Starting and Ending the First Recording

If you have just started a new song, and you wish to record notes from your music keyboard, you should first make sure that the song has the right meter (time signature). If it does not, set the desired meter in the first measure, as described in Meters (Time Signatures). Then set the tempo for the song, as described below.

When you record into a new song, the song does not need to have as many measures as you might record. Composer will automatically add measures during your recording.

After you have completed the first recording, Composer will automatically determine the key signature based on its analysis of the harmonies you have played. If Composer incorrectly determines the key signature, you can easily change it, as described in Key Signatures.

To record the notes live from your music keyboard into a new song:

1.      If you are using both your right and left hands to play the keyboard, and you wish Composer to automatically distribute the notes into right- and left-hand staves, then click the Two Hands button:

     Composer will automatically add a second track to the song and select both it and the first track in preparation for two-hand recording.

2.      Choose a tempo at which you are comfortable playing the melody, as described in Setting the Tempo for Recording.

3.      To start recording, click the Record button in the toolbar:

     -- OR --

     Type CTRL + Space (hold down the CTRL key while hitting the Space bar).

     By default Composer will play the metronome for a two-measure lead-in before the beginning of the portion of the song to be recorded. To specify a different number of pickup measures and beats, follow the instructions in Setting Up Pickup Beats.

4.      While listening to the metronome, and after waiting for the pickup beats, start playing at your MIDI keyboard.

During the recording, Composer advances a blue vertical playback cursor to indicate the position in the song. Also, it displays red rectangles that represent the pitch and durations of the notes you have recorded:

5.      Complete the recording by clicking the Record button again, by clicking the Stop button, or by hitting the SPACE key.

     Composer will immediately transcribe your recording to notation, including determining the key signature, as illustrated below:

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