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Toolbar & Drawer

Open the bottom drawer by tapping the toolbar buttons. Close by dragging the toolbar downward.

Note

In narrower screen configurations (such as when using an iPad in multitasking mode or on an iPhone) some buttons may be collapsed. Press the button with the up and down arrow to select a section.

On-Screen Keyboard

  • Add and remove keys with the − / + buttons.
  • Move the keyboard with the arrow buttons — either by one octave or one tone (configurable in Settings).

Key:

  • Use the project key, or override it and set a key for a single track.

Velocity is higher when pressing the lower part of a key. Velocity sensitivity can be adjusted in the global settings.

Drum Pads

A grid of 16 velocity-sensitive pads for playing and recording drum or percussion parts.

  • Tap a pad to trigger the note assigned to it.
  • Velocity is higher when pressing the upper part of a pad. Velocity sensitivity can be adjusted in the drum pads settings.
  • Reveal more pads by dragging up the toolbar

Track Plugin Parameters

Pick and control any parameter of any plugin in the current track.

Long press on a parameter to:

  • Rename
  • Delete
  • Drag to reorder

Track MIDI Settings

  • MIDI Input: select a device or another track to receive MIDI from. The selected track will receive MIDI when armed.
  • MIDI Output: select a device to send MIDI to. A channel must also be specified.

Track Audio Input

Select the audio input channel for the current track.

MIDI tracks can also receive audio input — useful for audio-processing plugins (such as vocoders), sampling plugins, or for routing an external synthesizer through the track's effect chain. Enable audio input for a MIDI track by selecting it when adding an instrument.

Set the tempo and time signature of the project. The Ableton Link indicator is visible when a session is active. Enable or disable Ableton Link in the Settings.

Key

Choose the project key.

Recording Options

Quantize recording: apply selected quantization when recording notes via on-screen keyboard or MIDI keyboard.

Start recording after:

  • Count-In: after pressing the record button, 4 beats will be counted and then recording starts.
  • First note: after pressing the record button, SAND waits and starts recording when a note is played (either on the on-screen keyboard or on a MIDI keyboard).

Tape Recorder

Record to audio file(s).

Tap the red record button and then start the song with the play button. The audio will be recorded onto audio files, one per track.

After stopping the recorder, the audio file(s) can be exported.