Here is my problem :
I have a symphony (with a lot of tempo changing), which lasts 17 minutes. And I need to make it last 15 minutes.
Is there a way to automatically calculate the tempi to make the symphony fit to the desired duration?
Sometimes, for movie soundtrack, or for other reasons (here I am applying to a composition competition and the maximum allowed duration is 15 minustes).
Of course, I can change the tempi one by one, evaluating and testing the duration at the end, but this takes a lot of time, and the balance is no more correct.
I tried to find a solution for this in the manual and on the forum, but I found nothing.
Some help?
Thanks
I am wondering if maybe I should generate an audio file from the score, than use « audio warp » (which I do not know how to use correctly to make the 17 minutes became 15 minutes 
), than create an additional audio track, and use « time warp » (that I do not know how to use correctly neither…) to adjust the tempo to the audio track, and find all the new correct « tempi » (there is a lot of tempo modification in my work).
I do not know how to do all that, but this is a solution I imagined…
What do you think?
Thanks
I think what you want to achieve can be done in the tempo track:
(German version here):
Enter your current end bar, then enter the new length an hit calculate.
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Here’s how I’d approach it.
- Add a second Ruler to the Project so you have one set to Bars & Beats and the other Minutes & Seconds.
- Zoom so you can see the entire Project
- On the Tempo Track select all the Tempo Events
- Hover at the top-middle of the Selection box until the Scale Vertically control appears.
- Drag up to increase the Tempo until you see the length is less than 15 minutes
When I made this screenshot the control graphic disappeared so I’ve drawn in what it looks like. There is also a Move Vertically control but it moves all the points by the same amount so the relationship between the different Tempos will change using that control.
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Is your question “I have a song that’s 17 minutes and I want it to be 15 minutes?”
That solution is easy and involves non of the above. (start at 4:58)
But maybe I’m not understanding what you really want to achieve?
Greg, isn’t that an audio only project?
No. I had to go back and look at a recent project to be sure, but it also included several midi tracks.
Try it and see…
Edit: In my project, I simply had a song that was too slow… It contains both audio and midi and I wanted to make the song faster tempo where both audio and midi sync perfectly.
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Hi @Greg_Purkey
Thank you for your solution, I am not sure this will be my solution.
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As in your example, (from what I understand), you want the audio files to adjust and follow the tempo you want to increase (I have no audio files)
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you know (or decide) the value of the tempo (whereas in my case, I need to calculate it).
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you do not seem to have a lot of tempo changes (I have a lot).
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I have only MIDI tracks
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I have a lot of different tempo (15 tempo changes + 2 accelerations and decelerations).
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I want my symphony to last 15 minutes instead of 17.
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and I need to detect the new tempi (detecting for the 15 tempo changes, the new values that will be printed on the score).
Anyway, I learned from this video new things. So thanks!
@wolfger solution is the one I needed.
I didn’t know we can calculate the tempo like that.
Thanks @wolfger !
@raino solution is also very interesting too, as I can see things differently… thank you!
Yes, from your original post I didn’t know if you had midi, audio or both. If you followed Chris example at 4:58 then it obviously doesn’t work for you.
I’m using that same technique in a current Project to make a freely played performance with an excessivly wandering tempo play at a constant tempo - which works great.
It sounded like @Dominique_SALLOUM already had a Tempo Track with a bunch of existing changes that they wanted to preserve but just a bit faster.
Since the OP referred to a symphony I figured the Project was (mostly?) all MIDI. Manipulating the timing on the Tempo Track also lets you be more selective about which tempos get changed. For example maybe there is a section of music that can absorb more of the tempo increase than other sections. You could select only those Tempo Events and raise them a bit more.
This should work, but it seems like the long & more error prone way to get there. It would basically regenerate the Events on your Tempo Track based on the manipulated Audio. But, assuming your submission is an Audio File you could just do steps 1 & 2 and submit that.
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Absolutely! And this is why I liked your idea !
I first just tried @wolfger solution (which was what I wanted to do at the beginning), and the result wasn’t optimal. Of course cubase calculates very well the new tempi, but some sections of music became stressful (too fast) while some other sections could absorb a faster tempo without any problem!
So your way of doing it is the best one.
As I can try many combinations without loosing a lot of time.
Thank you again @raino !
I agree with you, and this is why I edited my post…
No, for the competition, they need the audio file and the score. So I need to correct on my conductor score, the metronomic changes to all sections, to make them similar to the audio.
In fact, I am doing the opposite now.
I am changing the tempo first, choosing the best sections to accelerate (your method), than generating the audio file (that will be 15 minutes), than printing the score. 
Indeed. And since the Tempo Track supports Track Versions you can easily A/B different ‘takes’
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