The <em>Grid</em> helps visually placing items in time. It will draw
lines at selected intervals as chosen in the drop-down selector.
Musical grid settings (<em>Bar</em> to <em>Sextuplets</em>) obviously
- depend on the <a href="@@tempo-and-meter">tempo and meter</a>, so
- changing the tempo or meter will rescale the grid, while absolute grid
- settings (<em>Timecode</em>, etc…) won't be affected.
+ depend on the <a href="@@tempo-and-meter">tempo and time signature</a>, so
+ changing the tempo or time signature will rescale the grid, while absolute
+ grid settings (<em>Timecode</em>, etc…) won't be affected.
</p>
<p class="note">
</p>
<table class="dl">
- <tr><th><dfn>Mins:Secs</dfn></th><td>scaling the session with the Mins:Secs:mSec notation</td></tr>
- <tr><th><dfn>Timecode</dfn></th><td>scaling the session with the Hours:Mins:Secs:Frames notation</td></tr>
- <tr><th><dfn>Samples</dfn></th><td>scaling the session with the sample number notation</td></tr>
- <tr><th><dfn>Bars:Beats</dfn></th><td>slicing the time according to the time signature of the Meter</td></tr>
- <tr><th><dfn>Meter</dfb></th><td>shows the time signature. It can be changed along the timeline, by <kbd class="mouse">Right click</kbd> > <kbd class="menu">New Meter</kbd>. The Bars:Beats ruler will reflect the change.</td></tr>
- <tr><th><dfn>Tempo</dfn></th><td>shows the BPM. It can be changed along the timeline, by <kbd class="mouse">Right click</kbd> > <kbd class="menu">New Tempo</kbd>. The Bars:Beats ruler will reflect the change.</td></tr>
- <tr><th><dfn>Range Markers</dfn></th><td>allow to create and modify ranges directly on the Ruler.</td></tr>
- <tr><th><dfn>Loop/Punch Ranges</dfn></th><td>are special kind of ranges designed to be played as a loop and to do punch recording, i.e. recording on a precise section of time, respectively.</td></tr>
- <tr><th><dfn>CD Markers</dfn></th><td>are markers designed to be used while creating a recording that has to be split in time, as an audio CD</td></tr>
- <tr><th><dfn>Location Markers</dfn></th><td>is meant to receive any kind of marker, user generated or from Ardour itself.</td></tr>
- <tr><th><dfn>Video Timeline</dfn></th><td>shows thumbnails of the <a href="@@video-timeline-and-monitoring">video</a> in the timeline</td></tr>
+ <tr>
+ <th><dfn>Mins:Secs</dfn></th>
+ <td>scaling the session with the Mins:Secs:mSec notation</td>
+ </tr>
+ <tr>
+ <th><dfn>Timecode</dfn></th>
+ <td>scaling the session with the Hours:Mins:Secs:Frames notation</td>
+ </tr>
+ <tr>
+ <th><dfn>Samples</dfn></th>
+ <td>scaling the session with the sample number notation</td>
+ </tr>
+ <tr>
+ <th><dfn>Bars:Beats</dfn></th>
+ <td>slicing the time according to the time signature</td>
+ </tr>
+ <tr>
+ <th><dfn>Time Signature</dfb></th>
+ <td>shows the time signature. It can be changed along the timeline, by
+ <kbd class="mouse">Right-click</kbd> >
+ <kbd class="menu">New Time Signature</kbd>. The Bars:Beats ruler will
+ reflect the change.</td>
+ </tr>
+ <tr>
+ <th><dfn>Tempo</dfn></th>
+ <td>shows the BPM. It can be changed along the timeline, by
+ <kbd class="mouse">Right-click</kbd> > <kbd class="menu">New Tempo</kbd>.
+ The Bars:Beats ruler will reflect the change.</td>
+ </tr>
+ <tr>
+ <th><dfn>Range Markers</dfn></th>
+ <td>allow to create and modify ranges directly on the Ruler.</td>
+ </tr>
+ <tr>
+ <th><dfn>Loop/Punch Ranges</dfn></th>
+ <td>are special kind of ranges designed to be played as a loop and to do
+ punch recording, i.e. recording on a precise section of time, respectively.</td>
+ </tr>
+ <tr>
+ <th><dfn>CD Markers</dfn></th>
+ <td>are markers designed to be used while creating a recording that has
+ to be split in time, as an audio CD</td>
+ </tr>
+ <tr>
+ <th><dfn>Location Markers</dfn></th>
+ <td>is meant to receive any kind of marker, user generated or from Ardour
+ itself.</td>
+ </tr>
+ <tr>
+ <th><dfn>Cue markers</dfn></th>
+ <td>allows triggering entire cues from the grid in the <em>Cue</em>window</td>
+ </tr>
+ <tr>
+ <th><dfn>Video Timeline</dfn></th>
+ <td>shows thumbnails of the <a href="@@video-timeline-and-monitoring">video</a>
+ in the timeline</td>
+ </tr>
</table>
<p>
Most of the operations on the markers are described in <a
- href="@@working-with-markers">Working with Markers</a>, while the Meter,
+ href="@@working-with-markers">Working with Markers</a>, while the Time Signature,
Tempo, Bars:Beats and Timecode use are described in <a
- href="@@tempo-and-meter">Tempo and Meter</a>.
