Working with the Tempo track

Background

For each track in Nuendo that can make use of this function, you can specify whether it should be time-based or tempo-based (see “Switching between musical and linear time base” on page 40). For tempo-based tracks, the tempo can either be fixed through the whole project (this is called “Fixed tempo mode”) or follow the Tempo track (this is called “Tempo track mode”), which may contain tempo changes.

• To switch between Fixed tempo mode and Tempo track mode, use the Tempo button on the Transport panel:

When the Tempo button is lit (and the text “Track” is shown), the tempo follows the Tempo track; when it is deactivated (and the text “Fixed” is shown), the Fixed tempo is used (see “Setting the Fixed tempo” on page 419). You can also switch tempo mode in the Tempo Track Editor (see below).

In Tempo track mode, the tempo cannot be changed on the Transport panel, i.e. the tempo information here is for display purposes only.

The Tempo track also contains time signature events. These are always active, regardless of whether Fixed tempo mode or Tempo track mode is selected.

A note about tempo-based audio tracks

For tempo-based tracks, the start time position of audio events depends on the current tempo setting. However, it is important to realize that the actual audio (“within” the events) will play back as recorded, regardless of any tempo changes you make. Therefore, it’s good practice to make the proper tempo and time signature settings before you start recording tempo-based audio.

Ö To make an already recorded audio track follow the tempo changes, you can use the Sample Editor, see “The Sample Editor” on page 258.

How well this works depends on the character of the audio recordings, since the Hitpoint detection feature works best with fairly rhythmical material.

Ö To adapt the tempo track to time-based material, you can use the Time Warp tool, see “The Time Warp tool” on page 422.

This allows you to adjust the tempo track so that tempo-based material (e.g. positions in music) coincides with time-based material (e.g. positions in narration, video, etc.).

The Tempo Track Editor – Overview

To make changes to the actual Tempo track, you need to open the Tempo Track Editor by selecting “Tempo Track” on the Project menu.

The toolbar

The toolbar contains various tools and settings. The tempo and time signature displays to the right allow you to view and edit the value of the selected tempo curve point or time signature event, much like the info line in other editors.

The two additional items at the bottom of the menu have the following functionality:

• If “Time Linear” is selected, the ruler, time signature area and tempo curve display will be linear in relation to the timeline.

This means that if the ruler shows bars and beats, the distance between the bar lines will vary depending on the tempo.

Open Process

Tempo dialog)

The ruler

The ruler in the Tempo Track Editor shows the timeline. As in other windows, you can select a display format by clicking on the arrow button to the right of the ruler and selecting an option from the pop-up menu that appears.

• If “Bars+Beats Linear” is selected, the ruler, time signature area and tempo curve display will be linear in relation to beats.

If the ruler shows bars and beats, the distance between beats will be constant.

The time signature area

The area below the ruler contains time signature events.

The tempo curve display

The main display shows the tempo curve (or, if Fixed tempo mode is selected, the Fixed tempo – see “Setting the Fixed tempo” on page 419). To the left of the display is a tempo scale to help you quickly locate the desired tempo.

• Note that the vertical “grid lines” correspond to the display format selected for the ruler.

Operations

Zooming

Changing the magnification is done using any of the following methods:

•By using the zoom sliders in the lower right corner of the window.

•By using the Magnifying Glass tool.

This works according to the standard procedures.

• By using the Zoom submenu on the Edit menu.

The options on the menu work as in other windows.

Editing the tempo curve

This section assumes that you are working in Tempo track mode, i.e. the Tempo button must be activated on the Transport panel.

Adding tempo curve points

1.Use the “insert curve” pop-up menu in the toolbar to select whether you want the tempo to change gradually from the previous curve point to the new one (“Ramp”) or change instantly to the new value (“Jump”).

2.Select the Pencil tool.

3. Click at the desired time position in the tempo curve display, and keep the mouse button pressed.

If Snap is activated on the toolbar, this determines at which time positions you can insert tempo curve points, see “Snap” on page 421.

When you click, the tempo display in the toolbar shows the tempo value.

