Using the Scissor tool - I don't get it

Cubase
1

It defies logic, but please enlighten me anyone who understands the function of this.

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  • I use the Scissor tool on a region with a long midi note in it. I am cutting in the middle of the region so I am cutting the middle of the note as well. How is it that the region is cut in half and I can delete the back half, but the midi note remains beyond the cut region? Why isn’t the midi note cut as well? Isn’t that the sole purpose of the scissor tool?

  • And secondly, how is it that when I cut close to the front/beginning of the midi note in the region, instead of in the middle, the entire midi note disappears? I want to cut the front tip off of the midi note so it starts on a beat later or something, but not get rid of it entirely?

Is the Scissor tool really that useless in the Arrange window, or do I have to program something first? I can’t imagine what…

All I want my scissors to do is to cut wherever I place the Scissor marker, in two!!!


All input is greatly appreciated. I am new to Cubase, so a few things I don’t seem to understand the reasoning behind.

2

Think of a MIDI note as two separate events. The “Note on” and the “Note off”.
If you cut in the middle of the note, the Note on is still there.
If you cut before the note on, the note never exists in the first place.
Of course, if it were audio, which is a continuous signal, the cutting would result in the behavior you are describing but since MIDI is a series of discrete events and not a continuous signal, it just doesn’t work that way.
Also, realize that there is a difference between using the scissors tool on the MIDI PART (the CONTAINER for the notes/events) and using the scissors on the events/notes themselves.
HTH
J.L.

1 Like
3

Look at preferences editing midi - split midi events.

4

Thanks, guys.

5

Another thing to consider is:
When I want to cut a MIDI track, I first move the cursor to where I want the cut to be.

Then I place the scissor tool right on the cursor & cut.
I do this because the Grid options that I have set may otherwise influence the cut.

As for the MIDI note(s), that’s what your Editors are for - either the ‘Edit in Place’ or the full MIDI editor.

I like that the MIDI note is still there after the cut.

It gives me more options to work with.

If you want that note gone too, just click the ‘Edit In Place’ in your selected track area.
Then click on the note and hit delete.

Or double click on that track to open the full MIDI editor for a bigger view.

A good idea is to place the cursor near the note first, so that it’s easier to find in the full editor.

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