+ href="@@tempo-and-meter">Tempo and Time Signature</a>.
</p>
</figure>
<p>
-As a general approach, the best way to control tempo ramps is to use them in
-pairs.
+ As a general approach, the best way to control tempo ramps is to use them in
+ pairs.
</p>
<p>
-One typical use of tempo ramps is to match the click to a drum performance recorded in
-'free time', like in the (admittedly bad) 4/4 example on the left.
+ One typical use of tempo ramps is to match the click to a drum performance
+ recorded in 'free time', like in the (admittedly bad) 4/4 example on the left.
</p>
-<h3 class="clear">Step 1 : First meter</h3>
+<h3 class="clear">Step 1: First time signature</h3>
<figure class="left">
<img class="mini" src="/images/tempo-ramp_2.png" alt="Step 1/5">
- <figcaption>Placing the first meter</figcaption>
+ <figcaption>Placing the first time signature</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>
-The first thing needed is determining where the first beat is in the recording
-and <kbd class="mouse">left</kbd> dragging the first meter to that position.
+ The first thing needed is determining where the first beat is in the recording
+ and <kbd class="mouse">left</kbd> dragging the first time signature to that
+ position.
</p>
-<h3 class="clear">Step 2 : Locating the <em>n</em>th bar</h3>
+<h3 class="clear">Step 2: Locating the <em>n</em>th bar</h3>
<figure class="left">
<img class="mini" src="/images/tempo-ramp_3.png" alt="Step 2/5">
</figure>
<p>
-Now the first click will be in time with the first beat. By listening to the recorded
-drums, the position of bar <em>n</em> (here, 9th beat, 3rd bar) is visually located (the
-playhead may be moved to this location to "pin" it).
+ Now the first click will be in time with the first beat. By listening to the
+ recorded drums, the position of bar <em>n</em> (here, 9th beat, 3rd bar) is
+ visually located (the playhead may be moved to this location to "pin" it).
</p>
-<h3 class="clear">Step 3 : Aligning the ruler with the tempo</h3>
+<h3 class="clear">Step 3: Aligning the ruler with the tempo</h3>
<figure class="left">
<img class="mini" src="/images/tempo-ramp_4.png" alt="Step 3/5">
</figure>
<p>
-Holding the constraint modifier (<kbd class="mod3n"></kbd> by default,
-may be changed in Preferences->Editor->Modifiers), the third
-bar marker in the BBT ruler is dragged at the position of the third bar in the
-recording (where the playhead is located). This drag can be done either in the Meter
-or in the Tempo rulers. The tempo (on the first and only tempo marker) reflects
-the new value based on this change.
+ Holding the constraint modifier (<kbd class="mod3n"></kbd> by default, may be
+ changed in <kbd class="menu">Preferences > Editor > Modifiers</kbd>),
+ the third bar marker in the BBT ruler is dragged at the position of the third
+ bar in the recording (where the playhead is located). This drag can be done
+ either in the Time Signature or in the Tempo rulers. The tempo (on the first
+ and only tempo marker) reflects the new value based on this change.
</p>
<p>
-The click now matches the first 8 beats, but after that it can wander off, which
-will be reflected in the tempo lines thet won't quite match the drum hits.
+ The click now matches the first 8 beats, but after that it can wander off,
+ which will be reflected in the tempo lines thet won't quite match the drum
+ hits.
</p>
-<h3 class="clear">Step 4 : Placing a new tempo marker</h3>
+<h3 class="clear">Step 4: Placing a new tempo marker</h3>
<figure class="left">
<img class="mini" src="/images/tempo-ramp_5.png" alt="Step 4/5">
</figure>
<p>
-A new tempo marker is placed on the last position where the click matches the
-recorded audio, by <kbd class="mod1n"></kbd>-clicking the Tempo ruler. This will
-"anchor" the value of the tempo at that position.
