click Volume

You may choose a volume level between 0 and 100, in steps of 10. Zero disables the click.

Note Value

This determines the duration (separation) of the clicks. The default setting of Auto causes the program to choose a suitable value (the beat value from the XML file). You may override it by choosing a different value here, if desired.

Midi note

This selects the MIDI note number for the click (0 to 127). Not all numbers produce usable sounds on all MIDI devices; you may need to experiment to find a suitable one.

Options->Legato Playback

There are two playback modes. If this option is checked (the default), then each note in the sequence is sounded normally. If unchecked, every note in a chord is played whenever any note in the chord changes.

Options->Swing Eighths

Checking this option causes eighth notes to be "swung" (played as if they were quarter-note/eighth-note triplets). It may make some songs sound more natural on playback.

Options->Swing Dotted Eighths

Checking this option causes dotted-eighth/sixteenth pairs to be "swung" (played as if they were quarter-note/eighth-note triplets). It may may some songs sound more natural on playback.

Options->Mute

This sub-menu lists the parts/voices available in the sequence. If a particular part/voice is checked, the note played by that part/voice will be silenced during playback. More than one part/voice may be muted at once. If a part/voice is soloed, this setting is ignored.

Options->Solo

This sub-menu lists the parts/voices available in the sequence. If a particular part/voice is checked, all other parts/voices will be muted during playback. This setting overrides any Mute setting for the part/voice. More than one part/voice may be soloed at once.

Tempo

This sets the tempo for playback, in quarter-notes per minute. The valid range is 1 to 500.

All these values are stored in the user-specific config file upon program exit and restored upon program resumption. They are also saved to the XML file if it is written out, and restored when the file is reopened, along with the Tune To field and chord choices in the chord list panel.

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