The basic way to add notes in Vocaloid
Vocaloid uses a piano roll — a grid where the vertical axis shows pitch and the horizontal axis shows time. To add a note, you click on the grid at the pitch and timing you want, and a rectangular block appears. The length of that block determines how long the note holds. This is the same interface used in most digital audio workstations, so if you have worked in music production software before, the concept will feel familiar.
The exact steps depend on which Vocaloid version you own — Vocaloid 5, Vocaloid 6, or Vocaloid Editor — but the core method is identical across all of them. You select a note duration from the toolbar (quarter note, eighth note, sixteenth note, and so on), then click where you want that note to land on the piano roll.
Key Takeaways
- Click on the piano roll grid to place notes; the vertical position sets pitch and the horizontal position sets timing.
- Use the toolbar to select note duration before clicking, or draw notes by clicking and dragging across the grid.
- Adjust note length after placement by dragging the right edge of the note block left or right.
- Use the pencil tool to draw multiple notes in sequence without re-selecting the duration each time.
- Velocity (note volume) and vibrato can be edited in the note properties panel after the note is placed.
Selecting a note duration before you click
Before you place a note, look at the toolbar above the piano roll. You will see buttons or a dropdown showing note lengths: whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, eighth notes, sixteenth notes, and sometimes triplet and dotted variations. Click the duration you want, then click on the piano roll where you want that note to start. A block of that length will appear.
This method is precise if you know exactly what rhythm you want. However, it requires you to change the duration setting each time you want a different note length, which can slow you down if your melody alternates between different rhythms.
Drawing notes by clicking and dragging
An alternative is to use the pencil tool (usually the default tool when you open the piano roll). With the pencil tool active, click at the pitch and timing where you want a note to start, then drag to the right to extend it to the length you want. Release the mouse button and the note is placed.
This method is faster for entering melodies with varied note lengths because you do not have to stop and change a setting between each note. You straightforward draw each note to the exact length you need in one motion. The pencil tool also lets you draw multiple notes in sequence without switching tools.
Adjusting note length and position after placement
If you place a note and then decide it should be longer or shorter, you do not have to delete it and start over. Hover your cursor over the right edge of the note block until the cursor changes to a resize arrow, then drag left to shorten the note or right to extend it. The note will snap to the grid divisions (quarter notes, eighth notes, and so on) unless you have disabled snap-to-grid in the settings.
To move a note to a different pitch, click the note block itself and drag it up or down on the piano roll. To move it earlier or later in time, drag it left or right. If you want to move a note without changing its pitch, hold down a modifier key (usually Ctrl on Windows or Cmd on Mac) while dragging horizontally.
Editing velocity and other note properties
Once a note is placed, you can adjust its velocity — the volume or intensity of that individual note — by selecting it and looking at the properties panel on the right side of the screen. Velocity is usually shown as a number from 0 to 127, where higher numbers mean louder. You can type a number directly or drag a slider to adjust it.
In the same properties panel, you can add vibrato (a wavering pitch effect), adjust the note's attack and release times, and set other parameters depending on your Vocaloid version. These changes affect only the selected note, so you can make each note in your melody sound slightly different if you want.
Using quantize and snap-to-grid to keep notes aligned
Vocaloid has a snap-to-grid feature that automatically aligns notes to the nearest beat or subdivision when you place or move them. This is usually on by default and helps keep your timing tight and your notes aligned to the tempo. If you want to place a note at an unusual timing that does not fall on a grid line, you can temporarily turn off snap-to-grid in the settings, place the note, then turn it back on.
If you have already placed notes that are slightly off-beat, the quantize function will snap them all to the grid at once. This is usually found in the Edit menu. You can quantize all notes or select a range and quantize only those.
Entering notes from a MIDI keyboard or file
If you have a MIDI keyboard connected to your computer, you can play notes into Vocaloid in real time instead of clicking on the piano roll. Enable MIDI input in the settings, set the note duration you want, then play on your keyboard. Each note you play will be recorded at the pitch and timing you played it. This is much faster for entering melodies if you can play an instrument.
You can also import a MIDI file — a standard music file format — directly into Vocaloid. Go to File > Import MIDI (or similar, depending on your version) and select a .mid file from your computer. Vocaloid will read the notes from that file and place them on the piano roll automatically. This is useful if you have a melody written in another program or recorded from another source.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I delete a note I placed by mistake?
Click the note to select it, then press Delete or Backspace. Alternatively, hold down the eraser tool (usually in the toolbar) and click the note. If you deleted multiple notes by mistake, press Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac) to undo.
Can I copy and paste notes to repeat a section?
Yes. Select the notes you want to copy by clicking and dragging a box around them, or by clicking one and Shift-clicking others. Press Ctrl+C to copy, then click where you want to paste and press Ctrl+V. The notes will appear at that location with the same pitches and durations.
What is the difference between note duration and tempo?
Note duration is how long a single note holds — a quarter note, eighth note, and so on. Tempo is how fast the song plays overall, measured in beats per minute. Changing tempo does not change the duration of notes; it just makes the whole song play faster or slower. Tempo is usually set in a separate menu, not in the piano roll.
Why are my notes not snapping to the grid?
Snap-to-grid may be turned off. Look for a magnet icon or "Snap" toggle in the toolbar and make sure it is enabled. If it is on but notes still are not snapping, check the grid size setting — if the grid is set to very small divisions, notes may appear to snap loosely.
Can I adjust the pitch of a note after I place it without moving it?
Yes, but the method varies by Vocaloid version. In most versions, you can select a note and use arrow keys to shift its pitch up or down by one semitone at a time. Some versions also let you type the note name directly in the properties panel.