+ A new tempo marker is placed on the last position where the click matches the
+ recorded audio, by <kbd class="mod1n"></kbd>-clicking the Tempo ruler. This
+ will "anchor" the value of the tempo at that position.
</p>
-<h3 class="clear">Step 5 : Placing another tempo marker at the <em>n</em>th beat</h3>
+<h3 class="clear">Step 5: Placing another tempo marker at the <em>n</em>th beat</h3>
<figure class="left">
<img class="mini" src="/images/tempo-ramp_6.png" alt="Step 5/5">
</figure>
<p>
-Another tempo marker is placed <em>n</em> beats after the previous marker (here,
-4 beats, 1 bar).
+ Another tempo marker is placed <em>n</em> beats after the previous marker
+ (here, 4 beats, 1 bar).
</p>
-<h3 class="clear">Step 6 : Changing the tempo to a new value</h3>
+<h3 class="clear">Step 6: Changing the tempo to a new value</h3>
<figure class="left">
<img class="mini" src="/images/tempo-ramp_7.png" alt="Step 5/5">
</figure>
<p>
-Now, <kbd class="mod3n"></kbd>-dragging any beat <strong>after</strong> the second
-new tempo marker will allow to align the drum audio and tempo after the second marker.
+ Now, <kbd class="mod3n"></kbd>-dragging any beat <strong>after</strong> the
+ second new tempo marker will allow to align the drum audio and tempo after the
+ second marker.
</p>
-<h3 class="clear">Step 7 : Ramping the tempo change</h3>
+<h3 class="clear">Step 7: Ramping the tempo change</h3>
<figure class="left">
<img class="mini" src="/images/tempo-ramp_8.png" alt="Step 5/5">
</figure>
<p>
-Although it may be unnecessary in some cases where the tempo changes abruptly, most
-of the time, the tempo change is progressive in time, like an instrumentist drifting in tempo.
-In those cases, the tempo change should be progressive too, and Ardour allows that
-by ramping the tempo change.
+ Although it may be unnecessary in some cases where the tempo changes abruptly,
+ most of the time, the tempo change is progressive in time, like an
+ instrumentist drifting in tempo. In those cases, the tempo change should be
+ progressive too, and Ardour allows that by ramping the tempo change.
</p>
<p>
-<kbd class="mouse">right</kbd> clicking the first tempo marker, a menu appears,
-allowing to <kbd class="menu">Ramp to Next</kbd>. This will make the tempo
-between the two markers linearly change from the first marker's value to the
-second's.
+ <kbd class="mouse">Right</kbd>-clicking the first tempo marker, a menu appears,
+ allowing to <kbd class="menu">Ramp to Next</kbd>. This will make the tempo
+ between the two markers linearly change from the first marker's value to the
+ second's.
</p>
<p>
-Again, some time later the click will probably drift again, so the same technique
-has to be repeated: adding two new tempos and dragging the BBT ruler
-<strong>after</strong> the newest tempo so that the beats align with the audio
-again.
+ Again, some time later the click will probably drift again, so the same
+ technique has to be repeated: adding two new tempos and dragging the BBT ruler
+ <strong>after</strong> the newest tempo so that the beats align with the audio
+ again.
</p>
<p>
-In a general sense, adding tempo markers in pairs allows to 'pin' the tempo at the
-marker's location while moving further to the right.
+ In a general sense, adding tempo markers in pairs allows to 'pin' the tempo at
+ the marker's location while moving further to the right.
</p>
<h2>Other use cases</h2>
<p>
-Audio locked meters can be useful when composing, as they allow a continuous
-piece of music to be worked on in isolated segments, preventing the listening
-fatigue of a fixed form. Reassembly is left as an excercise for the reader.
+ Audio-locked time signatures can be useful when composing, as they allow a
+ continuous piece of music to be worked on in isolated segments, preventing the
+ listening fatigue of a fixed form. Reassembly is left as an excercise for the
+ reader.
</p>
<p>
-Tempo ramps can also be used in a video context, e.g. for an accelerando,
-by snapping to TC frames and dragging the ruler so that a bar ends up on a significant
-video frame.
+ Tempo ramps can also be used in a video context, e.g. for an accelerando, by
+ snapping to TC frames and dragging the ruler so that a bar ends up on a
+ significant video frame.
</p>
<p>
- Tempo and meter belong together. Without both, there is no way to know where
- a beat lies in time.
+ Tempo and time signature belong together. Without both, there is no way to
+ know where a beat lies in time.
</p>
<p>
Tempo provides a musical pulse, which is divided into beats and bars by a
- meter. When tempo is changed or an audio-locked meter is moved, all objects
- on the timeline that are glued to bars and beats (locations, regions) will
- move in sympathy.
