Timeline
Last updated
Last updated
The timeline controls Song One's adaptive scrolling engine and allows you to perform the following actions:
Auto-scroll songs within an exact duration regardless of the device's screen size and the song's zoom level.
Program the song's scrolling speed and sync the scrolling position with the audio backing track's waveform (in page flip or auto-scroll mode).
Remote control external devices and apps (e.g. ProPresenter) via MIDI note and MIDI queue events added to the timeline. (See MIDI Events and MIDI Queue to learn more.)
The timeline can be accessed when the play mode is active and playback is paused:
Tap/Click on the button with the timeline icon to open the song's timeline window.
The length (duration) of the timeline is determined by the song's duration entered in the song info panel. When an audio backing track is added to a song the length is automatically updated to match the duration of the audio track's waveform:
A playhead in the left corner of the timeline indicates the playback position of a song. When auto-scroll is enabled (instead of page-flip) the playhead position will also control the scrolling position of the lyrics.
A red playhead with outward pointing arrows indicates that the timeline/waveform is unlocked during playback.
Swipe the timeline/waveform left or right to change the playback position of the backing track and view a different portion of a song. (The playback of the song does not have to be stopped to reposition the timeline/waveform.)
macOS: Swipe over the trackpad with two fingers to reposition the timeline/waveform.
When performing live the timeline/waveform should be locked to avoid interrupting the playback of the backing track when the screen is touched:
Tap/Click on the playhead's arrows to unlock/lock the timeline/waveform for all songs during playback.
A blue playhead with inward pointing arrows indicates that the timeline/waveform is locked during playback. (The position of the timeline/waveform can still be changed by swiping it left or right when playback is stopped.)
Events can be placed on the timeline/waveform to alter the song's scrolling position and execute commands during playback. (The playback of the song does not have to be stopped to add events to the timeline.)
Tap/Click on the plus sign above the time display to the left of the timeline/waveform.
The timeline event window will appear:
You can control the scrolling speed of songs by adding location markers to the timeline.
Location markers of a native Song One document refer to a specific song section (e.g Verse 1, Chorus).(See Section Labels to learn more.)
Location markers of imported PDF documents (as well as Print Snapshots) refer to a position on a specific page.
The playback of the song does not have to be stopped to add events to the timeline.
When location markers are added to the timeline the scrolling position is controlled via timeline and cannot be manually adjusted (via a bluetooth controller or screen taps).
To add location markers to the timeline of native Song One documents:
Tap/Click on the location icon at the top of the timeline event window and make a selection from the drop-down menu.
The drop-down menu is empty if you have not added Section Labels (e.g. Verse 1, Chorus) to the song. (See Section Labels to learn more.)
Start the playback of the backing track (or drag the timeline into position by swiping it left or right) and tap/click on the 'Add' button to add the event to the timeline.
Once the section event has been added Song One automatically suggests the next section label from the list:
When the audio backing track has reached the next song section (e.g. Verse 2) tap/click on the 'Add Next' button to add the event to the timeline.
You may specify in which part of the screen a section is displayed when its section marker is reached on the timeline. Navigate to the 'Play Mode' section of the app settings. Under 'Section Scrolling Position Offset' choose...
'Large' to position the section at the vertical center of the screen (minus the height of a line).
'Medium' to position the section between the 'Large' position offset and the top of the screen (minus the height of a line).
'Small' to position the section between the 'Medium' position offset and the top of the screen (minus the height of a line).
'None' to Position the section at the top of the screen (minus the height of a line).
Added section markers may be repositioned by performing a long tap on the event's icon and dragging it left or right.
The time display to the left of the timeline will turn orange while the event is being dragged to indicate the drop position of the event.
A repositioning pop-up menu allows you to jump to a specific location on the timeline. Perform a long tap/click on the play icon to access the menu and select the location.
To add location markers to the timeline of PDF documents (and Print Snapshots):
Tap/Click on the location icon at the top of the timeline event window and select 'Scroll / Position PDF'.
