Time System

Overview

Blue separates three related ideas:

  • the time base used to store a value
  • the format used to display time on a ruler or status readout
  • the snap value used while placing or editing material

Because these are separate settings, the same timeline can be viewed in different formats without forcing every stored value to change.

Core Terms

TimeBase

TimeBase is the format used to store or enter a time value. A ruler, a marker, a sound object’s start time, and a sound object’s duration may each use their own time base.

TimePosition

TimePosition is used for values that answer where does this happen? Examples include:

  • a sound object’s start time
  • a marker location
  • a tempo point location

TimeDuration

TimeDuration is used for values that answer how long does this last? Examples include:

  • a sound object’s subjective duration
  • a repeat point

Position fields and duration fields accept many of the same formats, but measure-based values are interpreted differently depending on whether the field expects a position or a duration.

Supported Formats

Format Typical use Example
Beats Simple beat count 12.5
BBT Bar, beat, ticks 5.3.120
BBST Bar, beat, sixteenth, ticks 5.3.2.60
BBF Bar, beat, fraction 5.3.50
Time Clock time 0:01:23.450
SMPTE Timecode 00:01:23:12
Seconds Decimal seconds 83.45
Samples Sample frame count 4000000

Beat-based measure formats depend on the project’s meter map. Time, seconds, and SMPTE depend on the tempo map. Sample positions depend on the project sample rate.

Positions and Durations

The same text entry format can mean different things depending on whether Blue expects a position or a duration.

Position entry

Positions are absolute locations on a timeline. When using measure-based formats, the values refer to musical locations in the project. For example, a BBT position of 3.1.0 means bar 3, beat 1, tick 0.

Duration entry

Durations are spans. In duration fields, measure-based formats are interpreted as lengths rather than absolute score locations. A duration entered as 1.0.0 in a measure-based format means one full bar, not bar 1.

This distinction applies to:

  • Sound Object Properties
  • the Quick Time dialog
  • repeat point editing
  • audio clip time and duration fields

Rulers

The Score Timeline uses the Ruler Configuration dialog to control how time is displayed.

Primary ruler

The primary ruler sets the main display format for the active timeline. Newly added score objects and newly imported audio clips use the selected primary ruler’s time base as their default start-time type.

Secondary ruler

The secondary ruler is optional. When enabled, it shows the same timeline in a second format.

This is useful when, for example, you want to work in bars and beats while also keeping clock time or SMPTE visible.

SMPTE frame rate

If you use SMPTE, the ruler configuration also sets the frame rate. The selected frame rate affects both formatting and parsing of SMPTE values.

Updating Existing Data from the Ruler

Changing the primary ruler changes the ruler display for the timeline. The same dialog also lets you choose whether existing values should be converted to the new primary time base.

The ruler dialog lets you choose whether to update:

  • ScoreObjects
  • Markers

For each, you can choose:

  • Update All TimeBases
  • Update Matching TimeBases

Use Update All TimeBases when you want existing positions and durations to be rewritten into the new primary time base. Use Update Matching TimeBases when you only want values that already use the old primary time base to be converted.

Snap

Snap is configured independently from ruler display.

The toolbar’s Snap button has two actions:

  • left-click toggles snap on and off
  • right-click opens the snap configuration menu

Available snap values include musical divisions, triplets, time-based values, SMPTE-based values, sample-based values, and auto mode.

You can therefore display the ruler in BBT while snapping to milliseconds, or display the ruler in seconds while snapping to quarter notes.

Where These Settings Appear

Time fields and ruler settings appear throughout Blue. Common places include:

  • the Score Timeline ruler and status displays
  • the Quick Time dialog
  • Sound Object Properties
  • the tempo point editor
  • the audio clip editor
  • the PianoRoll ruler configuration dialog

The Score Timeline chapter covers timeline workflow in detail. For sound-object properties and timing behavior, also see SoundObjects and Sound Objects.