Only 2 beats in one section of the song
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Got myself a disc copy of the game, got customs working and now finally getting involved in making them which is something that I had always hoped to do.
My first song is coming along well, however there is one interesting section.
The song is in a regular 4/4 time signature, however there is one part of the song where only 2 beats are played, then it goes back to the first beat of a new measure. I’ve temporarily got round the issue by effectively doubling the tempo map for that section but there must be a way to do it properly in Reaper.
Any idea how?
The song is in a regular 4/4 time signature, however there is one part of the song where only 2 beats are played, then it goes back to the first beat of a new measure. I’ve temporarily got round the issue by effectively doubling the tempo map for that section but there must be a way to do it properly in Reaper.
Any idea how?
It’s not an issue, it’s a 2/4 measure, right click on the tempo map in Reaper and insert a new marker, using 2/4 as time signature. Never change BPM to compensate for any time signature you can’t read, it’s bad practice and it’s more complex to fix than just change time signature later.
It’s not an issue, it’s a 2/4 measure, right click on the tempo map in Reaper and insert a new marker, using 2/4 as time signature. Never change BPM to compensate for any time signature you can’t read, it’s bad practice and it’s more complex to fix than just change time signature later.
Suppose in a song, there’s a sustain that’s held by 8 beats.
We place a marker at the beginning of the note, defined the time signature as 8/4.
If we click T at the next measure, will the space between the 8/4 marker and the next marker have 8 even beats?
Suppose in a song, there’s a sustain that’s held by 8 beats.
We place a marker at the beginning of the note, defined the time signature as 8/4.
If we click T at the next measure, will the space between the 8/4 marker and the next marker have 8 even beats?
Yes. Well, they’re always even beats, to be fair.
” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif”> But why doubling the length of a measure? The Q/T shortcut basically works on measures and even in a 4/4 measure not all beats are aligned (rubato aside, I’m talking simple tempos) and you will have to add additional beat markers, you can imagine how worst it gets with measures double their actual length. But maybe I completely misunderstood what you were asking. 
” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_biggrin.gif”>Why doubling the length of a measure?The bell intro in “Aerodynamic” (Daft Punk) and the silent section between the guitar solo and the synth intro. I know nothing is played technically, but I get OCD about the tempo.
Further to this, on further analysis of the song I am authoring, it may actually be a 1 and a half beat before the next measure, will Reaper be able to cope with that?
Further to this, on further analysis of the song I am authoring, it may actually be a 1 and a half beat before the next measure, will Reaper be able to cope with that?No it may not and no it wouldn’t. Measures are divided in beats, beats are not divided (because each beat of a measure has the same note value: 4 beats of a quarter note in a 4/4, 12 beats of an eight note in a 12/8, etc.). If you’re coming from a 4/4 section and you feel like there’s a beat and a half after that, it may be a change to a 3/8 time signature.
You know, that makes a lot more sense. I personally have no musical training, I am doing a lot of this by ear, but getting there.
Sorry to hijack the thread, but I have a similar question regarding a 7/8 bar in the middle of my 4/4 song. Can Reaper handle 7/8 time? How does the game process this when it comes to the characters nodding to the beat?
Sorry to hijack the thread, but I have a similar question regarding a 7/8 bar in the middle of my 4/4 song. Can Reaper handle 7/8 time? How does the game process this when it comes to the characters nodding to the beat?Reaper can handle any time signature: just insert a time marker and choose your time signature. Make sure to change the time signature exactly at the beginning of a measure.
The BEAT track takes care of the beats in game, so always make sure to position the downbeats and upbeats marker correctly if you change time signature, otherwise if in example you switch to a 5/4 time signature for a beat you will get a downbeat marker at the 2 of the measure instead of the 1.
Okay thanks, so what would be the best way to handle a 7/8 on the BEAT track? Have a gap of three 8th notes between marker on beat 3 and the first beat of the next bar?
Okay thanks, so what would be the best way to handle a 7/8 on the BEAT track? Have a gap of three 8th notes between marker on beat 3 and the first beat of the next bar?The best way to handle it as the same for any tempo: a downbeat marker on beat 1 of the measure, an upbeat marker for all the other markers in the measure (which are gonna be 6 in a 7/8 measure). If you need to double the tempo you’re gonna have to make some calculations, but since normally you don’t need to halve or double the beat track, let’s not go there.
” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif”>Okay thanks, so what would be the best way to handle a 7/8 on the BEAT track? Have a gap of three 8th notes between marker on beat 3 and the first beat of the next bar?The best way to handle it as the same for any tempo: a downbeat marker on beat 1 of the measure, an upbeat marker for all the other markers in the measure (which are gonna be 6 in a 7/8 measure). If you need to double the tempo you’re gonna have to make some calculations, but since normally you don’t need to halve or double the beat track, let’s not go there.
” src=”/wp-content/uploads/invision_emoticons/default_SA_smile.gif” />Personally in a situation like that, assuming the rest of the song is 4/4, I wouldn’t add additional upbeat markers to every beat of a 7/8 measure. I would just keep the downbeat on beat 1, and have the upbeats on 3, 5, and 7.
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