Instruction Manual

776 Notation and Lyrics
The Meter/Key View
from 48 to 960 PPQ. If you are using a timebase of 120 PPQ and the
project file is in 4/4 time, then a whole measure equals 480 ticks. See
Setting the MIDI Timing Resolution for more information about the
timebase.
Usually the easiest approach to working with meter changes is to set all of
them up before doing any recording. Use the Meter/Key view or the Insert-
Meter/Key Change command to add meter changes at the desired
measures.
What Is Key?
In musical terms, a key is a system of related notes based on the tonic (the
base pitch) of a major or minor scale. A key signature is a group of sharps
or flats placed immediately to the right of the clef sign. The key signature
tells a performer that certain notes are to be systematically raised or
lowered.
There are fifteen different key signatures—seven with sharps, seven with
flats, and one without either. The fifteen key signatures correspond to
fifteen different major scales, and to fifteen different minor scales (for
example, the key signature for C major is the same as for A minor).
The key signature affects several things in SONAR:
• The key signature controls how SONAR displays notes. In the Event
List view and some dialog boxes, SONAR converts the MIDI pitch
number to labels like Db (D-flat in the key of C).
• The Staff view uses the key signature to display notation correctly.
• How the notes are transposed when the Diatonic option is enabled.
The key signature affects only how SONAR displays pitches for you.
Changing the key signature does not affect the MIDI key number (pitch)
stored with each note. To actually transpose pitches, use the Transpose
command or edit notes individually by using the Piano Roll, Event List, or
Staff views.
Note: Groove clips are not affected by changes to your project’s key.
Groove clips follow the default project pitch value, located on the Markers
toolbar, and Pitch markers in the Time Ruler. For more information, see
Using Pitch Markers in the Track View.
Frequently you use only one key signature for an entire project, but SONAR
supports multiple key signatures and multiple meter changes in a project.
The default key is C. You can change these defaults by creating your own
default template file. For more information, see Templates.