Can you show screen shots or describe it in more detail?
Do you have the pencil or line tool selected (not the arrow), if so, what happens when you try to draw a line? Error message, stuff is just highlighted, etc.
Edit: Are you drawing notes in the wrong direction? (Supposed to go right to left with pencil tool.)
To change parameters, you click the drop-down on the bottom right that says things like GEN, CLE, PIT.