Editor Page

The Ensemble selector enables you to switch the Editor between the High Ensemble and the Low Ensemble. Additionally, you can solo each ensemble by hovering the mouse over the desired ensemble.

For the notation of the Phrases and single Articulations, Action Strings 2 provides a unique hybrid approach. The note's vertical position is displayed within a conventional staff, and its musical length is demonstrated by its horizontal length, similar to a MIDI editor. In addition, breaks and articulations are displayed with their conventional symbol as well as its expansion. This technique allows for better visualization of the modular approach of Phrases but retains the clarity of traditional notation.

Phrase Notation contains the following features:

Working with Phrase Notation

Each phrase is built with different consecutive modules, the smallest building block of Action Strings 2. In addition, each Module has been recorded individually to ensure both musical expression and flexibility.

The Phrase Notation provides several features that allow you to interact and write content.

Module		Click on a Module to select it. This gives you several options to work with the Module.
Accidental		To improve readability, very fast phrases will leave out accidentals. Here, the tonal context is displayed by a small label above (chromatic, minor, major).
Time Signature		Determines the time signature of the phrase. Click the icon to change the time signature. When selecting a shorter signature than the current setting, the content of the exceeding beats will be cleared.
Clef		The phrases are notated in treble or bass clef respectively and are always based on the root note of A as a reference. The actual sounding pitch will be based on whatever notes you play on your keyboard.
Loop Range		Adjusts the length of your phrase, determined by moving the two loop markers to their start and endpoint. Everything within this region will loop when triggered. The loop range is independent of the time signature and allows you to freely define different loop lengths within a phrase.

Interacting with the Phrase Notation display

1. Click on the magnifying glass to open the Module Browser and exchange the currently selected Module.

2. Click to change the time signature. WARNING: When selecting a shorter signature than the current setting, the content of the exceeding beats will be cleared

Working with Modules

• Click on a Module to select it. This gives you several options to work with the Module:

• Repeat: Duplicates the selected Module into the following slot. Very handy for single notes or short Modules.

• Delete: Clears the selected Module.

• Variate: Inserts a similar Module of the same category. This only works with modules that have variations.

• Copy/Cut/Paste: Allows you to copy or cut the selected Module and paste it to another selected position in the phrase.

Working with Loop Ranges

Adjust the length of your phrase by moving the two loop markers to their start and endpoint. Everything within this region will loop when triggered. The loop range is independent of the time signature and allows you to freely define different loop lengths within a phrase.

• Click + drag the loop markers to set the start and endpoint of the loop

• Click the loop selection to gain access to the Loop-Range options.

• Crop Loop: Bring the selection to the beginning of the phrase and delete everything outside of the loop.

• Repeat Range: Repeat the selected modules directly after the ending loop marker.

• Copy/Cut/Paste: Allows you to copy or cut the currently selected loop and its content and paste it to another selected loop range within the current phrase or phrases on other keyswitches.

Within the Module Browser, you can navigate through all recorded Modules and place them to the currently selected slot in the Phrase Notation by double-clicking on them.

The Module Browser

Selecting and pre-listening Modules

You can select and pre-listen Modules by simply clicking on them. To optimize your pre-listening experience, use the pre-listening menu bottom right of the Module Browser.

Loading Modules

Module Categories

The different Module categories include:

Module Types

Generally, there are three types of Modules:

	Modules without an emphasized ending, mostly with 2/16 or 4/16 length. These Modules can be stringed together without overlapping.
	Modules with an emphasized ending note. Mostly in a length of 5/16. These are suitable to serve as the ending of a phrase on a beat. You can also select the ending note and insert another module, which allows you to string together modules with ending notes as well.
	Basic single-note articulations to insert into the Phrase like staccatos and long notes.

For the single-notes, the Browser has a slightly different layout. In the upper line, you can choose the specific articulation, and then you can select a specific length to insert it into the phrase. Long notes that offer the duration of 1 or 2 bars will adjust their length to the current time signature.

Closing the Module Browser

Action Strings 2 provides two different Play modes, Melody and Arpeggiator. Melody mode is optimized for playing melodies with single keys, while Arpeggiator mode behaves like a step arpeggiator with multiple notes played at a time.

Melody Mode

Melody mode is optimized for playing melodies with single keys. The pitch of every Module can be adjusted chromatically by clicking + dragging the respective box up and down. The number displayed in the box shows the difference to the root pitch of the Phrase. Drag the numbers up or down to change the melody. The corresponding module will move up and down in the Phrase Notation.

Editing pitch in Melody mode.

Arpeggiator Mode

In Arpeggiator mode, Action Strings 2 behaves like a step arpeggiator, with each module acting as a step. The Arpeggiator mode is built to play multiple notes at the same time.

1. Pattern: Determines the order in which the modules will be arpeggiated. All (Chord) will trigger all played notes in the respective rhythm.

2. Skip: Determines whether steps within a rest will be ignored for the note order and the respective pitch will sound at the next active module.

3. Repeat: Repeats every note one or multiple times before moving to the next note.

The Envelope allows you to set a dynamic shape to modules and sustained notes. Short single notes like Staccatos will only have a single step that can be adjusted, while longer modules and sustained notes have multiple handles to allow you to give dynamic shapes to these modules.

The Envelope in the Editor page