REAPER KB

10.8 Time Signature/Tempo Changes and Markers

user_guide/user-guide-10-8-time-signature-tempo-changes-and-markers · kind=reference

10.8 Time Signature/Tempo Changes and Markers

The default project beats per minute and time signature for any project are determined by the values assigned in the Project Settings window.

Kind: concept (user-guide-section) Chapter: 10 Pitch and Time Manipulation Source: REAPER User Guide v7.70

The default project beats per minute and time signature for any project are determined by the values assigned in the Project Settings window. You can make changes for the entire song by any of these methods:

Time Signature/Tempo Changes and Markers screenshot

W to return the edit cursor to the start of the song, then either ...

on the transport bar, or hover your mouse over the BPM edit box and scroll the mousewheel up or down.

Time Signature/Tempo Changes and Markers screenshot

and choose one of the options shown here.

You can also make changes to time signature and/or tempo within a song, using either the project tempo envelope or markers. If you intend to do this, first make sure that your Project Settings are using the default timebase setting Beats (position, length, rate). Pressing Alt Enter will display the project settings dialog and give you the opportunity to change this if necessary.

The project tempo map envelope is explained in Chapter 18. This works essentially like any other automation envelope. Note, however, that editing multiple points at once on this envelope causes each point to be adjusted pro rata, not by a constant BPM value.

Time Signature/Tempo Changes and Markers screenshot

This section focuses on inserting time signature and/or tempo change markers on the ruler to make changes within a song. An example is shown here (right). These changes take effect immediately following the marker’s position. Before looking at how to do this it’s worth noting that:

Time Signature/Tempo Changes and Markers screenshot

layout options (Chapter 9) to ensure these are displayed. If using both, you should consider also enabling the option to display both types in separate lanes. These options are accessed by choosing Ruler layout from the ruler’s right-click context menu.

Time Signature Markers

The various options and controls for the Tempo/Time Signature Markers window are explained in Chapter 9. In brief, however:

  1. Position the edit cursor at the required place in the song. From the menu, choose the Insert command,

then Tempo/time signature marker (or press Shift C). 2. Set the metronome pattern. 3. From the dialog box make your choices – e.g. set BPM, whether to Gradually transition tempo to next

marker and/or Set time signature , Allow a partial measure before this marker 4. Click OK. Alternatively, use an action to Insert a tempo marker at edit cursor without opening tempo edit dialog. Remember, you can use markers to set time signature without also specifying a tempo change (or vice versa). Markers can be modified, for example by editing (double-click on marker to open the dialog) or moving them (see table below). Note also that:

set to time).

necessary to ensure that the project contains only complete measures.

Managing Time sig/Tempo markers: to do this ... You need to do this …

Move a time signature or tempo marker. Left click/drag marker.

Move time signature marker, adjusting previous tempo as necessary to preserve relative position of later tempo changes.

Left click/Ctrl drag marker.

Move tempo marker, adjusting its value and that of previous tempo markers preserving position of later tempo changes.

Left click/Ctrl Shift drag marker.

Move marker, ignoring snap. Left click/Shift drag marker.

Footnotes:

section Embedding Transient Information when Rendering for detailed information.

Other sections in this document