+ time signature. When tempo is changed or an audio-locked time signature is
+ moved, all objects on the timeline that are glued to bars and beats
+ (locations, regions) will move in sympathy.
</p>
<p class="note">
- When performing meter or tempo operations, it is advisable to use the BBT
- ruler (available by right-clicking an existing marker or ruler name), and
- ensure that the constraint modifier is set (<kbd class="mod3n"></kbd> by default,
- may be changed in Preferences->Editor->Modifiers)
- so that no other modifiers share its key combination. The constraint modifier
- is the "Constrain drags using: " setting under the "When Beginning a Drag"
- heading. One viable setting is
+ When performing time signature or tempo operations, it is advisable to use the
+ BBT ruler (available by right-clicking an existing marker or ruler name), and
+ ensure that the constraint modifier is set (<kbd class="mod3n"></kbd> by
+ default, may be changed in <kbd class="menu">Preferences > Editor >
+ Modifiers</kbd>) so that no other modifiers share its key combination. The
+ constraint modifier is the "Constrain drags using: " setting under the
+ "When Beginning a Drag" heading. One viable setting is
<kbd class="mod1n"></kbd><kbd class="mod3n"></kbd>.
</p>
</p>
<ul>
- <li>by double clicking on a tempo marker. This opens the tempo dialog which
+ <li>By double clicking on a tempo marker. This opens the tempo dialog which
allows entering the tempo directly into an entry box.</li>
- <li>by using the constraint modifier (<kbd class="mod3n"></kbd> by default,
- may be changed in Preferences->Editor->Modifiers)
- to drag the beat/bars in the BBT ruler or the tempo/meter lines.
+ <li>By using the constraint modifier (<kbd class="mod3n"></kbd> by default,
+ may be changed in <kbd class="menu">Preferences > Editor > Modifiers</kbd>)
+ to drag the beat/bars in the BBT ruler or the tempo/time signature lines.
This is the preferred way to match the tempo to previously recorded
material.</li>
that non-musical snap is in effect if enabled. Snapping to a minute while
dragging a beat may result in some very slow tempos. Snapping a beat to a
video frame however is an incredibly useful way to ensure a soundtrack is
- punchy and synchronised to the sample.
+ punchy and synchronized to the sample.
</p>
<li>by holding down the constraint modifier while dragging a tempo vertically.
A tempo may be locked to audio or musical time. This can be changed by <kbd
class="mouse">right</kbd>-clicking on a tempo. If a tempo is locked to music,
an entry will be available to lock it to audio. Similarly an audio-locked
- tempo may be locked to music by <kdb class="mouse">right</kbd>-clicking it
+ tempo may be locked to music by <kbd class="mouse">right</kbd>-clicking it
and selecting the "Lock to Music" entry.
</p>
<p>
- Audio locked tempo marks stay in their frame position as their neighbour's
+ Audio locked tempo marks stay in their frame position as their neighbor's
positions are altered. Their pulse (musical) position will change as their
- neighbours move. Music locked tempo marks move their frame position as their
- neighbours are moved, but keep their pulse position (they will move as the
+ neighbors move. Music locked tempo marks move their frame position as their
+ neighbors are moved, but keep their pulse position (they will move as the
music is moved).
</p>
</ul>
<figure>
- <img src="/images/constant-tempo.png" alt="A constant tempo displaying the tempo at the playhead in the audio clock">
+ <img src="/images/constant-tempo.png" alt="A constant tempo displaying the
+ tempo at the playhead in the audio clock">
<figcaption>
- A series of constant tempo markers. The tempo at the playhead position is the same as the previous tempo.
+ A series of constant tempo markers. The tempo at the playhead position is
+ the same as the previous tempo.
</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure>
- <img src="/images/ramped-tempo.png" alt="A ramped tempo displaying the tempo at the playhead in the audio clock">
+ <img src="/images/ramped-tempo.png" alt="A ramped tempo displaying the tempo
+ at the playhead in the audio clock">
<figcaption>
- A ramped tempo marker. The tempo at the playhead position is approaching the second tempo. Because the playhead is equidistant (in beats) between the two markers, the tempo at the playhead is the average of the two.
+ A ramped tempo marker. The tempo at the playhead position is approaching
+ the second tempo. Because the playhead is equidistant (in beats) between
+ the two markers, the tempo at the playhead is the average of the two.
</figcaption>
</figure>
copied.
</p>
-<h3>Meter</h3>
+<h3>Time signature</h3>
<p>
- Meter positions beats using the musical pulse of a tempo, and groups them
- into bars using its number of divisions per bar.
