Change the position and length of events

Change the position and length of events

The units shown in the Event List Position and Length/Info columns represent bars, beats, divisions, and ticks (or SMPTE time, when View > Show Event Position and Length as Time is active). Counting begins at 1 for each unit (first bar, first beat, first division, first tick: 1 1 1 1), and continues until it is carried over to the next largest unit.

Numerical input starts from the left (which means you can enter the bar number only, and press Return, if you want to move an event to the beginning of a specific bar, when entering a value). The units can be separated by either spaces, dots, or commas, allowing you to type 3.2.2.2 or 3, 2, 2, 2 or 3 space 2 space 2 space 2.

Move an event in time

Do one of the following:

  • Double-click the position indicator (in the Position column), then enter a new value. Press Return to exit the field.

  • Drag the specific position unit vertically. Release the mouse button when you’re finished.

If another editor, such as the Piano Roll Editor, is open, you see the note event move as you change the value. As soon as you alter the position of an event, the list is automatically re-sorted. The currently selected event remains highlighted.

Change the length of an event

Do one of the following:

  • Double-click the length/info indicator (in the Length/Info column), then enter a new value. Press Return to exit the field.

  • Drag the specific length/info unit vertically. Release the mouse button when you are finished.

Changes to the Event List value are immediately shown in other open editors, such as the Piano Roll Editor.

Note: The minimum possible length is one tick, because you can’t simultaneously switch a note (or other event) on and off.

Change the appearance of the Position and Length columns

  • Not every project is bar/beat oriented. Choose one of the following View menu commands to make changing the position and length of events easier when working with film or video, for example.

    • View > Show Event Position and Length as Time: Displays the position and length columns in SMPTE units.

    • View > Length as Absolute Position: Use to make the length display show the absolute position of the note off event, rather than its length from the note on position.

    • View > Relative Position: If active, the event positions don’t refer to their absolute location within the project, but to their relative positions within the MIDI region (their distance from the start of the MIDI region).