Getting Started with Metro SE

1. What you need to know first
2. Installing on a Macintosh Computer
3. Checking your MIDI setup
4. The Tracks Window
5. Opening and playing sequences
6. Things you can do with MIDI

• Change Tempo
• Change Key
• Change Volume
• Change Orchestration
• Turn Tracks On/Off
• Play Metronome
• Loop Sections of Song
• Mark Points in Music
• Record Tracks
• Add/Delete/Change Notes

Metro SE is available from Cakewalk at www.cakewalk.com for $29.  The operating systems supported are Power PC/iMac with 8MB of RAM or more OMS and Quicktime Mac OS system 7.0 or later 32 MB or greater (realtime effects require more). Metro SE is a full-featured MIDI sequencing program.  Notation is not available in SE.

Make sure that your MIDI drivers are installed and that your OMS setup is correct. Also, make sure that any keyboard you may use for input or playback is turned on, connected, and has the correct settings. (General MIDI mode on.)

Download the installation file. Wait until you receive an e-mail message from Cakewalk that includes the installation key. Print the e-mail message. Double-click the software to start the installation. Follow the instructions as they appear. Be ready to type information from the printed e-mail message.

Start Metro SE.
Use the Setup -> OMS menu to Open Current OMS Setup. If you are NOT using any external instruments, only your computer (QuickTime) to play back,  your studio settings should look something like this:
 

If instead, the QuickTime Music icon has a cross through it  double-click on the icon and select the On radio button.

If you are using external MIDI keyboards, etc., then your MIDI interface output driver should be visible and should have an input and output arrow leading to your MIDI keyboards, etc.

In Metro, use the Setup menu to select MIDI Setup. Record From: should list your MIDI controller. If not, then use the drop-down box to select it. The Receive and Send Sync settings are for using hardware sequencers such as drum machines or SMTPE video hardware.

You may also want to use the Setup->OMS->OMS MIDI Setup dialog to set OMS to run MIDI in background if you have problems with MIDI being inconsistent.

Make sure that local is OFF on your keyboard and ON in the sequencing software (In Metro, go to Switches->Automatic MIDI Thru).

Make sure the volume is up on your sound module (whether internal or external) and that speakers or headphones are attached and turned on and up.
 

The Tracks Window lists all of the tracks in the sequence. The left part of the window is the Track List. The right part is the Tracks Window Overview.

The small triangle above the Track Number Column will bring up the display options pop-up menu. By selecting each option, the Tracks Window displays more information about each track.

The tracks are listed by number in the left column. The track numbers may be dragged up/down to different locations to change the order of tracks.
The R column enables recording in a track.
The M column mutes a track.
The S column enables Soloing (muting all others not soloed).
Name of tracks are set by option-clicking and typing in the Name column.
The Loop column enables looping back to the beginning of a track.
The Bars column indicates the number of measures in the track.
The Instruments column is for selecting the MIDI port/channel/Metro instrument.Often, downloaded files sound strange because the drum tracks are not set to channel 10 (and they should be). This is where to fix that.
Bank is for selecting a bank of MIDI instruments.
Pgm is where the program number/name (instrument sound) is selected for the beginning of the track.
Q is for Quantization value.
T is for Transposition.
V is for Velocity setting.
InpSel is to select the microphone for digital audio tracks.
Levels show the playback volume levels.

The Tracks Window Overview is used to select measures or series of measures for editing such as insert, delete, copy, paste. It is also used to place and display markers at the beginnings of measures as well as chord symbols.

Opening and playing sequences

Metro will play Metro files and standard MIDI files (Types 0, 1, or 2).
Go to File -> Open and navigate to the desired file. Highlight it and click OK.
The Transport Window may be used to play the files (sequences).
If the Transport Window is not visible, go to the Window menu and select Transport.

The Counter shows the Bar, Beat, and Clock in the top display and SMPTE time in the bottom display. You may click on the bar number in the counter to type in a new location.
Play (Spacebar)
Record (Option-R)
Stop (Spacebar)
Return (z or Return)
Cue (c)
Fast Forward
Punch In
Countoff/NoCountoff/Wait
Set Cues
Loop Record
Loop Cues
Time Signature and Key Signature
Tempo Use the slider to set the current tempo. Use the "door" to set the beginning tempo or tempo for a range.
Thru Instrument
Metronome Use the door to set the metronome up.
Sync Setting

• Change Tempo

Use the Tempo slider in the Transport window to set the tempo as the sequence plays. To chagne the initial tempo, click on the "door".
 
• Change Key

This affects only the appearance of the notation of MIDI exported, not the pitch. Option-click the Meter and Key Signature icon in the Transport window.

• Change Volume

To set initial track velocities, click the triangle above the Track Number Column in the Tracks Window and check Velocity to display the Velocity column. Double-click in the velocity box for the desired track and type a number between 0 and 127.
Use the Master Fader in the Instrument Window (under Windows menu) to control volume of all tracks in real time as they play.
Record volume changes by enabling fader recording for the desired Metro Instruments. (Double-click on Instrument name below the slider.) In the Define Instruments dialog, click on Assign Volume Slider then click OK and click OK. Click on Record in the Instruments WIndow start recording and move the slider.

• Change Orchestration

Click and drag or type in the Pgm box in the Track List to change the instrument for a track. (Rewind to beginning before playing.)

• Turn Tracks On/Off

Click in the M box in the Track List to change whether a track is muted or not.

• Play Metronome

Click on the Click button on the Transport to hear the Metronome. Click on the tiny "door" on the metronome to set the Metronome sounds.

• Loop Sections of Song

Click in the Loop box in the Track List to loop a track from its beginning.

• Mark Points in Music


Click above the timeline in the Graphic Editor Window to display the Marker dialog. Either type in a marker name or choose a chord symbol.

• Record Tracks

Click in the R box to enable recording on a track. Use the Click, Count, and Punch buttons to set up options, click record and play.

• Add/Delete/Change Notes

Double-click on a track name to open the Graphic Editor Window.


Make sure "Notes" is selected in the data type drop down menu in the Graphic Editor. Use the arrow tool and click on a note drag it up/down left/right to change its pitch or where it occurs. Choose the pencil and click on a note to erase or use the arrow, click on a note, and press the delete key. Use the pencil to "draw" new notes. Use the note tool to select the duration on notes penciled in. Use the Plus button to select another track(s) to edit.