User manual

564
Working with symbols
Adding slurs and ties
Slurs can be drawn in manually or inserted automatically
for a group of notes. Ties are usually added by the pro-
gram but can also be drawn in as “graphic” symbols.
Ö There are two types of slurs – “regular” slurs and Bez-
ier slurs (with which you have full control over thickness,
curve shape, etc.).
Slurs, ties and the display quantize value
Since a slur or tie “musically” always spans from one note
(or chord) to another, the beginning and end of a slur/tie in
Cubase is always related to two notes in the score.
When you draw in a tie or slur, the program uses the
quantize value to find the closest two notes to “attach” the
symbol to. In other words, if you want to add the slur/tie to
a note at a sixteenth note position, make sure Quantize is
set to 1/16th notes or smaller (this is only true for manual
drawing in of slurs and ties).
Please note that this does not necessarily mean that the
symbol has to start or end exactly above/below two notes.
Instead, what it means is that when you use the Layout
tool to move the note graphically to adjust the look of the
bar, the slur/tie moves with it (see “Graphic moving of no-
tes” on page 552). The same is true if you adjust the width
of the measure – the slur/tie is adjusted accordingly.
Ö If you want the end points of the slurs to snap to exact
note positions, activate the option “Snap Slurs when
dragging” on the context menu. This option is also avail-
able in the Preferences dialog (Scores-Editing page).
Drawing the slur/tie
1. Set the Quantize value depending on the positions of
the two notes that the slur/tie should span.
For example, if one of them is at a quarter note position and the other at
an eighth note position, set Quantize to 1/8 note or a smaller note value.
2. Click (or double-click) on the correct slur/tie in the
symbol Inspector, so that the Pencil tool is selected.
3. Position the mouse close to the first note and drag to a
position close to the second note.
The end points of the slur/tie will snap to their default positions – holding
down [Ctrl]/[Command] allows you to move the end points freely.
There are two special functions for inserting a slur or tie
that automatically spans from one note to another.
Adding a slur/tie between two notes
1. Select two notes.
2. Click (or double-click) the correct slur/tie symbol in
the Inspector, so that the Pencil tool is selected.
3. Hold down [Ctrl]/[Command] and [Shift] and click on
one of the two notes.
The slur/tie is added between the two selected notes.
Inserting a slur over a selection of notes
1. Select a span of notes.
2. Pull down the Scores menu and select “Insert Slur”.
A slur is created, starting at the first selected note and ending at the last.
The Bezier slur
The Bezier slur is a special slur symbol, found in the Dy-
namics symbol tab. Unlike the regular slur, this symbol is
made up of a bezier curve, allowing you to create more ad-
vanced curve shapes.
To add a Bezier slur, click (or double-click) on the symbol
in the Inspector so that the Pencil tool is selected, and
click or drag in the score. Clicking creates a Bezier slur of
the default length and shape, while dragging creates a
straight line.
You will find that the default Bezier slur has four curve
points – one at each end and two along the curve.
• To move the slur, click on it (but not on a curve point)
and drag.
• To resize the slur, click and drag the end points.