+ Time signature positions beats using the musical pulse of a tempo, and groups
+ them into bars using its number of divisions per bar.
</p>
<p>
- The first meter in a new session may be moved freely. It has an associated
- tempo which cannot be dragged by itself (although all others can). It can be
- moved freely and is locked to audio.
+ The first time signature in a new session may be moved freely. It has an
+ associated tempo which cannot be dragged by itself (although all others can).
+ It can be moved freely and is locked to audio.
</p>
<p>
- New meters are locked to music. They may only occur on a bar line if music
- locked.
+ New time signatures are locked to music. They may only occur on a bar line if
+ music locked.
</p>
<p>
- An audio locked meter provides a way to cope with musical passages which have
- no meter (rubato, pause), or to allow a film composer to insert a break in
- music which cannot be counted in beats.
+ An audio locked time signature provides a way to cope with musical passages
+ which have no time signature (rubato, pause), or to allow a film composer to
+ insert a break in music which cannot be counted in beats.
</p>
<p>
- If a meter is audio-locked, its bar number is fixed from the point at which
- it left the main score. That bar number cannot be changed, nor can tempo
+ If a time signature is audio-locked, its bar number is fixed from the point at
+ which it left the main score. That bar number cannot be changed, nor can tempo
motion allow the previous bar to overlap. If another bar is needed, lock the
- meter to music again (right click->"Lock to Music"), drag the meter to the
- desired bar and re-lock to audio. The new bar can be freely dragged again.
+ time signature to music again (<kbd class="mouse">right</kbd> >
+ <kbd class="menu">Lock to Music</kbd>), drag the time signature to the desired
+ bar and re-lock to audio. The new bar can be freely dragged again.
</p>
<ul>
- <li>To change a meter, double click it. A dialog will appear.</li>
- <li>To copy a meter, hold down <kbd class="mod1n"></kbd> and drag it.</li>
+ <li>To change a time signature, double-click it. A dialog will appear.</li>
+ <li>To copy a time signature, hold down <kbd class="mod1n"></kbd> and drag it.</li>
</ul>
<tr><th class="sub1">□ Timecode</th><td>Same as above, with the time formatted as Hours:Minutes:Seconds:Frames</td></tr>
<tr><th class="sub1">□ Samples</th><td>Same as the above, with the time displayed in samples from the absolute start</td></tr>
<tr><th class="sub1">□ Bars & Beats</th><td>Same as the above, with the time formatted as Bars:Beats:Ticks</td></tr>
- <tr><th class="sub1">□ Meter</th><td>Shows / hides the Meter line in the ruler, where the signature can be adjusted along the playline</td></tr>
+ <tr><th class="sub1">□ Time Signature</th><td>Shows / hides the time signature line in the ruler, where the signature can be adjusted along the playline</td></tr>
<tr><th class="sub1">□ Tempo</th><td>Shows / hides the Tempo line, where the BPM can be changed with markers</td></tr>
<tr><th class="sub1">□ Ranges</th><td>Shows / hides the Range line, where ranges can be defined</td></tr>
<tr><th class="sub1">□ Loop/Punch</th><td>Shows / hides the Loop/Punch line, where loops and Punches can be defined</td></tr>
<tr><th class="sub1">□ CD Markers</th><td>Shows / hides the Range line, where CD Markers can be defined</td></tr>
<tr><th class="sub1">□ Markers</th><td>Shows / hides the Markers line, where custom markers can be defined</td></tr>
+ <tr><th class="sub1">□ Cue markers</th><td>Shows / hides the Cue line, where Cue markers can be set to trigger entire cues</td></tr>
<tr><th class="sub1">□ Video</th><td>Shows / hides the Video timeline, where frames of the video are shown for syncing purposes</td></tr>
<tr><th colspan="2">Zoom</th></tr>
<tr><th class="sub1">Zoom In</th><td>Zooms in, focusing the <em>Zoom Focus</em> (see below)</td></tr>
---
---
-title: Time, Tempo and Meter
+title: Time, Tempo and Time Signature
link: time-tempo-and-meter
part: chapter
---
---
-title: Tempo and Meter
+title: Tempo and Time Signature
include: tempo-and-meter.html
link: tempo-and-meter
uri: working-with-tempo-and-meter
---
---
-title: Techniques for Working with Tempo and Meter
+title: Techniques for Working with Tempo and Time Signature
include: techniques-for-working-with-tempo-and-meter.html
link: techniques-for-working-with-tempo-and-meter
part: subchapter
projects / ardour-manual / commitdiff