Properties Inspector - Clip Properties

The Clip Properties Inspector displays settings for the currently selected clip(s). The Clip Properties Inspector contains the following sections:

Properties section

Groove Clip section

AudioSnap section

Clip Effects section

Figure 180. The Clip Properties Inspector displays settings for the currently selected clip(s).

A. Clip Properties section B. Groove Clip Looping section C. AudioSnap section D. Clip Effects section

Note: The preceding image shows all sections in the Clip Properties Inspector expanded for illustration purposes only. You can only show one section at a time.

To show/hide the Clip Properties Inspector

Click the Clip button at the top of the Inspector pane, or press SHIFT+I.

Figure 181. Click the Clip button to show/hide the Clip Properties Inspector.

To show/hide a section in the Clip Properties Inspector

Click the section’s header bar in the inspector.

The section expands and the previously-displayed section collapses.

Figure 182. Click a section’s header bar to expand the section and show its controls.

Properties section

Properties header bar. Click to show/hide the Properties section.

Clip Name. Use this field to assign a name to the selected clip. The name of a clip is used in the Track view and Event List view. You can assign any name to help you remember the contents of the clip.

Time Format. Use the list to specify in which format to display the selected clip’s Start time and Length. The options are as follows:

MBT. Display the clip’s Start and Length properties in M:B:T (Measure: Beat:Tick) format.

Samples. Display the clip’s Start and Length properties in number of samples format.

HMSF. Display the clip’s Start and Length properties in H:M:S:F (Hour: Minute:Second:Frame) format.

Seconds. Display the clip’s Start and Length properties in number of seconds format.

Start. Use this field to move the selected clip forward or backward in the track by setting a new start time.

Length. This field displays the length of the selected clip.

Snap Offset (audio clips only). The Snap Offset field is for audio clips only. Snap offsets allow you to set a point other than the beginning of a clip as the “snap” point used by the Snap to Grid. A snap offset is the number of samples from the beginning of the clip. Snap offsets affect all edits that obey the Snap to Grid setting. Clips without a snap offset always align at the very beginning of a clip. For more information, see Snap offsets.

Note: You cannot set a snap offset for a Groove clip.

Original Time. The Original Time property stores and shows the original SMPTE time stamp associated with the clip. This is the SMPTE time stamp at which the clip was recorded or imported into the project. The Original Time property can not be edited. See To revert clip(s) to original time stamp.

Time Base. Choose one of the two options in this section to control what happens to a locked clip when you change the tempo:

Musical (M:B:T). If the clip is set to the Musical time base, the clip’s M:B:T position stays constant, and its absolute position shifts.

Absolute. If the clip is set to the Absolute time base, its absolute position stays constant, and its M:B:T position shifts.

Mute. Mutes the clip.

Lock. Locks the clip’s data and/or position. The Lock drop-down menu contains the following options:

Position and Data. Locks position and data, and adds a lock icon on the clip .

Position Only. Locks position only, and adds a yellow lock icon (with the clasp unlocked) on the clip .

Data Only. Locks data only, and adds a blue lock icon (with the clasp unlocked) on the clip .

Automation Read. Allows the clip to respond to clip automation envelopes.

Note: Clip envelopes are only visible/editable when the parent track’s Edit Filter control is set to Clip Automation. For details, see Selecting the data type to edit.

Clips Linked. Shows how many clips are linked to the selected clip.

Foreground. Specifies the waveform or note color of the selected clip.

Background. Specifies the clip background color of the selected clip.

Use Track Colors. Returns the selected clip’s color to the default, as defined in Edit > Preferences > Customization - Color.

For more information about clip properties, see Editing clip properties and Arranging clips.

Groove Clip section

Groove Clip header bar. Click to show/hide the Groove Clip section.

Looping. Convert the selected clip to a Groove Clip. You can drag the right edge of a Groove Clip to create loop repetitions. Groove Clips can also obey pitch markers. For more information about Groove Clips, see Working with Groove Clip audio and MIDI Groove Clips.

Note: If this control is not available, the selected clip is most likely an AudioSnap clip. A clip can not have Groove Clip looping and AudioSnap enabled at the same time.

Stretch to Tempo (audio clips only). Stretch or shrink the selected clip to fit the project’s tempo. SONAR uses the Beats in Clip and Original Tempo parameters are used to make the change.

Beats in Clips. The number of beats (quarter notes) in the clip.

Original Tempo (audio clips only). The tempo at which the clip was recorded.

Follow Pitch. Transposes the loop, if necessary, to the key of the project. A loop recorded in the key of A, used in a project in the key of C, will be transposed up three semitones if the Follow Pitch option is selected. You can also insert markers in the Time Ruler which change the project pitch. These markers, called pitch markers affect only Groove clips with Follow Pitch enabled.

