Folder Tracks

When you have a complex project, the timeline can get cluttered. Folder tracks help you clean up the track list and timeline by grouping related tracks or sections of a project so they can be easily expanded or minimized. For example, if you have many drum tracks in your project, you can add a folder track to consolidate drum tracks and minimize their vertical space in the track list.

When the folder track is minimized, you can perform edit operations on clustered events in the group, but you cannot create events with the Draw or Paint tools or perform edge-trimming. Expand the folder track to edit individual events.

TIP You can also use folder tracks to maintain alternate mixes of a project. For example, create two distinct drum parts and move the tracks to separate folder tracks. Mute one of the drum folder tracks to choose which beat is used when you play or render your project.

Create a folder trackClosed

From the Insert menu, choose Folder Track. A folder track is added below the currently selected track.

You can create nested folder tracks by dragging a folder track to an existing folder track.

Add tracks to a folder trackClosed

Drag tracks to the folder track to add them. If you drop the track on the folder track header, the track will be added as the first track in the folder.

When the track is expanded, you can drop a track in a specific location within the folder track. An insertion bar will be displayed where the track will be added.

Remove tracks from a folder trackClosed

  1. Click the Expand button to expand the folder track.

  2. Drag tracks from the folder track to another location in the track list.

Expand or minimize a folder trackClosed

Click the Expand button to expand the folder track, or click the Minimize button to collapse the expanded track.

TIP You can also double-click a folder track icon to expand and minimize the track.

Mute a folder trackClosed

Click the Mute button to prevent the tracks in a folder track from being played in the mix. Muting a folder track does not override soloed tracks in the folder track.

Click the Mute button on additional folder tracks to add them to the mute group. To unmute a folder track, click the Mute button again.

Solo a folder trackClosed

Click the Solo button to effectively mute all unselected tracks and folder tracks. Soloing a folder track does not override muted tracks in the folder track.

Click the Solo button on additional folder tracks to add them to the solo group. To remove a folder track from the solo group, click its Solo button again.

Edit clustered events Closed

When the folder track is minimized, you can also perform edit operations on clustered events in the group. The following edit operations will affect clustered events:

Click to select a clustered group of events, or hold Ctrl or Shift while clicking to select multiple clusters of events. Selected events are displayed in a darker color than unselected events.

Events that overlap are treated as a single event when the folder track is minimized:

Editing an event in the magenta cluster affects all magenta events. Editing an event in the green cluster affects all green events.

Editing an event in either cluster affects all events in the green and magenta clusters.

When snapping is enabled, events within the same grid space are clustered if you click or drag from within that grid space. If you click or drag outside that grid space, only events that overlap directly are affected.