Arrange your music on the timeline

Add material

Drag a WAV or MP3 file from your computer onto an empty area of the timeline. Wait for import to finish: the file has to be read and prepared first. You can also add loops from the side panel, Composer results and separated stems from SteppeMind.

For a note-based part, prepare a clip in MIDI. An audio clip contains a recording; a MIDI clip contains musical events and an instrument assignment. The two types of material have different editing controls.

Place clips in time

1. Select the clip you want to move. Check its highlight rather than relying only on the track name.
2. Drag it to the intended bar. Use the grid and zoom controls for more precise placement.
3. Open the clip context menu to repeat a loop. Repeating to the project end is useful for a rhythmic foundation.
4. Use the clip's available context actions to edit a specific section: open the appropriate editor, split at the playhead or adjust clip settings, depending on the material type.
5. Listen to the transition between neighbouring sections. The new placement should work musically, not just look tidy.

Mute and solo tracks

M mutes a track without deleting it. S solos a track for focused listening. If much of the music suddenly disappears, check whether another track is soloed. This is a common explanation for apparently missing sound.

Track volume affects all clips on the track. Clip gain affects only the selected piece of material. Begin your balance with track levels, then refine individual clips.

Control playback

Click the ruler or move the playhead to choose a starting point. The return-to-start control moves back to the track beginning. Previous-bar and next-bar commands help you check neighbouring sections.

Follow playhead scrolls the view during playback. The Metronome gives you a beat reference. Looping lets you hear a working section repeatedly; if playback keeps returning to an earlier position, check the loop setting.

Change tempo deliberately

BPM is the number of beats per minute. A MIDI tempo change adjusts the timing of the notes. With audio, the result depends on the source tempo information and the clip's stretching mode. Do not assume every imported recording will automatically align perfectly with the grid.

After changing tempo, listen to drum attacks and transitions. If the rhythm drifts, check the original BPM, the clip start and its playback mode.

Before a substantial rearrangement, make a project copy or version. Use mute, rather than deletion, when you only want to remove a sound temporarily.