Time selection

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antic604

23 Mar 2018

I can't believe this even needs to be proposed! :o :(

In addition to existing tools available under Q-U keys (pointer, draw, eraser, razor, mute, magnifying glass, hand - BTW, anyone use the last two?) we really need Time Selection tool. Let's say I have 4-bar sequence like this, with small clips with spaces between them and at the beginning and end of sequence:

1.........2.........3..........4..........
....[|||].....[|||||||||||]...[|]....[|].......

What I can do right now is 'lasso' all the clips with the pointer tool and then hit Ctrl+D, which will give me this:

1.........2.........3..........4..........5.........6.........7..........8..........
....[|||].....[|||||||||||]...[|]....[|][|||].....[|||||||||||]...[|]....[|]....................

When obviously I was going for this:

1.........2.........3..........4..........5.........6.........7..........8..........
....[|||].....[|||||||||||]...[|]....[|]............[|||].....[|||||||||||]...[|]....[|].......

How is it not a feature in Reason yet?! I know people can get used to ANYTHING if they use it long enough, but it's a really basic thing.

Also, this would make it easy - using Time Selection tool - to select a segment of the overall timeline to make a vertical selection, which could be easily duplicated in the sequencer or - say, with a right-click - turned into a Block.

VSTs were possible, but this is somehow more complicated to implement?

antic604

27 Mar 2018

No one finds this missing? Wow :)

At least Props should add two entries in the right-click menu: "copy track time between loop locators" and "copy sequencer time between loop locators" - that would be consistent with current way of doing things (adding / removing time between loop locators).

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Nocturn789
Posts: 67
Joined: 01 Jun 2015

29 Mar 2018

antic604 wrote:
23 Mar 2018

1.........2.........3..........4..........5.........6.........7..........8..........
....[|||].....[|||||||||||]...[|]....[|][|||].....[|||||||||||]...[|]....[|]....................

When obviously I was going for this:

1.........2.........3..........4..........5.........6.........7..........8..........
....[|||].....[|||||||||||]...[|]....[|]............[|||].....[|||||||||||]...[|]....[|].......
To archive this by Ctrl+D set the snap mode to 'Bar'.
:reason: v10.4
:recycle: :re:
Windows 10 Pro x64, Intel i7-7700K, 32GB RAM, Scarlett 4i4 3rd Gen
Behringer X-Touch, Nektar Impakt LX61, Livid DS1, Novation LaunchPad Mini
Pioneer DJM-900NXS2, 2x Pioneer CDJ-2000NXS2, Korg Kaoss Pad 3

antic604

29 Mar 2018

Nocturn789 wrote:
29 Mar 2018
To archive this by Ctrl+D set the snap mode to 'Bar'.
Really? :o Thanks! I never would have though this might be relevant, because I don't think it makes any difference to how the selection looks like (visually, in the GUI), right? Also I think if 4th clip ended within 3rd bar and I'd like to still duplicate the whole 4-bar segment (with 4th bar empty), it still wouldn't work correctly - it would paste the sequence at the beginning of 4th bar. AND there's no keyboard shortcut to switch between grid sizes...

I'm really puzzled at why DAW (all DAW) devs do this - they make this weird, arbitrary calls for not implementing something that appears to be trivial. What was the though process here?
"Let's give them the TIMEline to put their MIDI and audio on, but let's not allow them to actually select time!"?
"Let's make them switch the grid size with the mouse - it's much more convenient!"?
"Let's make it so that clicking the Solo button anywhere doesn't actually make that thing play alone, but adds it to GROUP of things playing TOGETHER and let's refuse the user any modifier key to actually make it play in isolation"

It's "quality of life" things like those that accumulate over time and lead do frustration :(

User avatar
Nocturn789
Posts: 67
Joined: 01 Jun 2015

29 Mar 2018

antic604 wrote:
29 Mar 2018
Nocturn789 wrote:
29 Mar 2018
To archive this by Ctrl+D set the snap mode to 'Bar'.
Really? :o Thanks! I never would have though this might be relevant, because I don't think it makes any difference to how the selection looks like (visually, in the GUI), right? Also I think if 4th clip ended within 3rd bar and I'd like to still duplicate the whole 4-bar segment (with 4th bar empty), it still wouldn't work correctly - it would paste the sequence at the beginning of 4th bar. AND there's no keyboard shortcut to switch between grid sizes...

It's "quality of life" things like those that accumulate over time and lead do frustration :(
Yes you are right. If the 4th bar is empty, it would paste the clips into to the 4th bar BUT at least the clips will be placed on the correct beat within the bar. So you still have to move it to the next bar. but with snap mode to 'bar' this is really quickly done.

example with 4-bar selection:
copy this:
1.........2.........3..........4..........5.........6.........7..........8..........
....[|||].....[|||||||||||]...[|]....[|]......................................................
paste with snap mode 'Bar':
1.........2.........3..........4..........5.........6.........7..........8..........
....[|||].....[|||||||||||]...[|]....[|]............[|||].....[|||||||||||]...[|]....[|].......


example with 3-bar selection:
copy this:
1.........2.........3..........4..........5.........6.........7..........8..........
....[|||].....[|||||||||||]...[|].............................................................
paste with snap mode 'Bar':
1.........2.........3..........4..........5.........6.........7..........8..........
....[|||].....[|||||||||||]...[|]......[|||].....[|||||||||||]...[|]...........................
move pasted clips with snap mode 'Bar':
1.........2.........3..........4..........5.........6.........7..........8..........
....[|||].....[|||||||||||]...[|]...................[|||].....[|||||||||||]...[|]..............

A selector as you explained would be a really nice thing
:reason: v10.4
:recycle: :re:
Windows 10 Pro x64, Intel i7-7700K, 32GB RAM, Scarlett 4i4 3rd Gen
Behringer X-Touch, Nektar Impakt LX61, Livid DS1, Novation LaunchPad Mini
Pioneer DJM-900NXS2, 2x Pioneer CDJ-2000NXS2, Korg Kaoss Pad 3

User avatar
selig
RE Developer
Posts: 11681
Joined: 15 Jan 2015
Location: The NorthWoods, CT, USA

29 Mar 2018

Quickest workaround is to extend the clip to fill the empty bar before copy/paste or duplicate.

Not sure why object selection was chosen over time selection as the ONLY way to work in Reason. Maybe they thought it would be “simpler”, but it’s not - clearly!
[emoji6]

I also think this is a consequence of how they implemented clips, which should make things easier but also make them more difficult.

IMO, clips should like groups in a graphics app - a way to combine related elements to help when doing things like moving them around.

There’s no need to have every recording as it’s own clip if you don’t want it. When in edit mode, clips should only appear along the top - the rest of the note data should appear as it sounds, in one long unbroken screen ready for editing (without first double-clicking).

It’s a half-implemented system at best, and the fact Reason is based on object selection ONLY, with no option for time selection seems oddly unfinished to me.

Sent from some crappy device using Tapatalk
Selig Audio, LLC

antic604

30 Mar 2018

@Selig, you'd love Bitwig :)

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