Reference Note. Represents the key in which the loop was originally recorded. The Follow Pitch feature uses this information, when checked, to transpose the loop to match the project’s default project pitch and pitch markers.

Pitch (semitones). Allows you to set the transposition of a clip independently from the project pitch. A positive number transposes the clip up by that number of semitones. A negative number transposes the clip down by that number of semitones. Remember, if Follow Pitch is enabled, the clip follows the project’s pitch, so any transposition changes you make using this option are changes to the project pitch, not the clip pitch.

Fine Pitch (cents). Allows you to make tuning adjustments or to transpose the pitch of a clip up to 50 cents. There are 100 cents in one semitone. A Fine Pitch setting of 1 adjusts the pitch up one hundredth of a semitone. The Fine Pitch option can “fine tune” a slightly out of tune clip so that it is in pitch with the remaining clips in a project.

For more information about Groove Clips, see Working with loops and Groove Clips.

AudioSnap section

AudioSnap header bar. Click to show/hide the AudioSnap section.

Enable. Enables or disables AudioSnap on selected audio clips.

Note: AudioSnap is automatically enabled on a clip if you stretch a transient marker on the clip.

Average Tempo. Shows the average tempo candidates: original, 0.5x and 2x. SONAR will do its best to detect the correct average tempo, but a clip can often have multiple potential tempos (60 BPM, 120 BPM, 240 BPM, etc.). If SONAR is unable to detect a tempo, Average Tempo will be set to Original, which is the project’s tempo at the location the clip was recorded or imported. If you change the Average Tempo setting, all clip tempo changes are adjusted to scale.

Follow Project Tempo. Forces the clip to follow the project’s global tempo map.

Follow Options. Specifies at which resolution the clip should follow tempo changes when Follow Project Tempo is selected. The options are as follows:

Beats

Measures

Clip (default)

Auto-Stretch

Note: The Follow Project Tempo option only works on clips that are configured to use musical time (the Time Base property is set to Musical (M:B:T) in the Clip Properties Inspector.

Filter Threshold. Disables AudioSnap transient markers based on their volume. This clears out unwanted markers to make editing easier. Higher values create a bigger volume threshold, which disables markers that are fall below that threshold.

Filter Resolution. The selected Filter Resolution value lets you disable markers based on their time location. This clears out unwanted markers to make editing easier. Larger values create a bigger time window, based on musical time values, which preserves markers that are closest to the displayed musical time value, and disables others.

Online Render. This choice determines what stretch algorithm is used during real-time playback. For more information about render modes, see Algorithms and rendering. The options are as follows:

From Track. This uses the algorithm listed in the Online field in Edit > Preferences > Project - AudioSnap.

Groove clip. This mode works faster than Percussion render mode, using less processing power.

Percussion. This mode works better than the Groove Clip render mode on percussive material, especially if the stretching is by more than a few beats per minute.

Note: The Online render mode is for preview purposes only during playback. The final audio quality will be greatly improved after the Offline render mode is applied during mixdown/export.

Offline Render. This drop-down menu lets you choose the algorithm that is used when you export or freeze stretched audio. The choices in the drop-down menu are as follows:

From Track. This uses the algorithm listed in the Offline Rendering field in Edit > Preferences > Project - AudioSnap.

Radius Mix. Better for clips containing polyphonic, stereo data.

Radius Mix Advanced. Similar to Radius Mix, but exposes a Smoothing slider that adjust how much detail to preserve.

Radius Solo. Better for clips containing monophonic, solo instruments.

Radius Solo (Bass). Better for clips containing solo bass instruments.

Radius Solo (Vocal). Better for clips containing solo vocals.

Same as Online. Uses the same choice as the Online field.

Enable Stretch. Allows a clip to follow a project’s tempo as it changes. It instructs SONAR to stretch or shrink the clip to fit the project’s tempo. SONAR uses the Original BPM parameters to make the change.

Stretch Amount (%). Specify by what percentage to stretch the clip.

New Duration. Specify what duration to stretch the clip to.

New Thru-Time. Specify the Thru Time to stretch the clip to.

For more information about AudioSnap, see AudioSnap (Producer and Studio only).

Clip Effects section

Clip Effects header bar. Click to show/hide the Clip Effects section. This sections lets you add real-time effects to the selected clip.

Effects bin. Right-click to insert a plug-in, or drag a plug-in from the Browser.

For more information about clip effects, see Effects on clips and Adding effects in the Track view.

 

See:

Properties Inspector overview

Properties Inspector - Clip Properties

Properties Inspector - Track Properties

Inspectors

 

See also:

Editing clip properties

Arranging clips

Effects on clips

Adding effects in the Track view

Working with loops and Groove Clips

AudioSnap (Producer and Studio only)

MIDI effects (MIDI plug-ins)

Snap to Scale