Edit a melody in the piano roll

The piano roll lets you inspect and change the notes in a melody reference.

Open the editor

1. In Custom, add a recording, played melody, song, or music-file reference.
2. Wait until its musical content is available.
3. Open Edit melody on the reference.

Make note changes

• Add notes at the pitch and position you want.
• Move a note to change its pitch or timing.
• Drag its edge to change its length.
• Select unwanted notes and delete them.
• Use Undo to reverse an edit.

Use playback to check rhythm and note lengths. If you adjust tempo, key, or sections, listen through the affected area again before applying the changes.

Apply the melody

Select Done to return the edited score to the reference. Review the lyrics and style in Custom, then generate to hear a new full song based on it.

Changing notes changes the reference, not the audio of a finished song. Enter the words in the Lyrics field separately.

If a separate editor opens while the Songwriting Assistant is already open, its confirmation button is labeled Apply. In either case, confirming updates the musical reference; it does not replace an existing song's audio.

Check the selected model

Melody and score references use ACE Music v1.1 Preview. Create can switch to this model when you add a reference that requires it; check the model name and generation cost before you generate. ACE-Step does not read these melody or score references.

Record into an existing melody

In the Songwriting Assistant, place the playhead where you want to record, choose the track, and start a microphone or keyboard recording. Recorded notes replace notes in the recorded time range on that track, rather than replacing the whole song. Listen back and use Undo if needed.

Microphone audio is converted to notes. Once recognition finishes, the temporary recording waveform is removed; it is not a separate audio track you can keep editing. This differs from the quick recording panel, where Start over replaces the take. Neither workflow edits the waveform of a finished song.

Using a phone

In the quick keyboard panel, swipe the keyboard range control to reach lower or higher notes. The phone keyboard spans C3–C6 and opens around C4; it does not use the desktop octave selector. On a computer, use the octave controls or Z and X.

In the Songwriting Assistant on a phone, tap a chord first, then use the buttons below it or the edit menu. Use the visible note controls instead of desktop mouse gestures or shortcuts; the phone note menu does not include Split.