Overlay Keyboard Voice

While it’s possible to use an external MIDI keyboard connected to Tempera, an overlay keyboard can be brought up which will occupy some potion of the touchgrid.

The Overlay keyboard Voice menu has the following options:

  • Transpose the overlay keyboard by semitones

  • Channel sets which MIDI channel the overlay keyboard plays at

  • Play mode determines the arrangement of notes on the grid:

    • Base note: each key is the same note. Useful for percussive scenarios.

    • Scale maj: each row/column is an octave, each cell is a tone in a major scale

    • Scale min: each row/column is an octave, each cell is a tone in a minor scale

    • Chromatic: the keyboard is of a piano-type layout

  • Overlay selects which portion of the touchgrid the overlay keyboard will occupy with two context options:

    • Clear all held notes

    • Hold keys on the virtual keyboard (like a sustain pedal)

  • Channel sets the MIDI channel at which each emitter is responsive

  • Effects send toggles enable or disable voices played on individual MIDI channels to be sent to the effects chain. This is per midi channel, while Emitter’s FX send is per-emitter.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Which notes are which on the overlay keyboard?

    The overlay keyboard begins on a root note set with Transpose on the bottom-left cell. Increasing the layout size will increase the keyboard range upwards. In major or minor scale modes, each row is one octave.

Tip

  • Set various emitters to different MIDI channels to achieve multi-timbrality.

  • Setting your percussive emitters to a separate MIDI channel can be useful.

  • Press a shortcut combo Round button and Overlay Keyboard Voice to quickly show and hide the overlay keyboard.

  • It is possible to have notes toggled on multiple MIDI channels at once. Useful for a held percussive or drone note on one channel, and playing along on a different channel.