# Cubase: Time Compress/Expand midi in key editor?



## SomeGuy (Sep 28, 2019)

Is there a way to time compress/expand midi in the key editor? I know in the project editor I can use the arrow tool "sizing applies time stretch," and compress or expand midi regions. I see this tool is also available in the key editor, but I cannot figure out how to actually make it work!

For example, I want 4 quarters to now turn into 4 8ths. In the key editor my arrow tool shows the "clock" icon which should mean "sizing applies time stretch" is on, but when I drag the ends to make them shorter, the ends are turning into 8ths, but the starts are still quarters. How is this done?






edit: for clarity I'm not looking to change the durations from quarter notes to 8th notes as seen above (indeed thats easy) but I'm trying to time compress what happened in 4 beats (4 quarters) into 2 beats (4 8th notes).


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## dzilizzi (Sep 28, 2019)

I'm not great with Cubase. That said, wouldn't you highlight the notes, go up to the note length setter thing on the tool bar and change the notes to 8th notes? That's what I usually do.


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## Olfirf (Sep 29, 2019)

Not on a Cubase machine right now, but ... can’t you alt drag the end of the region to stretch it just like an audio track?


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## SomeGuy (Sep 29, 2019)

I should have been more clear. I'm not looking to change the durations from quarter notes to 8th notes (indeed thats easy) but I'm trying to time compress what happened in 4 beats (4 quarters) into 2 beats (4 8th notes). This of course is an easy example. I often find myself wishing I could take ostinato lines, harp glisses, etc and try them at double (or sometimes half) speed.


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## SomeGuy (Sep 29, 2019)

Olfirf said:


> Not on a Cubase machine right now, but ... can’t you alt drag the end of the region to stretch it just like an audio track?


Unless I have something setup wrong, this does not work in the key editor for me. It works in the arrange page, but not the key editor. 

But his HAS to be possible, right? I mean why have the "sizing applies time stretch" tool if it doesn't do anything different that the normal arrow tool!?


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## brenneisen (Sep 29, 2019)

SomeGuy said:


> I mean why have the "sizing applies time stretch" tool if it doesn't do anything different that the normal arrow tool!?



maybe it only works on the project zone?

is this what you want to do?

edit: somehow the following gif has glitched


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## dzilizzi (Sep 29, 2019)

I've wanted to do this before, but haven't known how. So I am also interested in it.


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## SomeGuy (Sep 29, 2019)

brenneisen said:


> maybe it only works on the project zone?
> 
> is this what you want to do?



YES! Is that changing the tempo of the project or just compressing the time of that single track?


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## brenneisen (Sep 29, 2019)

SomeGuy said:


> YES! Is that changing the tempo of the project or just compressing the time of that single track?



that's Ableton Live but was done selecting the notes and using the "stretch handle" to resize/compress them to 8ths


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## SomeGuy (Sep 29, 2019)

Aww man! You got my hopes up!!


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## Hywel (Sep 29, 2019)

Select your notes
Go to MIDI (in the top menu)
Then Logical Presets
Then Standard Set 1
Then Double Tempo
Job done - if I understand you correctly in what you want to do


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## Rctec (Sep 30, 2019)

Use the Logical Editor...


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## Henu (Sep 30, 2019)

Go back to project window, split the phrase into it's own "block", time-stretch that separate block (like it was audio) and it should work. Remember also to take the grid off if you don't want it to snap to grid.


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## brenneisen (Sep 30, 2019)

logical editor works of course but would be cool to have stretch tool working inside the midi editor also; good to try things slightly different (and you don't need to waste key commands)


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## ThomasNL (Oct 1, 2019)

Yeah, i would love to have a feature like this too! EXACTLY like the ableton live example.


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## naosato (Nov 13, 2019)

Have you tried using the object selection tool? If you click the Object Selection icon (the arrow icon on top of the window), you can choose the option "sizing applies time stretch". This works for both audio and midi so say you have midi region that's 2 bars long, just size it down to 1bar (1/2 of original length) and all the midi notes within the region gets compressed to half size.


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## A.G (Nov 14, 2019)

SomeGuy said:


> I'm trying to time compress what happened in 4 beats (4 quarters) into 2 beats (4 8th notes).



It can be done only in the Project window using the "Sizing Apply Time Stretch" tool by moving the left or right side of a MIDI Part. It works cause the MIDI Part behaves as a container so the Note events change their position and size simultaneously when you change the MIDI Part length.






The "Sizing Apply Time Stretch" tool does not work in the Key editor, you can use only the Logical editor there.


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## Zedcars (Nov 14, 2019)

A.G said:


> It can be done only in the Project window using the "Sizing Apply Time Stretch" tool by moving the left or right side of a MIDI Part. It works cause the MIDI Part behaves as a container so the Note events change their position and size simultaneously when you change the MIDI Part length.


But, why can't my selection behave as a container? Once selected, Cubase knows the start and end points, so should be able to calculate how to shrink or expand each MIDI event accordingly. It doesn't seem to make much sense to restrict this useful feature to only the Project window.

Yes, I've come up against this restriction before and at first you're like "what the hell...?".

Then I just grumble quietly for a couple of seconds and do it 'The Cubase Way' in the Project window.


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## A.G (Nov 14, 2019)

Zedcars said:


> But, why can't my selection behave as a container?



I compared the MIDI Part (in the Project window) with a container because there is a path structure - the Note events are inside the Part/Container and stay in a sub path. When you stretch the MIDI Part, Cubase knows how to re-position the Note events and change their length.

You can cut MIDI Parts in the Project window and stretch them very easily and quickly, rather then using the Key editor.


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## brenneisen (Nov 14, 2019)

A.G said:


> You can cut MIDI Parts in the Project window and stretch them very easily and quickly, rather then using the Key editor.



although it'd be more easy and quick within the editor (like Ableton Live's gif)


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## dzilizzi (Nov 14, 2019)

Cubase has never been the easier option. Just has more things it can do. At least that's what they tell me, since I can never find where they put this stuff. I tend to get frustrated and use something else.


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## A.G (Nov 14, 2019)

brenneisen said:


> although it'd be more easy and quick within the editor (like Ableton Live's gif)


I do not agree. If you have a chance to do anything directly in the Project window, then this is the best option which saves time to open Parts/Regions and work in the various Editors.


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## brenneisen (Nov 14, 2019)

A.G said:


> I do not agree. If you have a chance to do anything directly in the Project window then this is the best saving time to open Parts/Regions and work in the various Editors.



if you're already inside key editor editing midi and trying timings/rhythms?


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## A.G (Nov 14, 2019)

brenneisen said:


> if you're already inside key editor editing midi and trying timings/rhythms?


You are traveling in the last carriage and it will take a lot of time to follow me (1st carriage) .

For example, I'll cut Parts and will show Project and the Key Editor in the dock to do any extra timings/rhythms. I'll stretch the MIDI Part in the Project area when I'm satisfied by my Key editor work (i.e I'll work in a split screen/dock - Project and Key editor).
I show the Project/Key Editor workaround in the Animated GIF I posted before.

Could you offer a better idea?


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## shomynik (Apr 15, 2020)

Yes, time-stretch functionality in the Key Editor would be lovely.


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