Locking Tempo / Meter on Timeline?
 

How do I lock my Meter and Tempo on the timeline in PT 8?

For example, I have a cue that has some film changes so I need to redo the music. I want to keep the music, meter and tempo changes at 1:00:50:00 and beyond exactly the same, but I need to make tempo and meter changes prior to this time code placement without affecting the later timeline and music.

Thank you.

Re: Locking Tempo / Meter on Timeline?
 

This would be great to know. I look forward to seeing if there's an answer. I've had pretty good luck getting responses from avid tech support, even though I may not always like their answer. I'm running into a lot of things that PT seemingly can't do when it comes to scoring and midi, such as this question. It still remains the best mixing environment there is. I hope the rest of it catches up soon!

Re: Locking Tempo / Meter on Timeline?
 

Is this one continuous piece of music or do you have a break and a new downbeat at 1:00:50:00?

If you have a break and a downbeat, duplicate the session and make your edits before 1:00:50:00 without worrying about what happens later.

If it's a continuous piece of music, it's trickier. If you're making tempo and meter changes before 1:00:50:00, it's going to move the bar | beat marker that's currently at that SMPTE location. However, you can avoid moving the music by:

- opening the session
- duplicating the tracks you need to edit
- deleting any midi/audio on the original tracks before 1:00:50:00
- changing all the original tracks from Ticks timebase to Samples timebase (the lower left hand corner of the track in the edit window)

Now you can make as many tempo/meter changes you like before 1:00:50:00 and everything on the original tracks will stay put. Bars and beats at 1:00:50:00 will change, though, but the music will play back correctly. If you have to create a click track or charts, you're in trouble.

I don't know any sequencer that handles this. You might be able to do it in Digital Performer by creating a partial measure to tie the two sections together, but it's still a pain.

Jason

Re: Locking Tempo / Meter on Timeline?
 

I'm still in the 'midi' stage of this cue and there is no audio recorded except for some live percussion. If I duplicate the track and edit as I please before 1:00:50:00 it still will change the placement of the midi after the above tc placement because of the tempo and meter changes.

There's no way to lock tempo/meter at a certain time code setting?

Thanks for any help and also thanks for replying Jason.

Re: Locking Tempo / Meter on Timeline?
 

You can use "identify beat" at the point whereafter you want things to stay the same. Then edit the earlier tempo (i) by identifying appropriate beats and then dragging them till then tempo reads what you want. This will change tempi before and after the beat you're moving, so if there are multiple changes, you'll need to work backwards from that point you're keeping the same towards the start of the music.

Re: Locking Tempo / Meter on Timeline?
 

Any other 'easy' workarounds with this issue?

Thanks.

Re: Locking Tempo / Meter on Timeline?
 

There is no way to lock tempo and meter changes to a time code location. But changing your original MIDI tracks (after duplication) to Samples timebase will make *the data* on them immune to any tempo or meter changes. Any MIDI data you have recorded on a Samples timebase track will stay put no matter what you do to the tempo and meter. It won't, however, line up with it's original barlines, but it will play back exactly in sync with the video where you put it in the first place.

Did you change the original tracks to Samples timebase?

Jason

Re: Locking Tempo / Meter on Timeline?
 

I didn't realize you could make midi tracks 'sample' based. Thanks Jason.

That will work, but if later in the process the director asks for changes or if there is another picture change, then if I need to make new revisions I will have no bar/tempo/meter for the sample based tracks.

Thanks for your help. Much appreciated.

Re: Locking Tempo / Meter on Timeline?
 

OK... I'm going to show my stupid here and ask a question....

Can't you just create a new project, write what you want UP TO 1:00:50:00, then import the session data that you wanted to remain the same from that point on? Tempo, key, meter changes can all be made in the timeline prior to importing.

Just askin... ;)