The data in 'Microscope'

(This entry should be subtitled, "Places the manual isn't clear, part 1 of 3,267,894,50...")

The "Microscope" feature lets you examine the data saved to each part in detail. However, page 72 of the manual, which discusses this topic, leaves out a couple of important things a new user would find helpful.

In the chart there, when you see...

1-1-00 A 4 104 0-22
1-1-24 C 4 104 0-22

...what's all this telling you? Simply, this says that the part is to play two notes in succession: A then C, both in keyboard octave 4. They sound on the first and second 16th-notes of measure 1, and they both should have the same volume ("velocity") and note duration ("gate time").

The manual is sketchy in two respects:

1) It doesn't remind you on this page that each quarter note is divided into 96 "ticks", meaning the 16th notes fall at clock points 00, 24, 48 and 72. So for example, a note falling on the upbeat of measure 2, beat 4, would register here as 2-4-48. (Notes do not have to fall right on a 16th note; change the third number to one that is not a multiple of 24 if you want to move the note slightly.)

2) Gate time is given in the two numbers on the far right, which correspond to the beats and ticks the note lasts. So a note with 0-22 gate time lasts a bit less than a full 16th note in duration (i.e., a full 16th note would be 24 ticks long).

Other information can appear on this screen as well. One of the most common types is a CC (Control Change) message, which can mean, for example, a knob tweak. Look at preset pattern #112, part 3, and in addition to the note names, you'll see the CC messages that give the synth line its "wah" effect. (CC message numbers are listed under MIDI Implementation in the appendices.)

You can get a feel for what all these numbers mean by choosing a pattern, muting all parts except one, and then changing the data for that part in Microscope to see what happens. UPDATE: As Gastón mentions below, you have to exit Microscope to listen.