Merging Tracks

Sometimes you may find it useful to merge two or more tracks. For example, some MIDI files for Baroque keyboard pieces assign a separate track to each voice in a hand, rather than just a right- and left-hand track. You will want to merge these tracks into a single track, and then use the Split Hands command to separate the now single track into right- and left-hand staves.

If you intention is to produce a piano reduction of a score of multiple instruments or vocal parts, then you can use the Prepare Piano Reduction command in the Part menu. It basically combines the Merge Tracks command and the Split Hands command into one easy step. For details, see Preparing a Piano Reduction of a Score.

When Composer merges tracks, it merges both the underlying MIDI performance and the visible notation. The merging of the notation can become complicated. For example, if one track has triplets, and another quintuplets, and another dotted rhythms, the merging of the rhythms could result in more than the maximum of two voices (upper and lower voices with stems pointing up and down) supported by Composer. In this case, Composer attempts to simplify the displayed rhythms; but it will not change the underlying MIDI performance-- the actual timing of the played notes.

To merge two or more tracks:

1.      If the track controls are visible, then click the Track Selection button to select the first track.

Then while holding down the SHIFT key, click the Track Selection button for another track. These two tracks and all of the tracks in between will be selected.

2.      Choose the Merge Tracks command from the Track menu.

-- OR --

Type "qmt" for Quick Merge Tracks.

     Composer will display the Merge Tracks dialog box.

3.      In the Merge Tracks dialog box, confirm the tracks you selected in step #1.

     -- OR --

Select the tracks that you wish to merge.

4.      Also, in the Merge Tracks dialog box, you may wish to click the Transcription Options button. The transcription options will apply to the newly merged track. The determine whether:

     Standard versus jazz (swing) rhythm notation will be used.

     Single voices or split (upper and lower) voices will be detected and notated.

     Overlaps of notes will be removed to reduce the number of ties in the score.

     Rests smaller than a specified size (quarter, eighth, or sixteenth) will be removed.

     Grace notes, trills and tremelos will be detected and notated.

For details about these options, see Transcription Options.

5.      Click the OK button.

     Composer will merge the selected tracks.

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