Arpeggiator
The Arpeggiator takes held notes at its MIDI in port and produces a repeating note pattern at MIDI out. Connect a MIDI keyboard or MIDI-generating process to the input and a synthesizer to the output. Release the input notes to remove them from the pattern.
This page describes version 2, whose Rate uses the time chooser.
Controls
| Control | Choices or range | Behavior |
|---|---|---|
| Arpeggios | Forward, Backward, F->B, B->F, Chord, Random | Ascending, descending, alternating-direction, simultaneous-chord or random selection. Default: Forward. |
| Octave | 1–7; default 1 | Adds octave copies; 1 uses the original notes only. Copies outside MIDI pitches 0–127 are omitted. |
| Octave mode | Both, Above, Below | Chooses where octave copies are added. Default: Both. |
| Repeat | 1–8; default 1 | Repeats each step before proceeding. Chord mode instead plays the expanded chord together. |
| Rate | Free duration 0.01–4 seconds; default 0.125 seconds | Time between steps, or a synchronized straight, dotted or triplet note value. |
Despite its label, Rate is a duration, not hertz. In synchronized mode, steps fall on the musical grid. In free mode, the duration is converted to a grid spacing at the current tempo; this process still schedules its steps through the musical-grid mechanism rather than acting as an independent wall-clock timer.
At each step, the previous output notes end and the next note or chord starts. Chord includes the octave expansion and sounds its notes together; Random selects from the expanded pattern at each step.
MIDI limitations
The current engine tracks held notes by pitch, not by input MIDI channel, and generates notes on channel 1. It is not a transparent MIDI router: do not rely on it to forward controllers, program changes or other non-note messages. Route those separately if your instrument needs them.
Older saved processes
Arpeggiator (old) remains separately registered and uses its earlier rate selector. It shares the pattern engine but is not automatically converted to the new time-chooser version. Insert a current Arpeggiator and re-create the intended timing and connections to update a score.
See MIDI Utilities for complementary note-processing tools.