Cut Copy and Paste Methods in Cakewalk

This document describes an important difference between Drag-and-Drop editing, and using the Edit commands.

For this example, we'll be using the 2 Part Invention.wrk file that comes with Cakewalk. Notice that the clip named Voice #1 starts 30 ticks later than Voice #2.

  1. Load 2 Part Invention.wrk
  2. Click on the clip named Voice #1. The clip should now be selected (highlighted).
  3. Drag the clip down to track 3.

The Voice #1 clip originally started at 1:01:030, and still does after drag-moving it to track 3. When drag-moving/copying a clip, the offset within a measure is preserved.

Let's try the same example, using the Edit commands instead of drag-moving.

  1. Load 2 Part Invention.wrk
  2. Click on the clip named Voice #1. The clip should now be selected (highlighted).
  3. Choose Edit | Cut. Make sure Events in Tracks is selected, then click OK.
  4. Choose Edit | Paste. Set Starting at Track to track 3, then click OK.

Notice that Voice #1 now starts at 1:01:000, and not 1:01:030, like it did when drag-moving. Why? Again, when drag-moving/copying a clip, the offset within a measure is preserved. When copying/cutting, the From time is the frame of reference for all of the events. When pasting, the Now time (not the From time) is the frame of reference. Since the Now time was 1:01:000 when we pasted, the Voice #1 clip ended up starting at 1:01:000.

What if you want to move the Voice #1 clip exactly 4 measures later in the song? You have two options:

  • Drag-move/copy the clip to measure 4, and the clip should start at 4:01:030.

-or-

  • Set the Now time to whatever the From time is, plus 4 measures. Next, use the Edit | Cut and Edit | Paste commands like we did in the example above.

There are several ways to change the Now time before pasting:

  • Click on the Now time on the Control Bar.

-or-

  • Choose GoTo | Time.

-or-

  • Change the Starting at Time value in the Edit | Paste dialog box.

Hopefully this has made it a little clearer why you get different results when drag-moving/copying, and when using the Edit commands.

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