Specify a page number and an optional scrolling offset percentage: The offset value refers to a specific portion of a page (e.g. enter an offset of 50% to scroll to the middle of the page).
Enter the execution time of the event (or drag the timeline into position by swiping it left or right) and tap/click on the 'Add' button to add the event to the timeline.
Added 'Scroll / Position PDF' markers may be repositioned by performing a long tap on the event's icon and dragging it left or right.
The time display to the left of the timeline will turn orange while the event is being dragged to indicate the drop position of the event.
A repositioning pop-up menu allows you to jump to a specific location on the timeline. Perform a long tap/click on the play icon to access the menu and select the location.
When page flip is active you can control the scrolling position of songs by adding location markers to the timeline. See Adding Timeline Events and Customizing Auto-Scroll to learn more about adding location markers to the timeline.
Vocal cues are used to assist the performers during band rehearsals and live events. Vocal cues are audible in the performers' in-ear monitor system in addition to a click track or a backing track.
Typical vocal cues include:
A count-in to inform the drummer when to start playing,
the first line of the lyrics to support the lead singer,
the name of the upcoming song section to guide the band.
To add a vocal cue to the timeline of a song:
Tap/Click on the speaker icon at the top left of the timeline event window, select 'Play Vocal Cue' from the menu and type the cue into the text field (e.g. 'Verse 1').
Start the playback of the backing track (or drag the timeline into position by swiping it left or right). Tap/Click on the 'Add' button to add the cue to the timeline at the desired position.
Song One transforms the entered text into speech when the cue marker is reached during the playback. (Note: Vocal cues are executed with a slight delay since the text has to be synthesised.)
Note: Added cue events may later be repositioned by performing a long tap on the event and dragging it left or right.
The time display to the left of the timeline will turn orange while the event is being dragged to indicate the drop position of the event.
ProPresenter is a powerful presentation software created by Renewed Vision. It is used to generate dynamic visuals during live performances and church services. Song One can remote-control ProPresenter via timeline events.
Song One's outgoing MIDI commands are compatible with ProPresenter's default 'MIDI Map' settings. Revert to ProPresenter's default settings as follows:
Open ProPresenter's 'Devices' Settings Window (ProPresenter -> Settings -> Devices) and tap/click on the 'MIDI Map' button.
Enter the number '0' in the top left field of the MIDI Map window and tap/click on the 'Auto Fill' button.
ProPresenter's MIDI Map is now configured to work with Song One's timeline events. Consult ProPresenter's user guide to learn more about the app's MIDI capabilities.
Now you can add ProPresenter's MIDI events to Song One's timeline/waveform to be executed at specific times. (The playback of the song does not have to be stopped to add events to the timeline.)
Tap/Click on the plus sign above the time display to the left of the timeline/waveform.
The timeline event window will appear:
To add a new ProPresenter event to the timeline...
Tap/Click on the MIDI Icon at the top of the timeline event window and make a selection from the 'Control ProPresenter' drop-down menu.
Drag the timeline into position by swiping it left or right and tap/click on the 'Add' button to add the event to the timeline.
Note: Added timeline events may later be repositioned by performing a long tap on the event's icon and dragging it left or right.
The time display to the left of the timeline will turn orange while the event is being dragged to indicate the drop position of the event.
Standard MIDI events that are placed (or repositioned) on the timeline are executed with an accuracy of one decisecond (0.1 second).
To increase the accuracy create a high precision MIDI event by typing in its timeline position in a format that includes milliseconds:
You don’t have to include all digits when entering a time value. An entry of 5.221 is automatically converted to 00:05.221 and the MIDI event is added to the timeline at the corresponding position
Events you have added to the timeline can be deleted.
To delete a single timeline event tap/click on its marker and select 'Delete' in the timeline events window.
A group of events can also be disabled. Disabled events can easily be re-enabled when needed. Disabled timeline events are displayed in red and are not executed during playback.
For instance, disabling the section label events allows you to scroll a song at a different speed.
To disable/enable (or delete) a group of timeline events perform a long tap / right click / two finger tap on the plus icon and make the appropriate selection from the pop-up menu.
