Adding/removing bars
Here’s how to add and remove bars (aka measures) using the Soundslice editor.
Adding a bar by moving the cursor
The most natural way to add a bar is by moving the cursor right when it’s at the end of the last bar in the slice. Specifically:
- Select the last note/rest in the last bar of your slice.
- Hit the right arrow on your keyboard.
- Soundslice will automatically create a new bar, and your cursor will be at its start, ready to enter notation.
Note: If the last bar of your slice doesn’t yet contain enough notation to fill the time signature, Soundslice will create a rest rather than creating a new bar.
Inserting a bar anywhere in your slice
To insert a bar, first select a note or rest within a bar that’s adjacent to where you want to insert a new bar. Then:
- In the editor’s top panel, open the “Bar” section and click either “Add bar (before selection)” or “Add bar (after selection)” .
- Or: Search the editor for “Add bar (before selection)” or “Add bar (after selection).”
- Or: Use a keyboard shortcut.
Deleting a bar
To delete a bar, select any note or rest within it, then:
- In the editor’s top panel, open the “Bar” section and click the “Delete bar” icon .
- Or: Search the editor for “Delete bar.”
- Or: Use a keyboard shortcut.
Marking a bar as a pickup bar (anacrusis)
To mark a bar as a pickup bar, select any note or rest within it, then:
- In the editor’s top panel, open the “Bar” section and click the “Pickup bar” icon .
- Or: Search the editor for “Toggle whether bar is pickup.”
- Or: Use a keyboard shortcut.
Marking a bar as a pickup bar does not automatically change its displayed bar number. You might also want to change that; more info here.
If a bar is marked as a pickup bar, Soundslice will treat it differently in the following ways:
- While the editor is open, the bar’s staff lines will not be colored red if the bar has an incomplete rhythmic duration. (Read more about red staff lines.)
- During synthetic playback, if the bar has triplet feel active, the notes’ “swing” will be properly offset.
- During synthetic playback, if the metronome is active, the metronome hits will be in the proper place according to the bar’s (incomplete) rhythmic duration.