Fixed and Variable Connection Lengths

The length of a connection—that is, the number of beats that separate the two chords it connects—can be either fixed or variable, depending on the Edit Mode setting on the Chordmap Tab of the Chordmap Properties window.

The maximum duration of a chord is normally calculated according to its position relative to the timeline in the Chord Path Window. Dragging a chord to the left or right in the Chord Path window causes the maximum duration to be recalculated. When the Edit Mode setting is Fixed, the maximum and minimum durations are equal.

When the Edit Mode setting is Variable, the range of variation is set in the Connection Properties window. By default, the minimum length is 1 and the maximum length is the current length of the connection as displayed on the timeline. Both these values can be changed; however, if you subsequently drag either chord to a new position, the maximum length is reset to agree with the display.

The advantage of using variable connection lengths is flexibility in selection of chord paths when chords are composed. If a chord path has a total fixed duration of 12 beats, it can be selected only when exactly 12 beats need to be composed between signpost group markers in the segment. If, on the other hand, the connections have variable lengths, the path might be selected to fill spaces of other durations, such as 8 or 16 beats.

Note If the chordmap and the segment use different time signatures, an end signpost chord on a measure boundary might not fall on a measure boundary in the segment. If fixed-length connections are being used, this means the chord path leading to that end signpost will not be selected. However, when you use variable durations, there is greater flexibility for where you position signposts in the Chord Path window. As long as the minimum or maximum number of beats in a chord path can fit between signposts in a segment, the path can be used, regardless of whether the signposts are on measure boundaries in the Chord Path window.

Example of Variable-Length Path

The following figure shows a chord path using variable-length connections.

As the Connection Properties window shows, the 2CM beginning signpost chord has a duration ranging from 4 to 12 beats. In addition, assume that the following statements are true:

• The 2DM connection chord has a duration ranging from 4 to 8 beats.
• The 2FM connection chord has a duration ranging from 8 to 16 beats.

The overall minimum length of this path is 16 beats (4 + 4 + 8), and the maximum length is 26 beats (12 + 8 + 16).

Suppose you create a segment in a 4/4 time signature with signpost group markers in measures 1, 5, and 13. The following table shows the length of the two required chord paths, in beats.

Assuming that all the signpost groups include a 2CM beginning signpost, the chord path shown in the figure would be suitable for use beginning at measure 1, because the required length of 16 beats falls within its range. But the chord path cannot be used at measure 5, because 32 beats exceed its maximum length.