# Using QWERTY keyboard to trigger MIDI notes/chords?



## creativeforge (Mar 27, 2020)

OK, so I saw this guy trigger chords by using some of his laptop's keys. Anyone knows how to do this? It would be very useful to test libraries patches while not near a MIDI keyboard, like on my 2nd computer. Ideally, even use this to step record maybe?

How could I do this? I'm on Windows 7 64.

Thanks!


----------



## brek (Mar 28, 2020)

Many DAWs have this built-in (well, Cubase, Logic, and Reaper do, at least). Which DAW are you using? 
Pro Tools doesn't offer it, in which case you can use something MIDIKeys or VMPK to do the same. It's a bit more annoying to use though because you have to keep tabbing back and forth between the applications. 

And, yes, I use this all the time if I want to jot something down real quick with my laptop or test out a new sound (doing it right now with ProjectSAM Free Orchestra!)


----------



## creativeforge (Mar 28, 2020)

*YES!!! Thank you!* I'm using Mixcraft. 

_"If you don’t have a USB keyboard controller, you can input notes direct 
from the computer’s keyboard using Musical Typing. This can be toggled on and off by 
going to the View menu at the top and selecting Musical Typing, or by using the key 
shortcut [CTRL]+[ALT]+K. Musical typing uses the computer’s QWERTY keyboard to 
play musical notes. When activated, the layout shows the “mini music keyboard,” 
octave, transpose, velocity, and other relevant parameters."_


----------

