Convert time signature of a bar without downstream disruption

Cubase
1

The situation is that I have a project with a lot of tempo and time signature changes throughout. I would like to change the time signature of a bar somewhere in the middle, without having to then subsequently readjust stuff further along as a result.

To do this, I know that you’d need to “preserve” the number of beats, so that subsequent time-sig changes are in the same place.

So I’d like to be able to convert, say, a bar of 4/4 into 2 bars of 2/4. Or convert 4 bars of 1/4 into 1 bar of 4/4.

The “process bars” dialog does not seem to do what I want. “reinterpret” mode seems to fuss with the tempo track so that the change balances out. And “replace bar” just replaces the original bar with one of a different size (in beats), so all the subsequent time-signature events are effectively moved by the difference in the number of beats (e.g. if I change a 4/4 to 2/4, then everything moves up by 2 beats and I have to go back and readjust to make up for the change.)

Is there an easier way to do a same-size-in-beats bar reconfiguration without affecting everything around and beyond the change?

1 Like
2

Hi,

I would change the 4/4 Time Signature to the 1/4. Then I would select the 1/4 Bar and use the Insert Time function 3 times. Then I would Shift + Double-click to the very 1st Time Signature, which is behind your new 1/4 to select all following Time Signature changes. Them I would go for the Invert Selection. Then I would deselect all data ahead of the new 1/4. (As result, all data behind the new 1/4 are selected, but the Time Signature changes). Then you can move the selection to the left.

You could try to use Project Logical Editor Preset to make the complicated selection. Something like this:

Filter Target
(( Container Type is | Equal | Event | And
Property | Property Is Not Set | Parent Object is Selected ) | Or
( Container Type is | Equal | Part ) | And 
Position | Beyond Cursor | PPQ )

Action Target
---

Function
Select

To make this working, you would need to select the Signature Track and place the cursor to the position at the new 1/4 position.

I haven’t tested this. Hopefully it will work.

1 Like
3

This is exactly why I mostly write just to a metronome (with both down and upbeats with the same metronome beat sound), with free-flow or fixed time signatures, according to feel.

Cubase’s time signature menu actually complicates things, rather than simplify them.

4

I do this manually e.g., to replace two 4/4 bars with four 2/4 bars:

  • add a placeholder sig
  • change the one I need to change
  • select placeholder sig and all sigs to the right
  • drag them to the right

2 Likes
5

Thanks much @steve !

Will give that a go.