Pick-Up Measures

[Movies]

I'm working on a film cue in a separate sequence/chunk. I have it set up so the cue starts at measure 1 and is a certain number of measures until the end.

I can set the measure-rewind time to 0|1|000 or -1|1|000 and it starts playing the film one or two measures before the cue/music, but I can't figure out how to actually burn it to disk that way.

Essentially, I need to keep everything exactly how it is, but have the entire sequence start one or two measures earlier (before the cue).

I read the pick-up measures section of the manual, but that didn't seem to do it for me. Maybe I'm just not doing it right?

[Movies]

I thought I had this dealie figured out, but I straight-up did not.

Any thoughts on this would be extra-appreciated.

[sprout]

Is it just the sequence you need to start sooner, or the movie too? Just thinking out loud, wondering if it's a combination of chunk/sequence start time and movie start time settings?

I know I regularly create quicktime movie exports of cues with extra time on the head, and it's usually just a matter of making a time selection in DP that includes the lead-in I want. Though I generally leave at least a few seconds of time at the beginning of my sequence so I can get a run at it, so to speak, and see how the transition feels, then adjust the markers and conductor track accordingly.

[Movies]

Hi Sprout.

I want the sequence and the film to both start earlier.

It could be that I'm just not setting up my projects in an awesome way?

Generally, for each cue, I create a separate chunk. I stick markers in where they need to be and lock them and then I set the chunk start time to have measure 1|1|000 be the frame time of the first marker. I then use the change tempo dialogue box to set a certain number of measures from one marker to the next by entering the frame start and stop times.

This template, however, makes it so every sequence start right at the beginning of cue/scene. Ideally, it would be nice to have a few seconds of film happening before the music for the new cue starts. Maybe there's just a better way to be setting up my projects/sequences?

[spotBuddy]

Try this: Go to Project / Modify Conductor Track / Insert Measures. Make sure you check the Maintain Times box. Be careful - Don't do this until you're sure of your starting tempo at bar 1. The extra measure(s) are inserted at the meter and first tempo of bar 1. If you change your mind about the starting tempo, it's a bit of a headache, as you'll either have a tempo change at bar 1, or bar 1 will no longer be at the original start time. In my opinion this is the one scoring-related feature that Logic does way better than DP. In Logic, you just drag a little thing in the ruler to the left to create an extra bar or whatever. Then if you change your mind about the first tempo, bar "0" automatically adjusts to that tempo, and its smpte start automatically adjusts so that bar 1 stays anchored to the same start time.

[Movies]

Spot, that worked perfectly! Thank you!

The Logic fix seems a bit more elegant, for sure.

I was JUST THIS EVENING, in fact, chatting to a pal about whether I should invest in Logic or not. I've heard so many different things from so many different people.

You use both, I take it?

[sprout]

If you change your mind about the starting tempo, it's a bit of a headache, as you'll either have a tempo change at bar 1, or bar 1 will no longer be at the original start time.

That's definitely the one sticky bit of the whole equation, especially if you want to play a couple of bars of click and have them at the tempo you're going to start playing at!

I usually give myself a few seconds in the chunk before I intend the cue to start, and then drop a marker and a meter change right where I want the cue to begin, since the meter change creates a new measure. Then sometimes there's some mucking about with chunk start time and/or the position of the meter change to eliminate any partial measures, and give myself a couple of measures at whatever tempo I've chosen.

It works well once that's all set up, but I've had my fair share of head-scratching moments trying to sort it all out!

[Movies]

If you change your mind about the starting tempo, it's a bit of a headache, as you'll either have a tempo change at bar 1, or bar 1 will no longer be at the original start time.

I'm not entirely sure that I understand what you two mean with this problem!

[beninabox]

There is an easier way. Project menue, then sequences, then start chunk time. You can set the starting measure for any number you wish, including 0. See page 184 in dp9 manual as it appears at http://emerald.tufts.edu/programs/mma/c ... 0Guide.pdf