Each track in a song plays one instrument. Add track is under the list, and the new track starts on the same sound as the track you have selected. Two tracks can use the same sound, so you can pan or EQ a part differently.
Each track has a color, a sound, Volume, pan, Mute and Solo. Pitched sounds play all 88 keys here, including notes the real instrument can't reach. That means you can write a tuba part that goes way higher than any tuba would, so check the stage ranges on Instruments if you want something realistic.
Right-click a track for Track menu, where you can open it in the piano roll, open its EQ, import MIDI, duplicate it, move it or delete it.
Equalizer
Each track has its own EQ, and you hear changes as you make them. Cutting the low end out of a part stops it sitting on top of the bass.
Drag a point sideways to change its frequency and up or down to change the gain. The wheel sets a band's width. Right-click a band to change what kind it is or to reset it.
| Kind | Effect |
|---|---|
| Low cut | Removes everything below its frequency |
| Low shelf | Boosts or cuts everything below it |
| Bell | Boosts or cuts around its frequency |
| High shelf | Boosts or cuts everything above it |
| High cut | Removes everything above its frequency |
Mixing
Levels
Before you touch anything else, get the levels right. Bring everything down, then bring tracks up one at a time, starting with whatever's most important (usually the drums and bass, or the melody). Solo is useful for checking one track, but don't mix with it on, since a part that sounds great alone can be too much with everything else playing.
Panning
Two instruments in the same range fight less if you move them apart. Keep bass, kick and the main melody near the center and spread the rest out to the sides.
EQ
If a track sounds muddy, the Equalizer usually fixes it faster than the volume does. Lots of instruments have low end you don't need, and a low cut on anything that isn't bass or drums clears up a lot of room.
Velocity
Notes all at the same Velocity sound robotic, especially on piano and drums. Make the strong beats a bit harder than the ones around them, and pull fast repeated notes down so they don't sound like a machine gun.
Dynamics
Volume automation lets you bring parts in and out, and dropping a track for one section often does more than adding another one.
Layering
A duplicated track on a different sound can make a melody fuller, like a flute an octave over a violin. Pan the two apart slightly so they don't sit right on top of each other.
Speakers
Listen on headphones and on your phone speaker if you can. Bass that sounds fine on one can vanish on the other.