Rulers¶
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The [ruler]{.dfn} scales the session along time, allows navigating, and can be marked for different uses.
One of its main uses is to move the playhead: clicking anywhere on the timeline will bring the playhead at this location in time. Also, using the mouse’s scrollwheel while hovering the ruler will zoom in or out ([⇑]{.kbd .mouse}/[⇓]{.kbd .mouse} ).
The ruler is made of a succession of rows, each having a special role related to time. Adding or removing rows can be done by [right]{.kbd .mouse} clicking anywhere in the ruler’s header on the left, and ticking any of:
[Mins:Secs]{.dfn} |
scaling the session with the Mins:Secs:mSec notation |
[Timecode]{.dfn} |
scaling the session with the Hours:Mins:Secs:Frames notation |
[Samples]{.dfn} |
scaling the session with the sample number notation |
[Bars:Beats]{.dfn} |
slicing the time according to the time signature |
[Time Signature]{.dfn} |
shows the time signature. It can be changed along the timeline, by [Right-click]{.kbd .mouse} > [New Time Signature]{.kbd .menu}. The Bars:Beats ruler will reflect the change. |
[Tempo]{.dfn} |
shows the BPM. It can be changed along the timeline, by [Right-click]{.kbd .mouse} > [New Tempo]{.kbd .menu}. The Bars:Beats ruler will reflect the change. |
[Range Markers]{.dfn} |
allow to create and modify ranges directly on the Ruler. |
[Location Markers]{.dfn} |
is meant to receive any kind of marker, user generated or from Ardour itself. |
[Arrangement]{.dfn} |
allows creating range sections like a verse, a chorus, a bridge etc. |
[Video Timeline]{.dfn} |
shows thumbnails of the video in the timeline |
Most rulers allow placing markers to serve a specific purpose: mark a point in time, define a loop range, or something else entirely.
Most of the operations on the markers are described in Working with Markers, additional information on Time Signature, Tempo, Bars:Beats, and Timecode is available in the Tempo and Time Signature chapter.