Changing time signature of a measure without losing notes
I've just entered a very long song (the full version of "The Sound of Silence"), and realized that some of the measures need to be changed to 2/4 time. When I drag 2/4 into a measure, that measure, and all the rest, are split into two measures as expected. But when I then drag a 4/4 into the next measure, instead of collapsing measures 2 into 1, all the measures from that point on end up having half-note rests added to them. Here's a schematic representation of what I mean. N is a quarter note and R is a half note rest:
| 4/4 N N N N | N N N N | N N N N | N N N N
Now drag a 2/4 into the second measure, giving:
| 4/4 N N N N | 2/4 N N | N N | N N | N N | N N | N N
So far so good, but now drag a 4/4 into the third measure, and you get:
| 4/4 N N N N | 2/4 N N | 4/4 N N R | N N R | N N R | N N R | N N R
Is there a way to do what I want to do, or do I have to start over? :(
Comments
A correction to what I wrote. Inserting the 2/4 throws away the second half of each measure, which then gets replaced by a rest when I insert a 4/4. I want to avoid that too of course.
In reply to A correction to what I wrote. by stefanv
I can't think of a way to do this after the fact. If you can still undo or restore an older version of the file, one way to get the effect you want you be to create some 2/4 measures at the end of the piece and then copy/paste the measures you wish to change there. This will yield split the measures up correctly.
In reply to I can't think of a way to do by Marc Sabatella
First, insert a blank measure.
Next, drag a 4/4 time signature into the measure after the blank measure, and THEN, a 2/4 time signature into the blank measure.
Next, select all the measures from the one after the blank measure, to the end of the song, and hit Ctrl-X (cut). This copies the notes.
Finally, go to the blank measure, and hit Ctrl-V (paste). This pastes the notes back in, fitting them into the measures appropriately.