How To Copy Notes Not Aligned To Grid?

Hello,

I am sorry if this is a noob question, but I have these hi hats that were tapped in PURPOSELY ever so slightly behind the beat (maybe a tick or 2).

I wish to copy them through to the next bar, but the pattern tool seems to want to lock it into the grid.  I want to replicate the exact timing I have.

If someone could point me in the right direction, that would be much appreciated!
 

 
Thank You!
Adam

Switch the grid from "Snap To" to "Snap By." 

Probably the wrong (slowest) way to do it, but I would split the notes into a clip; check the clip's properties to see what it's exact start time is, like 16:01:037 and if I wanted to paste it into measure 32, in the paste options I would set 32:01:037 as the paste point. Maybe turn off Snap.

chuckebaby
- Right click lasso the notes to select them.
- Hold CNTRL down and drag the notes to their new position.
 

You do this in Track View.
But, you must hold the Shift key to maintain the exact positions.
So its Ctrl to copy: Shift to move: Ctrl/Shift to copy move. 

Kalle Rantaaho

SimpleManZ

chuckebaby
- Right click lasso the notes to select them.
- Hold CNTRL down and drag the notes to their new position.
 

You do this in Track View.
But, you must hold the Shift key to maintain the exact positions.
So its Ctrl to copy: Shift to move: Ctrl/Shift to copy move. 

 
Anyway, main thing in this case is to have Snap-function off,  I think.

Good point Kalle (snap off)

SilverBlueMedallion
that didn't work.   

Well it should. Snap By is the recommended way to copy data not aligned to the grid.
 
I just tried this and it works in the Prv PROVIDED the first note in your selection range is aligned to a measure boundary

I found just now that control-drag with snap-by worked as I expected to copy notes and selections not aligned to the grid and have them retain their offsets. I checked some in track view and piano roll view.
 
There was definitely one anomaly. In one scenario, with a quarter-note grid, using track view, I found the copy did not line up where the aim-assist & clip ghost outline showed it would line up. It jumped a quarter-note earlier. If I compensated by dragging to a quarter note later than I wanted, it went to my intended target. If I set the grid to 1/2 note, it worked as expected. Or in PRV it worked as expected. In other scenarios it worked as expected, including selections that don't start on any snap grid.
 
Adding "shift" is definitely useful in PRV when dragging horizontally to make it easier to keep the notes from shifting up/down, but I was not using it to preserve timing.

I half-agree. MIDI editing in most DAWs is indeed cumbersome, however, there is also room for improvement in SONAR. For example, when you select something and want to snap it to exactly one measure later, it should do that regardless of whether a note starts on the grid or not.
 
OTOH MIDI FX and the per-track arpeggiator are great, and I like having both the standard PRV and the track PRV because each one can do things the other can't. Being able to go back and forth between those views is huge for me. I also think the way the Step Sequencer handles MIDI is really cool, specifically, the way it preserves offsets seamlessly between clips and step sequencers is excellent.
 
Given that MIDI is the oldest part of SONAR, it would't surprise me if the Bakers have some plans for it in 2017.