Split regions

Split regions in the Tracks area

You can split a region in the Tracks area, and use the split segments of the region in different places in the Tracks area.

When you split a MIDI region, any notes at the split point are shortened to that point. If notes in a split MIDI region overlap other notes by more than a 1/16 note, a dialog appears, asking if you want to keep, shorten, or split the notes.

Split regions at the playhead position

  1. In the Tracks area, select the region or regions you want to split.

  2. Move the playhead over the point where you want to split the regions, then choose Edit > Split > Regions at Playhead.

    The selected region is split into two regions at the playhead position. Only the selected region is split, even if a region on another track is under the playhead as well. If multiple regions are selected and are under the playhead, they are all split.

    Figure. Playhead over the selected region, ready to be split.

    Tip: To cut at the nearest bar, use the Split Regions/Events by Rounded Playhead Position key command.

Split regions using the Scissors tool

  1. Select the regions you want to split.

  2. Select the Scissors tool, then click-hold the regions you want to split.

    Figure. Splitting a region with the Scissors tool, with a help tag showing the position of the split.

    The help tag shows the current split position.

  3. Release the mouse button.

    All selected regions are cut at the position shown in the help tag.

When selecting a cut point with the Scissors tool, you can move backward and forward in steps of one division. The grid is based on the Snap pop-up menu setting.

Split regions at the locator positions

  1. Set the left and right locator positions.

  2. Select the regions you want to divide within the locator boundaries.

    Figure. Region selected with locator positions set in the ruler.

  3. Choose Edit > Split > Region(s) by Locators (or use the Split Regions/Events by Locators or Marquee Selection key command).

    Figure. Region split by locator positions in the Tracks area.

    All selected regions located wholly, or partly, between the locators are cut at the left and right locator positions. All regions created between the locator positions as a result of the Split operation are then automatically selected.

Tip: You can achieve the same effect by defining a cycle with the pointer in the ruler, while holding down Command.

Split a region into portions of equal length

  • Hold down Option while cutting a region with the Scissors tool.

    A plus sign appears next to the Scissors tool.

    Figure. Scissors tool over region while holding Option key.

    The selected region is cut into several pieces—each the same length as the first segment.

    Figure. Multiple cuts across a region in the Tracks area.

    For example, to divide a 16-bar region into eight 2-bar regions, cut the region at the start of bar 3, while holding down Option.

Handle overlapping notes in split MIDI regions

If any notes in a split MIDI region overlap other notes by more than a 1/16 note, a dialog appears, asking if you want to keep, shorten, or split the notes.

  • In the dialog, do one of the following:

    • Click Keep to leave all notes unaltered. The MIDI region is cut as intended, but there may be notes in the left half (earlier region) that are much longer than the MIDI region containing them. Such notes play normally, unless Clip Length is activated. (See Shift the playback position of regions in the Tracks area.)

    • Click Shorten to truncate all overlapping notes, so that they end at the point where the original MIDI region was split.

    • Click Split to split overlapping notes across the two MIDI regions; two notes are created, with the same pitch and velocity as the original, and with the same total length as the original note.

You can split an audio recording into segments based on amplitude levels using the Audio > Strip Silence function in the toolbar. For details, see Remove silent passages in the Strip Silence Window.