Reason 13.4 Operation Manual
DAW | Rack Plugin | Reason+ Rack Extensions
#Opening the Piano Keys window
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To open the window, press [F4] or select “Show On-screen Piano Keys” from the Windows menu - or click the Keys button to the left on the sequencer Transport Panel.
Like the Tool window, the On-Screen Piano Key window “floats” on top of other windows, remaining visible most of the time.
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You can choose between two basic operational modes to enter notes; “Mouse” or “Computer Keys”.
Mouse Mode is for entering notes with the mouse, and Computer Keys Mode for using the computer keyboard to enter notes. The two modes are described separately below.
The respective buttons in the middle of the window are used to switch modes.
Mode buttons.
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Regardless of mode, the On-screen Piano Keys window always follows Master Keyboard input.
This means that the Piano Keys will trigger the device associated with the track that has Master Keyboard Input. The Piano Keys input is merged with any attached keyboard/control surface input so you can use both simultaneously.
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The available note range is 10 octaves (C -2 to E 8).
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When the On-screen Piano Keys window is in Mouse mode, you can resize it by clicking and dragging the window frame according to standard procedures.
This is especially useful in “Mouse” mode, since you can adapt the window to show the desired note range.
#The Keyboard Navigator
This is present in both modes and shows the total key range. The green area indicates the key range available in the On-screen Piano Keys window.
Keys that produce sound are indicated by a gray strip above the keyboard in the Keyboard Navigator. This is useful when playing a patch where only certain keys or key ranges produce sound, e.g. a REX file or a sampler patch.
#Setting Octave range
There are several ways to set the Octave range:
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Click the arrow buttons on either side of the Keyboard Navigator.
Each click will shift one octave up or down.
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Click and drag the green key range area in the Keyboard Navigator.
The current octave number is always shown for the leftmost key - by default the [A] key on the computer keyboard.
#Mouse mode
When Mouse Mode is selected, the Piano Keys window shows a standard piano keyboard.
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To enter notes, simply click on the keyboard with your mouse.
As described above, the selected sequencer track governs what instrument device is played.
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The keys are velocity sensitive. The higher up on the key you click, the lower the velocity and vice versa.
The velocity range is between 40 and 127.
Low and high note velocities.
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The keyboard octave range can be set using the arrow buttons at each side of the navigator keyboard.
Each C key is labeled with the octave number. You can also simply drag the green key range area to where you want. It will snap to octave ranges.
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In Mouse Mode, the keyboard can be resized both vertically and horizontally.
Resizing horizontally extends or diminishes the key range. By resizing the window vertically you change the key size for the keyboard, as well as the key range.
#Adding sustain
If you press [Shift] when clicking notes, the notes will sustain, just like when using a sustain pedal.
#Repeat and Hold functions
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The Repeat function will continuously repeat the last clicked note as quarter notes with a quarter note pause in between (at the current tempo).
This feature can be useful when tweaking synth parameters or browsing for patches. It is activated/deactivated by checking/unchecking the box.
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The Hold function will keep any keys you click on pressed down for as long as Hold is active.
Hold is activated/deactivated by checking/unchecking the box.
#Computer Keys mode
When Computer Keys Mode is selected, the On-screen Piano Keys window shows a graphic (partial) representation of a computer keyboard. The window cannot be resized in this mode.
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In Computer Keys Mode you can play notes and chords using your computer keyboard.
The Computer Keys keyboard range is fixed to 18 notes (from C to F), although the octave range will give you access to any notes within the ten octaves shown in the navigator. You can also click on the keys with your mouse to trigger notes. The numerical keys in the top row are not used to enter notes but to set velocity, see “Velocity”.
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The default layout of the Computer Keys logically reflects the layout of a piano keyboard’s black and white keys.
The first (leftmost) key represents C and so on up to F an octave above. By default, the [A]-key will play the first C, the [W]-key a C# and so on, according to piano keyboard standards. If you wish, you can customize the note to key assignment in the Preferences - Advanced page (see “Create menu”).
#Octave range
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Press [Z] or [X] on your computer keyboard to shift one octave down or up, respectively.
There are also “Z” and “X” Octave buttons in the On-screen Piano Keys window that function in the same way.
See “Setting Octave range” for more ways of changing the Octave range.
#Repeat and Hold functions
See “Repeat and Hold functions”.
#Adding sustain
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Press [Shift] when entering notes to make the notes sustain, just like when using a sustain pedal.
There is also a Sustain button in the On-screen Piano Keys window that has the same functionality.
#Velocity
In Computer Keys Mode, velocity for notes you play can be set using the numerical keys in the top row. The currently set value is also shown in the Velocity value field. The numerical keys correspond to the following velocity values:
| Numerical key
| Velocity value
1
1
2
14
3
28
4
42
5
56
6
70
7
84
8
98 (default)
9
112
0
127
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You can also click in the Velocity box and enter the desired velocity value numerically.
#Velocity Variation
This feature will randomly vary the velocity values for the notes you enter. There are four options; None (default), Light, Medium and Heavy. The degree of velocity variation is as follows.
| Item
| Variation
None (default)
0
Light
+/- 5%
Medium
+/- 10%
Heavy
+/- 25%