Edit time and key signatures

When Show Advanced Tools is selected in the Advanced preferences pane, you can select time and key signatures in the Signature track, Signature List, or Score Editor by clicking them, or Shift-clicking to select multiple signatures.

In the Signature track, you can also select multiple signatures in conjunction with regions. This is useful when you want to copy or move complete parts of a song (along with signature changes). You can select parts of the project to copy or move using the Edit > Select All Inside Locators command.

Note: When a marquee selection is active, using this command sets the marquee selection to match the locators.

You can copy time signatures and key signatures in the Signature track or Signature List. You can also copy all time and key signatures from one project to another. Subsequent signatures are inserted at bar positions that correspond to their original distance from the first copied signature.

Edit the signature value

In the Signature track (or the Score Editor), double-click a time or key signature, then edit the signature in the (Time or Key) Signature dialog.

Move a signature

In the Signature track, select a time or key signature and drag it to a new position.

Split a signature

In the Signature track, use the Scissors tool to cut bars. For example, to divide one 5/4 measure into a 3/4 and a 2/4 measure, cut the measure at the fourth beat.
If you make a cut in the middle of a bar—in a section where the time signature doesn’t change—two corresponding shorter measures are inserted, with the original time signature resuming after the cut.

Merge signatures

In the Signature track, Shift-click the signatures with the Glue tool.

Copy signatures in a project using drag and drop

In the Signature track, Option-drag the signature to the target time position.

Copy signatures in a project using the Clipboard

Select the time and key signatures in the Signature track or Signature List.
Choose Edit > Copy (or press Command-C).
Do one of the following:
- In the Signature track: Move the playhead to the insert position, then choose Edit > Paste (or press Command-V).
- In the Signature List: Choose Edit > Paste (or press Command-V), enter a bar value in the Position field, then press Return.

Copy signatures between projects

Select signatures in the Signature track or Signature List.
Choose Edit > Copy (or press Command-C).
All signature changes of the source project are copied to the Clipboard.
Switch to the target project.
Make the Signature track or Signature List active, then choose Edit > Paste (or press Command-V).
The copied meter changes are pasted into the target project.