4. Drag the curve point to the desired tempo value (indicated in the tempo display), and release the mouse button.

The tempo curve point is inserted. The result depends on whether you selected “Ramp” or “Jump” in step 1 above:

Insert curve set to “Ramp”:

Insert curve set to “Jump”:

• You can also just click and draw a tempo curve with the Pencil tool, so that curve points are inserted while you draw.

For this, the “Ramp” Insert Curve mode is useful.

• Instead of using the Pencil tool, you can press [Alt]/[Option] and use the Arrow tool.

This will only insert a single point (i.e. you cannot draw a curve with the Arrow tool).

You can also have tempo values automatically inserted by the Beat Calculator, see “The Beat Calculator” on page 421.

Selecting tempo curve points

Selecting curve points is done using any of the following methods:

• Use the Arrow tool.

The standard selection techniques apply.

• Use the Select submenu on the Edit menu.

The options are:

• You can also use the left and right arrow keys on the computer keyboard to go from one curve point to the next.

If you press [Shift] and use the arrow keys, the current selection will be kept, allowing you to select several points.

Editing tempo curve points

Curve points can be edited in the following ways:

• By clicking and dragging horizontally and/or vertically.

If several points are selected, all of them are moved. If Snap is activated on the toolbar, this determines to which time positions you can move curve points, see “Snap” on page 421.

• By adjusting the tempo value in the tempo display on the toolbar.

For this to work, a single tempo curve point must be selected.

Dragging tempo curve points with a time-based display format (any other format than “Bars+Beats”) may lead to confusing results. This is because moving a point will change the relationship between tempo and time. For example, let’s say you move a tempo point to the right and drop it on a certain time position. When you release the mouse button, the mapping between tempo and time will be adjusted (since you have changed the tempo curve). As a result, the moved point will appear at another position. For this reason, we recommend that you use the Bars+Beats display format when editing tempo curves.

Adjusting the curve type

You can change the curve type of a tempo curve segment at any time, using the following method:

1. Select all curve points within the segment you want to edit.

2. Pull down the Curve pop-up menu on the toolbar and select “Jump” or “Ramp”.

The curve sections between the selected points are adjusted.

Removing tempo curve points

To remove a curve point, either click on it with the Eraser tool or select it and press [Backspace]. The first tempo curve point cannot be removed.

Recording tempo changes

The tempo record slider on the toolbar allows you to record tempo changes “on the fly”: simply start playback and use the slider to raise or lower the tempo at the desired positions. Useful for creating natural sounding ritardandos, etc.

Setting the Fixed tempo

When the Tempo track button is deactivated, the Tempo track curve is grayed out (but still visible). Since the Fixed tempo is constant throughout the whole project, there are no tempo curve points. Instead, the Fixed tempo is displayed as a horizontal black line in the tempo curve display.

There are three ways to set the tempo in Fixed mode:

•Drag the tempo line up or down with the Arrow tool.

•Adjust the value numerically in the tempo display on the toolbar.

•On the Transport panel, in Fixed tempo mode, click on the Tempo value to select it, enter a new value and press [Enter].

Adding and editing time signature events

•To add a time signature event, click in the time signature area with the Pencil tool.

This adds a default 4/4 time signature event at the closest bar position. You can also do this by pressing [Alt]/[Option] and clicking with the Arrow tool.

•To edit the value of a time signature event, select it and adjust the value in the signature display on the toolbar.

Note that there are two controls for the signature display; the left one adjusts the numerator and the right one adjusts the denominator.

•You can move a time signature event by clicking and dragging it with the Arrow tool.

Again, note that time signature events can only be positioned at the start of bars.

•To remove a time signature, either click on it with the Eraser tool or select it and press [Backspace].

The first time signature event cannot be removed.

Exporting and importing Tempo tracks

You can export the current tempo track for use in other projects by selecting “Tempo Track” from the “Export” submenu on the File menu. This allows you to save the tempo track information (including time signature events) as a special xml file (file extension “.smt”).

To import a saved tempo track, select “Tempo Track” from the Import submenu on the File menu. Note that this replaces all tempo track data in the current project (although the operation can be undone if needed).