align both bars and timecode to zero

Is there a quick and easy way, when setting up a new project, to set ZERO to the same point for both seconds and bars+beats displays?

I snap the cursor to bar 0.01.01.000, and then choose “Set Timecode at Cursor” from the Project menu, and set it to 0:00:00.000.
I expect the timecode display to now say 0:00:00.000, when the cursor is at bar 0.01.01.000 but it doesn’t. Obviously I’m misunderstanding how this works…

Also is there a way to “anchor” zero, so it stays at the same place if I change the tempo?

In the Projest Setup (Project > Project Setup menu), you can set Start. If you will set 0:00:00:00, you should see this (0:00:00:00), if you are on the start of the project.

It’s not possible to set zero for bars + beats. This is nonsence. Because you starts on first bar, and first beat, not on zeroth bar and beat.

Yes of course you can. Set a one bar offset in the Project Setup menu. Then you can put your cursor at bar 0, Set Timecode to cursor and then type 0 in the dialogue box.

Personally if you were going to do this, I would probably use a 2 bar offset, so that there was a bit of room at the start of the project.

However, I sort of agree that it would make more sense to set the Timecode to something like 10:00:00:00 at bar 1, than to set it at zero, because the first bar of music would normally be at bar 1. However, I also sometimes put the click count in at bar 1, so that the fist bar of music is at bar 2. Many ways to skin this particular cat.

If you want to lock a particular bar (or beat, for that matter) to Timecode, this can be done using Warp, but there are some caveats, so I don’t really want to get into it until I know more about what you’re really after.

DG

1 Like

In this case, if you set Bar Offset to 1, you will not get 0.0.0.0. At this moment, you will get 0.1.1.0, what is even more confusing, in my own opinion.

Which is what the OP asked for.

D

Illogical, but truth. :slight_smile:

You’re all right, I AM a bit confused.

I’m not so much concerned with offset at the beginning of the project (I’d rather have lots of available space prior to the starting point). I just want WHEREVER in the timeline I start the project to be zero (or 1) for BOTH bar+beats and time displays.

In other words, I’d like to be able, at any given point along the timeline, to switch between time & bars+beats display and know how far I am (what bar, how many min:seconds) into the track.

So, for example, I’d like to be able to set 00.00.00.00 at say 10 minutes offset from the beginning of the project (so all times prior to that point are negative), and make that same point the starting beat (whether 0.1.1.0 or 1.1.1.0 I don’t really care. OR the other way around - can I set my cursor at 1.1.1.0 and make the time display say 00.00.00.00 at that position? (and STAY that way if I change the tempo?)

Does this make sense?

I’m not at my DAW right now. I’ll play with DG’s suggestions when I’m back in the studio.

And thanks, everyone, for your input. For some reason I didn’t get any notifications, so I didn’t know anyone had responded to my OP until today, when I was on the forum looking for something else.